We moved into a rented house a couple of months ago. Not long after we moved in we got an email from the managing agent to say that our LL (who usually lives at the property) had agreed to allow the next door neighbours (a college) to erect scaffolding in our garden so they could carry out maintenance work on their roof. It would 'only' be up for 11 weeks from June to August. Apparently he had forgotten he had agreed to it.
Our house is quite special because, in an area where noone has a garden, we have a big front courtyard behind high gates. The front of the house opens out completely so in the summer you can use the whole space and it's private and safe, with high walls all round. We have young children and a dog. It's also right by the sea.
We pay the highest rent available in this area. He really took top dollar.
So the agent has come back to me to say the neighbours are going for a court order to force us to allow the scaffolding which will be inside our courtyard on the party wall. They have quoted various legislation (party wall, essential maintenance) and the agent thinks they have a strong case and is suggesting we get legal advice unless we want to take their compensation of £250. We don't need the money, we just want our summer.
I am so livid. We rented this place for a peaceful summer by the sea and it's going to turn into a noisy nightmare and I won't even be able to relax because the children will have an instant climbing frame to amuse them, plus we won't be able to eat outside, etc.
I am torn between telling them to go for the court order in the hope this will at least take the summer to come through and demanding a very high compensation from the LL (2 months rent at least) on the grounds that we will go away for at least a month. Or requesting to surrender the lease.
I would love some legal advice on how long a court order would take to come through and whether they are likely to win.
Sorry for the essay 