Damp caused by neighbour's property

neutrality

The side wall of my house (timber frame with pebble dash rendering over) is only visible from my neighbour's garden (link-detached at an angle with my house set back).
I've had an increasing problem with damp in the under stairs cupboard, including a smell which permeates downstairs at times.
Visiting my neighbours garden (with permission), a number of points of concern:
(1) Their pitched-roof rear extension is approx 6 inches (or less) from the exterior wall of my house, with their soil pipe at the far end of this space.
> The guttering of this rear extension is visibly blocked (moss and plants growing).
> This guttering is quite narrow width.
> This guttering doesn't reach to the rear wall of the house, because the soil pipe is in the way, and there's no channel or such, so rainwater running off the extension roof at that end is splashing into the soil pipe, perhaps my wall directly, and to the ground.
> No sunlight or airflow reaches the ground or wall there, which wouldn't help any drying out.

(2) Luckily, it was raining when I was there so I was able to observe (and film) the first floor guttering dripping consistently down to the same area, and water running down the outside of the soil pipe, which also was dripping at ground floor guttering level "junction" piece. (Not sure if this was the soil pipe itself leaking or build-up drip from water running down the outside of it.)

(3) The rear extension guttering is linked only to a water butt, not a drain, with no overflow. The guttering down pipe is linked to the water butt only with a "rain trap" type of tube connection.
The water butt is right by my wall, at the end of their extension, so if it fills and overflows, this would likely be onto my wall and/or the ground by my wall.

(4) They have a shed with no guttering positioned barely a couple of inches from the rear corner of my house and fence attached. This means rainwater from that shed roof is going directly onto my wall and fence and/or the ground right by them, and it blocks sunlight from reaching and drying that area.

Now there's an unusual ownership situation:
My neighbours moved out later the same day I was able to pop in and observe these problems. The new owners it turns out took it in part-exchange against another property without viewing it and with no intention to live there or rent it out (I assume they have a few rented out or something). That was something the EA told me. They've simply put it straight back on sale.

When I spoke to the EA they agreed to forward an email of the concerns to the owners. Over a week later, all that's come back is the EA saying they're "hoping next week" (hoping!) to arrange for someone to clean the ground floor gutter and to empty and slightly reposition the water butt.

Better than nothing, and will help, but I can't say I'm happy with that as the full extent of what they're proposing to do.

The nuclear option I would suppose is to question whether that rear extension is actually legal. I have no idea how long ago it was built (I've lived next door for 2 years so must be older than that). I think if it's 4 years or older, there's no action can be taken even if it doesn't comply with building regs and didn't get planning permission?
Whether there's an exception to that if it's been done in a way that makes my wall and it's own soil pipe inaccessible for maintenance...?

I did suppose that since any disputes with neighbours have to be stated when selling a house, they might've preferred to keep things informal, and certainly I'd rather that than involve solicitors and the associated costs, but my primary concern is to stop the damage being done :sad:

Would appreciate any thoughts/guidance, from anyone who might kindly read all this

sevenhills

If a local authority believes that your building work contravenes the building regulations, they may serve them with an enforcement notice requiring them to alter or remove work which contravenes the regulations.
Now would be a good time, since you are not on friendly terms with your neighbours.