Guttering help

Berkeley384

Hello All

Apologies if this isnt the type of thing you kind people can help with

Im selling my house and have had a survey done , I live in a terrace and the survey has shown that water leaks between my guttering and my next door neighbours as they have capped the end of theirs off,

They wont let us tap on to thiers so no matter what I do with mine it will always leak between mY guttering and their and then down the front of my house,

Is there anything I can - surely they cant force me in to this predicament ?

Many Thanks

Stephen

itsakidsworld

Is your gutter wood, plastic or cast iron? Is the next door property wood, plastic or cast iron?

Who has the fallpipe? Probably the next door property by the sound of it. They cannot cap their gutter ends off and leave you with no outlet for waterflow. That is illegal and if that has been the case, you need to consult a solicitor who will advise correct for you.

If they have had their gutter replaced, they would have had to make allowances for the continuous waterflow from your gutter to the original fallpipe outlet, in line with the original design of construction no matter how long ago this was.

Berkeley384

Thank you for your reply, to confirm , to the left of my house is the neighbour who has capped off thier guttering - they have their own fall pipe

To the right , the water flows away and uses next doors fall pipe - I dont have a fall pipe.

Basically most of the water flows away happily but between my house and the house to the left water runs off the roof and down between the two different sections of guttering causing the brickwork to become damp.

Currently my guttering is wooden - to the left is plastic, what I wanted to do was have it all replaced with plastic,

mando_2

Have you checked your deeds? We live in a terrace and we have the fall pipe on the front for 4 houses. Our deeds have it written in that we have to give rights to the other houses to the fall pipe, so if we capped off any of our guttering, I'm sure the neighbours would be able to do something legally.

itsakidsworld

Ok. It is a simple task to rectify.

As your gutter is wooden and I presume in good order, the neighbour who has replaced their gutter with plastic has used what is called an external stop end, also in plastic. They will probably then have sealed of yours using maybe abit of lead and silicon.

What to do is ask then if they would remove the stop end and cut out a moulding of your "inner" section of wooden gutter, abit like a letter u if you understand.

Then remove what they have put onto your gutter and screw the modified stop end onto your gutter, but sealing the wood to plastic first with silicon.

I hope i makes sense to you, it really is a simple procedure but like anything, its only easy if you know what you are doing!!! The people who put up the gutter should understand. If not explain to them with your new found knowledge!!!:rolleyes:

Berkeley384

Im sorry I dont think I made my self clear reading it back ,

The next door neighbour wont alow us to uncap their guttering - they have said that we are not allowed to touch it.

All attempts at capping the two off and stopping water seaping between the two caps has failed

itsakidsworld

Ok, I understand.

Its sad really because this is such an easy situation to rectify and yet it sounds like you have neighbours who are unwilling to compromise.

I am afraid that if that is the case then you may be best advised to ask a solicitor to step in. They have had work done to their property and it is causing damaged to yours, which is not allowed.

Whoever has the original fallpipe for all three gutters is liable to ensure that not only does the fallpipe remain free for waterflow, but that also no water restrictions are caused to ajoining properties. It really is the law and it is sad that you would have to do this but it could be your last choice.

Constant water running over your gutter will cause internal damp which can be expensive to rectify. Yet none of this is your fault.

clutton_2

why not alter the angle of your guttering, so that it drains into next doors (cooperative) down pipe ? much much cheaper than solicitors letters, and, probably, no one will know what you have done .

it can be difficult to get a good seal on gutterings next to each other which are of different constructions - wood to plastic etc.

irnbru_2

Berkeley384 wrote:

The next door neighbour wont alow us to uncap their guttering - they have said that we are not allowed to touch it.

As per mando, check the deeds for your entitlement.

Also contact the building control office of the local council.

As your neighbours have upgraded their guttering they'll have to cover the costs of rectifying it.

It might be worth informing your building insurer too, for they would take a dim view of your neighbour's actions should damp be attributable to it.

Berkeley384

clutton wrote:

why not alter the angle of your guttering, so that it drains into next doors (cooperative) down pipe ? much much cheaper than solicitors letters, and, probably, no one will know what you have done .

it can be difficult to get a good seal on gutterings next to each other which are of different constructions - wood to plastic etc.

I was going to get all mine changed to plastic - the neighbour has cocked the end of theirs upwards to allow water to drain away so you couldnt as such put them side by side

Called local council - they say they cant help - so Im stuck now , pay for a solicitor or suffer with damp

irnbru_2

Berkeley384 wrote:

Called local council - they say they cant help - so Im stuck now , pay for a solicitor or suffer with damp

Has this always been the situation? Or did the neighbour redo the guttering while you were there?

One for the solicitor to sort out then.