Neighbour’s built a garden wall of very low quality

feedthecat

DullGreyGuy said:

Has your neighbour seen the finish on your side of the wall? Not from the purposes of you being left with an eyesore but just the quality of the workmanship and therefore the likely durability? 

Yes, I invited them round and they said they think it is a decent and acceptable job and at the time said if I dont like it to fix it out of my own pocket.  I argued that they would no way accept it if that was the finish their side but they simply advised the job was adequate.

twopenny

Fair enough they've said it. They've seen it and say they accept it so at least they have taken some responsibility even if it's just word of mouth.
I'd suggest you start to make a written list of dates and what was said and observed should anything happen in future.
Also you have photos of how it stands now.

It is slightly bizzar that they have one nicely finished wall but can't be bothered with this. But it is what it is. Collect your evidence.
I'd agree, don't do anything to that wall. Not even plant, that they could say affected it.

You can use light stuff leaving a gap such as bamboo screening or even something prettier. It will also act as a barrier should bricks fall but unlikely in the immediate future.

GDB2222

feedthecat said:

DullGreyGuy said:

Has your neighbour seen the finish on your side of the wall? Not from the purposes of you being left with an eyesore but just the quality of the workmanship and therefore the likely durability? 

Yes, I invited them round and they said they think it is a decent and acceptable job and at the time said if I dont like it to fix it out of my own pocket.  I argued that they would no way accept it if that was the finish their side but they simply advised the job was adequate.

Have you considered planting alongside the new wall?

GDB2222

feedthecat said:

ThisIsWeird said:

FtC, I presume you witnessed the foundations that were dug for that wall? What can you recall about it? Depth and width of trench in particular. It must have come into your land to some degree? Can you measure this?

(Prob not worth doing, but a wee hole down the side would soon indicate the quality of the foundation.)

When they dug the trench it was probably 3-4 bricks deep.  In terms of boundary, while they did not get a surveyor, the builder built the wall by marking an inch or so inside the old fence to avoid boundary dispute.

The foundations depth depends on the soil, but that is 200mm or so, which is quite shallow. 

sparklymarkly

We we had a garden wall built earlier this year.
It was quite expensive but it looks great (from both sides) and is done properly - double skinned with coping stones on the top.
Ours is only about 900mm high but when our builder was pricing it up and I asked him about doing it single brick to save cost, he said he wouldn’t even bother quoting for it as it wouldn’t be safe.
I would be very wary about that one falling down in the wind as it’s a really shabby job.
Just cover it up as best you can so you don’t have to look at it! Good luck.

ThisIsWeird

feedthecat said:

ThisIsWeird said:

FtC, I presume you witnessed the foundations that were dug for that wall? What can you recall about it? Depth and width of trench in particular. It must have come into your land to some degree? Can you measure this?

(Prob not worth doing, but a wee hole down the side would soon indicate the quality of the foundation.)

When they dug the trench it was probably 3-4 bricks deep.  In terms of boundary, while they did not get a surveyor, the builder built the wall by marking an inch or so inside the old fence to avoid boundary dispute.

Thanks.

Can you recall how wide the trench was? And where on it does this wall sit?
AfaIk, there is nothing you can oblige the neighbour to do regarding the wall's poor finish & aesthetics, and there is nothing you can do to that face without their permission. What's more, as others have pointed out, you are best not touching it at all in case it blurs any responsibility should the wall move over time.
So I suggest only two things; have an evidenced method of you having expressed your concerns over the wall's strength and security (eg a letter, email, recorded conversation), and put up your own screen to hide that hideous side.  A screen could be planting, or wide-spaced posts with trellis panels or other screening slung between them, but just make sure the backs of the posts only touch the actual boundary line, and that nothing makes contact with the actual wall.
Then let it be.

Ganga

ThisIsWeird said:

feedthecat said:

ThisIsWeird said:

FtC, I presume you witnessed the foundations that were dug for that wall? What can you recall about it? Depth and width of trench in particular. It must have come into your land to some degree? Can you measure this?

(Prob not worth doing, but a wee hole down the side would soon indicate the quality of the foundation.)

When they dug the trench it was probably 3-4 bricks deep.  In terms of boundary, while they did not get a surveyor, the builder built the wall by marking an inch or so inside the old fence to avoid boundary dispute.

Thanks.
   
Can you recall how wide the trench was? And where on it does this wall sit?

AfaIk, there is nothing you can oblige the neighbour to do regarding the wall's poor finish & aesthetics, and there is nothing you can do to that face without their permission. What's more, as others have pointed out, you are best not touching it at all in case it blurs any responsibility should the wall move over time.

So I suggest only two things; have an evidenced method of you having expressed your concerns over the wall's strength and security (eg a letter, email, recorded conversation), and put up your own screen to hide that hideous side.  A screen could be planting, or wide-spaced posts with trellis panels or other screening slung between them, but just make sure the backs of the posts only touch the actual boundary line, and that nothing makes contact with the actual wall.

Then let it be.

And hope for a gale blowing towards his garden