To not want to rebuild wall.

[settledandsmug]

Live in a house with a shared driveway with neighbour. Both houses have a garden wall running along the bottom of driveway. Our neighbours house is a rental property and the landlord knocked the door recently wanting to rebuild the wall as it is unstable. I had not noticed this, but when we investigated we discovered that the wall has split along the first line of bricks beginning at the side by their gate to about a foot along our side. It very much looks as if it has been hit by a vehicle or something like, but this isn't obvious enough to say for certain. We replaced our gate a couple of years ago and the problem certainly wasn't there then. We think it probably happened when the neighbours house was being renovated and had a lot of big vans parking on the drive.

I think they want us to share the cost equally but the timing is rubbish for us - we have other priorities at the moment. However, the wall is a little unstable and so will need rebuilding. Next doors landlord is in a rush to do it. AIBU if I only offer to pay something towards the cost but not half as in our opinion they may have caused the damage?

Yabu. Assuming it's really shared then yes you should pay half. You've no idea how it happened.

It may have been the vans, it may have been something from your household, it may have just been nature, you don't know the actual cause, so you should go half and half on fixing it.

You say you 'think' they want you to share the cost.

What did they actually say about it?

Well, you need to establish if they def want you to split the cost before worrying about it! Sounds like the timing isn't great but if it really is a bit wobbly you could be in serious trouble if it topples over onto someone and breaks their ankle or something. Is it next to a pavement?

Is there an option to have it knocked down and not rebuilt?

You don't know what caused the damage.
You have a responsibility to keep the wall in a safe state.
If it's a shared wall, you should foot 50% of the repair bill.

If it transpired that the damage was caused by you - and this could be demonstrated - would you be gappy pickkng up 100% of the bill?

Look at your deeds and see if you are responsible for its maintenance. If so, then grab the offer to go halves. If not then you don't have to legally contribute anything if you didn't cause the damage but may morally decide to do so if it will improve neighbourly relationships.

See if it's covered by your insurance.

Usually boundaries aren't shared. Where I live, we each own the boundary on the left (as you face the road). The owner of the boundary is responsible for everything to do with it.

We usually talk to each other before doing any work on a wall or fence. Of course we get permission to go into their property for access for maintenance if necessary.

Check your deeds.

If its only a foot into your wall surely the costs should be split proportionate.

It isn't a boundary wall it runs along the back of both properties behind gardens (driveways at back of houses). The damage extends a little way into our side but otherwise our side is solid. Not covered by insurance is it's a stand alone garden wall with a gate on each end. We know that we haven't caused the damage.