Building work & neighbours roof... Please be kind 😔

ThisIsWeird

What damage has been caused, that should be 'owned up' to? And even if a brick had been dropped resulting in a hole in this '2-year old' roof, would a whole new roof be a reasonable claim?

This neighbour has almost certainly shot themselves in the foot.

GDB2222

ThisIsWeird said:

What damage has been caused, that should be 'owned up' to? And even if a brick had been dropped resulting in a hole in this '2-year old' roof, would a whole new roof be a reasonable claim?

This neighbour has almost certainly shot themselves in the foot.

It does rather depend what damage, if any, has been done. There could be holes all over the roof for all any of us know. Has the OP seen inside the neighbour's property, to see what it is they are complaining about?

funkyfifi

They're complaining because it's spongy mainly and that it's leaking over where the flashing meets their house..... There's no splits or damage on the actual roof. They're wanting me to stop it being spongy by repairing it. The issue is, that they'd obviously had that leak beforehand going into the roof because they had towels & boards around where the drainpipe meets it on the first video and the guttering was supported by a wooden pole as it was broken . I'm honestly not trying to not help them and be difficult , but I really can't see what it is that we've supposedly caused.... In order to repair it for them

funkyfifi

The inside bits under the fishbowl rooflight windows are all mouldy inside where they join the roof and she sent me pictures of water damage from a leak on the ceiling inside

Brie

Funky - you say you have no legal cover and aren't in a union.  Do you work for a large company?  Many seem to have some where buried in the benefits some sort of legal assistance.  It might be part of an "employee assistance" which gives counselling as well as other advice.  It might be part of an associated industry body  - if you or a close relative worked for a bank, for instance, you could talk to Bank Workers' Charity which can be very helpful.   message me if you want more info specifically about BWC

Phil4432

I haven't read the whole thread.  You don't actually need a Party Wall Agreement,, as you are not going below their foundations.  However, as you've discovered its always best to have a surveyor come round before work commences, and perhaps put into writing to your neighbour what will be done, so that there can be agreement before commencing.

Not everyone does this of course, and when my neighbour was building their loft conversion I simply took a lot of photos and got the builders written consent that they would make right any damage.

When they were building their extension, I got a 'schedule of condition.'  That's a level below a Party all Agreement and involved a surveyor coming round, taking photos, making a written report.  The neighbour paid for this and so far so good.

In this case, your neighbor is claiming that you damaged their roof.  The question comes down to, can they prove they did and can you prove your builder didn't. 

If you have photos and videos with your neighbors signature that this was the condition of the roof when work started, you have proved that your builder didn't damage the roof (providing he didn't of course).  You have upheld your responsibility to not damage your neighbors roof, bu means of the cantilever scaffolding.

So, the evidence indicates that you have taken due diligence with your works.  I would write a polite letter explaining this, and ask if they could provide evidence that your builder has caused damage.  Say that if they can prove damage was caused, you are more than happy to put it right.

If that fails, do you have legal cover as part of your home insurance?  They'll probably also write a letter saying the same.

Don't give people money when you are not at fault though.  They will just cause more trouble.