Wall of neighbour's extension - what can we do to it?

ds1980

geeez

More tripe........the Party Wall Act contains no penalties for non-compliance and if the works are complete, the Act does not assist. Am i meant to pop a party wall agreement in every time I drill a hole and hang a picture on the party wall?

If you do it then there's nothing they can do. As i already said you'd ask.......however as its a boundary wall then you don't need to ask as its impossible for someone to do anything about it ultimately once you have.

I'm about to build an extension where the boundary will be exactly like this which next door will see. I don't have to but im asking neighbour if they want brick or painted render and even what colour they'd like and ill even paint it 'cause im nice. However as long as it falls under building regs i can build it out of what i like and make it look what i like and he's got to live with it! The "laws" are a nonsense.

so as i already said. Tis your side....do what you want with it but be weary of possible consequences with neighbours on a relationship basis. If you are courteous enough to go and ask and they seem upset then id be asking serious questions about said dopey neighbours. No idea why people get so obsessed with fences and boundaries!

The criminal damage issue is laughable as their needs to be intent for it to be classed as damage.

JustinR1979

I get on great with my neighbours, and would always ask if I thought it concerned them.
Painting a wall or fence on my side never even crossed my mind.
Would like to know how many people know about all this.

Cottage_Economy

JustinR1979 wrote: »

I don't know if he is happy, I didn't ask him.
It's me that's got to look at it, I don't see how they could have any issues.
Would never occur to me to question someone painting my fence that I can't see, and they have to look at. Same with the house, I don't see that side, they have too look at it.
I'm not arguing with you, I'm sure you're right, but to me at least it seems mad

I take it you did go round to his side to admire all the paint runs?

I'm afraid my neighbour did this a few years ago. I had put new fencing in and before I got a chance to paint it, without asking me, painted his side a lurid red cedar colour and trashed the appearance on my side. The paint runs even dripped down on the concrete boards at the bottom, and didn't scrub off.

I went apesh*t. If he doesn't like it, I think he is within his legal rights to ask you to return the fencing to how it was, which could mean buying new fencing. Never mess with boundaries that don't belong to you without being courteous enough to check first.

I've put in fencing at the front of the house since this incident and a fresh lot at the back, and we have 'agreed' a colour and I painted them. Both sides. Carefully. He's never touched them again.

TrixA

Doozergirl wrote: »

No one's really answered your question about party walls. It is a party wall because it sits directly on the boundary. If you wanted to extend along the boundary, you'd have to use that wall, essentially.

That makes sense to me, but I'm sure I read somewhere that if it's the wall of someone's house than it's probably not a party wall.

This has been quite an enlightening thread, but I tend to agree that the law is a bit bonkers if you can't legally paint a wall that you have to look at every day, but your neighbour can't see.

Davesnave

TrixA wrote: »

This has been quite an enlightening thread, but I tend to agree that the law is a bit bonkers if you can't legally paint a wall that you have to look at every day, but your neighbour can't see.

I think the law is there because the boundaries of what's mine and thine are easily confused. The neighbour might not want their house wall painted, but the answer comes back " What can they do?"

This a case where a bit of garden landscaping would work much better than paint, yet only one person has mentioned it.
I would guess the reason for this is because some time and effort would be needed.

So, what can they do?

Depends, doesn't it?. There are a thousand answers, and some aren't very nice.

But there again, the neighbours might be, to misquote Harry Enfield, "...considerably weaker than you."

Then you can go ahead, and it'll be OK to do as you like.*

*according to some people here.

zaax

If party act surveyors are not provided and agreements not kept to, its court time

If its a south facing wall it would ideal for a green house as the wall will be a great heat sink

TrixA

Yes, it may be we'll decide to disguise it with plants, that's why my original post referred to the possibility of mounting a trellis on it.

cyclonebri1

ds1980 wrote: »

You can pretty much do what you want with it but in the interest of peace and courtesy you'd pop by and tell the neighbour first.

If you did do something and they disapproved what could they actually do however these things should never get to that if you keep them informed.

if you do an extension then you're possibly not going to see it anyway?

Rubbish, you can't touch it, you can lay/plant/trellis anything UP to it but you simply can't attach or deface it.

It's their wall, not yours, crap advice from a no know

JustinR1979

Cottage_Economy wrote: »

I take it you did go round to his side to admire all the paint runs?

My side was already painted, what am I supposed to do, leave it to fade and look worse and worse until it rots away?
He hasn't been round to arrest me yet, but he does work with guns, so will start wearing a bullet-proof vest in case a little paint went through

ds1980

I have lost the will to live on this thread.

Its not theirs it's shared! If it is shared I can do whatever I like as there are NO laws to stop me otherwise. If i don't give notice it is unenforceable by law once ive done it anyway.

If anyone has any real knowledge of the law and can offer a court case or example to prove otherwise then I'm happy to be proven wrong but im pretty sure you wont find one.

Erecting a trellis into a "party" wall is absolutely fine and is not covered under any law or PW agreement. The same as if you want to drill into a party wall inside your home. Whats the difference? Its only if you are making major alterations would PW shenanigans become may become an issue.

take a look at some stories here:

http://www.name-n-shame.co.uk/party_walls.html

If you want to build off it, deconstruct it, add something "substantial" (not trellis) that that needs structural calculations etc then you would need agreement and possibly PW surveyor but seriously understand PW act first before saying you cant touch a party boundary.

As ive said the PW agreement is a a nonsense anyway as they are unenforceable and a ruse for PW surveyors and RICS to make money and this is a moneysaving website ;-)