neighbours dont know how to use a paintbrush...

[Anonymous]

well, its a bit more serious than painting, but that would be a start!

any help on this confusing and highly infuriating subject would be much appreciated and im sure some people have experienced this before.

we bought number 5 in a row of 8 lovely terraced cottages around a year ago. everything has been great until a month ago when bits started falling off number 4. it is empty and the owners are uninterested in doing anything to it whatsoever and now im sure it is affecting the maintenance and value of our cottage.
a window blew out in high winds so i contacted the owner who seemed very concerned and said she would get it repaired straight away, but i didnt realise what she had in mind - its now boarded up!

i think the row was built around 1820-30 so i am surprised and disappointed that they are not listed as then they would be obliged to maintain it. the construction is fragile - single leaf brick layed with lime on the ground floor and weather boarding upstairs, traditional sussex style for the time. the weatherboarding next door is all rotten and i am worried the timbers will start to rot soon too. the roof seems ok but am not sure of the structure underneath. there is also only a thin lathe and plaster wall between the houses as the chimney is on the other side between ours and number 6, so we are heating number 4 too indirectly.

ive never met the owners but they are apparently millinares and only keep the house for sentimental reasons, but strangely never go there or do anything to it. the garden is a jungle, but that is the least of my worrries!

it looks like a ruin and theres no way we would be able to sell our house if we chose to. but more importantly i would like the cottages to be preserved in a way they deserve so we can live there in peace. i doubt it would survive another 10 years if left without any repairs

so, after all that waffle im wondering if there is anything i can do to protect our investment/ make them do something/ generally not be selfish!?

many thanks, stuart

 

[Anonymous]

Not sure if it's applicable in your case but Local Authorities do have the power to insist on buildings being maintained properly. It may be a persuasive factor that the problems with the property are affecting yours.
Give them a try.

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmm... Start by writing a nice friendly letter expressing your concerns over how the property is deteriorating, possibly beyond repair. If they dont visit they may not be aware of the extent of the problem. If they are unaware of the extent of the problem and the first they know of it is that they have been 'reported to the authorities' they will not be best pleased.

If that doesnt work, report them to the authorities <IMG SRC="http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/discussing/smileys/wink.gif" BORDER=0 ALT="">

 

[Anonymous]

It's a diificult one - there are some pieces of legislation which local authorities can use but they are frequently not keen to use them. It would be of huge help of course had the building been listed or in a conservation area, but there are things which could be done to help you. This is something which SAVE tried to address at the Buildings at Risk conference this year for local authority officers.

If you feel that this building is adversely affecting the amenity of the area or is dangerous then that's something to complain about to the local authority. Try the Conservation Officer who should be able to tell you who is responsible - possibly someone in housing.

Also - take some pictures, and ask for the house to be considered to be put on SAVE's Buildings at Risk Register? Ela, the BaR Officer, is on holiday at the moment, but a picture and a description to the office would be a help... this may shame the owners into selling...



http://www.savebritainsheritage.org

 

[Anonymous]

One last option not yet mentioned. You say they keep it for sentimental reasons: presumably that means they want a say in whats done with it rather than using it. IOW if you could find out specifically what their wishes were, you might then be in a position to offer to purchase with a written agreement to stick to their laid down wishes. In the situation this migt get you quite an attractive deal, and relieve them of their headache. Plus they may get more of what they want, ie you'd maintain it, tidy the garden.

It might possibly mean agreeing to allow them access to visit the house, you'd need to address all their wishes basically. But do so and you might get a great deal.

And as I think someone else mentioned, they might not realise how bad things are, and what will happen if they do nothing.

Alternatively you might even offer to do the necessary work for a sum.

NT

 

[Anonymous]

some good ideas, thanks a lot! i'll get writing.
incidently it is in a conservation area but up an unmade track and not many people know it is there, so i presume it has gone unnoticed by the powers that be

 

[Anonymous]

Sadly the LA will do little about disrepair in practice - though they do have some powers they are virtually unenforceable unless the LA actually wants to do the work themslves or end up owning the property. Health and safety has a high priority but as its a private house there is not likely to be much that will bother them.

I am sure that an offer to get the house maintained will work - ano doubt they would like to keep up the value of the propery but probably have no time.

 

[Anonymous]

If the house is in a CA then I'd certainly contact the local authority CO and ask if anything can be done. You will have a local councillor also - I suggest that some contact be made with him or her.

Your local authority may be one of the ones which has its own Buildings at Risk Register, but this certainly sounds a strong candidate for the SAVE 2006 Register - which is being compiled now. That way some national publicity would be forthcoming. New buildings in need of rescue and new owners always welcome!

 

[Anonymous]

What do the people who live at no. 3 think about it?

 

[Anonymous]

Hang on a bit Moo - I will just nip over to see if I can borrow a cup of sugar and have a nose around . .

Grimmers

 

[Anonymous]

Oops!

I left my curlers in . .

Grimmers

 

[Anonymous]

I would not usually mind dressing up like Les Dawson, but those brushed winceyette, schrapnel-proof fluff arresters are killers - that elastic leaves an 'orrible mark round yer knees.

Grimmers
(Covert WRVS panzer division)

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry Moo, they are not in at number 3, I thought I saw her head bobbing up and down behind the settee, but that was the milkman.

I will try again later after I have eased the elastic in these damned shreddies.

Grimmers

 

[Anonymous]

There is a little used piece of legilation which I know Allerdale has used - do the work, charge the owner, or force the house to be put on the open market to recoup costs.

I am sure it's not as simple as it sounds, but where there's a will etc...

 

[Anonymous]

Stuart

I know this has been touched on already, but I just wanted to add my voice in urging you to contact the owners again. In your place, I would prepare a list of the major problems with the building and then write a (reasonable, not bolshi) letter to the owners, explaining the detrimental effect that this is having on your house. Alternatively, maybe even contact them and ask if you can visit them to discuss the situation.
If they do nothing, then of course you have to take the matter further - to the CO first, as you're in a conservation area. If that doesn't achieve anything, then you may have to resort to discussing your legal position with a solicitor, and gettying him/her to write to the owners on your behalf.
But I would initially try very hard to get the owners to respond to you personally, on good terms. Once this kind of thing gets confrontational a good outcome is much harder to achieve.

Sorry if that's all bl**dy obvious!

 

[Anonymous]

no, none of its obvious!
good suggestions so thanks very much

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry if this sounds very cynical, but I would vary David's very good suggestion in only one way.

You may find your approach to them will be more successful if you phrase it in terms of the damage to their investment/asset rather than the reduction in your own amenity - they are more likely to respond to something that affects them and theirs rather than your property.

 

[Anonymous]

The other thing that they realise would affect them is to mention that it would be nice to get it sorted out before the LA gets interested, since it is in a conservation area. Plus you could mention that at laest at present you would be willing to help significantly with resolving the problems.

All this is a way of letting them know how many problems lie ahead if they dont answer your wishes, while remaining polite and offering to in some way ease the task.

NT