Know about flat roofs? - is this terrace causing problems

Dorset-moneysaver

Hi,

If anyone has any advice that would be great. Looking at this ground floor flat which has a bedroom with a flat roof. Above it is front door to upstairs flat. (the bedroom was changed from garage to bedroom according to planning permission in 1977)

2 years ago after a leak the roof was repaired by builder, the upstairs flat afterwards arranged with same builder to put down decking.

I can see barbicue, big plant pots, table & chairs etc. Do you think its unreasonable if I purchase to demand stopping use for parties and decking so I can access it for repairs/maintenance etc?

Any thoughts would be greatly received?

(ps all that green, it looks like its causing problems - I wouldn't want them using it as privacy rear garden etc but if they refused can I say its damaging the roof)

Regards

slipperyshoe

I'm afraid your photos show very little and it is not really possible to give any comprehensive answer. I'm also not too sure exactly what you are asking?!

What you can see is a drip edge which is the correct detail for the roof. I will say that putting any sort of roof garden (in this case decking) on a roof can be a nightmare for repairs etc.

The decking should certainly be placed on a sacrificial layer of cap sheet, and if it were my roof I would also want the joists of the (garden) decking to be placed on a scaffold board or an EPDM support in order to spread the load and not cause mechanical damage to the waterproofing.

ormus

are you thinking of buying this flat?
typical flat roofs are not designed to have parties and BBQs on top of them.
never mind decking, which creates all sorts of problems come any maintenance required.

id be walking (running) away from it. unless it was dirt cheap.

Dorset-moneysaver

Thanks slippery shoe ormus, I have edited post to make better sense.

Yes I wish to buy my first place, its a friend of a friend. It needs a good tidy but is a nice place.
Before the decking they had stepping stones to front door and a plastic garden tent thing for small plants/ grow herbs thats it.

slipperyshoe

unfortunately unless you can get underneath the decking to see if there is any protection to the felt, then there is no way of knowing.

As discussed if suitable protection is in place, the materials are of a good quality and the installation is a good one, then there is no reason why it cannot be done. However it is unlikely (IMO) that all of the above willl have been met (only because there are lots of bad flat roofs out there and most people baulk at a cost of any more tha £65/m2 (generally you get what you pay for).

With regard to using a roof as a terrace and the privacy aspect, I don't really know. I would think that you cannot just put a terrace on a roof if it overlooks someone else's garden!

Overall I would say that unless you can get the vendor to sort this out then you should run a mile; do you really want the first thing you do when you move in to be to start a big arguement with your new neighbour? One thing you can guarantee is that your neighbour willl not be happy that they have no garden because you have objected. I tiotally agree that they should not be able to do it, but they have and I think you will be walking into a minefield if you buy this property.

Good luck!

Yolina

I would be extremely wary of a flat roof being used as a terrace without knowing if a structural assessment had been made beforehand and how well (or not) the whole thing has been done. Pretty much all the flats in my development have terraces but they were designed and built as such, which is totally different.

ormus

if you are really keen on this flat, then make sure the lease/freehold is very clear on who owns the property and does anyone else have any rights to use the roof.
i would be insisting that the decking is removed, and no rights of access are allotted to anyone else.

then allow some monies to repair the roof.

Yorkie1

Your surveyor won't be able to inspect it for structural issues; I don't know whether this would raise flags with the mortgage company if you're buying with a mortgage?

27col

If it is a flat roof for the ground floor flat, and I imagine that it is. Then I would insist that no one else had access to it. Especially if they were proposing to hold BBQ's and parties on it.
It is unlikely that the persons using it would be prepared to pay for it's maintenance and that in itself would be a good reason to prevent anyone using/mistreating it.
It sounds like a recipe for a lot of trouble in the future. If it were me, I would be walking away from it.
Even if it had been designed and built as a balcony/terrace I would not be happy with the prospect of a lot noise just above my head.

Dorset-moneysaver

Hi,
Thanks all for the excellent replies. I have asked the seller to check his freehold/their lease upstairs.
I have decided that the decking etc has to be removed if we were interested as you quite rightly pointed out repairs/maintenance.

I think like you say price has to reflect this room as a bonus compared to a proper roof/quiet bedroom.
will have to see how the land lies r.e. privacy as we would have a small coutyard garden below.

cheers

Leif

ormus wrote: »

if you are really keen on this flat, then make sure the lease/freehold is very clear on who owns the property and does anyone else have any rights to use the roof.
i would be insisting that the decking is removed, and no rights of access are allotted to anyone else.

That is exactly what I would have said too. You need to get the deeds or whatever for both flats. Of course were you to purchase, and enforce your rights, it is not certain the neighbour would comply, in which case you have a dispute, and were you to sell on, you would need to declare the dispute. T'is the law.