Can my neighbours do this?

[user1471867483]

Mum and I live in an end of terraced house where next door is an old extension and is leasehold (mum owns the land). It’s quite an unusual complex. Their bathroom is above our front door (don’t ask!!).

Anyway, they have decided to carry out building works which we appreciate need doing. They did tell us they were going to do this, but didn’t ask us, the freeholder, permission. We’ve just let it go and decided ‘they need to do repairs, so let them’. However, I only bought a new car 7 weeks ago in brilliant white. I held off weeks and weeks to buy one as I waited until their works were over, but they didn’t keep us informed about a start date, which they promised and failed to let us know. They have erected scaffolding about 1 metre from our car parked on our drive and is over our front door entrance. It’s like they’ve taken over the whole land and both properties. I asked them if I should move our car and he said he ‘didn’t think so’. Now, there is brown dust all over our new car and they have moved their own car onto the road. I told them our car is a mess and said I’d have willingly moved the car but reminded him he said I didn’t need to and told him quite brashly, “You’ve moved your car alright haven’t you from your drive”.

What I’d like to know is should I move the car onto the road (which I don’t want to really to as it’s new) or leave it where it is or what? Also he said yesterday the drilling would stop at 12 noon, but it went on after 4pm. We feel they’ve completely taken over.

(Hope I've posted this in the right category - I didn't know where to post it).

TIA.

You should have moved your car in the first place.

Don’t park your car right beside building work and then moan about dust maybe?
How can you not make this decision on your own??

I'm scared to park it on the road because of its newness, like mentioned.

4pm is also a completely reasonable time for them to be carrying out building work. Expecting it to stop at midday isn’t.

They aren’t taking over by carrying out repairs.

You are sensitive because it is a new car - understandably.

Are you insured for it to be on the road at night?

It's insured for my drive only (well, I say that because that is where I said it's parked on the insurance form).

It is a no brainer to move the car as if it gets damaged by something falling on it if it is scratched u may struggle to get compensation from the builder and if may affect your no claims insurance.

I would be encouraging them to work until 6 pm each day so the work is completed quickly and so you can get the drive back to park on.

As for the neighbour, you appeared relaxed so they have gone ahead with the work but if it is anything like a normal builder relationship they may have had very little notice of when the builder was prepared to start work or when they will finish drilling.

For future reference get proper agreements in writing but for now move your car ASAP

I would be much more concerned about the building work, the scaffolding and the legal situation than the car tbh. Have you seen the plans and the builder's insurance policy? Should their be a boundary agreement in place?

You should consult your insurer and move it. Who parks under building works?

Regarding permission, are you freeholder for the just the land or the property as well? What’s the agreement with the leaseholder? You can hardly blame the leaseholder getting work done if it’s their responsibility. Builders leave around 4 in my experience.

I never parked the car under the building works. The scaffolding was put up around my car as it hasn't been moved from my drive in two weeks.

It is your decision where to park your car, you can use the street during day if needs be. Do the neighbours own the property? Presumably the work is to your dm benefit too.

Move the car.

Speak to the neighbours to better understand the building works.

Be more clear with them about boundaries, both literal and figurative.

Why on earth did you allow that?

Scaffolding goes where it needs to go though, they can’t exactly put it elsewhere. You can move your car though.

It’s got nothing to do with the OP, her mother is the freeholder. The property is shared and the top floor belongs to the neighbours, legally the freeholder cannot refuse permission for scaffolding for repairs. And legality aside, it would just make you a dick anyway.

I can't believe you have taken such a lackadaisical approach to this and all you are worried about is dirt on your car.

I thought OP said next door, not above. That makes a difference.

Course. It's taken 10 years of saving for my car.....sure I'm protective of it.

Can you move it in the day and put it on your drive after 4pm?

Are they just doing something to the bathroom OP?

Do I need to let the insurance company know?

Yup....putting something over the render (something like that).

I thought they must be doing some sort of extension - when you said "It’s like they’ve taken over the whole land and both properties." They still shouldn't have erected scaffolding around and over your car though. They might easily have dropped something on it.

Don't insurance companies ask where it is parked overnight, Cars are meant to be driven and e parked wherever, how come yours hasn't moved since you bought it!

Thank goodness someone understands where I'm coming from 🙏🏻