Neighbour demanding money. AIBU to ask you what I should do?

[TheEighthMrsSK]

I live in a mid terrace Victorian house. We share a roof valley with the neighbouring house. For context we are on ‘hello’ and a short conversation terms with the owner of the neighbouring house, but nothing more.

His house is suffering from damp, he has been quite vocal about this to me pretty much every time I see him. This evening i have received a letter informing me of upcoming building works on HIS roof and MY chimney stacks which are in our shared valley, to fix his damp problem. As the chimney stacks are mine (apparently they are anyway. I don’t often poke around on the roof!) he is requesting a four figure ‘contribution’ from me for the work he’s agreed to have done. I can’t afford to pay this, and neither do I want to. AIBU to ask what on earth to do? This is not a situation that I’ve ever been n before. My instinct is that he wants his roof sorted out, and is being a CF trying to get me to subside the cost, but of course I could be wrong.

Get a professional to come out and assess it for YOU.
Do not take his word for it.

Then you can decide on next course of action.

Write your neighbour a note (take a photo of it as proof) advising you do not consent to work on your property until you have had it independently assessed - which you are doing.

Only then, can you speak to your insurer etc and sort out a way forward

You'll need a party wall agreement won't you? As the work is being done on a shared part. You need to be protected incase it goes tits up and damages your roof.

Also damp is tricky.We had a damp area in our bedroom which everyone ( us,2 separate roofing specialist companies) thought was due to a problem with the chimney stack.several unsuccessful interventions later we had the chimney removed - still didn't sort the problem.
While a similiar issue round the back of the house was thought to be due to worn out flashing round the chimney,flashing repaired,problem solved.

You probably need to check what you're responsible for. As it's a terrace you may find that you (and other neighbours) have a responsibility for the roof repairs. Although it's his roof it's essentially the entire building's roof and if essential repairs aren't done it will eventually effect everyone. We have a four in a block and had to pay towards repairs to neighbours render. I tried to fight it but it was considered a communal issue.

Send him a note to the effect that, as this is the first you have heard of it, you are not paying him a penny until you have taken independent advice. Even if you are liable, he doesn't have the right to just show up with his hand out. You should be consulted, have the chance to obtain quotes etc.

you mention a valley. Chimney stacks are not usually in valleys. Is yours?

Is it a shared stack or do you have one each?

Go into your loft and look at and around the chimney. Can you see daylight? Can you see watermarks? Can you see wet?

Building insurance is for things like fire and subsidence. Not building maintenance.

Ask around for personal recommendation of a local roofer who has been in business for some years and has an actual local address and some actual local customers that you can go and look at and talk to. If you are in a street of old houses you can expect the neighbours to have roofs as old as yours, and as leaky, and some of them will already have been repaired. If you walk up your street you will be able to see well- and badly-repaired chimneys. The neighbours will probably be glad to tell you how good (or bad) their roofer was.

A paid-for advert on a website where traders can screen out unfavourable reviews is not a personal recommendation, even if it gives the impression that the tradesmen have been checked.

Never do business with some itinerant who knocks on your door and says your roof needs mending.

Demand a party wall agreement if he wants to do work to anything along the party wall (i.e. if your chimney stack is on the party wall)
If there is nothing wrong with your house, it's sounds like the damp is all on his side... tell him to feel free to appoint a surveyor (not a roofer) to look at the problem but it definitely sounds like it's his house that has the issues and therefore it's his responsibility.
if anyone goes and pokes around up there that has been appointed by him/or if he does and your house becomes damp, he is liable for any repairs. Has anyone been in your loft to see if there is damp up there on your side?
p.s. ask him to get two more quotes and you should get three quotes yourself (after the surveyor has diagnosed the problem properly)

You need the stay civil, get your own surveyor to come and look at the problem and give you a report and if necessary appoint a party wall surveyor under the Party Wall Act.

It may be a try-on. Or it may be that there is some work to be done. But he cannot do any work on your bits of the roof without either your permission or a Party Wall Agreement made between your Party Wall Surveyor and his. He also cannot Chargé you for any work he does to his roof or yours without a Party Wall Agreement.

There is a good system for this. Use it. It may turn out you are like able for nothing. It may turn out you have to pay thousands. But keep it all civil and it will go much more smoothly.

Definitely get a 2nd opinion OP. I don't know anything with regards to where you stand wuth the works - however when we sold our 1880s Victorian house it was on the report that our half of the chimney stack was dangerous due to it leaning significantly. We had to have it rebuilt (used the old bricks) and it cost £550 plus vat. So a 4 figure sum seems a lot as I can't see what else would need to be done. We had a regular roofer do it. Hope you get it sorted

Write back saying you do not agree to the work and he should not interfere with your property. Furthermore if he undertakes any work without your consent (e.g. Whilst you are at work) you will not pay for it and will be demanding an independent surveyors report to reassure you that your property has not been damaged.

If it is work to a party wall then you should have a party wall agreement in place prior to the work commencing and can stop the work if it is not in place.

If the work genuinely needs doing then you should agree, in writing, a min of three reputable firms to approach for quotes, review and decide which to appoint and when the work should take place.

If your property is not affected by the damp I'm not sure why this work is taking place, if the damp is coming from a roof leak on the party wall then you should be affected, if it is from your chimney stack then you should be affected.

Make sure you right formal letters and record his receipt - either send by recorded delivery or video yourself handing it over stating this is our response to you recent note about your roofing works.

Agree nothing verbally, if he try's to talk it over do not give any answer/commitment do not give any answer/commitment but tell him you will consider what he has said and respond once you've had time to consider it and discuss it together.

Speak to your insurance and they can organise for a survey. Keep it all above board.You can call your insurance today and simply update your neighbour on what they advise.

Please listen to those saying this has nothing to do with insurance. That is only applicable following an insured event such as storm damage. This is clearly a maintenance issue.
Find your own roofer and get expert advice from them.

Actually if there is an issue with damp relating to the OP chimney stack then it would be an insurance issue. So there is nothing wrong with the OP calling the insurance team for advice who are the experts in such matters