Annoying garages issue....

askandyeshallreceive

Hi

Buying an end terrace and beside it there's a double garage. The edge of the roof of the garage touches the gable end of what will be my property, then below that down to ground level there's a gap of about 3 or 4".

As a for instance, one of the jobs the surveyor identified is that the rendering to the gable end needs re-doing (it's properly cracked and worn out). Obviously I'd need to get permission from the garage owner to put ladders or scaffolding on their land in order to do this.

However, what I can't understand, is how this was given planning permission when building them that close means that it's not possible for the owner of the adjoining house to maintain the gable end of their property - at all, ie the bit that's obscured by the siting of the garage.

The Council tell me it's from 1988 and there's absolutely nothing that can be done about it and I just wanted to find out, is that true?

Thank you.

societys_child

Yes, it's true, the council can do nothing.
Can't really offer any advice about how to get round the rendering problem.

booksurr

plenty of instances where "detached" properties are built so close together that it is impossible to maintain the walls of either property

options:
a) cap the gap so water no longer flows down the wall
b) cap and seal off both end ends of the gap then fill void with impermeable "stuff" - obviously this risks rising damp and may or may not reinforce the failing render depending on what "stuff" is used

[Deleted User]

When my father and I built our garage, we deliberately put it about two feet from the boundary for maintenance access. When the neighbours put theirs up, they built it right up to the boundary, so they can only get access by coming onto my property.

To a casual glance, it looks as if the boundary lies half way between the garages, so I've subsequently had other neighbours complaining that my car is too close to the boundary for them to get their car in. The reality was that their car was closer than mine.

halesowenmum

You can't win can you jack-pott! I think it's not worth annoying anyone over it if there's no legal basis to object to at this point. How anything like that gets permission in the first place I can't fathom though I must say. I think it's probably best actually to leave the gap there - I suppose the side of the garage is providing some amount of rain protection (along with the mini 'roof' afforded by the edge of the garage which does contact the wall) as well as the bit that doesn't touch - both are keeping the rain off and I don't even think you'd fit a roller on a stick down the gap!!

You would have thought though since the garage is actually touching, it would have required a party wall agreement or something first. Hey ho, thankfully it's not a deal breaker, I'm still buying the house .

I wouldn't mind but these garages are UGGGGLY man!! Yeuch!
Proper eyesore.

Thanks for all the replies.