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Porch Extension Previous Owner Built

noirenex
Posts: 16 Forumite
Hi there,
I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on a slight predicament I have. I recently moved into a 1980's build terraced house, the neighbour informed me that the porch at the front was 'Illegally' built by the previous owner some 6 years ago, and he wants me to sign a letter of consent that says:
1. The porch will not be extended in any way
2. That if there is any dampness to his property in the area that is attributable to the existence of the porch, then I will be fully responsible for the cost of repairing/remedying the dampness to his property and any damage caused as a result of that dampness.
My immediate reaction was that this seems fair, should I sign this? Do I need to inform my home insurance provider that I would be liable?
Kind regards,
Danny Dawes
I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on a slight predicament I have. I recently moved into a 1980's build terraced house, the neighbour informed me that the porch at the front was 'Illegally' built by the previous owner some 6 years ago, and he wants me to sign a letter of consent that says:
1. The porch will not be extended in any way
2. That if there is any dampness to his property in the area that is attributable to the existence of the porch, then I will be fully responsible for the cost of repairing/remedying the dampness to his property and any damage caused as a result of that dampness.
My immediate reaction was that this seems fair, should I sign this? Do I need to inform my home insurance provider that I would be liable?
Kind regards,
Danny Dawes
0
Comments
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In the nicest possible way that I could find I'd tell him to do one TBH.
The first is a nonsense - he has no right to dictate to you what you do and what you don't onyour own property.
The second will result in your receiving a claim within 30 milliseconds of signing on solicitors headed paper and backed up by a full surveyors report.
Sign it at your peril - he's taking you for a mug.
CheersThe difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits. - Einstein0 -
Do you only have his word for it that the porch was built without permission?
I agree with the previous poster... don't sign. At the very least do some further investigation of your own.0 -
Tell him to jog on, in the nicest possible way.
Your porch has absolutely nothing to do with him and he should mind his own business, cheeky sod.make the most of it, we are only here for the weekend.
and we will never, ever return.0 -
i would just deck him.Get some gorm.0
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Oh Ormus you are just toooo genteel.
CheersThe difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits. - Einstein0 -
Even if it did require PP and did not get it, since it's now 6 years later it will have passed the limit for anyone to do anything about it.
Presumably he had some long standing dispute with the previous owner that has nothing to do with you.
If at some later date he alleges damage due to water ingress then he would have to prove it, and you should deal with that as and when.
Signing such a letter could be extremely prejudicial to your interests and under no circumstances should you sign it. And your insurers would take an extremely dim view of it and would probably say that by signing it you have invalidated your 3rd party liability cover in that respect.No free lunch, and no free laptop0 -
If you recently moved in, go back to your solicitor and question them about it. I also moved into a house that had an "illegal" porch, but my solicitor had picked up on it and the people we bought from were made to stump up indemnity insurance. "Illegal" may not only refer to planning permission in the eyes of your neighbours, but to developer covenants if it is a house that was built then, so there are different areas that you may want to look into. Developers are unlikely to be interested in a small porch on a house on an estate they built 20+ years ago, whatever the covenants say.
Agree with the others, don't sign anything. Tell them in the nicest possible way you will get your professional advisors to look into it; but that if they had a problem with the previous owners' developments then it was totally within their means to take it up with them when they lived there.Please stay safe in the sun and learn the A-E of melanoma: A = asymmetry, B = irregular borders, C= different colours, D= diameter, larger than 6mm, E = evolving, is your mole changing? Most moles are not cancerous, any doubts, please check next time you visit your GP.
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Good post there V.
much better than telling them to 'jog on'
Seems the neighbour is trying to exert a bit of 'power' over you, don't kow tow to him. If he speaks to yu again, give him a bit of body language, stand up, square your shoulders, be nice and tell him ...................you will be taking legal advice.make the most of it, we are only here for the weekend.
and we will never, ever return.0 -
Good post there V.
Its the second part that stinks like a ten day corpse to me. Perhaps I've just got somewhat cynical in me old age but even money says the paperwork is already prepared for this "claim" to hit the mat before the ink is even dry on the "letter of consent".
CheersThe difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits. - Einstein0 -
Thanks for all the info guys, been really helpful.
He's redrafted it to say that any damages from 17th September 2010 ongoing I would be liable for, I've signed it because I didn't want to upset him, I guess I should have waited a bit longer and read some more of the replies here first...
Is there anything I should do to negate the document or should I ask to revise it first before he signs it?
I have pretty much no money left either since buying the house and paying fees etc. so can't afford any legal advice...
Danny0
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