Bricklaying & Repointing

Brick Column - Do they need to be tied in to the wall below?

Anonymous user 15/03/2024 - 2.38 PM

Hello, I live in a new build house and have an issue with my boundary wall/fence. My property is a corner plot and the garden sits approx 5 feet higher than the road/pavement next to it. Subsequently I have a 5 foot standard brick wall holding the land back that my house sits on. On top of this wall are 9 brick columns approx 6 feet apart with a fence panel between each of them. The Columns are higher than the fence panels (roughly 7 feet). The combined height when stood on the pavement next to my house is approx 12 feet high. I noticed 4 months after I moved in that the columns swayed and weren't "tied in" to the wall below them. I notified the builder and the council and was told by the council it was my problem if the columns were defective. The builder sent round the same bloke who built them (unbeknown to me) who didn't really say much to me other than "You could have damaged them when you had your shed installed". He left saying he'd speak to the boss. They didn't bother getting back to me even after I sent an email. So long story short I got called home today (40mph gusts and snow weather wise) because two of the columns had given way and were hanging over the pavement and street below... I've had no choice but to take 6 of the 9 columns down as they were all swaying in the wind. The builder is trying to say I damaged them with the shed (yes ALL 9 of them). My question is do columns have to be built to a specific standard and be tied to the structure they're built on? These are literally 4 bricks wide and built with mortar. No steel. No concrete. Nothing. They just sit on top of the wall. Please help!!!