nextdoor neighbours have sealed up all our vents facing their side entrance

F

fobh

Guest
Hi, I've just found out that our nextdoor neighbours have sealed up all our vents facing their side entrance. I went and asked for them to have them reopened at once as they are on our side of the boundry and they said that they have been blocked up since before we moved in 4yrs ago. This is not true. They called over to us and informed us that we have done nothing wrong to upset them in anyway, that their quarrel was with the previous owners but unfortunately we have to suffer the consequences. Also they said that the boundry wall was theirs as it was on their side!! Our building goes right up to the boundry but is still inside it. We just cannot believe this, what can we do, we have spoken to them but they said that under no circumstances will they allow them to be reopened as our air would be going out towards their side entrance!!! Our garage already smells damp and musty. We certainly dont want any dispute with anyone but are new to the estate and they have been here since the sixties.
 
Re: Neighbour disputes

this is unbelievable....does everyone hold their breath when they walk past their house too?
they have no right to block up your ventilation. unblock the vents and put up a sign 'private property, trespassers will be prosecuted'
 
Re: Neighbour disputes

I would suggest yoiu unblock these vents immediately. Your living in a very unhealthy atmosphere if you don't. What right do they have to touch your property. And they are openly admitting doing it! Id call the guards.
 
Re: Neighbour disputes

fobh said:
our air would be going out towards their side entrance!!!
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Did they say why the air going out towards their side entrance would be a problem?

Do you have any contact with the previous owners to possibly find out the history to this situation?

As you have just purchased the property a short, sharp not too expensive letter from your solicitor may be in order.

Whole thing sounds weird.
 
Re: Neighbour disputes

fobh said:
Hi, I've just found out that our nextdoor neighbours have sealed up all our vents facing their side entrance. I went and asked for them to have them reopened at once as they are on our side of the boundry and they said that they have been blocked up since before we moved in 4yrs ago. This is not true. They called over to us and informed us that we have done nothing wrong to upset them in anyway, that their quarrel was with the previous owners but unfortunately we have to suffer the consequences. Also they said that the boundry wall was theirs as it was on their side!! Our building goes right up to the boundry but is still inside it. We just cannot believe this, what can we do, we have spoken to them but they said that under no circumstances will they allow them to be reopened as our air would be going out towards their side entrance!!! Our garage already smells damp and musty. We certainly dont want any dispute with anyone but are new to the estate and they have been here since the sixties.
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If what you say is completely true, and you are certain of your facts - phone the gardaí.

To hell with solicitor's letters or soured relationships - it will probably be 'frosty' already. Don't let anyone get away with this kind of thing.
 
Re: Neighbour disputes

Obviously the vents have to be reopened as its a health and safety issue. That said I am a firm believer of going down and exhausting all diplomatic routes before the guards or solicitors letters.

After all its the poster has to live their and even with right on his side does he really want problems with his next door neighbour.

I would recommend:

checking with your own solicitor to ascertain whether the boundary wall belongs to the neighbour.Just because he says it does ,does not make it so. In fact the usual position is that it is a party wall.

Also have the solicitor draft a letter for you but which you will sign(i.e not a "solicitors "letter"), in other words adopt a softly softly approach first and have the solicitor work through with you whats your best course of action.There may be something relevant in the title documents too.

Try to find out if the neighbours vents are located somewhere blowing smells back into side or on the other neighbours side. If so this may add to your case.Also without going to too much expense could you prove to them how dangerous it is for your vents to be blocked, maybe find some reference on the web where this kind of thing has caused health problems,etc..

If ultimately they wont see reason can you open up the vents yourself without going onto their property,by standing on the wall?

As a last resort you will have to go down the route of formal solicitors letters etc... but in the long run if neighbourly relations can be maintained you wont regret being diplomatic first.
 
Re: Neighbour disputes

Neighbours interfering with your property isn't acceptable in any circumstances. Fair enough if it was a thorny hedge that was a danger to their kids or something.. but this?

i'm sure you could find lots of material on the dangers of radon gas to back up your case.

Fair play to you though for taking such a diplomatic approach - many others would have just gone mental and soured relations. In any case though, whatever happened with the previous neighbours is nothing to do with you... stand your ground, you're in the right here!
 
Re: Neighbour disputes

Thanks to each of you for the advice and information, all will be taken into consideration and I will post a new msg when we make a decision on which way to go.

Thanks again Fobh.
 
Are the vents coming from living areas (in addition to the garage)? If so, this is a potentially life-threatening issue given the risks of carbon-dioxide poisoning. Remember those ads with nice Duncan on the telly?
 
Couple of Qs:
What are the vents for?
1. As Rainy Day, asks, are any vents from a boiler? If so you may not have them within something like 10 feet of a window or door (not sure of the distance - someone else may advise). That includes your neighbour's windows & doors!!
2. Is it an expelair type from a cooker say. If so then you might be advised to extend it up the wall away from the ground. If it is a cooker vent, then the blocked vent will retain far more grease and is a fire hazard - whatever about health.

In either of the above two cases, it may be in the interests of neighbourliness to eliminate or reduce the problem.

Boundary wall
The boundary wall may be a party wall, in which case you both own it, up to the middle. Your deeds should indicate whether it is or not.

Our building goes right up to the boundry but is still inside it.
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If this is the case then any blocking of the vents is trespass, indeed access to your property, even if they only placed a ladder on their own side to access the vents, or stood on the wall, is also trespass.

btw, any dispute your neighbours had with your house's previous owners has nothing to do with you - they're now gone, end of story!
 

You need to do the following and fast:
Write a statement of all the events with times and dates.
Take photographs or video of the blocked vents.
Take photographs of any damage, alterations or work carried out by the aggressor.
One you have all of this done PLEASE free up the vents if you value your safety over the neighbours quite enjoyment.
This case will only end up one way so don't try and be the diplomat you got to be a tough bast$%d from the start.
All you need to do then is to inform your neighbour that if they trespass, harass, disturb your quiet enjoyment of your property, cause criminal damage or act negligently towards your property or family in a manner that endangered their health you will use the law of the land to have it stamped out.
I would also advise him that since they blocked up the vents the family has been feeling very unwell and that you have noticeable dampness and mould in the property which will have to be treated at great cost.
If the A whole as much as sniggers at that then send an open letter of warning to him, as I said this will only end up one way so you want them to know that your not a soft touch and that any interference by them to you your family or property and possessions will result in legal action.

I had an incident like this before, a neighbour decided to interfere with a boundary wall when I was on holidays. It was hard ball from the start and it cost him a great deal to get the matter resolved. needless to say I don't talk to him but he stays well away from me which is nice.
 
previous history to a property only counts if there are terms and references within your title deeds, i am sure that your solicitor upon the purchase of the property would have raised any unusual issues such as these. Also as a qucik fix call in to your local Gardai and inform them of the matter in case there is follow on resistence by the neighbour - by the way Anti Social Behaveiour Orders come in to play [broken link removed] section 113 sub 2 (a,b,c) applies the gardai can do the rest but they will warn him under this order.

Have a Nice Day !
 
Are there two sides to this story?

Is this an extension which was built without planning permission? or without planning permission for vents into a neighbour's garden.

I would not like vents coming into my garden because it would restrict my options in future if I wanted to build. Presumably I would not be allowed build in such a way to block vents.

Contact the previous owner to find out what the background to this problem is.

Brendan
 
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