Damp due to neighbours!! PLEASE HELP

Legacy_user

Hi guys, I hope someone can help me.
Basically, i own an end terraced and the path which runs down the side of my house is shared with the detached neighbour. The neighbour layed new concrete slabs over the old ones which was so high it was above my DPC. I spoke to them and told them they shouldn't have done this without my permission for one with it being shared, then two, the new slabs were over my DPC so were causing damp in my living room. After a lot of arguing as he believed it was not shared (but realised it was after I showed him proof) he pulled up the slabs he laid. Then also pulled up the old slabs too but dug down really far and left it like that for over a week. We had very heavy rain that week which caused flooding and water building up against my house due to the big hole he left. I had to get someone out to quote for the slabs to be laid correctly after he caused all this damage as it was causing more damage as the days went on. The workmen laid the path how it should be and the neighbour payed for their labour, but due to how wet the ground was underneath from the flooding the past week after him leaving a massive hole, the path has now slanted and sunk so is therefore causing more damage to my house and again water building up. Then looks like It may have caused rising damp. Is it down to the neighbours to pay for this to be rectified again as it has sunk due to the ground being so wet after he dug a massive hole and left it? I will attach photos if possible. Also.. will they have to pay for the work to be done to rectify the damp and rising damp to my property?
I wish he'd known it was shared (which he should have known) and hadn't have touched it to begin with as there were no issues before this. :mad:

Sorry cant add photos yet due to being a new user?

Kind regards

Ectophile

If the new water level is below the DPC, then it shouldn't be causing damp. It shouldn't be much different to having damp dirt, which is what should have been there before.


And if I were your neighbour, I would dispute that your builders had done the job properly if the new path is sinking already.

bris

As above, digging down shouldn't have caused the damp as it's usually always wet below the DPC.


You need a specialist in to diagnose the problem.

troffasky

Clarkey90 wrote: »

We had very heavy rain that week which caused flooding and water building up against my house due to the big hole he left.

Why do you think digging a hole in the ground will cause water to appear? The ground would have to be very wet already for that happen. If he dug a hole in the ground and broke a drain in the process, that might explain it, but surely you would have noticed?

Clarkey90 wrote: »

Sorry cant add photos yet due to being a new user?
Kind regards

Post a link with spaces in and someone will correct it for you.

FreeBear

Ectophile wrote: »

And if I were your neighbour, I would dispute that your builders had done the job properly if the new path is sinking already.

I would concur. The builder should have put down a layer of ballast, gone over it several times with a whacker plate. Topped off with a layer of sand, more whacking, and then laid the slabs on a full bed of mortar.