Attic firewall

Mandyegg

Our neighbors selling their house. Survey brought up the attic party wall. Neighbours put a letter through our door saying we need a firewall, they will pay, keen to start quickly. If we have any concerns let them know. Before I could reply, within 2 days they had the work done. Pink plasterboard was used. The buyers turned up on our doorstep telling us they requested a letter signed by us to say we agreed and that she should have got that before starting the work. We don't speak to the neighbours. Apparently she won't ask us because we are awful people. We saif if she put it through our door we would sign it. Husband looked in the attic.. before there was a gap with missing bricks. He thinks they have put plasterboard in a straight line over the chimney breast which will have left a gap where the recesses are. So they've effectively given us some of their space. We aren't sure if it's safe to be like that. Can anyone advise if the boards should have been put on all of the walls and not across leaving a gap. We haven't had the letter to sign yet and are concerned.

canaldumidi

Suggest you either get a builder in to quote for putting it right (he'll tell you if it's wrong!,or pay a surveor.

Cheeky sods! Doing the work without consent!

It's great that a firewall is installed, better/safer than without. And great that you didn't need topay. But you need to be sure it's a proper job.

Let's face, what happened was: buyer instructed surveyor. Surveyor recommended firewall. Buyer asked seller to install firewall. Seller agreed. Seler emplyed cowboy to do cheapest job possible (as seller is leaving and does not care); Buyer will move in -shock horror terrible job! Buyer will ask you to pay 50% to put the job right......

caprikid1

canaldumidi said:

Suggest you either get a builder in to quote for putting it right (he'll tell you if it's wrong!,or pay a surveor.

Cheeky sods! Doing the work without consent!

It's great that a firewall is installed, better/safer than without. And great that you didn't need topay. But you need to be sure it's a proper job.

Let's face, what happened was: buyer instructed surveyor. Surveyor recommended firewall. Buyer asked seller to install firewall. Seller agreed. Seler emplyed cowboy to do cheapest job possible (as seller is leaving and does not care); Buyer will move in -shock horror terrible job! Buyer will ask you to pay 50% to put the job right......

"So they've effectively given us some of their space. "

Sounds like they have built something the sellers side of the loft to me so not sure what the fuss is, doubt they have made it worse !.

eddddy

Mandyegg said:

He thinks they have put plasterboard in a straight line over the chimney breast which will have left a gap where the recesses are. So they've effectively given us some of their space. We aren't sure if it's safe to be like that. Can anyone advise if the boards should have been put on all of the walls and not across leaving a gap. We haven't had the letter to sign yet and are concerned.

As above, it sounds like your neighbours have built the wall in their side of the loft - not yours. So they wouldn't need your consent.

The neighbours have built the firewall for their benefit, not for your benefit. It's to stop a fire in your house spreading to their house.

The buyer's mortgage company probably insisted on this to protect their security. The mortgage company will be lending money against the neighbours house, so they want to reduce the risk of it burning down.

If the firewall has been badly built and may be ineffective (because of gaps, location etc), that's a matter for your neighbours and the future mortgage lender. It's not really anything to do with you.


(FWIW, the neighbours haven't really given you any space. That space still belongs to them. But they probably wouldn't know if you used that space for storage etc.)