Around 2 years ago, new neighbours moved next door, we live in a semi detached house. The house did need a lot of work, but the first thing they did was removal the chimney breast, downstairs only on the shared wall. I had been at work when they started this, the neighbour popped round the next morning to say what he was doing and that there will be noise. The neighbour was doing some of the work himself with help from a builder.
I did wonder if this was done correctly and had put my trust in the neighbour as he has a young family and would not do any work that would put them at risk.
The neighbour has now started to build an extension himself which would be covered by permitted development. I started to look into building regs in case anything they do impacts us. The neighbour is doing the majority of the work himself and has got the builder back to help with the roofing, the work looks shoddy.
Its only when checking building regs that I see he would have had to have the chimney breast removal signed off by building control and he should have served a party wall notice.
I have had a conversation with my neighbour this morning about how he removed the chimney breast, he states he has only removed the downstairs part, when asked how it was support, he says they used timber. I did asked if this was signed off, he replied the council had been out but he also mentioned they came out for the kitchen. I did ask if he had the paperwork, its in his emails somewhere. I asked if he had consulted a structural engineer, he said his builder knows what he was doing, and he promised me it was safe, he did say he would call his builder! I also mentioned the party wall agreement, he did not know what that is, he tried to say he asked me for permission but I reminded him that he contacted after he started the work. Also they did not ask whether I had removed my chimney.
He invited me round to have a look but I declined as I'm not going to see anything as it will have been decorated, he said he has taken pictures. I was hoping to open up my fire place, and did asked him how does he know whether he done anything that compromises this. I did tell him that I would be calling building control tomorrow, he offered to do that on my behalf, but said I will be calling as I need to know if our house is a risk. Is there anything else I need to be aware of.