was going to sell my house but neighbours decided 2 build extention & wreckedmygarden

jimmmyc

Also ring the local authority planning/environmental health dept. There should be planning or at least building regulations for this. They wouldn't allow the drainage for starters! If you complain strongly enough the council will be out immediately (first thing Monday anyway).

jazzyjustlaw

My partner would do that i.e. be a peacekeeper I have to cry to get him to do something.

Look at your deeds, do they give next door a right of way on your property. If not tell them to get out. What next you going to find them in your kitchen in the morning. Sorry they wouldnt dream of entering your kitchen and to me its the same as being in your garden.

elisebutt65

Planning permission gives them the right to do the buikding work - NOT access your garden - unless they have right of access.

You can get the police to remocve the workmen from your property if they refuse to leave. They also have to put right the work they have already done and recompense you for plants and hedge.

If your husband refuses to help, you have to go out there and stop it now!!! Then do the research - access rights etc

Dora_the_Explorer_5

Right of way isn't the same as right to excavate and demolish shrubs. If it was me I'd be sorely tempted to gently fall into the trench and then scream blue murder, send for an ambulance and a lawyer even more bad tempered than I would be. This is outrageous.

Poppy9

Ring your water company now - I bet someone there will be able to answer you regarding the access to manhole cover. Tell neighbours yourself that work has to stop as you are annoyed that they have cut down your hedge (they had no right to do this if it was on your land), cut a trench in your garden etc. Tell them your property is now not secure and you are seeking legal advice.

Ring your home insurers, you should have legal protection with your policy. Inform them about the security risk etc.

On Monday, speaking to the local council building inspector. He will tell you your rights.

Meanwhile over the weekend secure your property. Do not allow access to your garden.

I've been through similar when my neighbours builder shouted down to me from the roof (I live in a semi and they were having a dorma loft conversion) that he would be putting scaffolding up on my house that day. I told him he wouldn't. He said tough he would just do it. My OH came home from work in full uniform and told him if he did so not only would he be trespassing but causing criminal damage as he had been refused access to our property. I also forced the builder to remove a ladder he had tied to my chimney on my roof (not next door) which was above my glass roofed conservatory. He refused but I rang the H&S inspectorate who rang him and told him to remove it which he then did at 7pm on a friday night.

If you legally have to give access to a neighbour (party wall act refers) then they have to give you warning. You then agree a mutally acceptable date which must be reasonable to both parties. The right of access does not allow them to damage your property and if they do they must make good within a reasonable time.

silvercar

You should be able to get this stopped now. Your neighbour should have enacted a party wall agreement with you before starting any work. This would have detailed exactly when and how he would be able to access your property. Without doing this he can be held to ransom. I would ring the council and get them to send someone round. They may well serve notice on him to stop work.

If you can't get hold of the council speak to your neighbour's architect or project manager, they will know the rules.

nelly_2

Anyone with half a brain would come to your house, see theres temporary work going on and pretty much disreguard it

kjh_gemini

Can't offer any more advice than has already been posted. Just wanted to offer my sympathy. I was just trying to imagine how I would feel/react in your circumstances and I can assure you I would be absolutely furious.

My instinct would be to go right round to the neighbours :mad: , however sometimes holding back and thinking things through is the better solution. There's more than one way to skin a cat and the solicitors/council route seems the best option.

Hope you are able to sort this out quickly. Sending you a big ((((hug))))

jamminjamaica

there will be no more work until i see the plans and speak to my solicitor. i told them that and they were not happy. and to top it all off. hubby and i are arguing because he says I should have just let it be. sometimes he really bugs me.

will the planners be able to tell me if they should be laying pipes to our manhole?

elisebutt65

Planners won't have much to do with it - You need to talk to solicitors first off with copies of your deeds.

If they're putting a waste pipe into your drain then you can contact HSE at the council. There are other more relevant depts at council as well - but can't think of them at the mo