Access to a manhole

[lazysaffa]

hello

i am doing some garden work for a client which has included putting up a fence between his garden and his downstairs neighbour's garden. the neighbour has now come out and said he needs to have access to the manhole cover which is in my client's garden. my client is the freeholder and the guy downstairs is a leaseholder.

is it a legal requirement that he should be able to get to the manhole at any time? surely this would mean that every upstairs/downstairs maisonettes could never have fences between their gardens.

any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks!

 

[noseall]

So long as the inspection chamber is not buried then surely he will still be able to access the chamber?

Being allowed access an inspection chamber does not automatically guarantee passage across your neighbours property surely?

 

[lazysaffa]

that's what i thought! i've just checked at my flat and my upstairs neighbour doesn't have a manhole in his garden so we obviously share the one in my garden. surely that doesn't mean there has to be a gate between our gardens! that would mean everyone on the whole street would have to do the same, and no doubt half of london too!

 

[^woody^]

He has no right of access to the manhole. The manhole is within someone else's property, and is not his concern

 

[Nige F]

Freeholder has responsibility for the fabric of the building and it`s services

 

[mattylad]

THis in no way prevents the erection of a fence.

If access is required for some reason then it can be asked for & denied/granted by the land owner, access can be obtained by using the same access points that the land owner will use.
Tell the neighbour to go away.

 

[lazysaffa]

thanks everyone, there will be no gate!