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Original poster

mil's new neighbours have concreted over their drive

104 replies

southeastastra · 25/07/2015 13:54

and have gone about a foot over the boundary into mils drive. what should we do? she is elderly so will need us to act on her behalf.

we have taken photos etc and the neighbours are out. the are tenents so not sure how I can contact landlord. I have left a note for then to call me etc.

I shall call council etc Monday is there something else I should do ? am Angry

OP posts:
LIZS · 27/07/2015 09:29

It looks like the level has been raised an inch or two, I wonder if that is now above the damp course. Won't water just collect by the bay window and front door. Did they dismantle the front wall too or had that already been taken away?

clam · 27/07/2015 09:30

"My mind is boggling that anyone could think it's ok to concrete over a rented property"

Agree, but I think the OP mentioned that they're foreign, so might well not properly understand British planning laws.

Pipbin · 27/07/2015 09:39

I see that there is an air brick above the level of the concrete so it may not be over the damp proofing but water will collect there.
We need Piglet John to come and pass comment.

Oliversmumsarmy · 27/07/2015 09:39

There are 3 problems this concreting has caused,

1 It has encroached onto your MILs land

2 I doubt they have not sought permission for it via the letting agent

3 it has been done so badly they could be in for £1000s on repairing the damage their breaching the damp proofing could cause.

TopCivilServant · 27/07/2015 09:46

Wow! Shock

BrendaBlackhead · 27/07/2015 09:52

It is such a shame that increased traffic has caused people to concrete over their front gardens all over the country. I was looking at some photos online (can't remember where now) of how suburban roads used to look, with neat lawned front gardens (and in t'olden days people used to grow their vegetables in the front garden and sit in their back garden for privacy) and now it's all bad concreting everywhere and it's impossible to walk down some roads as you never know when a car is going to shoot backwards.

I also read that it is a passed-down English convention that you do not sit in your front garden. You may speak to someone in their front garden if they are working there, but otherwise not. You never holler into someone's back garden, even if they are in full view.

Sorry - complete diversion - but it makes me sad when I look at all that lawnage lost to accommodate our sofas on wheels.

FishWithABicycle · 27/07/2015 10:04

The whole thing with them not having permission from LL, groundwater runoff and damp course is not your problem (though interesting for us).

I would get a quote from a local handyman or builder for the cost of breaking up the concrete that encroaches the boundary and send the quote to the LL saying that if your MIL's land is not put right within 21 days you will make arrangements yourself and invoice the LL. Keep all correspondence in writing, you may have a trip to the small claims court in store.

When the concrete is gone put up a fence.

Oliversmumsarmy · 27/07/2015 10:19

They have breached MILs DPC when they went over onto MILs land so that is MILs problem. The whole job needs to be put right if they are allowed to keep the concrete in place.

diddl · 27/07/2015 10:20

"When the concrete is gone put up a fence."

OP/her MIL shouldn't have to pay out though.

Plus, it might not be necessary as the boundary will be obvious!

clam · 27/07/2015 10:23

It's going to be a nightmare getting that stuff removed! You can't just "dig up" concrete. Not your problem, I suppose, but the noise and dust might be unpleasant for your mil.

Koalafications · 27/07/2015 11:20

Madness! Your poor MIL Sad

specialsubject · 27/07/2015 13:03

oh my good god. I thought I'd heard everything that dipstick tenants could do but this takes the biscuit.

I was going to suggest looking on rightmove for the old ad to find the agent, but the OP has done that. Always the easiest first step.

the agent may not give out the landlord's contact details to anyone who isn't the tenant, but they should certainly pass on the information. You'll probably be able to hear the scream...

also contact the council as there has been a breach of...well, loads of stuff.

and not sitting in your front garden? Is that a new law?

SylvanianCaliphate · 27/07/2015 13:19

This problem has cropped up in certain areas local to me with the high influx of EU migrants Smile I think it's more over sight than land grab, my friends new neighbours knocked around to get everyone to club together for a similar project.

My poor friend had a shock when the neighbour cheerfully told her he could knock her boundary wall down so the hard standing they were planning for the five houses could Include hers Grin

They were surprised that she wanted to keep her lawn and flower borders, they were happy to amend their plans to a gravel courtyard though instead of concrete.

Poor lass was on the verge of exploding.

Pipbin · 27/07/2015 15:54

Did you contact anyone OP.

SugarMiceInTheRain · 27/07/2015 16:03

Wow, what a hideous (not to mention) stupid thing to do, especially to a rented property. What did the letting agent say OP?

Garlick · 27/07/2015 16:08

OK, I can understand why they've done it - general daftness/ignorance, not malice. I think they'll rectify the boundary issue, though it's going to be a pig to get the stuff up without leaving messy edges!

Wrt to damp course & run-off, it's probably a good idea to discuss sensibly with them, taking the position that they can't have known there are rules & the reasons why. I'd also contact the letting agent, sending your photos and taking exactly the same position: that you've discussed it and tenants have said they'll fix the issues, but the landlord/agent might want oversight of subsequent work.

Hope I'm right, and wishing the best of luck to both you and the neighbours!

Coconutty · 27/07/2015 16:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TremoloGreen · 28/07/2015 02:10

Christ on a bike. If I was the LL, I would be having a small aneurysm round about now.

Original poster
southeastastra · 28/07/2015 18:31

called council they aren't interested in the boundary breach but very interested in the fact that they've covered the whole drive. have to do an online report. mil doesn't want to upset them though

OP posts:
specialsubject · 28/07/2015 18:38

she'll be the upset one (even more) if her property is flooded by this. Sorry, but she needs to take action.

TremoloGreen · 28/07/2015 19:22

Yeah, the council won't get involved in anything that is meant to be a private/civil matter, such as a boundary dispute. They are interested in the breach of planning permission/ building regulations but they'll act on it very slowly, if at all, in my experience.

The landlord is the one who will be most interested. Did you manage to get a contact for him through the letting agent?

SugarOnTop · 30/07/2015 00:31

landlord should be registered with your local council if he's renting out property. check online at your local council, you only need a property address and it shows you who the property is registered to and where they live. that's how i tracked down my ex-landlady after the letting agents refused to give me her details.

RitaKiaOra · 30/07/2015 00:45

Oh.
I quite like it.
But I would be concerned about damp.

From your Mil's perspective though, I would be well hacked off.
So...it needs taking up.

I would then install a fence personally.

specialsubject · 30/07/2015 10:29

landlord registration is not everywhere in the UK unless it is an HMO.

OP has already found the agent with a few mins on rightmove and can contact the landlord via them.

SugarOnTop · 30/07/2015 18:36

she might find that the Letting Agents refuse to give her the landlords details - like they did with me despite being told they are legally bound to share those details with the tenant. the only options i was left with were either to take the long route by involving legalese or doing my own detective work.

it's always worth checking whether the landlord is registered with the council.