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AIBU?

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Original poster

Neighbour wants us to replace garage roof

187 replies

imnotyourbitch · 18/04/2023 14:49

We have an old side garage between our house and our neighbour. They don't have a garage, so while ours goes up to the boundary, theirs was removed many years ago, so they have the width of a garage between ours and their house.
The garage was built at same time as house, in 1950.

The garage has an asbestos roof. We had it checked by the council when we moved in (we were having other work done we needed building regs signed off on), and also had it coated with a protective coating, and we were told that it is perfectly safe as it is. Our long term plan is to have the whole garage replaced as part of a side extension, but that is at least 5 years away.

Our neighbour has cats who climb on the garage roof to sunbathe. (It's slanted, so not entirely flat but not a normal roof shape). They've said they are concerned that the cats claws will disturb the asbestos and cause health issues in the cats, and that we need to replace the roof. And after discussion, they've said they will report us to environmental health if we don't change it.

Technically, we could afford to do it, but it would wipe out all of our savings due to the cost of removal.

We paid for the roof to be coated to make it safer - it wasn't needed but we felt it would be a good thing to do. Neighbour didn't have cats when we moved in. Wiping out our savings would change our plans for the next year, and would also impact our kids hobbies (some of the savings is earmarked for new equipment for it) so we really don't want to throw it all on a roof for a few years. But also, I do get that if her cats claw / scratch at the roof it could put them at risk.

Aaahhhh. Any ideas?

OP posts:
CoffeeLover90 · 18/04/2023 17:53

Say you do replace the roof, what's to stop the cats going to another house in the street? Or another house in another street? Are they asking everyone within a 5 mile radius to replace their roofs? I'd agree with a PP in that, if certified as safe, they'd take into account animals being on the roof at some point. Birds and cats tend to do. Is it possible to explain this to the neighbours, maybe show them the report? If not, then let them report you. I don't see how you're wrong.

Emotionalsupportviper · 18/04/2023 17:56

Dixiechickonhols · 18/04/2023 14:57

Their cats shouldn’t be scratching or damaging your property. They could Keep them in. Or if you don’t mind how it looks they could pay for some cat proofing around garage roof.

This.

Their cats, their expense.of a cat proofed roof)

(But only if YOU are ok with the appearance

WonderingWanda · 18/04/2023 18:04

This is mental. I have cats but accept that when they go out they do so at their own risk so to speak. Of course, if your neighbours cats are damaging your garage roof you would be perfectly entitled to get a quote for a new roof and send it to them to pay 😂

Dibbydoos · 18/04/2023 18:14

Another set of CFs. If their worried about their cats, they need to provide sun bathing space for them!

Noone will make you take the roof off esp as your longer term planes are an extension!

DarkDarkNight · 18/04/2023 18:19

Don’t even think of using your savings for this. Tell them it’s not in your plans at the moment. Barmy.

Dery · 18/04/2023 18:22

I’m a cat owner and pretty unconfrontational but I think your neighbours are real CFs. It is their cats who are the issue, not your roof. As a PP said, do they monitor their cats’ whereabouts throughout the day? If they’re really concerned, then they need to keep their cats away.

Atethehalloweenchocs · 18/04/2023 18:29

'Ok, neighbour, these are the options. 1. The roof replacement will wait until we had planned to do it which will be in 5 years time. 2. You want it done sooner, in which case you will have to pay for it. 3. You find an alternative way to stop your cats climbing on, and damaging our roof, in which case we can discuss any costs associated with this and who pays it.'

SoCunningYouCanStickATailOnItAndCallItAFox · 18/04/2023 18:29

Ignore them. EH would laugh then out of town for reporting that. There are asbestos roofed garages up and down the land, perfectly legal.

Or you could counter complain their cars are damaging your roof and demand they keep the cats indoors.

Or agree to do the work if they will pay full costs since the asbestos is perfectly safe unless disturbed and it is their cars doing the disturbing

Or suggest they read up on the pathway to pathology that is caused by asbestos. Answer: Years and years after any exposure (far longer than a cat's life so no risk to cat) a human might develop mesothelioma. The chances of them breathing in asbestos dust carried into their house on the claws of their cat is infinitesimally small.

Tinkerbyebye · 18/04/2023 18:30

Tell them that you don’t have the money so if they want it doing they will have to pay. If they wont tell them to crack on and report you, and in the meantime tell them the cats are not welcome on your property and as their owner they are responsible for ensuring they don’t come onto your land

SwedishEdith · 18/04/2023 18:35

Oh, no, this does not bode well for how they'll behave when you start the extension.

Tbh, removal is the easy bit. It's so low risk, many councils let you remove and double bag it yourself.

MyrrAgain · 18/04/2023 18:38

Put spikes on the roof and then tell them problem solved!!

friendsinplaces · 18/04/2023 18:40

Tell them to crack on with environmental health. Or if they wish they can pay to replace your garage roof.

SoCunningYouCanStickATailOnItAndCallItAFox · 18/04/2023 18:42

Tinkerbyebye · 18/04/2023 18:30

Tell them that you don’t have the money so if they want it doing they will have to pay. If they wont tell them to crack on and report you, and in the meantime tell them the cats are not welcome on your property and as their owner they are responsible for ensuring they don’t come onto your land

Ethically maybe, but actually legally speaking cat owners have no legal duty to do this.
Livestock and dogs yes. But cats no. Even the law considers them a law unto their own selves. 🤣🤣🤣

60smusic · 18/04/2023 18:50

Jesus I thought my neighbour was nuts asking me not to cook foods with strong aromas as it makes her cats go bananas, when I laughed thinking she was joking, she said I could always not use my extractor fan 😂😂

User1794537 · 18/04/2023 18:51

Those asbestos garage roves are very common so if the cats weren't on yours they would be on someone else's. We had ours replaced about 10 years ago for about £1500 because it looked scruffy and was leaking a bit round the edges.

We also had asbestos insulation board removed from a garden outbuilding about 4 years ago and that cost about £2k for about 20 square metres. DH did the replacement boards himself after removable as it was an outbuilding so didn't have to look perfect

Nordicrain · 18/04/2023 18:53

Your neighbours are beign cheeky given it's their cats causing the issue. However in the name of neighbourly relations could you put something around the perimeter of the roof to stop the cats accessing it?

I wouldn't be replacing it though.

nomoredriving · 18/04/2023 18:57

They're batshit crazy!

No is the only answer!

SofiaSoFar · 18/04/2023 20:58

imnotyourbitch · 18/04/2023 16:54

The cost is removal AND getting a new roof fitted.

Show quote history

Absolutely!

I'm not suggesting for a moment that you should be in any way entertaining your CF neighbour's demands. I was just replying to another comment regarding the cost of asbestos disposal.

HappiestSleeping · 18/04/2023 22:43

Sortyourlifeout · 18/04/2023 14:54

Offer to supply them with 3 quotes if they'd like to pay for it?

Otherwise they can jog on?

This 👆

Spiderboy · 18/04/2023 22:50

If they allow their cats outside, they’re gonna have to deal with the fact they will come into situations they cannot control. I highly doubt your roof will cause them harm but the obvious solution is for the neighbours to keep their pets inside if they are concerned

Murdoch1949 · 19/04/2023 03:13

Send them a solicitor's letter regarding feline trespassing.

CatsTheWayToDoIt · 19/04/2023 04:18

Ask them to keep their cats off the roof. Tell them you have thought about what they asked, agree it’s a concer they could damage it. So you have decided they are not allowed on there. I say this as a cat lover and owner (I mean look at my user name!). This is a crazy request from them, so make your own crazy request in response. Are they going to rebuild the entire street to suit their cats? Ban cars from the road in case of injury?

crazyaboutcats · 19/04/2023 04:41

Don't even entertain this

They can pay for it to be replaced for their cats if you consent to it.

TempleHill · 19/04/2023 04:53

OP is so kind. Neighbours admit their cats damage OP's roofs. Let them report to environmental health, saying their cats transpassed and damaged another person's roof.

OP can spray chilli and citrus on the roof to make it unattractive to cats.

OhcantthInkofaname · 19/04/2023 06:43

She could keep her cats inside!