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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour putting up extension

539 replies

BigPaperBag · 27/03/2021 21:26

Ok, our neighbour has informed us that they are going to be putting up an extension. No problem with that, their house and all that. What really riled me was when he just said ‘and we’ll be putting the scaffolding on your patio so we can rebuild the wall’ (in total it will be there about 6 weeks) Please don’t anyone ask me why it’ll be there so long as I genuinely don’t know, this is just what he said.

Anyway, AIBU to say that he can put scaffolding up but only if he rents my patio space? Do people do this? It’s my first owned home so I have no idea, just asking for opinions really.

OP posts:
AndAPartridgeInABearTree · 27/03/2021 22:40

We had scaffolding for a guttering refit. It was one day's work but was up for a week because scaffolders are arseholes (used to rent the office next to them. They are arseholes)

Our very lovely neighbour allowed it because we asked and she is lovely. But I had to apologise every day for the inconvenience.

Fortunately it stopped the dripping noise she'd raise with us as disturbing her sleep so she knew it needed doing but the scaffold was up for literally 7 times the length of time necessary for it to be used.

Bumbers · 27/03/2021 22:40

Get s party wall agreement and an independent surveyor (which he has to pay for).

Our neighbours are lovely but their works did some minor damage and it took any emotiom out of getting it repaired. It wasn't us going in accusing etc., it was all detailed with pictures by by surveyors and they agreed the terms for fixing it.

Funnyface1 · 27/03/2021 22:44

Oh don't even think about giving permission for this. You will absolutely regret it in a big way, I promise.

Pumpkintopf · 27/03/2021 22:45

Your neighbour sounds extremely rude, 'telling' you rather than asking politely. I wouldn't be inclined to accommodate on that basis!

hhsa · 27/03/2021 22:47

For people that are saying do not allow it in summer, well builders always prefer summer times for extentions. Also scaffolding can be left up for more than 6 weeks as there could be delays in getting materials to complete the work on time.

Shrivelled · 27/03/2021 22:48

He doesn’t want to get a party wall agreement as it will be ‘costly’

It sounds like he has absolutely no proper professional input here, this is a massive red flag. I work in construction and serving a party wall notice is just a standard part of the process. There’s nothing costly about it unless something’s disputed. Your neighbour is cutting corners here and I’d be worried about other corners they’re prepared to cut (like hiring cheap cowboy builders who don’t give two shits about you or your health and safety).

WireFan · 27/03/2021 22:48

Sorry to thread hijack. Our adjoining neighbour is having a single storey extension built. It will be the same as the one on our house which was already built when we bought our house a couple of years ago. They gave us verbal notice of the work a couple of weeks before and then work started. I asked if we needed a party wall agreement or anything signed and they said their builder said no as the work is entirely on their property. So far they have dug down for foundations right next to the boundary/our extension wall. The digging goes down about 4ft all around. From this thread it seems they should have had a party wall agreement done with us and possibly a survey too as they're clearly digging closer than 3m from our property.
Given that they didn't and work had started, what, if any, can we do? I'm really worried now!

WisnaeMe · 27/03/2021 22:50

Im afraid to ask, but could we see a DIAGRAM 🤔

hhsa · 27/03/2021 22:50

Our neighbour didn't allow access through her back door for putting our scaffolding up on our rear side of house. My builders cut through our fence to get through into neighbours garden to put scaffolding up.

MixedUpFiles · 27/03/2021 22:51

Do you fancy a cracked patio, nails raining down on your head, debris thrown into your garden? No? Then you need a written guarantee that none of that is about to happen before anyone steps one foot onto your property.

PanamaPattie · 27/03/2021 22:51

We said yes to scaffolding to help our neighbours. It was up for months. The neighbours moved out. The builders trailed cement and rubble all over the drive and garden. I had to threaten court action to get them to remove the skip from our drive. They helped themselves to our water using the outside tap. They used the bushes as a toilet. They sang and swore all summer long from 8am to 5pm every day but Sunday. They caused hundreds of £ of damage. My neighbour didn't pay a penny in compensation and sold the house and left.

Just say no.

StripeyDeckchair · 27/03/2021 22:51

Say no

Put it in writing that you do not give any consent for him or anyone acting on or working for him to have any access to any of your property, this includes scaffolding overhanging your property

It will be possible to do the work without having scaffolding on your property but it might be more awkward or expensive for him. Which is not your problem.

I can guarantee that if you let it go ahead your patio & garden will be ruined, it will be in place for months longer than stated, and they will not make everything good afterwards.

Bitter? You bet
Learn from my experience
Th

LindsayDenton79 · 27/03/2021 22:53

He's sounds like a cunt

He's not only told you that the scaffolding will be going on your property but he's also penny pinching as well ref party wall agreement

I would want to get certain things agreed in advance. When will the scaffolding go up (if you allow it to) and when will it come down. Also, if any damage is caused to your property how will this be paid for?

In my experience builders have very little respect for other people's property. I would monitor what they are doing very closely

Grognonne · 27/03/2021 22:53

You definitely need a party wall agreement, do not let work start without one. If your patio is against the boundary line then it will most likely be damaged as they will need to dig foundations - which will extend into your garden if his wall is the new boundary line. If you google local party wall surveyors they will usually provide you with some free advice. You also need to see all the plans, the personal indemnity insurance of the people carrying out the work in case they do damage to your property. Also keep all the records for the future in case you want to sell your property at a later date.

Grognonne · 27/03/2021 22:54

He is not allowed to dig within a metre of your built property without a party wall agreement - so he definitely needs one before work starts.

Longdistance · 27/03/2021 22:55

Just say no. When a neighbour built their extension they daren’t ask me as they knew I’d say no.
They left debris, I threw it back. I may have twatted his garden ornament doing it Blush

Knickerthief1 · 27/03/2021 22:56

Are you quite young OP? The way he's 'told' you what's happening smacks of entitled older man telling a younger woman what 'will' happen. Put him straight!!

Gobbeldegook · 27/03/2021 22:59

NO

MollyButton · 27/03/2021 23:01

A Party Wall agreement is a legal necessity and is to protect you and your property from you neighbour doing anything that undermines the structural stability of your property.
He can't "choose" not to get one - if he tries then he is acting illegally.
If he undermines your property you could find your house is no longer insurable.

You may not object in principle, but if he doesn't get the job done properly it damages your property and could be illegal. And there are lots of horror stories when people have acted legally, nevermind this.

moochingtothepub · 27/03/2021 23:01

He must have a party wall agreement as he is building within 1m of your house. End of. Use of patio, access via your premises etc will be dealt with in the agreement and you can say no to access

Howshouldibehave · 27/03/2021 23:01

Our next doors neighbour asked to put their ladders on our garage roof when they were doing work. We agreed. Their builders caused damage and it got quite nasty. Never again.

What did you say when he asked? I would go and speak to him ASAP and make it crystal clear that your silence (if that’s what happened) was shock at being asked, not consent.

huggzy · 27/03/2021 23:03

This is worrying me a bit now, our new neighbour has mentioned scaffolding for their roof repairs, and that it might need to go partly in our garden. I think I'd assumed we had no choice but to let them do it as clearly it's essential that they repair their roof...But there's no access to our garden and they're certainly not going through the house! And I hadn't even considered potential damage!

Zodlebud · 27/03/2021 23:06

A party wall agreement doesn't cost a penny. You can print one off the internet and it states the dates when the work will take place and gives you a notice period before it starts. It only costs if you decide to get surveyors involved.

This is required by law regardless of whether or not you allow him to use your patio. Tell him you'll think about it once he has sorted out the party wall agreement (and then tell him no once it's in place)

Freddiefox · 27/03/2021 23:07

@huggzy

This is worrying me a bit now, our new neighbour has mentioned scaffolding for their roof repairs, and that it might need to go partly in our garden. I think I'd assumed we had no choice but to let them do it as clearly it's essential that they repair their roof...But there's no access to our garden and they're certainly not going through the house! And I hadn't even considered potential damage!
I think if they are doing repairs they are legally allowed, however they don’t need to come through your house, they can go through their and over the fence.
Wearethetwirl · 27/03/2021 23:08

God this brings back bad memories. Sad

Our neighbour did this, except he didn’t inform us. One day came home to find scaffolding right across the garden and our joint garden border gone. As you can imagine I was pretty shocked.

When we spoke to the neighbour he was nonchalant and his wife was actually rude slamming the door in our faces.

We contacted the council, they sent someone round but declared that “no party wall agreement was needed”. This was despite me reading the Act and seeing one was necessary. The Council then refused to help as the neighbour had got planning permission despite us .never having received any written notification at all.

To this day I do not know how he obtained planning permission without informing us and why the Council told us what they did (guessing they could not be bothered). He built the two storey extension replacing our beautiful border trees with an ugly wall. He added something like 150k to his house whilst doing long term damage to our garden.

My advice is to to act now and get sound legal advice too. Despite all the laws and regulations if no one is willing to enforce them, you will have a fight on your hands.