Boundary wall issue - neighbours garden overgrown

[HawkEye244]

Hi all,
A friend of mine is having trouble with a property he owns and lives in which is a terraced property next door to a housing association owned and managed property.

I was helping him clear an overhanging buddleia to his garden the other day and we noticed cracks in the boundary wall, which is made of stone cob.

It appears as though the buddleia is growing in the actual wall itself. I thought it was best we should stop and that he should phone the housing association who own the property to clear the vegetation in the garden and make good the damage to the wall and stop it getting any worse.

Question is : what will happen if the housing association don't act ? What are his rights ? He's an older fella and does not use the internet so I said I would gather what information I can.

Thanks for any info.

 

[Odds]

Is the wall his in the first place?
If it is then he'll have to provide documents of proof and contact the housing association to make them aware of the problem.
Then be prepared for a protracted case of 'blame game' to determine any compensation.
Is it worth the hassle?

 

[Dork Lard]

Who owns the boundary wall? (I'm assuming the HA)

What is "stone cob"

Does he have any kind of legal assistance included with home insurance policy or similar?

If it were me . . . . Keep it strictly informal at first, don't go making any demands that anyone do this or that. If the wall looks unsafe or about to become unsafe then contact the HA & voice your concerns, I would do this first verbally then follow up with a written letter if no activity within a few weeks. At this stage there is a record of your concerns over the wall. If you hit the wall (pun intended) & get absolutely nothing from the HA, then you need to approach it legally.

IME, these organisations can be very tricky to deal with. They have a bottomless pit of legal assistance & will play you just for a bit of fun.

 

[The Samaritan]

First of all contact HA and note whom you spoke with, date and time and if they said they will call back, ask when and then chase. It is all about speaking to the right person and in this case it may be the housing officer for the area and take it from there.

No need to go to the next stage atm

Thanks

 

[securespark]

It should be noted on the deeds if the wall is party or not.

 

[motorbiking]

Unless there is an obligation/covenant to maintain the boundary on the neighbour, there is minimal legal recourse.

essentially, your wall, your problem, their wall, up to them if they maintain. Unless the wall becomes dangerous

 

[Dork Lard]

Unless the wall becomes dangerous

THIS. They care nothing for cosmetics & aesthetics, but bring 'safety' into the conversation & they jump. I've even helped a few walls, fences & trees become a little less safe to speed up the action.