Planning permission granted and problem neighbours

[pickledbatswings]

We are having problems with our neighbours. We got planning permission granted which is for a wet room for a disabled person. The neighbours will not sign party wall act and so we have to get surveyors out at a cost. They are also contacting them about everything and anything which is being billed to us. I feel like this is being done as someone is disabled in the house. Is there anything I can do.

Can you rethink the plans to put the wetroom on the other side of the house? Potentially moving around the rest of the floor plan to make it work?

Your neighbours have every right to ensure you aren't doing anything that is to their detriment.

We have houses either side, so no way of doing it without it being next to another house. Like I said the planning permission is granted.

Party wall is there to protect you both and unfortunately they can choose their own surveyor who you have to pay for. It is what it is.
building is disruptive for whatever reason it happens.

We were a terrace and one side just signed the paperwork but the other we had to pay out a lot.

I don’t think it makes a difference who the wet room is for OP. It’s more about the disruption to your neighbours and needing a party wall.

You only have to pay reasonable costs and this should have been established from the outset. Your neighbour is entitled to have a surveyor at your cost though.

The party wall act is relevant to any party wall work irrespective what it’s for
they’ve done nothing wrong they just want to make sure the work is done correctly
and they are protected

This has nothing to do with anyone being disabled and it’s in Poor taste to use this as a trump card to make out there being unreasonable

What this poster meant was if you think this particular set of neighbours are arses have concerns, you might find the party wall process easier with the people living on the other side.

I feel like this is being done as someone is disabled in the house.
What issue would they have with the fact a neighbour is disabled? It makes more sense that they’re protecting their very expensive asset (their house). Frustrating for you, but they’re entitled to.

Not sure if there is any way to make it cheaper for you? Would asking them to send queues to you first to ask yourselves help? I haven’t been through the process before so I don’t know.

We have invited them over before the planning permission was done and showed them what the plans were and asked if they were happy, which they said they were. As soon as we asked the party wall to be signed they have refused to talk to us in anyway and will not let us use the same surveyors as them.

If we can't get the wet room built then we will have to sell and move asap. I don't know what we'll do

I don't think using a different surveyor is unusual, it is a protection against issues.

Of course you can get it built. But you have to factor in party wall costs. Tbf if my neighbour was planning a wet room attached to my property I would want my own reassurance that it was built correctly and no risk of damp.

It’s sounds as though you are making good progress in the process, and they are engaging with it (rather than being an absentee owner for example, who ignores everything) so hold on as you’ll get the wet room soon.

Wet rooms can cause issues of significant damage if below standard so they are being reasonable to want an independent surveyor and party wall agreement.

They are keeping in mind their property not being devalued if your work is carried out shoddily.

Why an earth would someone sign a party wall agreement without having a surveyor

i’d want an different surveyor I wouldn’t have confidence in raising an issue and the surveyor had to argue with themselves

follow the process and you can build

I’m with your neighbours on this one. The party wall act is there to protect everyone and they just want it to be down right to protect their asset and I dont blame them. It’s got nothing to do with disability.

We live in detached properties and this extension does not attach to the home in anyway just to clarify

Why have you got a party wall agreement then? Is part of the structure on the boundary?

The wall will be close to their boundary and would require us to need access onto their land to build it. There is no fence between our properties in this area

As the neighbour I'd hate this. Legally do what you like to your own home, but not needing access to my land/garden to do it. If you need access to their land then play the game and it'll get done.

It is totally legitimate for them to want their own surveyor (paid for by you).

Ultimately it will protect you both and if you can't afford to pay for it I'd question the viability of the whole project.

No there isn’t really anything you can do. They are using their statutory rights.

I had neighbours who got really funny with us because we declined to use a joint surveyor as I had one I trusted. “But it is costing us money!” they said outraged. Well yes but your building work is all downside for us so I want to make sure our rights were protected. The fact it cost them an extra £500 on a £100k+ building protect is something they should have factored in.

But to add - the point of the party wall act is that you CAN get work done. Your neighbours cannot block you and you can get this work done but can ramp up the costs a but with surveyors.

Given you claim you need access I would try hard not to alienate them.

Nothing in your posts suggests your neighbour's actions are because they have some sort of issue with disabled people. They are perfectly entitled to use a different surveyor, and to ask that surveyor questions regarding the build and potential impact on their home. I would object to any neighbour accessing my land to build.