Wall has come down in the storm, it's not our wall but it might be our fault.

[ElderAve]

Six foot brick wall between our garden and next door. Built when the houses were built c. 1965, so it's stood for a long time. For at least a decade it's been covered in ivy on our side.

I'm not sure the ivy was ever planted as such but it's certainly been allowed to grow to cover the wall, I loved it, it provided nesting sites for lots of birds. TBH, I hadn't realised just how thick and heavy it was until it's come down with the wall.

If it makes a difference, the ivy grew over the wall and into their garden where it was also overgrown and they hadn't done anything with it either.

I don't really mind what the answer is, I just want to do the right thing. So,

• Their wall, their problem end of story and probably(?) covered by their insurance.
• There's no way of knowing if the ivy contributed to the collapse, they hadn't maintained the wall, their problem,

-Their wall was likely damaged by our ivy, we should share the cost of the repair. They should arrange for their wall to be repaired and we'll pay half after an appropriate quote has been sourced.

• They should get the work done and send us the bill for the full amount.
• We should arrange to get the work done.

Or something else?

Wait and see what they say first. They might just build a new one. Then make sure you keep it free of Ivy.

The ivy will have pushed out the cement making the wall unstable and the roots will have moved the foundation, if there was one. However thick stems usually hold things in place.

I’d have a chat. If you want a wall put back you might need to be quite helpful. They might just want a fence.

Sorry, I should have been clearer, it's only a small section that has lost 3/4 courses from the top of the wall.

it's only a small section that has lost 3/4 courses from the top of the wall

I'm sorry I don't know what this means?

Layers Blunt layer of bricks is a course.

Ah, ok thanks.

The ivy could have weakened it.

We have a problem with ivy at the side of the house and I keep on top of it, it gets right into the mortar and sticks fast. I'd contribute.

Ah, I was thinking catastrophic. Shouldn’t cost much to repair. Get the ivy off though, but grow more elsewhere as it’s incredibly good for insects.

I think it is highly improbable that ivy would cause a brick wall to fall over, even the top courses, or to undermine a proper foundation. I'd be thinking something like a tree fell on it, or was leaning against it.

Was it four inches thick, or nine?

Six foot high it should be nine inches thick with piers every two metres.

Can you make any impression on the mortar if you scratch it with your fingernail, or the handle of a teaspoon? Does the wall appear to be truly vertical?

I have Victorian gateposts pigletjohn and next doors ivy is definitely moving the one it covers. But I agree a wall as thick and reinforced by piers as you describe wouldn’t be as affected.

victorian walls usually have weak lime mortar, and sketchy foundations, so I'd make allowances. But 1960's build should be more durable.

And the bombs that landed forty feet away in the 1940’s may have shaken things a little...

It won’t be covered by insurance.

You can offer to go halves on cost to fix it.