Front wall boundary query

Simon123456789

Hello, I own an ex council house with a brick wall boundary at the front on the left as you look out. This wall has been in place when the original owner (who bought the house from the council) had it built and next door remained council owned until later purchased. Wall in place circa 40 years. The wall comes off next doors property and then goes to my front wall. As seen in the picture. The new owners from next door say they own it and are removing it? I have checked the title plans and can see no T. Who do you think legally owns the wall?  my other neighbour advised that I own it as purchased off the council this way and the owner of my house at the time had the wall built. my side is with the bench. Thank you

Martin_the_Unjust

From the photo it seems to line up with, and be within, the line of pebble dashing which is on your neighbours house.

I suspect the simplest and (in the long run) cheapest solution is to let them knock it down or whatever and have your own wall built within your boundary.

user1977

Does the rendering on the front of the houses accurately reflect where the centre line of the party wall is? If so then at least the section of garden wall closer to the houses appears to be wholly on the neighbour's side. Doesn't really matter whether it was built by the former tenant of your house, if they built it on the wrong bit of land. Not sure about what's happening with the section closer to the camera. Does your title plan have a similar "kink" in it?

AdrianC

Looking at the way it meets the wall at the front, I'd say it's clearly part of the cream house with the brown windows.

But, of course, opinions don't stand up very long in the face of a determined neighbour with a sledge hammer.

Simon123456789

Martin_the_Unjust said:

From the photo it seems to line up with, and be within, the line of pebble dashing which is on your neighbours house.

I suspect the simplest and (in the long run) cheapest solution is to let them knock it down or whatever and have your own wall built within your boundary.

Thanks for the fast response, Yes, the wall is connected to their property and bends to my front wall. The only reason I am querying is that my neighbour a few houses down said that when his house was bought 40 years ago from the council he has all the boundaries and told me mine would be the same.   I agree, maybe best just have it removed. I just wanted to confirm before hand.

Simon123456789

user1977 said:

Does the rendering on the front of the houses accurately reflect where the centre line of the party wall is? If so then the garden wall appears to be wholly on the neighbour's side. Doesn't really matter whether it was built by the former tenant of your house, if they built it on the wrong bit of land.

Yes, I agree that it is connected to their property (rendered side) will just look weird after it is removed. Ok, thanks for the help.

Simon123456789

AdrianC said:

Looking at the way it meets the wall at the front, I'd say it's clearly part of the cream house with the brown windows.

But, of course, opinions don't stand up very long in the face of a determined neighbour with a sledge hammer.

Exactly, I woke up this morning to a line of cable (new boundary i assume) where he is about to smash it out. I just assume after 40 plus years some law might come in to affect. Anyway thanks bud.

Section62

Simon123456789 said:

As seen in the picture. The new owners from next door say they own it and are removing it?

I'm with AdrianC as far as it looks, but it isn't central to the window openings (neither is the render/tyrolean junction for that matter), so if the internal party wall is central to the windows and that is the official boundary then there is something very wrong outside.

Does the plan drawn up for the original purchase show the wall with a dog-leg?

I'd actually be rather more concerned with what work the neighbours are doing that necessitates the removal of the wall. Are they putting in a space to park? Do they have a dropped kerb?

If the way the hardcore has been laid under their window is in preparation for concrete to be laid on top then I'd be more concerned about the impact that might have in terms of damp affecting the house walls - although that is more of their problem than yours.

AdrianC

Being responsible for the boundaries does not necessarily mean you own the wall.

Simon123456789

Section62 said:

Simon123456789 said:

As seen in the picture. The new owners from next door say they own it and are removing it?

I'm with AdrianC as far as it looks, but it isn't central to the window openings (neither is the render/tyrolean junction for that matter), so if the internal party wall is central to the windows and that is the official boundary then there is something very wrong outside.

Does the plan drawn up for the original purchase show the wall with a dog-leg?

I'd actually be rather more concerned with what work the neighbours are doing that necessitates the removal of the wall. Are they putting in a space to park? Do they have a dropped kerb?

If the way the hardcore has been laid under their window is in preparation for concrete to be laid on top then I'd be more concerned about the impact that might have in terms of damp affecting the house walls - although that is more of their problem than yours.

If they are trying to sneakily add a parking space I'd be tempted to let them know about the council's rules on converting front gardens to parking spaces and how other people in the street have had their requests refused. If the neighbours don't clock that removing 'your' wall would result in you bringing their plans to the attention of the council then they are possibly so lacking in sense that nothing will make them be reasonable.

Thank you, they are just making it a patio area.  I just wanted an understanding of actually who owns it rather than them just destroying it. i appreciate not very pretty at the moment and maybe it will look better, I just dont like the assuming attitude. I even spoke to the previous owner who sold it to the new owner, he lived there for 20 odd years and he said that he thought it was my wall. Thanks again for the advice.

Martin_the_Unjust

Please don’t take my post as any comment on who owns the wall (by the look of it part is within their boundary and part within yours) my post was only suggesting the simplest and cheapest solution if the neighbours are adamant the wall has got to go.

I would be asking them if you could have the bricks that they knock down as you intend to have it rebuilt within your boundary, I’d also be mentioning how odd their pebble dashing will look.

Oh and what does the cable run to?