More money than sense

Typical of the rudeness of stuck-up neighbours.

We were woken at 7 am on Monday by work commencing in the garden at the back. At 7.30 I had to don a dressing gown and stick my head out of the window to request politely "No power tools before 8 am." Interestingly, I got a nod and compliance from the builder, who knew precisely what I meant.

Yesterday I took a photo of RSJs:

I told Jimmy to keep an eye on the party wall.

This evening, I take more photos:

It seems that they are extending their back room by resting it on the party garden wall. We can see through the garden wall. It's a garden wall; it's held up by dust and ivy. I would love to know how much they are spending on this job.  They've never knocked on our door to inform us of the building work, let alone have their architect or surveyor inspect the wall from our side. Maybe they did from next door (it's a three way party wall), but maybe it's in better condition next door...

I can't say I want to be underneath it when it crumbles under the weight - don't yet know whether it's going up two storeys. I would even less like to be in their extended back room when it collapses. I shall get onto Lambeth Building Control tomorrow, but I'm not messing around, I'm shall get onto a solicitor on Friday if Building Control are less than helpful

I don't want this hassle in my life. But I expect my neighbours at the back really don't want hassle or extra expense. If only they had shown neighbourly consideration in the first place, they wouldn't have gone ahead with such a ludicrous building project.  I know that wall; I suspect that a heavy wet load of washing or an extra strong gust of wind could send it falling.

I'm not sure about the law on Party Walls and Planning Permission. I don't particularly want to. I shall just refer it to a solicitor - if anyone can recommend a good relevant solicitor handy for my area (Brixton) do please let me know.

Comments

[Giorgia]

According to the truss I can see in the first picture, the main structure consists in the two walls at both ends of the truss - are they built on the garden wall, too? If they're not, then *maybe* the infill won't collapse (it still depends on if all the static calculations are correct)... still, you should go to Buildin Control offices, IMHO - if only for a matter of politeness, neighbours should be *at least* warned if one does this kind of works.

[Gert]

The trusses are replacing the main wall of the house which has been removed at ground floor level and are built into the main body. The builders have been over the wall and decided that it needs pointing. It might do as the main wall of a house; not important as a garden wall. The Council can't/won't do anything because the danger is not to the public highway, so I am currently seeking a solicitor. (Jimmy's niece works for a local firm, but they are mainly criminal - no surprise round here! - but we'll hear back). Mainly about their building on our party wall without our consent and contrary to the Party Wall etc Act 1996.

This morning's drama was a water leak which appeared to be from the mains and was severe enough for the builder to suggest the whole back of the house might collapse. They couldn't find the mains stopcock and I remembered Thames Water calling round a couple of years back searching for a mains. The builders contacted Thames Water who weren't prepared to come out as an emergency because it's a two year old problem, it's secondary mains, and their next-door neighbours had it capped off.

If they had sought our consent, and subject to appropriate professional advice, and an appropriate gesture of goodwill, I imagine we would not have objected on principle.

But instead, arrogantly they have gone ahead without consideration of the true legal position, and they will learn the hard way that good manners go a very long way; contemptuous rudeness costs a great deal in money, stress and time. Plus, having lived here 11½ years, I have a body of local knowledge. I don't specifically know if they have Artesian wells, for example, but I know two close neighbours who do.

[Foilwoman]

The law here is different, of course (and I have no idea what the law here is, not that that will stop me from sharing an opinion), but any sensible neighbor always informs a neighbor of upcoming construction. Whether there's a legal requirement, it's a basic social nicety. But they're lacking in the social niceties, I guess?

[Giorgia]

Uhm, I guess a nice letter from a solicitor (even Jimmy's niece - *they* don't know she's specialised in crime, do they? ;)) could scare them enuff to make them stop and at least ponder on what they're doing. Morons.
For instance, over here people aren't allowed to do house renovations without local authority permission, even when they do renovations inside the house - say, when I renewed the flat I've bought, i.e. tear down a few partitions etc, I've first had to ask for permission from my district authorities, submit project to them and wait up to 60 days for their approval (if after 60 days they say nothing, it means your project's ok, and you can go on buolding etc.).
And, even after that, while builders were doing their job in the flat, local police came to check if they were actually following instructions as stated in the submitted design... And I don't have a garden or anything, I mean I wasn't building things on common walls os stuff like that, so go figure...