Party wall /shared attic

[orangejuicer]

Looking for any advice. We live in a mid terrace house and have a shared attic with one neighbour. We need to get some work done on the roof and want to put in a firewall. Our neighbour 'rents' the house from a friend so we've had to pass on messages to the owners through her as we don't have their details.

Basically, they haven't responded to give (or otherwise) their consent for the work. Neighbour said she'd passed on the first letter but we've heard nothing. We don't have the best relationship with her and I don't want to go knocking to ask her about it. Next stage is surveyors and I just wish they'd stop dicking around.

What do you mean a shared attic... one continuous and open roof space above both your properties?

Have you served your neighbour with a Party Wall Notice or are you only referring to informal messages?

Correct Devil, it's a shared space currently. Quite common in our area apparently.

We have served notices to the owners via the neighbour. She said she's passed them on. We have no other details for them.

Who owns the party wall ?

You can get the details of who owns the house for about £3 I think online at the land registry.

We had the same in our first house many years ago. We ended up doing a loft conversion so closed it off but didn't consult our neighbors. I don't think they were even aware? Can't imagine why you'd need permission though and it's also a security risk come to think of it.

We lived in a house with a shared loft when I was a child and it is a security risk. Neighbours son came down into our house via our loft hatch and stole money. (Later robbed a bank and went to prison for 12 years). Very middle class family and these were big Victorian villas!

I would ask a surveyor for advice. Make more effort to get the address of the owner but you have every right to do the work and you should!

@BertyFlanter

You can get the details of who owns the house for about £3 I think online at the land registry.

Yes, do this.

This is the correct link. There are some companies who charge more, but are the first in the Google search.

But you can’t just do the work if the neighbour owns the party wall.
OP - do you know that it definitely is a party wall and who owns it ?
A party wall is different to a wall between two houses that you jointly own.

We did go on to the land registry. The owners have helpfully put next door as their address which is obviously incorrect/fraudulent.

Diana - yes definitely party wall.

@PresentingPercy

We lived in a house with a shared loft when I was a child and it is a security risk. Neighbours son came down into our house via our loft hatch and stole money. (Later robbed a bank and went to prison for 12 years). Very middle class family and these were big Victorian villas!

I would ask a surveyor for advice. Make more effort to get the address of the owner but you have every right to do the work and you should!

Yes surveyors is next step. I sont want to engage with neighbour more than necessary at the moment. Any thoughts on how else to get owners' address?

Unfortunately you can't use that for service as you know they aren't there.

Have you tried searching 192.com? If somebody comes up as looking like a match you can buy credits to see the full info.

192.com has given us a lead, thank you so much Fluffy for the idea!

Good news! I hope you get somewhere.