Neighbour doing loft conversion has knocked into our loft
Discussion
So this is regarding my MIL, she lives in a terraced house, one of the two middle sections so has a party on each side. The terrace is 4 houses across.
The other middle terrace has started a loft conversion. In passing before starting the neighbour asked my MIL if she is ok with them doing this loft conversion. She didn't think it would affect her, so she said she didn't have a problem. No agreement was made on paper, no notification on paper, no notice on paper.
Scaffolding went up, and they actually have started building a dormer loft conversion - it's a flat roof extension on one side. All ok so far, nothing affecting the MIL.
MIL stuck her head in the loft recently to grab something, and noticed there is a layer of dust across all her stuff in the loft, and then noticed some small rubble beside the party wall. Looking up, she saw that a section of the top of the party wall (under the roof) has gone. So they have effectively knocked through the party wall at the top. I have inspected it, and not just at the top of the party wall, but some sections of the side of the wall (again right under the roof, sloping area) have been removed, so you can see sunlight coming through and wind into my MIL loft.
Is this allowed? Doesn't seem ok that they can knock into my MIL loft and expose her loft to the elements. No party wall agreement documents, no surveys on her side, and now there is a mess in her loft and rubble on her belongings. There is a good relationship with the neighbours - just want to know the legalities involved before going over to speak to them about it. MIL did mention it to them, and they just said it's the same on the other side of the loft (as in the end of terrace neighbour s having the same issue). No offer to clean up the mess or explanation. So I am going to go over and speak to them about it, but any further suggestions appreciated. Is it safe for them to take bricks out of the loft wall supporting the roof?
thanks
The other middle terrace has started a loft conversion. In passing before starting the neighbour asked my MIL if she is ok with them doing this loft conversion. She didn't think it would affect her, so she said she didn't have a problem. No agreement was made on paper, no notification on paper, no notice on paper.
Scaffolding went up, and they actually have started building a dormer loft conversion - it's a flat roof extension on one side. All ok so far, nothing affecting the MIL.
MIL stuck her head in the loft recently to grab something, and noticed there is a layer of dust across all her stuff in the loft, and then noticed some small rubble beside the party wall. Looking up, she saw that a section of the top of the party wall (under the roof) has gone. So they have effectively knocked through the party wall at the top. I have inspected it, and not just at the top of the party wall, but some sections of the side of the wall (again right under the roof, sloping area) have been removed, so you can see sunlight coming through and wind into my MIL loft.
Is this allowed? Doesn't seem ok that they can knock into my MIL loft and expose her loft to the elements. No party wall agreement documents, no surveys on her side, and now there is a mess in her loft and rubble on her belongings. There is a good relationship with the neighbours - just want to know the legalities involved before going over to speak to them about it. MIL did mention it to them, and they just said it's the same on the other side of the loft (as in the end of terrace neighbour s having the same issue). No offer to clean up the mess or explanation. So I am going to go over and speak to them about it, but any further suggestions appreciated. Is it safe for them to take bricks out of the loft wall supporting the roof?
thanks
Spoke to neighbor yesterday, he didn't realise that my MIL loft bricks had been damaged. He said they his builders were knocking the wall quite hard on his side, so that can cause some damage on my MIL's side. Said he will send his builders over to check the damage and then hopefully sort it. Thanks all for your helpful comments.
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