Neighbour’s building work

[Frannyhy]

My neighbours want to improve their home which I have no problem with. After insisting on a party wall agreement, I’ve been sent the documentation.

This states that the work can’t start earlier than two months from the date of the letter unless I agree in writing. I won’t do this. Saving them money means I lose money, due to the fact I work at home. I can’t do this with construction noise going on.

All they can think of is that they might have to wait longer if their builders start another project and return later in the year. However, this timing would be more convenient for me.

AIBU

My neighbours went ahead with a loft extension without even telling us. One day a scaffolder turned up and installed scaffolding. Neighbour didn’t say anything. We just assumed they might be having work done to their roof. Then a couple of days later two loft conversion company vans turned up, and we were subjected to weeks and weeks of the most loud and awful noise.

They never sent us a party wall agreement. And I’ve never been in my loft and am scared to look in there now - the noise was so loud it sounded like they were literally drilling right through the wall.

And what made it worse, is both me and my husband work from home. My neighbours know this. They were so thoughtless and selfish by not giving us any notice. I’d be interested in speaking to the people on the other side but never plucked up the courage to ask.

This was a couple of years ago now, and I still feel really pissed off about it.

Maybe you will delay this happening but don’t bank on a quiet summer to sit in your garden after this - they may well decide to have lots of parties, do the jet washing, other garden projects, or anything else just to aggravate you now.

You really should look in there, as you can claim against them for any damage. The purpose of party wall is to protect both parties in case any damage happens to neighbours property during construction. The surveyors for each party record the condition of each property prior to works being completed, so the person doing construction is protected from their neighbours claiming for damage not caused by their works.

Without it, you could claim for any damage whether caused by them or not, and they wouldn't have a leg to stand on, as they have no pre work survey and have broken the law by not having PW.

Thanks, this thread has got me thinking about it a lot more, and I’m going to speak to my husband about us getting a ladder and going up to look. I still can’t fathom that they thought it was ok to not give us any notice. It was staggeringly thoughtless.

I agree not to start without the party wall agreement being in place, the rest is just being petty - the sooner it starts, the sooner it finishes!

Absolutely. People of course need to do building work for a variety of reasons, but they do need to understand that they are inconveniencing their neighbours and do whatever they reasonably can to mitigate this.

We are doing an extension. Our neighbours, when approached about PW, asked very politely if there was any way we could delay until September as their daughter is studying hard for the 11+ over the summer (ours is too, but can easily work at my MIL's a few streets away, we had planned to start in June). We spoke to our builder, who said that a start date of late September worked fine for him, and we agreed that. Of course it may not have been possible, and then we would have has to go back to them and apologise and see if anything else we could do to help.

We have a right to do building work. We do not have a right to disrupt other people's lives for our benefit.

Why is it petty if it impacts on OP's business, clients and income? If this is affected, and she struggles to pay her bills, surely this in unfair. It's not 'a bit of noise', it's her livelihood

The 2 months gives her time to warn clients, consider alternative premises, maybe plan to take her holiday during this period.

The surveyors came yesterday to do a statement of condition and the PWA has been sorted out. The neighbour (who I blocked) had sent a message via her surveyor asking if I would reconsider the notice period as the builders won’t wait. I refused. My busiest time is in summer.

This means the work will start in late September which is much better for me. The neighbour on the other side doesn’t mind when it happens because she works out of home. She’s asked for no weekend working so it’s not going to be too bad at all.

Great result.

So your neighbour may have to find a new builder? That may take a very long time. So think this is so unreasonable an only a great result for you and you alone - you sound horrendous

I agree with you op. Having an extension is a big project and organising things like party wall agreements and chatting to neighbours is part of good project management, not an afterthought. I’m in a detached house but my neighbours had a huge extension and had the courtesy to show me the plans even though it didn’t affect me (other than noise) and they didn’t need to.

Likewise I have lots of trees on my border and when I get tree surgeons to work on them I tell neighbours with plenty of notice. I don’t know why people don’t just talk to each other.

You blocked your neighbour? Had they been threatening you?

No she was just a pain in the arse with her manipulative, passive aggressive messages. Can’t be arsed to speak to her.

No the same builders will go and do another project, then come back later.

It’s a shame that you can’t be arsed to communicate with your neighbour - that does seem a little selfish and immature.

I think you are naive to think that your obstruction won’t have consequences for you in the future. I doubt there will be any neighbourly cooperation from next door if you need it in the future. Your short term win comes at the expense of long term loss.

You have said nothing that confirms why your business will be affected in June/July, but not August/September. Do you have clients to your house? I am guessing that you run a spray tan booth from your dining room and this is why the demand is higher in early summer?

I am trying to think of what other service you may provide that requires a quiet environment, but has increased demand in June/July?

Does it matter? I have the legal right to two months notice, and my surveyor says I don’t even have to give a reason.

I don’t know the woman. She’s bought the house to do up, and expects to be able come in and start work right away with no thought for the neighbours. Not everyone goes out to work.

She tried to get me to just sign an agreement first, which I refused to do and insisted on a PWA. The local planning office told me that the PWA is a legal requirement for some of the work she wants to do, although she doesn’t need planning consent. If she doesn’t know that, her builders should.

Of course you should stand up for your legal rights, if starting with reduced notice is having a negative impact on you. Only you can judge whether the potential consequences of this are worth bearing.

I question how the impact will be reduced by a two month delay, unless you can tell us why you are more likely to be impacted early summer than late summer? You seem to be saying that clients can rearrange their appointments for a quieter time in September. This won’t be possible if you insist on delaying. I don’t understand and it is difficult to give an opinion ( as asked for) on whether you are being unreasonable without this information.

I don’t do this job in winter. I’m saying that my clients may cancel, which means I take a financial hit.

As mentioned upthread you have the legal right to 2 months notice and a good financial reason to insist it is kept to. And she does sound a bit shifty if she was trying to get away without a PWA.

However blocking her seems a bit OTT and childish as it doesn’t sound like she’s being aggressive or rude. Can’t you just state your position and then ignore?

I did explain this to her but she just kept on messaging me.

Right. So ignore the messages. Why block? She might need to message you about practical stuff to do with the building work.

I understand. When does your season finish? Are you not concerned that the two months notice will still permit work to start way before you close for winter 😬

It seems that unfortunately your business will be disrupted either way - the clock is already ticking.

My approach would have been very different - to try and get the best solution for myself as well as accommodating my new neighbours request.

As a previous poster said, you are entitled to your two months notice and this is what you have gained. But it does not help you for client appointments in August (when they could legitimately decide to start) September and October, before you close for winter. So you must have decided to close in August this year then? There is still significant financial loss to you, no?

Had you communicated with your neighbour, rather than blocking her, you could have perhaps negotiated an alternative premises rental and not suffered any loss at all.

i feel you are not unreasonable requiring a PWA and notice, but your communication and negotiation with your neighbour has been unreasonable. It is probably too late to turn this situation around and make amends.

I agree with a PP that she has lacked courtesy though. I suppose if you have not built any relationship with her, she perhaps felt there was no need. A shame really and it is on her. She should have approached you in a conciliatory way from the outset.

I always thought blocking was for teenagers or when someone is being abusive. It sounds like you and your neighbour are going to have a turbulent future ahead, as her lack of courtesy matches your can’t be arsed attitude towards her.