Shared guttering

Gottigirl

My neighbour has put all he’s out side cables just laying on top of the guttering , and also down the boundary wall , inside the gap where they have used a grinder to go down the wall after having he’s house dash on dash , not sure this is why my gutter is overflowing with rain water , and am getting damp , can any one help me because he won’t fix them to he’s wall 

ThisIsWeird

Photos, please, to help explain the situation clearly.

Do you have Legal Protection included in your house insurance?

When was the last time you had your gutters cleaned? I think that should be your first call.

Has your neighbour caused any damage to your house?

Mr.Generous

Is it possible to fit a downpipe on your side, split the 2 gutters and fit end stops and slope it towards your downpipe. I hate having to rely on someone else keeping gutters clear, when possible I've dropped another downpipe and stopped sharing.

Gottigirl

Cut too far don’t you think ?

ThisIsWeird

I don't understand, sorry.

Jonboy_1984

It looks to me that they have raised the top of the gutter and pulled the upper pipe in your picture out of the connection shown by 3 or 4 inches.  I suspect the horizontal ridge on the upper pipe was originally flush against the connection below.

You might be able to pull them back together with a little wiggling, or you might need to arrange for someone to fit a short extension slightly further up (by which I mean either cut out a 18” or so length and and fit back a 21” extension and extra connector, or a full length if appropriate). 

This should seal it all water tight and stop the issue. Should be a quick job for any local gutter repair agent.

ThisIsWeird

Gottigirl said:

I don’t have a down pipe on the fronts both end houses have them , same on the back of the house but the neighbour has took himself to cap me off on the back one and actually done that to my water drainage pipe from the bathroom without my knowledge, also don’t fancy having to pay for a surveyor to come to sort it all out when I know he’s in the wrong , I’ll show a picture of my backs which am sure he is over my boundary because he asked if I wanted my side dashed and I said no because that’s my part of the house , let me know what you think of this picture mine is garden with the one with old dash 

Please clarify.
1) YOU don't have a DP at the front - your guttering is all one, and shared by (3?) Neighbours in a short terrace?
2) Ditto for the back of the houses?
3) You show a DP in that pic which DOES appear to be over your house, tho'? (Assuming all the old render is your house - how accurate can you be as to the EXACT location of the house boundaries (shouldn't be too hard to work out)
4) Your neighbour has angle-ground a slot into that wall. If that is on YOUR side, it's 'trespass - criminal property damage', and you can have him for that.
5) WHERE is your damp showing inside - photos, please.
6) WHERE did he divide and cap the gutter? Does it mean that your water can only go ONE way now, and that's towards the other neighbour?

Please provide more photos to show the whole layout.

DO YOU HAVE LEG PROT ON YOUR INSURANCE?

ThisIsWeird

And the other answers, please.

And how many houses in this terrace?

Gottigirl

New to this so not sure if am sending the pictures on what I mean sorry and don’t no how to delete 😂, there are 4 houses mines a 4 bedroom with shared tunnel, has for the damp picture we have painted over it again but I can take a picture to show you where it comes through, am concerned that’s caused through him putting he’s outside cables down the outside cavity wall that wasn’t filled in after he dashed and also laying the rest on top of the gutter that joins my house on the fronts 

ThisIsWeird

There are a lot of potential issues going on here, but we need more info before we can say for certain.

For instance, is this - where the yellow arrow points - a slot that he's cut into the wall?

If so, there could be at least two 'issues' here. The first is if that is on your side of the boundary line - and we cannot tell where that is from here, but you should be able to work it out - then it is 'criminal property damage'.

If it isn't on your side - if that part is his - but it still allows damp into your house, then he's liable again.

But we can't tell any of that from this side of the screen. I've asked a few Qs above, and we really could do with answers to them.

Again, with short terraces like yours, it is very common for the gutter and the downpipes to be shared. Ie, there isn't a separate one for each individual house. If that is the way it's always been, then that is how is should remain unless all 4 parties agree to something different. (It might even be referred to in your deeds, but even if not, there is an implied right to discharge your rainwater the way it's always been. It's called something - I forget what :-) An 'easement' or something.)

So, again, if this guy has divided the guttering, isolating yours at the boundary, then that is against the terms of the deeds (or easement), and you can oblige him to restore it. If your gutter is overflowing as a result of this and causing damp, then he is also liable for this, and can be forced to sort it/pay for the damage caused.

BUT, we - on this side of the screen - do not know exactly what is going on.

Is your house owned or is it council? If the latter, then easy - call them up right away and let them sort it. If the former, then you may need a surveyor to determine what's going on, and legal advice on what to do with this info.

Please tell us you have LegProt.

Have you just moved in? And it's your house? And you've just taken out insurance?

Gottigirl

Yes it is my house been in it 26 year  we know by looking at the deeds the wall comes over our boundary, because if he had went straight up with the wall it would of been on line with our down pipe that’s why there is a cut in the wall where your arrow is pointing , we told him about it along time ago but falling on deaf ears has he is old , we are just concerned if we ever sold the house or he did he’s there is going to be a lot of issues, when he got the house dashed he never asked us anything , won’t give me the number for who dashed it , and also he said they never used a grinder the gap was always there ? There is gap between these type of houses but not this big , it’s hard for me to explain , would I need a outside surveyor done and how much are they , not on the best of wages , and has for insurance don’t think I have legal cover