What are the rules on neighbour’s scaffolding?

silvercar

A street of detached houses.

Our neighbours are having some work done on their house, underpinning the far corner away from us caused by tree roots from the house the other side of them, that those neighbours (our next door but ones) have apparently refused to remove. 

Today they have had scaffolding put up all around their house, why would you scaffold to deal with subsidence?

Anyway, we each have a side alley between our houses with a fence between us. Today the scaffolding was erected and the horizontal poles are way over to our side of the divide, a few inches from our house at the highest level. Should they have consulted us first? Also the fence panels have been bashed about in their manoeuvring and now one in particular has loose pieces. Do I mention this to the neighbours? Or the scaffolders? Or should I wait until they have finished in case more damage results.

Brie

Can you have a polite conversation with the neighbour?  Express your surprise at finding scaffolding up when you thought what was being repaired was on the other side of the house?  Mention it looks like the fence will need to be repaired.  "Oh and I hope the scaffolders didn't hit out house the poles that are so close to it.  Hope they don't put it through a window when they're taking it all down!!"

That way the neighbour can talk to the scaffolders about damage done and advise that any more will not be tolerated.

TELLIT01

There should have been a conversation, but it is permitted to encroach on a neighbouring property in order to carry out essential maintenance.  Do you still have safe access along the side of your house.  For example are the horizontal bars high enough that there is no risk of hitting your head?

I would raise the issue of damage done immediately and keep a record, including photographs, of that and any further damage.

diveunderthebonnet

Are you on good terms with your neighbour ? if so you will want to keep it that way as there are many posts on this site about problems with feuding neighbours ,as others have said have a friendly word with them ,point out the damage and the scaffolding worries and hopefully they will deal with the scaffolders and the damage at the end of the job.
You can always ask them what is actually being done with the scaffolding and what progress they are having with the subsidence ,two birds with one stone. 

silvercar

TELLIT01 said:

There should have been a conversation, but it is permitted to encroach on a neighbouring property in order to carry out essential maintenance.  Do you still have safe access along the side of your house.  For example are the horizontal bars high enough that there is no risk of hitting your head?

I would raise the issue of damage done immediately and keep a record, including photographs, of that and any further damage.

Yes, the encroaching bars are at a high level, the lower bars encroach by say 20cm but we still have easy access. I’m just surprised that they needed scaffolding at all and particularly on my side. 

TELLIT01

silvercar said:

TELLIT01 said:

There should have been a conversation, but it is permitted to encroach on a neighbouring property in order to carry out essential maintenance.  Do you still have safe access along the side of your house.  For example are the horizontal bars high enough that there is no risk of hitting your head?

I would raise the issue of damage done immediately and keep a record, including photographs, of that and any further damage.

Yes, the encroaching bars are at a high level, the lower bars encroach by say 20cm but we still have easy access. I’m just surprised that they needed scaffolding at all and particularly on my side. 

They may be doing more than underpinning.  I agree with you about not understanding why scaffolding would be needed for the underpinning.

jj_home_80

Scaffolding should generally stay within the property boundary unless permission is given. If it’s encroaching onto your side, you’re within your rights to raise it. I’d mention the fence damage to your neighbours first, as they hired the scaffolders, but if it gets worse, speaking directly to the scaffolders might be best. Probably worth waiting until the work is done to assess the full extent of any damage.