next doors dodgy guttering

Caspian

A bit of a wierd one ...

I live in a typical terraced house (think corrie) and my house is in the middle of the row. Putting it mild, next doors guttering is b0ll0xed and, whenever it rains, it runs down the front of their house and mine*. During heavy rainfall, it falls to the ground like a power shower. As well as it being incredibly noisy, I am concerned about it causing damp inside my house.

Next door rent their house and are quite nice but their landlord can be quite awkward. Obviously, after I have spoken with them in my usual nice as pie way, they will ring their landlord and it will be fixed but what if it isn't? I want to ensure that my house is water tight before winter sets in and, after last winter, I don't want any ice developing on the front of my house otherwise it will ruin the mortar and that will open a new can of worms.

Now, if the landlord is awkward what steps should I take? Has anyone been through anything similiar? Call me cynical but I just want to know what to do should the worse happen. And, I don't want to fall out with anybody - I can't be doing with arguing at the best of times lol

Many thanks in advance

* It runs down the front of my house because their house is a wee bit taller than mine so their guttering is higher up. The end isn't attached to my guttering and runs, well is meant to, down the pipe attached to their house. The water is gushing over the top of the end piece.

keystone

The obvious suggestion is a blocked downpipe - leaves and stuff. Talk yo your neighbour, get a ladder up there between you and check, if so just hoik it out and then the water should run away if the fall on the guttering is OK.

Cheers

paddy's_mum

If you have Legal cover on your household insurance policy, your insurers may write to the adjoining owner putting him On Notice that if damage is caused to your property by his failure to maintain his, they will be coming after him for damages. Such letters often make a neighbour cough up for repairs and until parliament come up with a Compulsory Maintenance Act, this may be your only way forward.

It's worth a quick check of your policy and a phone call to ask them, isn't it?

keystone

Thats why insurance premiums keep going up because people don't do the obvious and simple things first.

Cheers

maninthestreet

Do you own a ladder or know someone else in your street that does who will lend it to you? If so, maybe worthwhile just going up to take a look to see if the top of the down pipe is blocked with moss and leaves.

keystone

maninthestreet wrote: »

Do you own a ladder or know someone else in your street that does who will lend it to you? If so, maybe worthwhile just going up to take a look to see if the top of the down pipe is blocked with moss and leaves.

What does post #2 say?

Cheers

paddy's_mum

In the original post, it specifically asks what can be done if the adjoining owner continues to do nothing.

keystone

Yes I agree and apologise if I offended you but your post reads as though you are offering that option as the initial step to getting it resolved.

Cheers

Caspian

A few months later ...

I checked my home insurance and I found that I didn't have legal cover so I switched insurance.

Also, I was fed up to the back teeth with it so I had it fixed whilst they were at work. Very naughty I know but it was a case of needs must.

C_Mababejive

I would not advocate anyone climbing a ladder to that height unless..

a) They have a good quality,sturdy trade ladder which is suitably secured (not a flimsy diy ladder)
b) They are used to climbing ladders and working at heights and are confident that they can undertake the task safely.