Headache, headache, headache ... new neighbours

Oompa

My neighbours claim my renovation has caused damage to their flat.

Does anyone have any experience with this kind of issue, and how best to deal with it?

TBeckett100

I'd ask them to refer to the council and you'll deal with them. If they are council housed then it isn't their property. Given you have to ask landlords these days to hang a picture up then surely the council should get involved.

C_Mababejive

As per #2,,blank them. If they have issues with their rented home they need to speak to their landlord. Do nothing.

TBeckett100

Why the are spending money improving their communial areas is beyond me when they have a sprog on the way and they are supposed to be saving to move. I suspect IDS was right, tenants if they can should pay market rent!

Oompa

TBeckett100 wrote: »

Why the are spending money improving their communial areas is beyond me when they have a sprog on the way and they are supposed to be saving to move. I suspect IDS was right, tenants if they can should pay market rent!

I feel they want to show they've been taking very good care of the property (making improvements), as they want to make an offer to purchase the property from the freeholder (council).

moneyistooshorttomention

All round then, it looks like you need to have proof (one way or another) that your builders have caused those cracks.

I can understand why your builders want this proof before they put it right.

On the other hand, its quite possible that your builders have indeed caused the cracks - as I've certainly seen quite noticeable cracking appear in one wall of my house because of work done the other side of that wall (ie in another room in my house).

If that proof emerges that it is down to your builders - then its understandable that they would want their own builders in. Also equally understandable that they wouldn't want to give up their evenings/weekends for work that is nothing to do with them iyswim.

So - yep....do ask for that proof as to when the cracks appeared - to check that its your responsibility to put it right. But, if it is, then you are in for some delicate negotiation about what they want in return for giving up their evenings/weekends to supervise this.

Oompa

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

All round then, it looks like you need to have proof (one way or another) that your builders have caused those cracks.

So - yep....do ask for that proof as to when the cracks appeared - to check that its your responsibility to put it right. But, if it is, then you are in for some delicate negotiation about what they want in return for giving up their evenings/weekends to supervise this.

It seems like something that's impossible to prove though, don't you think?

DRP

1. Do nothing (as others posted, it's not their flat).
Or
2. A 'without prejudice' generous offer of £50 to buy them paint and brushes.

Mickygg

DRP a 2mm gap will need filling, which I think is the issue here. Most people can get a paintbrush out and paint a surface without much drama, although these neighbours probably wouldn't do that.

As they don't own the property I'd do nothing. Proving your builders caused this will be tricky, and it should be down to the council to contact you if the council won't fix it. It's like a tenant situation, anything that goes wrong a tenant will contact the landlord to sort and not go direct to the neighbour.

jimbog

If it comes to it could they (try to) claim off your buildings insurance?

eddddy

Oompa wrote: »

It seems like something that's impossible to prove though, don't you think. How are they going to prove the renovation caused hairline cracks, or how is it usually proved?
...

You would usually get an expert opinion from a building surveyor.

However, a surveyor's inspection and report would cost hundreds of pounds - so you would normally only do this if the dispute was over thousands of pounds worth of damage.

You should also read your lease. 'Non-council' leases often say that leaseholders can ask the freeholder to decide a dispute between leaseholders. Does your council lease say how disputes between leaseholders and tenants can be decided?