Neighbouring Property Drainage Issue – should I just sort it?

Neighbouring Property Drainage Issue – should I just sort it?

8:06 AM, 7th December 2015, About 8 years ago 3

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My Girlfriend owns a house that we both live in. It’s basically the first house in a row of terraces the side of which adjoins to the back of another row of terraces which are a floor higher. nike

We’ve had trouble with water dripping from seemingly random places in our house, except for the fact that it’s all been on the side where we are joined to the other row of terraces.

We’ve had the felt changed over the effected side of our roof and had about 70 new tiles but there’s still a drip coming through. I’ve taken the ceiling off in 2 rooms pretty much and by a process of elimination it’s fairly obvious that the problem is a stream of water that drops from next doors guttering when it rains heavily.

I’m fairly confident that this could be solved by putting some guttering down that part of our house but to do so we would have to drill into next doors wall plus the guttering would have to go past the bottom of a window of theirs. This wouldn’t be much of problem but no one currently lives there so we can’t ask.

I’ve done a land registry check and the name it’s given me is at that address and as I’ve said no one lives there.

The roofer doesn’t want to install anything because it’s someone else’s property but I’m basically at the point of just saying get up there and I’ll sign something saying that I take full legal responsibility for what he does.

We’ve already spent about £2500 fixing damage caused by water coming from their house so surely they wouldn’t be able make any kind of complaint if we drilled a couple of small holes into their wall to put up some drainage would they?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated
Thanks
Rick


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Comments

Neil Patterson

8:09 AM, 7th December 2015, About 8 years ago

Hi Rick,

I can see how tempting it is to just do it, but I would contact my buildings insurer first as they will be keen to give you advice on anything that affects their risk,. Hopefully you have legal cover with them as well and can ask the insurers legal team.

Cherry Picked Properties Lettings and Management

10:45 AM, 7th December 2015, About 8 years ago

Good morning,

I always think the same as yourself:

"Surely they wouldn’t be able make any kind of complaint if we drilled a couple of small holes into their wall to put up some drainage would they?

A landlord of mine recently bought a terraced house and next doors guttering wasn't fitted properly which meant damp was coming through into OUR bedroom.
We simply replaced it at our cost as it was damaging our property and guttering is a relatively inexpensive thing to replace anyway. I think it was tenanted but no one answered so we fixed it anyway.

You could actually bill them for the works if it's their property causing the damage so they should be grateful that you are doing it at no cost to themselves. What I would say though is plan the pipes so there is minimal disruption to their property. Don't do the easiest / cheapest fix if it's going to be ugly on their house!

Find another roofer / builder who is more used to working with issues like this because many understand and will undertake the work anyway,

Dan Sawyer

Cherry Picked Properties

Andrew Holmes

10:59 AM, 7th December 2015, About 8 years ago

Hi Rick,

Most local housing authorities have a "empty house" officer and department, they deal with this sort of problem, might be worth giving them a call to see if if they can advice. Even if the house is mortgaged and privately owned they are still responsible for the up keep, especially if it is effecting your partners property.

Andy

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