Porch Extension Previous Owner Built

keystone

No you really should NOT sign it especially if you are just trying to be nice. Have you got two copies to sign - one for him and one for you? Have you signed both, has he signed both? Have you given him one copy back? If you have not then you must keep it and say to him that you have decided you need to consult professional advisors or something. It doesn't matter if you can afford it or not just tell him thats what you need to do. Do not let him have a copy with your sig on it unless you have already done so.

If you have both signed it and you both each have a copy with 2 sigs then you really, really should consult a solicitor with it asap.

We have no idea what his motivations are with this paperwork and I could be being far less than generous but this really, really doesn't feel right at all.

Cheers

noirenex

hi there,

I went around just now and got both copies back after telling him I was going to send them for review by a professional, I also got all previous ones he'd sent to owners before me, I can scan them in if you'd like a copy of them?

He wanted to add another clause into it that would allow him to use a 3x4 section of my wall at the rear of my property, hence his willingness to have it reviewed I think.

What should I do now? Thanks again for the help, I was really worried he wouldn't give them me back

Kind regards,
Danny

noirenex

Hi there,

some pictures of the porch:

files.noirenex.com/house/1.jpg
files.noirenex.com/house/2.jpg
files.noirenex.com/house/3.jpg
files.noirenex.com/house/4.jpg

His property on the right, mine with the porch, one of them is taken from my window looking down to show the flashing

ormus

27col

I don't think that I would have been too pleased as the neighbour, if someone had used my wall to build himself a porch, illegal or not. I would have required some sort of indemnity at the time it was built. Maybe he has a point about getting something in writing. It wasn't the builders wall in the first place. So if it was built without the permission of the neighbour it was a damn cheek.

CashisKing

Explain to him:

a) A porch up to 3m square does not need PP
b) A proch does not need building regs
c) That porch does would have needed a party wall agreement, but through him ignoring it for 6 years he has waived his right to object to it.

Obviously if your porch causes damage to his property then you will have to pay for it anyway no matter what you have signed!

Yorkie1

CashisKing wrote: »

Explain to him:

a) A porch up to 3m square does not need PP
b) A proch does not need building regs
c) That porch does would have needed a party wall agreement, but through him ignoring it for 6 years he has waived his right to object to it.

Obviously if your porch causes damage to his property then you will have to pay for it anyway no matter what you have signed!

Trouble with point c) is that I rather suspect that he has not been ignoring it for 6 years - there is reference from the OP to previous letters he has written to previous owners. It's just that he clearly hasn't resolved it to his own satisfaction! No point in giving him unnecessary ammunition.

noirenex

The guy seems nice to be honest, he said he has no objection to it, he just wants it to be above board. From the sound of it the guy who built it wasnt a nice guy and he built it while he was on holiday. If i am liable for damage anyway then i dont see the problem signing this?

Mankysteve

Why don't people listen on this forum. You should have spoken to your solicitor first and your insurance company before signing anything.

Looks to me like its done reasonable well. Cheap felt roof. but shouldn't be too expensive to replace when the time comes.

xs11ax

salaam

shouldnt you have been informed about this dispute when buying your house? i thought this was a legal obligation?