Council slow about repairing privacy wall

Veganqueen

I have a problem  regarding my privacy wall. I live in a house l rent from the council.Over 12 months ago l came home to find it leaning over my side. I was worried it might fall as it had cracks in it. So l rang the council who after inspection pull the top part down. They left the bricks and a big segment and said someone would remove them. No one came and the bricks remain. After a reasonable time l phoned them again .l was told that as the house next door they needed to get the occupier to agree to pay towards the cost of the repair. I rang them again about the wall and they sent someone who took a photo but said he could not say just when it will be repaired. No effort has been .are to remove the brick or wall segment. What can l do about this?

Jonboy_1984

What do you mean by a privacy wall?

If it’s a garden boundary wall/fence than generally there is no legal requirement to have one at all, so the neighbour is within their rights to ignore it if it is currently in a safe condition( they could also replace it with a piece of string).

Occasionally there is a requirement in the property deeds to maintain the fence/wall in its current condition but you would need to see their deeds (probably available for £3 from land registry) to know that.

Veganqueen

So l am stuck with bricks and a big section on my garden? 

housebuyer143

Have you spoken to the neighbour about the wall and if they have heard from the council? They might just be sending letters and they are being ignored. 

HampshireH

Seems odd.

The neighbours deeds will usually say whose responsibility that boundary is. If the council pulled it down it can only be because they own it (else they wouldn't have been able to touch it and would need consent or fence it off until its obtained). Council deeds are often less helpful as often cover a group of properties with less detail.

Chase the council because it's irrelevant if the neighbours is going to pay or not if they intend to rebuild it. They can write to them and then chase them afterwards. 

Alternatively they could just remove it. There is no requirement for them to put up a wall/fence but they may have a policy which says the 1st panel must be a privacy one. A lot of councils just mark a boundary when a wall/fence falls. Anything more would be for the tenant to choose to do.

gwynlas

Try complaing in writing to your local councillor and send a copy of letter to repairs team of council telling the whole story. You could say it is a local eyesore and preventing you cultivationg your garden and potentially breaching your security as feral youths could lob bricks through your windows.

HampshireH

gwynlas said:

Try complaing in writing to your local councillor and send a copy of letter to repairs team of council telling the whole story. You could say it is a local eyesore and preventing you cultivationg your garden and potentially breaching your security as feral youths could lob bricks through your windows.

Why would there be feral youths in next doors garden 🤔

Following the complaints process in writkng should be OPs first step. Stage 1 , stage 2 (if they have one) and then if no resolution escalate to ombudsman. 

Local councillors love a story which will get them votes if they are seen to back it. Not sure a wall between two properties would give that exposure but it could be worth doing depending on what the relationship between the housing repairs team and cllrs is.