Question re Neighbours Extention

Wkdwill

Hi

Im wondering if someone could help me with something. Our neighbours are building an extention to their property, which we have no objections to as the noisy work of digging the foundations is now over.

The thing is after hearing some knocking noises against our house I was wondering what they were doing so had a look through a gap in the fence by the side of our house (I know I know, nosey neighbour, the curiosity got the better of me) it looks as though they are building the extention onto our property.

Now I thought there was supposed to be some kind of gap between their extention and our wall, am I right? Im not being picky or anything its just I know they are doing the extention themselves and would just like to know that it is been done right.

FYI - our houses our only joint by the front corners, my house is an end terrace and beyond the side exterior of our house is their garden, IYKWIM.

Thanks

ailuro2

go and ask them what their plans are?

aliasojo

:eek: They cant be building off your wall surely. Go round and explain you've heard loud noises against your wall and you're a bit concerned what their plans are. I'd have been round already if it was me.

Wkdwill

Its not their plans im looking for its some sort of general rule when your building an extention, can you build onto a neighbours exterior wall for your own extention?

aliasojo

It may be different rules for different areas but last year when we considered adding a (very small) extension onto the back of our house, the planning officer came out to have a look and told us we had to be one metre away from the border between us and the neighbour.

As for building onto a neighbour's wall....I would have thought that was a 'no', all over the country. Quickest way to find out for sure is to give your local council a ring.

olias

If they are building onto your wall, then it comes under the terms of the 'party wall act' and there are all sorts of rules and regulations. They should NOT be doing it without your knowledge. You need to seek appropriate advice. IF they gain permission, then you can employ an independant surveyor payable at THEIR expense (£500-£1000!) to ensure the plans are OK and the work carried out to correct regs etc.

I suggest you google 'party wall act' and once you have the gist of this then seek specialist advice. I think they are breaking the law by going ahead without your knowledge.

Olias

cally1_2

You should have signed something to do with the Party Wall Act. They should not be building unless you have been informed of their intention to do so and signed to say that you do not wish for them to pay for a surveyor to act on your behalf. As part of the Party Wall Act then they are obliged to pay for a surveyor to work on your behalf if you wish them to.

Hold on will look for a link.

cally1_2

http://www.sedgemoor.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=1116&p=0

Wkdwill

We have spoken before about a PWA, our house is actually owned by the council, a few months ago they wrote a notice to the council to inform them they intended on digging within 3 meters of our wall for foundtions, the council came to us and said they didnt have a clue what it was about but im assuming they agreed to it anyway.

So I asked the neighbours and they said there is already a party wall agreement in place between the two properties because our house had some work done on the roof and had to have scaffolding in their garden but that they thought they best write the notice just to be safe, I cant comment on this though as it was before we moved in.

I have never heard anything from the council about the extention been attached to our wall though and never saw anything about it in the planning application either.

naijapower

Send them a letter to stop work immediately or face legal action. This work based on what you have described is in full contravention of the Party Wall Act 1996

richardw

Telephone the council perhaps.