new roof and pointing gable end of house

[chocolatemuffins]

I live in a gable end house next to a working garage with a sloped roof and another with an ash felt flat roof. Both are single storey and my deeds say it is a party wall. One of the previous owners sold the garages on.

I need access to both roofs to get the gable end pointing and a new roof on my two storey house. Both parties don't want to give me access and I understand I can get access through the access to neighbours land act. My problem is that neither want to allow scaffolding and the flat roof is not load bearing. Previously there had been a courtyard there but it has been roofed over. The council and CAB can't give me advice and I can only afford the urgent repairs. A cherrypicker has been suggested but that does not seem affordable or possible. Both parties are suggesting I give them a bond which I can't afford.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[des8]

Re: new roof and pointing gable end of house

Hi and welcome.
If you obtain an order through the Access to Neighbouring Land Access Act it will detail what that access includes, including scaffolding(Sec 3 (2) b).
The court may also specify the insurance you and your contractors are required to carry (sec 2 (4) b) (thus avoiding the need for the bond)

[chocolatemuffins]

Re: new roof and pointing gable end of house

Thank you for getting back to me. My neighbour says the roof will not support scaffolding.

[wales01man]

Re: new roof and pointing gable end of house

Scaffolder can put up a spanning scaffold that will not place any lo d on the roof

Get a quote for the scaffolding

[chocolatemuffins]

Re: new roof and pointing gable end of house

I think the house is too wide for spanning scaffolding and my neighbours roof will not bear the weight. Also, do you know the form number to get access to neighbours land via the court?

[des8]

Re: new roof and pointing gable end of house

You would make the application on a Part 8 Claim Form
You simply need to set out why you need access on the form in the Details of Claim and state that it is an application under the Access to Neighbouring Land Act and then take this to the Court and pay the fee.

The Court will then serve this on the neighbour and they will have 14 days to acknowledge and to object if they wish to do so. The Court will then set a date for a hearing to decide the issue. In a case such as this the hearing will be relatively short and, if you attend without a lawyer, will primarily consist of the judge asking you questions about why you need access and, if they attend, asking your neighbour why they object.
Are you sure the span is too great? Have you consulted a scaffolding firm yet?

[chocolatemuffins]

Re: new roof and pointing gable end of house

Thanks des8. I have spoken to two large building firms with their own scaffolders who need to put scaffolding on the flat roof. The guy who owns that garage says it will not support scaffolding and he will not allow access to underpin. The roofed over area used to be a triangular courtyard.

[wales01man]

Re: new roof and pointing gable end of house

ASk a Scaffold company what the maximum span of a diamond beam they have is?
I did a little research and found these beams they are used to put temporary roofs over buildings

[chocolatemuffins]

Re: new roof and pointing gable end of house

That sound promising I will ask. I am hoping to make some progress with one of the guys on Monday as he has been getting his own advice from solicitors today. (he is the one with the flat roof).