My builder stated he didn't go on the neighbours' roof at all. The neighbour is saying that we must pay for the damage. I feel we have done nothing wrong. What should be our course of action?
When Your Neighbour Claims Your Builder Caused Damage
Disputes between neighbours can become awkward when a third party is involved. If your neighbour believes your builder damaged their property, but the builder denies it, you may find yourself caught in the middle.
Your neighbour is making the claim, so the responsibility to prove it falls on them. Without evidence showing your builder actually caused the damage, they would struggle to succeed with a formal claim. That said, ignoring the situation rarely helps. Even without proof, disputes can escalate to mediation or court if not addressed, and you still have to live next door.
Common Causes of Roof Damage
Roof tiles can crack or break for many reasons unrelated to nearby building work. Weather is a frequent culprit. Strong winds can lift and dislodge tiles, hail can crack them, and heavy rain wears down roofing materials over time.
Age is another factor. Older tiles become brittle and may fail during storms that newer tiles would withstand. Sometimes damage that appears suddenly has actually been developing over years.
This does not mean your builder is automatically in the clear. Tiles can be damaged by dropped tools, careless foot traffic, or debris from construction work. The question is whether there is any way to determine what actually happened.
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The most sensible approach is for your neighbour to arrange a professional inspection. A qualified surveyor or roofing specialist can examine the damage and give an opinion on its likely cause.
A professional assessment should consider:
- The pattern and location of the damage
- The age and condition of the existing roof
- Whether the damage is consistent with construction activity or weather
- Any evidence of recent impact versus gradual deterioration
Your neighbour would typically arrange and pay for this inspection initially. However, if the surveyor's report suggests your builder was responsible, those costs might ultimately fall to the builder or their insurer. A clear report gives everyone something concrete to work with.
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
If the Builder Was at Fault
Reputable builders carry public liability insurance for exactly this type of situation, though not all do, particularly sole traders or those outside regulated trade bodies. If there is evidence that your builder caused damage, they should report it to their insurer. You can ask your builder for details of their insurance cover.
If your builder refuses to cooperate or lacks insurance, your neighbour has several options. Mediation services, including those offered through the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), can help resolve disputes without going to court. If that fails, the small claims court is another route. Citizens Advice can explain this process, and consulting a solicitor may be worthwhile for complicated cases.
Keep any photographs, receipts, and correspondence related to the building work you commissioned. Consider keeping a log of all discussions about the dispute, including dates and what was said.
Maintaining the Relationship
However this resolves, you still have to live next door to your neighbour. Where possible, keep communication open and avoid taking sides too firmly before the facts are established.
Suggesting a professional inspection shows you are taking your neighbour's concerns seriously without accepting blame prematurely. For future projects, consider discussing planned work with neighbours beforehand and documenting the condition of their property before construction begins.
Thank you linmax
Any advice please.....we don't speak with our neighbours after falling out over their cannabis habits so when scaffolding was put up just before Christmas we had no idea of what was being done. The scaffolding encroached our property at the back and front but we didn't say anything. Then the builders used hammer drills to completely remove all their rendering and obviously took quite a few chunks of our rendering off too from the back and front, as well as make a mess in our gardens and large pieces of rendering falling into our garden. I asked about the damage done and was told that they were told they were not allowed to talk to us. We waited for the work and our damage to be repaired but to our disbelief, the scaffolding was taken down. I asked the lady next-door about the repair to our exterior to which she said she 'was chasing them' and closed the door. That was over a month ago and now I have no idea of how to get the damage repaired as it is now obvious the neighbours will not be addressing the problem. We don't even know the builders details either so any advice please?
We share a wall which is my garden's back wall but their right side wall, this wall is a contention wall as my neighbours house is around 2 meters below ours.
I have checked the Deed but there is no information on who owns my back wall, but are we responsible for the damage when they are doing demolition and moving and excavating the grounds? Thanks for any help on this!
I'm desperately seeking some advice and help
I've recently bought my first home, and have since had a new kitchen fitted. The builder noticed damp in my kitchen coming in from my neighbours ajoining internal wall. I have spoke with my neighbour and he said that he does not have the money to fix this and has since been quite difficult to speak with about the matter. He did say he's more than happy for me to fix the problem but at my own cost.
So i have had a few builders come out and have a look at what is causing the damage to my internal walls and they have all said that my neighbours lack of maintenance on his outside wall has meant that over the years, water is getting in through the brickwork and thus causing damp in my kitchen. The mortar on his bricks have seen better days and you can clearly see where the water is getting in. He quite clearly has an issue with his house, you can see through his windows that his house is in complete disrepair which i sympathise with but knowing it is now causing damage to my property, it really is concerning me. He has damp all up his walls and it is that bad that now my walls are becoming damaged from the strain
What can i do? I have been quoted £1350 to fix the main issue but this issue is my neighbours ajoining external wall not mine that is allowing the water in? Therefore i feel so very upset that i have to pay for such work knowing it shouldnt be my problem. HELP
Roofer came to dismantle our chimney while we were a short break. Offered him a key, he declined. Plan was to replace chimney with a flue and seal up neighbours chimney, (which we are paying for as she has no money). Came home to find the flue snapped off the log burner, log burner has major mishapen hole and is now rendered useless. Roofer will return to fit the new flue, shouldn't he offer to repair or replace the log burner ? Feeling this may become an issue :(
Thank you
Am i liable for this or is the builder - Please advise?
The adjoining neigbour is also saying the house has been built in the wrong place by the builder and he says i am liable for this aswell, he is trying to bully me into buying the plot that the builder has encroached onto, even though he agreed to a boundary line in writing and the house is within this. He is trying to get me to build a wall to hold the foundations for the next plot and says i have to do this even though i dont have anything in legal writing to say i need to do this - can you please help and advise?
I have contacted the company who did the work and they have not replied to my question- asking them to come and look and rectify the problem. I have gone back and told them this - but still no reply. I now want to take this a step further as I have been in contact for 3 weeks and still not had a suitable answer.
How do I take it further?
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