Genuinely not sure!

[Yardley42]

At the start of the year I had some decorating done in my flat. At the same time I had some drainage work done outside the front - water no longer collects and sits against the walls which was causing damp.

I have share of freehold, the other freeholder lives in the flat above. In our contacts it says drainage is a shared cost.

I contacted them to ask for half the money for the drainage work only. This was in Jan. Various complications, no problem, have been happy to wait. They've never said they wouldn't pay. I've emailed to chase from time to time. But it's now 10 months on!

Am I being unreasonable in expecting them to pay? I feel really bad that I didn't warn them about the work in advance or get quotes and stuff - I went with a trusted builder I've used plenty in the past and just got it done with everything else I was doing for ease. I do regret not telling them first!!! I'd hate a sudden demand out of the blue.

Do I just write it off (about £800) and think that if they ever have anything go wrong with the roof or something I'll write it off that cost then? Or am I within my rights to keep asking for the money? I could really use it! Not that that's relevant - I'm sure they could too! I will not enter a proper dispute with them or have a row / fall out - I just don't feel comfortable having a bad relationship with people I live so close to.

What would you do?

YABU because you did it without consulting them and without any discussion. Effectively, you have spent £800 of their money.

Did they agree to the work ahead of time? Did you give an estimate before work started. That much money would take me well over a year to save up.

Yabu you can't decide to get work done with no consultation and then ask people to pay for it. You'll need to write it off and also ywbu to refuse to pay any future costs if you are consulted and shown quotes.

YABU. In future if you are getting work done where the cost is to be shared you need to discuss it with your neighbours before hand. They may want to get quotes themselves or they may be happy for you to do that and then give you half of the money. Landing an unexpected bill on them was v.unreasonable.

I feel really bad that I didn't warn them about the work in advance or get quotes and stuff

Of I were your naigh our I'd laugh in your general direction.
You took it on yourself to have the work done without contacting them. You didn't agree they'd pay it, it wasn't causing them issue etc etc.

If you expect them to pay then can I have your address? I'll send you random incvoices that you can pay half towards.

Yabu - you should have sorted the work jointly. You can't expect neighbour to pay for work they never agreed to - especially given that it's not work that will necessarily benefit them directly.

I feel really bad that I didn't warn them about the work in advance or get quotes and stuff - I went with a trusted builder I've used plenty in the past and just got it done with everything else I was doing for ease. I do regret not telling them first!!!

Why did you do such an inadvisable, high handed thing?

Definitely unreasonable then!! Thought I might be, hence I haven't pushed it.

In my defence, people in RL have said that it was work that needed doing and is contractually half their cost - I was landed with a bill too as I couldn't choose not to have it done! Rising damp affects their property too.

But thank you, definitely good to know IABU and I will write it off, lesson learned! It's my first time owning property so I'm still learning how things are done.

You have to write it off. You didn't consult them. They may not have been able to afford £800 and may never have agreed to it. You took away all choice and didn't even bother to get multiple quotes. Completely out of order in my opinion.

PinkyPiePancakes well don't you sound lovely why would you laugh? OP thought she was doing the right thing.

I do feel bad for you Yardley.

It seems you're not going to get this money. I really wouldnt do any favours for their neighbours. No signing for parcels, nothing.

these not their

I suspect people in RL are just agreeing with you to your face. I can't imaging anyone would just happily pay for £800 worth of work their neighbour had done in their behalf without consulting them. Sorry YABU you should have spoke to neighbour first. It's a shame because it is a lot of money to just write off, lesson learned I guess.

I wouldn't go with tofu suggestion.

Yabu. You had joint work done without consulting them or even giving them opportunity to get quotes or look into it. Not everyone can afford £800 nor take kindly to someone else deciding how their money will be spent.

I know this wasn't with any malicious intent on your part and you now realise your mistake, starting being chappy with them (as was suggested) is just ridiculous

People in RL are trying to convince me, JellyBean! I thought I'd done it all wrong and probably wouldn't be reasonable to ask for the money - my parents who have never experienced shared freehold and my friends who tbh have behaved pretty outrageously to the bloke who leases from their freehold, both tried to convince me otherwise.

Oh no! I'd never be rude to them in any way! They're nice enough - they keep themselves to themselves but take in parcels etc when needed. They have a loud toddler but I don't mind at all - he seems a sweetheart. Definitely don't need any conflict!

I am with everyone else I'm afraid.

I certainly wouldn't appreciate being presented with an £800 bill for something I hadn't even been consulted about. I wouldn't pay up unquestioningly either, if at all.

You should have spoken to them first, then got several quotes and then come together to agree which one to use. Only then should the work have been done and even then it is a leap of faith that everyone will pay up as agreed.

I'm afraid you had no right to do as you did,even though you were undoubtedly well intentioned.