Neighbours gutters

Eldi_Dos

Is next door house owner occupied or is there a landlord?

If there is a landlord contact them with your concerns.

Mistral001

If they have taken their down pipe away, then you need to point out that you are now providing them with a free down pipe. 

gorbalsgerry

Eldi_Dos said:

Is next door house owner occupied or is there a landlord?

If there is a landlord contact them with your concerns.

Owner occupier

gorbalsgerry

Mistral001 said:

If they have taken their down pipe away, then you need to point out that you are now providing them with a free down pipe. 

There was never a downpipe in that position at all.

marcia_

 I'd be blocking it so it didn't run into my gutter 

gorbalsgerry

Bendy_House said:

Hi Gerry.

Do you have Legal Protection on your house insurance? If so, great - you'll have that as a stand-by should 'reason' alone not work.

Clearly she shouldn't have done this.

It is quite normal for terraced houses which are on the same level to share a run of guttering, and that will often mean that not every house has a downpipe, but it should still be designed to cope, and all houses have a 'right' to have their rainwater dealt with like this.

Yours would, however, appear to be different, and it's no surprise that your end run of guttering cannot cope with a concentrated flow from your neighbour's roof as well.

What to do? First - if you can - use Google maps or old photos to show how the gutters used to be. Also, if you can, take photos of the water gushing over your gutter from this additional flow.

Then you write your neighbour a note...

This should - unemotively - describe what has happened; "Your house's rainwater guttering shared a downpipe with the neighbour at NoX. My guttering uses a downpipe on my property/ continues on to NoY, which is to my right. Each setup is therefore designed to cope with the rainfall from two properties only. Without consultation or permission - which would not have been given - you blah blah blah, and I have already explained to you in person - on the Gth of Aug - that this is causing overflowing issues which could lead to damage to my property. I attach a photograph showing an example of what happens. Despite this, you have failed to correct the changes you have made.

I am therefore today - the Fth of Sept - putting you on notice that you are directly responsible for any damage caused to my property and land due to the excess water coming from this altered arrangement, and instruct you to replace the guttering to its original layout in order to prevent such from happening. Please confirm by return that you acknowledge and understand this issue, and that you undertake to correct the blah blah."

Something like that. And it needs to be delivered in a way that's recorded - witnessed, emailed, texted, recorded-del post (possibly more impactful and official).

If you have LP, just call them up - they will guide you. If you do not, then it's up to you to sort, and this has to be done correctly - you shouldn't, for example, simply take down or redirect that downpipe because then you could find yourself directly responsible for damage caused to her property...

This should be easily sortable, but I hope you have LP as this should make it SO much easier. If you don't have LP, add it at next renewal (but it's too late for this issue...)

The above is what your neighbour should have done with her neighbour - explained their responsibility to keep the gutters clean, or else they have some libaility for any damage caused to her house. BUT, it would clearly be reasonable to offer to share the cost of having her neighb's gutter cleaned, as she is a beneficiary - I wonder if she offered? If you get a chance - when passing on your letter... - you could explain to her how she should be sorting this. And, if her neighb refuses, and also doesn't allow her to arrange it to be cleaned, then SHE needs to put HER neighb 'on notice' of THEIR responsibility for any damage caused.

Thank you so much for all that great advice, much appreciated 

gorbalsgerry

Bendy_House said:

Don't do what John suggests...!

And - lawdie - don't post the same damned issue twice on the same forum!

(I've replied on the other one.)

I apologise. I'm new and didn't realise I'd posted on same forum

shiraz99

Can we take it by your username and the distinctive look of the houses that you're across the border in Scotland. If so, it's possible that building rules and legislation could be different.

Mistral001

gorbalsgerry said:

Mistral001 said:

If they have taken their down pipe away, then you need to point out that you are now providing them with a free down pipe. 

There was never a downpipe in that position at all.

Is there a downpipe serving that gutter  anywhere in your neighbour's property.

gorbalsgerry

shiraz99 said:

Can we take it by your username and the distinctive look of the houses that you're across the border in Scotland. If so, it's possible that building rules and legislation could be different.

Yes in Scotland