My neighbour believes there is a crack in the party wall

slotnicki

A few months ago, the neighbour of my rental property contacted me and said that she could hear normal sounds (eg the tap running) through the wall more loudly than before. My tenant said that she could hear similar noises. My neighbour said that she had been told that this was caused by a crack. There is nothing visible on my side. When I lived in the rental property, I could hear my neighbour's hair drier, so I don't think that the sounds are that unusual.

Some time after that, my tenant told me that the neighbour had said that this was no longer a problem. This week I've received an e mail from my neighbour stating that the founds are loud again. She is suggesting that I contact my insurance company or that we get a surveyor in.

I have spoken yo my insurance company and know that if I make a claim, my premium will go up. I have spoken to a surveyor, who has said that unless there was an obvious crack, it wouldn't be worth him coming round, as it is unlikely that he would find it. What would you do in my position?

DRP

slotnicki wrote: »

A few months ago, the neighbour of my rental property contacted me and said that she could hear normal sounds (eg the tap running) through the wall more loudly than before. My tenant said that she could hear similar noises. My neighbour said that she had been told that this was caused by a crack. There is nothing visible on my side. When I lived in the rental property, I could hear my neighbour's hair drier, so I don't think that the sounds are that unusual.

Some time after that, my tenant told me that the neighbour had said that this was no longer a problem. This week I've received an e mail from my neighbour stating that the founds are loud again. She is suggesting that I contact my insurance company or that we get a surveyor in.

I have spoken yo my insurance company and know that if I make a claim, my premium will go up. I have spoken to a surveyor, who has said that unless there was an obvious crack, it wouldn't be worth him coming round, as it is unlikely that he would find it. What would you do in my position?

Why does she think *you* need to contact insurance/surveyor?

I would tell her you have inspected your side of the party wall from top to bottom including the loft and can't find any issues. Tell her what the surveyor said to you.

If after your exhaustive investigation she is still concerned, suggest she get a surveyor at her own cost?

You'd think a crack big enough to create a difference in sound transmission through the wall would be pretty obvious!

System

Does the sound increase each time she changes her hearing aid battery?

Kaimoo

She sounds like a loony

JohnB47

Could it be something to do with a tank in the loft? Might be worth a look at that and the party wall up there. A bit odd that your tennant and the neighbour both mention hearing the same type of noise.

DaftyDuck

Crack in the wall, or crank next door? You decide.... I've already made my mind up.

Anyway, who "told her" it was a crack that made the noise travel?

peachyprice

slotnicki wrote: »

This week I've received an e mail from my neighbour stating that the sounds are loud again. She is suggesting that I contact my insurance company or that we get a surveyor in.

I think I would be 'suggesting' that she contacts you again after she has spoken to her insurance company and after she has contacted a surveyor and after she has had a trip to the GP to get her ears looked at.

slotnicki wrote: »

I have spoken yo my insurance company and know that if I make a claim, my premium will go up. I have spoken to a surveyor, who has said that unless there was an obvious crack, it wouldn't be worth him coming round, as it is unlikely that he would find it. What would you do in my position?

Make a claim for what? Your neighbour hearing intermittent noises (do the coincide with the windows being open).

I'm with the surveyor, if there's nothing to see it would be very difficult and costly for him to attempt to find something that may not even exist, if she wants to pay her own surveyor for that, well that's up to her but in the absence of visible cracks I'd tell her to jog on.

Biggles

If it's a party wall, why is it just your problem, rather than your neighbour's?

Sound transmission is a tricky thing and never an exact science. It's most likely that either your tenant or the neighbour has either moved something or is using it in a different way to before. A sudden gap in the party wall is perhaps the least likely cause of all possible ones.