Installing a light in a terrace shared alleyway - do I have to agree with RWP neighbours?

joe90mitch

Hi all,

Apologies in advance if this is something obvious, but we've recently moved into a house - it's a Victorian terrace with a covered alley/ginnel running between us and our neighbour. The "front" doors are halfway up the alleyway, facing each other (so on the side of each house). The alley is covered by our neighbour's first floor.

It's a right of way passage for us, the neighbour who shares the alley and the neighbour the other side of us (for access to her back garden via our back garden).

We would like to install an outdoor light in time, ideally a motion sensor one. Security isn't really our concern at the moment with lockdown going on - there's almost always someone in - but in time I know my partner wouldn't feel too comfortable poking around for keys in the pitch black and it's actually quite difficult to see the keyholes on the front door when it's dark.

Would we have to get our neighbour(s) to agree to something like this? 

So - where do we stand? I assume it goes without saying that we can't put up anything on a wall that is hers. Are we allowed to just put up a security light on our side of the alley? Is it impacted that the wall as it extends directly above that is the internal party wall between us and her and so we would need her permission. A little part of me thinks/hopes that we can put up a light on our own external wall or just above our front door as we wish (though that would also mean it shines through her front door window - so we'd probably first ask her if she was up for it to be placed somewhere more convenient).


Thanks in advance!

TELLIT01

I would put a note through the letterboxes of all who share the alleyway saying what you would like to do.  I would word it in a way which makes it clear that you will assume they have no objection if you don't hear back from them.  Better that way than asking a reclusive neighbour if it's OK with them and needing to have to wait for a positive response.

J_B

Nike - Just Do It

ic

As long as the lights are installed on your wall, and powered by your electricity, and can't be claimed to be shining into any windows, I can't see what they'd have to complain about.

twopenny

If her house continues above the alley it sounds like a flying freehold. She has to maintain the roof of the alley which is essentially her floor for the safety of others. If you have no information on this part of the alley then it isn't yours. The plan clearly shows what you own and are responsible for.

No you can't shine a light into her window or on her door but you could put a low light level light on your wall beside your door so that it doesn't impinge on hers but allows you to see slightly better with the keys. The fact it is motion activated helps as it would only come on when you need it for that.

I think she'd find it hard to make a legal complaint with that but it wouldn't have to shine onto her property in any way that may disturbe her.

My experience with neighbours who like to keep themselves to themselves is that they are resistant to any changes or useful discussion however nice you are about it. It's not personal, it extends to everyone.

Jeepers_Creepers

Is the 'party wall' only the upper level where the two houses actually meet? Ie, downstairs, in the alleyway, your wall just faces the actual alley? In which case, surely that is wholly 'your' wall?

But, as 2penny says, best to fit a downlighter-type light that shines only on 'your' area - there's lots to choose from. And, yes, it's always good to inform everyone who could possibly be involved/affected of your intentions, ideally verbally, but with a note through t'letterbox for the 'recluse'. I bet most will welcome the light coming on :-)   

joe90mitch

Hi all, thanks for the replies. The party wall is indeed just the upstairs wall. Our ground floor external wall is the one that runs down the alley way opposite her ground floor external wall.

@twopenny yes I think you're right in terms of it being a flying freehold and her having to maintain the ceiling of the alleyway.

So I think we will look into a downward facing light straight above our door. And put a positively worded note through her letterbox to inform her and reassure we'll ensure it's not pointing towards her house. Just wanted to make sure that even though it's on our own external wall that there's no issues with installing things in a shared alleyway 

Thanks all

J_B

joe90mitch said:

Just wanted to make sure that even though it's on our own external wall that there's no issues with installing things in a shared alleyway

I suppose there's a chance that someone could 'accidentally' break it when they were using the alleyway.

So either chose a robust one or a cheap one that can easily be replaced.

joe90mitch

J_B said:

joe90mitch said:

Just wanted to make sure that even though it's on our own external wall that there's no issues with installing things in a shared alleyway

I suppose there's a chance that someone could 'accidentally' break it when they were using the alleyway.

So either chose a robust one or a cheap one that can easily be replaced.

I can definitely anticipate this, so that's actually good advice haha 

Norman_Castle

She'll probably appreciate the area being lit. I'd avoid a powerful light in a small alley. Assuming you're fitting it yourself it'll be easy to move or adjust to accomodate any complaints.

Jeepers_Creepers

Is it a gloomy alleyway through all its length, Joe? If all the users were in agreement - or unconcerned either way) is there even mileage in setting the PIR at the entrance so it lights up at the start? Even the potential of adding a couple of secondary lights at each end? Should be easy to run a cable along the corner of the wall/ceiling.

Or could that complicate matters too much? If it's something you'd like, then test the water with others - they might be enthusiastic.

(Mind you, you then have a dark alleyway coming from the other end... This is getting complicated :-)  )