Ready to hire?

Post your job in minutes, browse real reviews and choose who to speak to.Post a job

Need some tips or advice?

Extensions

My neighbour claims we have damaged their garage and wants us to pay

Anonymous user 14/03/2024 - 2.34 PM

We have had a double storey extension built at the rear if our property. We served our neighbour with a Party Wall notice. He never responded in writing but told us verbally that he had no problems with the work. Once work commenced, we were advised by our builder to under pin the neighbour's garage. We employed a structural engineer to carry out an inspection, prepare a report and drawings for the under pinning. We gave copies to our neighbour and asked whether he consented to the work. He came onto our property and we talked through the proposals with him. He agreed to the work. Everything has progressed without issue until we asked to put up some scaffolding. After initially agreeing, he withdrew the consent and we took the scaffolding down. He then changed his mind again and allowed us to put the scaffolding up. Again, things have progressed without issue until this week when he has turned up at our property, been verbally abusive and threatened legal action as he never signed the Party Wall notice. He is suggesting his garage (directly next to our extension) has been damaged. I have taken photos throughout the build and I can see no visual damage. What should I do? Can we be sued?

Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?

1 Answer

Anonymous user

It would cost him money to take you to court and if hes losses which he may you could try for your fees back off them as a verbal contract is still a contract. Plus as longs you have photo evidence then you should be ok. We as builders have came across issues with neighbours/party wall issues for yrs and sometimes its just a matter of sitting down and talking to sort out what the issue is. as we have had it where its been something as stupid as starting and finishing times thats winds your neighbours up and gets there backs up. you still have to live there once the works are finished and the builders move on so try and sort it out if its something the builders need to put right? if there is any issue try if you can to sort them now not at the end of your job as that is also what winds neighbours up i tend to find that they feel ignored with what they need fixing "now" not in 6 weeks when your works are done.

Answered25 October 2014