my council have removed one if my tiles

jammiev

hi,

I have recently had to have a new roof put on my house that cost me a fair few pounds!
My next door neighbour who's house is joined to me, is a council owned property. Last week I came home from work to discover that scaffolding had been put up around her house but it was overhanging onto my property at the front and back. I called the council and asked for someone to come out and inspect the scaffolding as I felt it should not be overhanging my property as much as it was. (it was actually at eye level at the back not far from my patio door). I was promised someone would come out and inspect the scaffolding but surprise surprise this did not happen. I also asked why I was not informed that the scaffolding would be going up, I informed my neighbour weeks prior to my roof being done out of courtesy, I was told that I should've been informed but clearly this had been an oversight.

The roof has now been completed and the scaffolding removed. However, I have now discovered that the contractors have actually removed one of my ridge tiles and replaced it with one of theirs, my neighbours roof is slightly higher than mine so not only have the removed one of my tiles this tile is not level with the rest of my roof, they have obviously done it so their council house is level. How dare they! They have removed my private property... I am understandbly quite annoyed and worried that I could back to square one with a leaky roof, especially when I have had to pay so much money out for a new roof, I am also worried it could affect the guarantee on my roof as if it leaks again because of the council, the company I used may turn around and say it has nothing to do with us as it's not a tile we put up.

Can anyone advise on what I should do? Surely the council have no right removing one of my tiles without my permission? Should I seak legal advice?

oh and to make matters worse, they have smashed a plant pot at the back, put a dent in my wheelie bin and thrown a brush and debris into my garden!!

Please help!
:beer:

cg1982

ide be peed off ide complain i really would

pinkshoes

Write to the council (recorded delivery), explain the situation to them, and give them 10 days to arrange a visit to show them the problem. Then give them the choice of either rectifying the situation themselves, or get a quote from the original company who did your roof to come back and return it to how it should be, and bill the council for this work. Take them to court if you have to.

jammiev

ok, thanks all, but once rectified should the council pay for an independant survey of the roof to be done to ensure it is'nt going to leak and that the job has been done properly!?

:beer:

pinkshoes

jammiev wrote: »

ok, thanks all, but once rectified should the council pay for an independant survey of the roof to be done to ensure it is'nt going to leak and that the job has been done properly!?

:beer:

Well why not get the guy who did your roof to come back and take a look at it, and give a quote to return it to how it should be?

That way, you already have quote and information in hand to show to the council, and tell them that you would like them to go ahead and pay for the original roofing company to come back, as you don't trust the one they used, given the mistake that has already been made.

Sooler

I don't think the scaffolding is an issue worth concern. May be annoying but they're probably entitled to put the scaffold up in a safe manner which if it needs to overhang then you probably have to let it.

Why did they need to remove your roof tile? Was your tile encroaching over the dividing line?

pulliptears

You need to give property services a call and give them a chance to come out and inspect the damage. Give them a chance to take a look first.

Believe me if you go off getting quotes and going in guns blazing they will do as little for you as possible. If you take the nice approach, call them and ask if they would mind popping round as it doesn't look right you will get further.

Sssssss

jammiev wrote: »

ok, thanks all, but once rectified should the council pay for an independant survey of the roof to be done to ensure it is'nt going to leak and that the job has been done properly!?

:beer:

er why, why assume the job won't be done properly. I know it's annoying but you seem hell bent on getting the council to pay as much as possible.

jammiev

Sssssss wrote: »

er why, why assume the job won't be done properly. I know it's annoying but you seem hell bent on getting the council to pay as much as possible.

because i don't want it to leak, thats why.

Tozer

Well, if it leaks, you can raise a complaint with the company that did the repair can't you?

Optimist

As far as I can see the only thing the council did wrong was not informing you that the work was going to be carried out. They have repaired their property and if the ridge tile needed to be replaced to get a firm watertight fit for both properties then they had that right in the same way your contractors did when your new roof was put in. I believe the Party wall act 1996 covers it