You are reading a single comment by @Tenderloin and its replies. Click here to read the full conversation.
  • Bastard neighbours/OYOH thread crossover rant.

    Our flat is the top 2 floors of a Victorian terrace and we share the freehold between all 4 flat owners. Our downstairs neighbour is having works done to improve their flat which they assured us did not include the removal of any structural walls. We made sure that we could see the architects drawings before any work started and lo and behold, a structural wall beneath our flat is coming out. There are also changes to the height and position of windows in the flat, I don’t believe these are permitted developments for a flat in Hackney and they certainly don’t have planning approval. At one point he told us that he was planning to put a cantilevered balcony sticking out the back over our downstairs neighbours rear door so that he could bbq outside, which would of course mean that we’d have to close every rear window of our flat and make the balcony unusable for large parts of the summer.

    Insisted on a party wall agreement, of which the surveyor attended our flat on Sunday. No award has yet been received or reviewed by us, yet I just bumped into him in the hallway and “he’ll let us know when works are starting, within the next couple of days”. For clarity, works are starting this week, he’s not planning on notifying us of a future date within the next couple of weeks. Also bumped into an electrician and there are currently the dulcet tones of an angle grinder/circ saw coming up through the floorboards

  • Check the council website for what was submitted, Call the council to say you are concerned about the safety/legitimacy of the works taking place. If you think you need a party wall surveyor then that is your right - so you should let him know

  • Nothing has been submitted on the council website. We have been informed verbally that the works to the windows “aren’t happening now, maybe next year”. The movement of one window is on the structural drawings and is almost a necessity as he’s raising a dropped floor and it will be a danger if it doesn’t happen.

    We have mutually appointed a party wall surveyor who has at least been to see our flat, not sure about the flat below who also require a PW agreement. I suppose he’s within his rights to have an electrician in his flat, however the tricky point is at what point do the works officially commence. We have not received the party wall award and from that point should have 14 days to review. Clearly this isn’t intended.

    To further muddy the waters, we do actually want the work completed this side of Christmas as we’re considering moving in the new year (unrelated to this!)

About

Avatar for Tenderloin @Tenderloin started