Neighbour threatening legal action - please help!

lesalanos

If the gutters were level,. The OP states her gutter is higher than the left but we have no idea how much

Mistral001

lesalanos said:

If the gutters were level,. The OP states her gutter is higher than the left but we have no idea how much

Then whoever has done the work on the OP's gutter has raised it, when they should have kept it level with the neighbouring gutters.  

lesalanos

Mistral001 said:

lesalanos said:

If the gutters were level,. The OP states her gutter is higher than the left but we have no idea how much

Then whoever has done the work on the OP's gutter has raised it, when they should have kept it level with the neighbouring gutters.  

How is this possible if the houses are on a hill?

CatLady87

Hi all,

It’s a row of six terraces, any thoughts on what this would mean for installing the new guttering? I can check tonight what the situation is with drainage for the other three houses.

I’ve had a difficult year so I’ve not really had the gutter cleaned out, and my LH neighbour has had mine and the RH neighbour’s cleaned out before - so I probably have been lax with maintenance. 

I’ll have a look at the arrangements for the other properties on the row of terraces tonight. I’m tempted, if both neighbours agree, to just pay for the whole job because it’s causing me great distress. Though I’d imagine the new guttering would be impacted by the type of drain in the neighbour’s garden and how effective it is?

I’ve got a feeling that the stop ends were added by one of the previous owners (on my house) and potentially my neighbour on the left on his house.

I had a look at the soakaway (if it is a soakaway in the RH neighbour’s garden and the downpipe just seems to disappear into the ground (he’s got a lawn at the front). So I’ve no idea if that means it’s a soakaway or going straight into a sewer. 

Thank you all so much for your help!

CatLady87

Hi folks, update on the gutter and downpipe set up:

Row of six terraces - three downpipes. Myself and my two neighbours are the end three of the row.

So, left to right along the row (looking from the street)- downpipe at the very end house, a down pipe between Mr Left Neighbour’s house and the neighbour to his left and then a downpipe at the far right end (Mr Right Neighbour).

Photos of the gutter attached, sorry about the quality.

Jeepers_Creepers

6 houses and 3 downpipes? One downpipe on each end house and one DP in the centre between the two middle houses? (I'm guessing that the end DPs are not at the far ends of these end houses, but closer to their respective 'inside' neighbours?)

I think it's clear, then, that this was originally a fully shared system with a continuous gutter across all 6 properties (or else the middle DP would be sharing the water from both halves!). Are all the houses on the same level - could a single run of guttering go across them all?

I really think you need to confirm this info, as this - I believe - would be the 'correct' solution.

Have a look at similar terraces, but also ask your roofer - he should surely know what is typical for such properties. 

(It would be interesting to know who made the modification, adding these two stopends to your and your LH neighb's guttering! Good chance it occurred because one party wasn't pulling their weight when repairs were needed. But, it wasn't you, so that's good - you have not caused this issue. 

I understand your wish to resolve this issue quickly, but you would be nuts to offer to replace everyone's guttering. If your roofer cannot confirm what the original layout was, then find another one who will. Then get a quote for (a) a 'simple' fix - re-joining your and your neighb's guttering, and (b) a second quote for redoing the gutter for all 6 properties in deepflow.

Armed with this you tell your neighb to 'lay off, pal' (or similar...) and that the correct solution is to join up your guttering. If he doesn't agree, and damage caused to his house from your guttering is on him - you have 'put him on notice' of this information. Add that you are prepared - out of sheer goodwill - to pay the labour to have all 6 redone, but each household would have to pay for their own materials (that's if you are happy to do this).

You then need to show your bully neighb you mean business - you will not be bullied or intimidated in to carrying out unreasonable work, and you will not hesitate to call the local bobby citing 'harassment' should he try. This has to be your judgement, of course, but some people just need putting back in their box - and you'll be impressed, I believe, how helpful the police will be; they rightly hate bullies. 

lesalanos

Agree that the problem neighbour probably cut the gutter and added the end caps which has now lead to this issue.  

I don't suppose there are any sale packs/Google images etc from a few years ago?   Or any similar rows close by to check their gutter set up 

You still do not know how much water apparently flows from your gutter onto his property or otherwise 

Jeepers_Creepers

CatLady - have you checked your deeds? See what it says about this - hopefully it's covered.

And the 4 houses to your left (which includes your nasty neighb) - are they all continuous gutter? Is the only stopend on your house boundary with his?

CatLady87

Hiya,

Thank you. The downpipes on each end house are at the far end of the house, if that makes sense?

I completely see what you’re saying. The quote for just replacing my gutter was £280 so for all six, it would be astronomical, even if it was just labour. I just can’t afford that much money. I have limited savings but I’d be willing to fork out for the three just to avoid the conflict with him. I have a feeling he might have put the stop end on his, so frustratingly he and the previous owner of my house have made the problem ten times worse.

I think the issue is he’s always fixed the problem and never liaised with next door to try to come to a solution together. Whilst he’s been kind of nice to me over the past few days, threatening a single mother with a solicitor isn’t really cool. He knows I’ve been through some stuff (albeit he doesn’t know what) and I feel he’s definitely some kind of bully. He even told my mum he saw the roofer doing the work and didn’t say anything because he’d spoken to roofers carrying out work in the past and he’d been shouted at by said previous roofers and told it wasn’t his property. I get the feeling he didn’t say anything because he saw me as an opportunity to get it sorted once and for all.

My gutter is definitely higher, albeit by a small amount. The rest of the guttering looks in line. Do you think it would be reasonable to get some quotes from roofers (my two like to disappear frequently and not reply to my messages) and see if a new gutter along all three would be a remedy and then offer to pay for that? It’s frustrating because I know the deeds state that all pipes, gutters etc are shared responsibility - but I’m on the verge of a breakdown with all this. Don’t mean to sound dramatic.

You’ve no idea how much I appreciate yours (and everyone’s help) so thank you, truly thank you.

CatLady87

@leslanos - I had the same thought myself, going to check Google maps but I think this issue was years ago, circa 2007 when the dreaded dormer was built. The only images for house sales now are from when I purchased it in 2018, the old ones have been taken down. 

Deeds -I’ve checked the Land Registry title (image attached) and I’m pretty sure the covenants state that joint services are shared responsibility. Although he may argue that our gutters aren’t technically joined so he wouldn’t share it? I fear I’ve inherited a nightmare. 

I didn’t look closely but I’m pretty sure the rest of the houses have continuous guttering. If you zoom in on the final picture you can see how out of line mine looks with his. I’m going to look properly in the daylight tomorrow.