Pre-empting a dispute with a neighbour re. shared walls / roof

sgun

Get three quotes (you have to get three anyway as part of the scheme process). Explain to the contractors that you need it broken down into "urgent", "essential" and "non-essential - but would be good to do". You can really only ask your neighbour to pay for urgent and essential works under the scheme process. 
Read this https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/sites/default/files/who_rules_the_roof_0.pdf (Aberdeen but same for rest of Scotland) and read Shelters pages here https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/advice_topics/repairs_and_bad_conditions/repairs_and_maintenance_in_common_areas 

Do make sure that the contractors quote for solely stopping water ingress. This is the most important thing to get done and it sounds like your neighbour will contribute to this cost. Fight your battles one at a time.

hopperdennis

Gosh, I’ll be lucky to get three local contractors in this area (builders) who will come anytime soon to do the above but I guess it’s all necessary before I can even reach out to the councial, and I’ll need their word before I can proceed with work? Would it useful to send a letter recorded delivery to my neighbour outlining my plans to do this? Any insight to guide and direct me through this would be great. To be honest I’m not hopeful in my rather infamous local council helping much but I shall reach out to them first thing tomorrow morning 

sgun

hopperdennis said:

Gosh, I’ll be lucky to get three local contractors in this area (builders) who will come anytime soon to do the above but I guess it’s all necessary before I can even reach out to the councial, and I’ll need their word before I can proceed with work? Would it useful to send a letter recorded delivery to my neighbour outlining my plans to do this? Any insight to guide and direct me through this would be great. To be honest I’m not hopeful in my rather infamous local council helping much but I shall reach out to them first thing tomorrow morning 

The guides above tell you all you need to know about the process. What are you hoping to get from the council? They have no reason to get involved in private house repairs. If you are in Edinburgh the council stopped statutory notices years ago although they might issue one if there is any risk to the general public. You dont want this to happen anyway as they charge around three times more for repair jobs than the going rate.

hopperdennis

sgun said:

hopperdennis said:

Gosh, I’ll be lucky to get three local contractors in this area (builders) who will come anytime soon to do the above but I guess it’s all necessary before I can even reach out to the councial, and I’ll need their word before I can proceed with work? Would it useful to send a letter recorded delivery to my neighbour outlining my plans to do this? Any insight to guide and direct me through this would be great. To be honest I’m not hopeful in my rather infamous local council helping much but I shall reach out to them first thing tomorrow morning 

The guides above tell you all you need to know about the process. What are you hoping to get from the council? They have no reason to get involved in private house repairs. If you are in Edinburgh the council stopped statutory notices years ago although they might issue one if there is any risk to the general public. You dont want this to happen anyway as they charge around three times more for repair jobs than the going rate.

Have read the guide! Know what’s now expected, just unsure of the timeline. This is all very new to me, alongside being a great worry and stress as we head into winter. Do you think it’s ok to send the neighbour a written letter outlining what I plan to now do? 

sgun

hopperdennis said:

sgun said:

hopperdennis said:

Gosh, I’ll be lucky to get three local contractors in this area (builders) who will come anytime soon to do the above but I guess it’s all necessary before I can even reach out to the councial, and I’ll need their word before I can proceed with work? Would it useful to send a letter recorded delivery to my neighbour outlining my plans to do this? Any insight to guide and direct me through this would be great. To be honest I’m not hopeful in my rather infamous local council helping much but I shall reach out to them first thing tomorrow morning 

The guides above tell you all you need to know about the process. What are you hoping to get from the council? They have no reason to get involved in private house repairs. If you are in Edinburgh the council stopped statutory notices years ago although they might issue one if there is any risk to the general public. You dont want this to happen anyway as they charge around three times more for repair jobs than the going rate.

Have read the guide! Know what’s now expected, just unsure of the timeline. This is all very new to me, alongside being a great worry and stress as we head into winter. Do you think it’s ok to send the neighbour a written letter outlining what I plan to now do? 

Yes, keep your neighbour fully informed at every stage. 

hopperdennis

I will! Unfourtunately from yesterday calls I know that my local area doesn’t have many builders, so I’ll need roofers to quote differently to those you can render (roughcast) the wall, as both the roof/ 
chimney and old party wall are letting in water and dampness. It will also prove a while to even get quotes. I’ll try and collate everything as neatly as I can. I think my neighbours knows it’s going to be a job for me and will use every stalling tactic going! Neighbour said they don’t see their house as a home anymore and yet has no plans to move or sell, its frustrating but I appreciate that’s their stance to take.

hopperdennis

Another unsuccessful day beyond one roofer telling my he can pop round to quote re. the roof / chimney only next week, however he can’t do any wall work. I’ll get there eventually, however even quotes to take some time. Is there a situation such as if the work if viewed as urgent that I can proceed without the neighbour? I’ll let him know of course but don’t expect an answer, in fact aware of what I’m trying to do, I now suspect the neighbour will wholly avoid me. Just trying to prematurity the situation should the water ingress become worst, it’s already very bad 

hopperdennis

Just to update with this some months on, little progression has taken place, frustratingly. The neighbour has avoided me largely. I’ve caught them once and explained the work was urgent as they’ll know and I’d reach out with quotes. They let me do the talking, didn’t say no but certainly didn’t say yes to anything, I should I have been direct. In January I started some internal work and the neighbour saw some roofers and builders round to quote re. the rood and walls and I haven’t seen them since, they’ve been staying elsewhere I suspect. I now have several quotes all saying the work is urgent further leaks and water ingress has taken place over the winter months. I am going to post this however the previous owner has told me that the neighbour will claim the post was not received and nobody will answer if it’s ‘signed for’. I now NEED to progress with what’s urgent, but some wary about doing so and bearing the cost on my own. The walls in particular rendering and repairs will prove very costly. 

I’m not sure how I can make the neighbour more aware (it’s pointless anyway), and more importantly how I can progress ASAP with a legal view of getting them to contribute down the line or if any when their property is sold.

To confirm, it’s a freehold in Scotland, 2 properties sharing party walls and a roof, equal share, I am upstairs, and I can’t take care of just my share of the walls, if anything the neighbours section which is the foundation is worst. 

Any insight or help would be greatly appreciated 

hopperdennis

Maybe as it was some time again I should start a new thread? (Or maybe that wouldn’t be fair)