If your neighbour's property is in poor condition and causing problems in your home:
- Start by talking to your neighbour in a friendly and polite way and explain your concerns.
- If you’re worried about approaching them, you can write a letter, explaining the problem clearly and sticking to the facts.
- If the problem affects other neighbours, involve them as well. It can be easier to settle a dispute if the complaint comes from more than one person.
Taking legal action
Depending on the situation, you may want to consider mediation or taking private legal action.
- Under Section 82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, you can take legal action against someone causing damage to your property.
- The Court may order your neighbour to fix the issue, give them a fine, or require them to pay you compensation.
- You must give your neighbour 21 days' notice before filing a complaint.
- It is a good idea to get advice before taking legal action. Find legal advice and information
Damage from a privately rented property
If the property damaging your home is being privately rented:
- Speak to the tenants in a friendly and polite way first.
- If no action is taken you should consider contacting the landlord or agent.
When you can report an issue to us
You can report an issue to us if:
- You've already tried to resolve the issue with your neighbour but haven't been successful.
- Your neighbour’s property is causing problems to your property that are bad for your health or a nuisance. For example, if there's damp coming through your walls.
After you report an issue to us
If we find that a neighbour's house is causing damage to your house, we can:
- Order your neighbour to carry out repairs.
- Carry out the work to repair your property ourselves and charge your neighbour for the costs.
Report an issue to us
Your details won’t be disclosed to anyone, but we need your name and address for legal reasons to show that the issue affects you at your property.