Downpipe issue

Section62

AvivaNightmare said:

Sorry ‘Lip’ was probably the wrong description, it’s a gulley to allow water onto the garage roof 

The flue can be seen in the photo below 

Ok, so being able to see where the water should drain to, I'd say that the debris on your roof is contributing to the flow being sluggish, but not having enough fall (slope) is a significant factor in the ponding.

Did your roofers replace the whole roof, including boards, or just the felt?  Where did the water go before they changed it?

The flue picture is great, thanks. It confirms it is a lot further away from the window than the first picture suggested.

AvivaNightmare

Section62 said:

Rosa_Damascena said:

 

I wouldn't be worried about that, to me its a bit late for that given that it looks like a deliberate act of sabotage. If it wasn't going to drain over the OP's roof, presumably it would be draining onto his neighbours and we know which the neighbour would prefer. He should not have messed around with it in the first place.

To avoid the OP going off on a wild goose chase, there is no evidence this is a deliberate act of sabotage.

It can't be stressed enough that a RWP discharging onto a lower roof is perfectly normal, and (depending on how the gutters have been configured) anything up to 100% of the flow coming down it could be runoff from the OP's own upper roof.

Assuming the RWP is the neighbour's responsibility then they were entitled to 'mess' around with it.  Whether or not they can legally alter it to discharge onto the OP's roof depends on what their deeds say - as I mentioned earlier in the thread.

The only thing the neighbour has definitely done wrong is not asking the OP nicely before making the change.

It wouldn’t be 100% mine his water has only this downpipe to come down. Plus the neighbour the other side of me shares the gutter and we are on a slight decline down so a % of water from theirs also comes down the downpipe. 

AvivaNightmare

Section62 said:

AvivaNightmare said:

Sorry ‘Lip’ was probably the wrong description, it’s a gulley to allow water onto the garage roof 

The flue can be seen in the photo below 

Ok, so being able to see where the water should drain to, I'd say that the debris on your roof is contributing to the flow being sluggish, but not having enough fall (slope) is a significant factor in the ponding.

Did your roofers replace the whole roof, including boards, or just the felt?  Where did the water go before they changed it?

The flue picture is great, thanks. It confirms it is a lot further away from the window than the first picture suggested.

They replaced the just the felt. 

I can see what you’re saying about the debris on the roof, which actually wasn’t there before & I suspect is stuff he has hooked out of the gutter while doing the downpipe when I get a chance I’ll give it a sweep.
it was never an issue before I I assume it went over and onto the garage roof & wasn’t as heavy as it is now with the downpipe water. 

thegreenone

Can you get up there and change the direction of the gutter?  Some superglue to keep it watering his roof top garden?

travis-powers

I disagree with the posts on this, your porch roof was built to deal with just rain now it’s dealing with with more than it can cope with!

Jeepers_Creepers

Hi AN.

It's a bit tricky to work out exactly where that DP comes down in relation to your, and your neighb's, wall. However, it's very common for a terraced row of houses like yours to share their guttering - ie a continuous length along all or some of the properties, and with just a few (ie, less than the actual number of houses) number of DPs being spaced roughly evenly, and shared by all.

You are saying that in your row of 5 terraced houses, three of them share a single continuous gutter, from which there are 2 downpipes, one on each house to either side of yours? (Why aren't the other two houses included? Just curious!)

If that is the way it's always been, and if the DPs empty into existing drains, then that is the way it should remain, with none of the house owners being able to make a change to this without the agreement of the others.

So, has your neighb done 'wrong'? Yes. Is it a terrible thing to have done in the scheme of things? Hmm, possibly not terrible. I mean, he shouldn't have done it, and he certainly shouldn't have done it without your and the other house's agreement, but will it cause a problem? Probably not, provided your roof is in good order (as it should be) and provided the roof itself ultimately drains away safely as it should.

Yes, there's pooling on your roof, but as pointed out above, it would 'pool' every time it rains in any case as there are some issues with your roof - either a build up of debris on it, or it isn't slopy enough. Or a bit of both. However, as also said above, the more water that comes crashing down on your roof, the more likely it is to let water through at some point. Eg, as the roof deteriorates - say the felt around the edge fillets begins to crack or lift - then it's more likely to let water through that's arrived on your roof via a gushing DP than from direct, evenly-spaced rain droplets.

As long as your roof is in good condition, there shouldn't be a problem. But as soon as your roof starts to suffer issues - and it will in time - then this extra water will almost certainly make it more likely to fail and leak.

What to do? If this were the only issue, I'm not sure if I'd personally bother doing something about it - I might, or I might not. If I did, it would most likely be due to the sheer gall of the guy, and to make it clear that there's a literal line he mustn't cross. If the person is already a git who is causing a bit of a nuisance, then I'd certainly be more inclined to act in order to try and rein them in - but that's your call.

Did I ask on the other thread - do you have Legal Protection on your house insurance? You do? Great! I'd call them up for advice, with the possible beginnings of an action against the neighb. This would initially likely be a 'letter before action', which is exactly what it suggests; it'll essentially say in legal-speak, "Fix the attached list of issues you have caused right away, and cease and desist from any future activities - or else we'll stuff you over."

I'd make a list of all the significant issues they have caused, but keep it purely factual and non-emotive - just list them, and what the consequences are/have been. Don't mention every bit of litter that's blown into your garden, but you may wish to make a general comment that their lack of care during their numerous projects do cause a nuisance.

See what they say. If they reckon this is a valid case, then they may - as a first step - suggest a surveyor calls round and notes down everything the guy has done. Armed with that, I'd hope they'd contact BC as well as sending a terse letter to the guy...

AvivaNightmare

Jeepers_Creepers said:

You are saying that in your row of 5 terraced houses, three of them share a single continuous gutter, from which there are 2 downpipes, one on each house to either side of yours? (Why aren't the other two houses included? Just curious!)

What to do? If this were the only issue, I'm not sure if I'd personally bother doing something about it - I might, or I might not. If I did, it would most likely be due to the sheer gall of the guy, and to make it clear that there's a literal line he mustn't cross. If the person is already a git who is causing a bit of a nuisance, then I'd certainly be more inclined to act in order to try and rein them in - but that's your call.

I'd make a list of all the significant issues they have caused, but keep it purely factual and non-emotive - just list them, and what the consequences are/have been. Don't mention every bit of litter that's blown into your garden, but you may wish to make a general comment that their lack of care during their numerous projects do cause a nuisance.

See what they say. If they reckon this is a valid case, then they may - as a first step - suggest a surveyor calls round and notes down everything the guy has done. Armed with that, I'd hope they'd contact BC as well as sending a terse letter to the guy...

The houses are staggered, so 3 together then 2 slightly back. 

I am fed up with his constant DIY and belief that he can do whatever he wants when he wants without any regard to anyone else, I feel it is time to remind him that people live next door and needs to have some consideration!

I have sent a factual email to BC with photos, they have already replied and are taking 'appropriate action' they have also advised me they are forwarding the email to EH for their imput. 
many thanks for your reply.

Section62

travis-powers said:

I disagree with the posts on this, your porch roof was built to deal with just rain now it’s dealing with with more than it can cope with!

What makes you think the flat roof can't cope with the discharge from a 68mm downpipe?  If you've done some design calcs to arrive at that conclusion it would be interesting to see them.

What changes do you think the porch roof designers would have made if the downpipe (as the neighbour has now altered it) was done that way when the house were originally built?  The amount of water flowing across a flat roof is rarely a limiting factor, and it is very difficult to see how it ever could be in this case.

The pooling of water is - quite clearly - due to the OP's roof being defective.  We can see that by the large pool of water in the picture when there was nothing coming out of the downpipe.

AvivaNightmare

Section62 said:

travis-powers said:

I disagree with the posts on this, your porch roof was built to deal with just rain now it’s dealing with with more than it can cope with!

What makes you think the flat roof can't cope with the discharge from a 68mm downpipe?  If you've done some design calcs to arrive at that conclusion it would be interesting to see them.

What changes do you think the porch roof designers would have made if the downpipe (as the neighbour has now altered it) was done that way when the house were originally built?  The amount of water flowing across a flat roof is rarely a limiting factor, and it is very difficult to see how it ever could be in this case.

The pooling of water is - quite clearly - due to the OP's roof being defective.  We can see that by the large pool of water in the picture when there was nothing coming out of the downpipe.

the roof is not defective, the pool of water was straight after a heavy rain downpour.
 

Doozergirl

AvivaNightmare said:

Section62 said:

travis-powers said:

I disagree with the posts on this, your porch roof was built to deal with just rain now it’s dealing with with more than it can cope with!

What makes you think the flat roof can't cope with the discharge from a 68mm downpipe?  If you've done some design calcs to arrive at that conclusion it would be interesting to see them.

What changes do you think the porch roof designers would have made if the downpipe (as the neighbour has now altered it) was done that way when the house were originally built?  The amount of water flowing across a flat roof is rarely a limiting factor, and it is very difficult to see how it ever could be in this case.

The pooling of water is - quite clearly - due to the OP's roof being defective.  We can see that by the large pool of water in the picture when there was nothing coming out of the downpipe.

the roof is not defective, the pool of water was straight after a heavy rain downpour.
 

It shouldn't pool at all.  Ever.