Neighbour's drive floods my garage

Jim_Jupiter

Hello all I'm hoping for some advice on what could turn out to be a nightmare,

My neighbour's drive way is built right against my garage wall, about a foot higher than my garage's floor. This, I believe, is causing rain water to seep into my garage. When it rains a lot there is literally puddles of water along that wall of garage.

The walls are painted white and there is a clear line which exactly matches the level of my neighbour's drive to where underneath it's peeling off, yellowing and damp. The brickwork is also completely saturated with water. No other part of the wall or floor is damaged, neither is the roof and a builder mate of mine also believes the cause is obviously the driveway (obviously I realise that doesn't count as an independent diagnosis!). All the reasons as to why my garage is flooding point at this driveway.

A bit more info for completeness - I've lived in this property for almost 4 years. My neighbours are an elderly couple and must have been in their house longer but I don't know how long. Their driveway is not new and was in place before I moved into my house. I did notice it within weeks that the garage had damp along that wall, however I did not priortise this problem nor did I put two and two together to realise the cause until this year where the heavy rain has simply made me wake up and try and sort this problem out.

My relationship with my neighbours is certainly not a sour one, but in the 4 years I've been here it's barely been more than a "Good morning" or "Hello" whenever we happen to cross paths.

I understand my first course of action is talk to my neighbour, and hopefully that's as far as it'll go and he'll sort his drive out. However what steps can/should I take if he refuses to acknowledge the problem or disputes it's his fault?

I understand if this goes to a solicitor etc. I would have to declare it when selling the property...but equally nobody will want a house with a swimming pool for a garage. I will definitely at some point want to move.

Thank you for reading and advice you can come up with.

loracan1

Is their driveway built up against your garage or is your garage built up to their driveway?

Jim_Jupiter

That's a very good question and one I don't know, both were in situ when I moved in. I would hazard a guess the drive is newer purely based on my own visual opinion of them both. I shall root out my documents and see if there's anything on when the garage was built - thank you, I'd not considered that.

cyclonebri1

I don't think it really matters or even if it could be proved in this who came 1st/ chicken and egg situation.

Mores the point how can it be resolved?


Sounds simple to me.
Between you, and I won't get into an argument of who pays, you need to install a box drain along your garage wall, but on their property.
The thing I mean is about 5 inches sqr, U shaped with a removable grid.

You need to grind out a trough to allow this to be fitted.

You can also tank out the moisture by the use of dpc and/or bitumen at this stage.

But don't forget, your garage is unlikely to have a dpc, you may still have water issues.

Mistral001

As far as I can see this has nothing to do with your neighbour. You bought the house the way it is and it is down to you and the advisors (if any) you had when you bought the house.

cyclonebri1

Mistral001 wrote: »

As far as I can see this has nothing to do with your neighbour. You bought the house the way it is and it is down to you and the advisors (if any) you had when you bought the house.

Bangs head in disbelief:A:A:A:A:A:A:A:A:A

Yes I do understand what you are saying, but the solution is to improve the neighbours drainage, that involves the neighbour.

freezspirit

As Cyclonebri1 says use something like this : http://search.wickes.co.uk/search#ts=ajax&method=and&w=Channel%20Drainage&isort=score

However this will only work if the driveway goes down towards the pavement.

anotherbaldrick

have a look at the drainage of your neighbours driveway . Where it abuts the wall of your garage there should be a kerb or concrete upstand to keep the water their side and not let it wash your garage wall . If there is not one talk to them about it and mention any damage it is causing. If there is one and the water is directed away from the garage wall your damp may well be subsoil water , the flow of which is obstructed by the foundation of your garage.

Hintza

Does the garage have a gutter? If not that might be a start. Otherwise as cyclone says, but I might be tempted to try wavin pipe and gravel laid on a wide dpc going up the wall a foot otherwise to get down a foot you might need a kerbstone or similar to hold the drive back.

southcoastrgi

if i'm reading the post correctly surely if the water is coming through your wall then their garage floor must be flooded ?

societys_child

No, next doors drive is laid right up to the OPs garage.