Neighbours roof overhangs boundary

[Walksandwallpaper]

In the process of buying a new house, the garage is attached to the neighbours garage. The report confirmed the garage roof needs replacing. However the neighbour has converted their garage to a room and their new roof (fascia and guttering!) Extends over the boundary line and our garage roof by at least 6 inches.

I'm assuming that isn't allowed??

No idea what issues this will cause our roof replacement as theirs is in the way over ours! Any ideas on if I can get them to cut back their roof somehow so it doesn't extend over the boundary and our roof?

Don't want to cause issues with new neighbours straight away but also we need to replace the existing flat roof straight away 😬

If you don't need this house, it may be best to keep looking. In any case your solicitor should advise you before you commit to buying. I would wonder why the seller hasn't been able to get this sorted before selling... Something to consider.

Have you asked your conveyancing solicitor?

Did the owners of the house you intend to buy raise any objections to the ND extension?

I’m not qualified to offer legal advice. But from my own POV I’d probably think twice about completing on that purchase.

As I'm sure many other are experiencing there are not many houses available and the rest of the house is just right for us.

Sadly it's an inheritance property so I'm not sure what communication the previous owner had with the neighbours, hopefully the vendor (child) is aware.

You're right, I'll send the pictures to the our conveyancers in the morning and see what advice they can offer. I think it might be an idea to get a roofer to have a look and see how much it would be to resolve the overhang/what solutions there are!

The first house I tried to buy had this same issue. The sellers at the time ignored us/the issue. They must have thought it a non-issue but I came to realise it was very problematic as it would limit what I could do - not just replace the roof which the survey flagged up as needing replacing but also converting the garage myself - and they would need right of way/access to the garden for maintenance.

I walked in the end and found a different house. Personally the problem was shouldn’t have arisen in the first place but previous owners let things slide.

That said I know the house sold quickly after I pulled out and went for more than my offer, so not everyone sees it as an issue.

To add I doubt the overhang can be fixed as it is the neighbours and if it has been there long enough it would be legal. Even if illegal are the neighbours really going to go though a very expensive and disruptive job for you and you will only start things off poorly with them. I don’t think there is a good outcome apart from indemnity insurance (which I don’t think helps at all really)