Victorian Brickwork in attic - security risk

highrisklowreturn

Was in my roofspace over the last couple of days checking if my water tank had frozen over, when, with my extended power cable and lamp, I noticed - I live in an 1890s mid-terrace - that the brickwork was incomplete on either partition wall to the neighbouring houses. When I say 'incomplete' I mean the brickwork is built up diagonally from the ground ina n inverse v shape to meet the top of where the respective houses' chimneys reach the top of the house, leaving, at the top of the brickwork, sufficient space to see into what my neighbours have in their attics. Of course all they had was water tanks, plumbing, like me, but I'm wondering shouldn't these be bricked up? I mean it wouldn't take much but a hammer to knock out litterally maybe 5 bricks then make your way through into someone else's property. Is this a security risk or am I over-reacting perhaps?

kje_2

Over-reacting. My Victorian mid-terrace has a half-brick (4.5 inch) attic wall adjoining my neighbours. There are a few bricks, deliberately, missing to allow airflow (I presume). Nothing big enough to crawl through but 5 minutes with a hammer and chisel and you'd be through and could go along the whole row of houses. There must be 100,000s (if not millions) of houses like this in the UK. Nothing to worry about.

Inactive

Not a real security risk, but it is a fire risk.

I recall having to fix double plaster board across a gap like that when selling a terraced property, in order for the buyer to get a mortgage.

Mojisola

It is a fire-risk. A fire starting in any of the homes will quickly run through all the lofts. I've seen that happen locally - one house fire, seven fire-damaged roofs and lofts and water-damaged houses.

Also, I have heard about people feeling that someone had been in their house but there was no sign of a break-in. One neighbour had been working his way along the whole terrace through the lofts, "visiting" neighbour's homes while they were out. He wasn't stealing anything but it was very creepy, knowing someone had been sorting through their stuff! It would be worth installing a bolt on the underside of your loft access.

ormus

as above.
millions of old houses were constructed like this. a fire risk and a thiefs paradise.
ive seen both events happen.
if you feel insecure, then brick the walls up and install a loft hatch lock.

27col

The wife of one of my old bosses was in the bath when she spotted an eye looking at her through a small hole in the bathroom ceiling. It turned out to be a neighbour from further along the terrace. The whole of the roof spaces were open. The dividing walls did not go much above ceiling height. This was in a terrace of post war houses built to replace some that had been bombed. I believe that the intruder was taken to court over it, but it must have been a bit of a shock for the lady concerned.

adouglasmhor

27col wrote: »

The wife of one of my old bosses was in the bath when she spotted an eye looking at her through a small hole in the bathroom ceiling. It turned out to be a neighbour from further along the terrace. The whole of the roof spaces were open. The dividing walls did not go much above ceiling height. This was in a terrace of post war houses built to replace some that had been bombed. I believe that the intruder was taken to court over it, but it must have been a bit of a shock for the lady concerned.

This happened to a work mate's wife, they couldn't prove who it was as the dirty old perve denied it. This was in a semi-detached so it could only have been him.

diable

There was a story years ago that someone had set up a business painting toy soldiers and the like in the roof space of their house and along the neighbours loft spaces................

Becles

If you are crawling about up there and discover you have a weird old neighbour that offers you a strange magic ring, be careful

muckybutt

Back to the question, on a fire safety note the easiest thing to do there is "bung" the gap up with rockwool which is fire retardent. If you want to go that little further then fire board the gaps up and seal with intumescent foam or silicone.

And fit a bolt to either side of the hatch on the underside obviously.

BillTrac

ormus wrote: »

as above.
millions of old houses were constructed like this. a fire risk and a thiefs paradise.
ive seen both events happen.
if you feel insecure, then brick the walls up and install a loft hatch lock.

No need, just crawl through all the loft spaces and fit bolts to the loft side of all the hatches....:rotfl: