Neighbour wall payment dispute

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stoymigo

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Hello,

a few months ago our neighbor wanted to build a wall because there was only a short fence between us.

They asked me for permission whether they can start building it and I thought why not if they want to pay for it.

It's been 4 months since then and they are asking for half the payment of the wall despite us not formally agreeing upon it.


Any legal opinions on what I or the neighbour have not done right so I can find whether I am obliged to pay, they handled the whole construction process hence why I feel left out of it?
 
Common sense says if you have submitted plans to your local authority to build a wall then you don't to pay for any wall. Normally if neighbours haven't agree to share cost of the common boundary wall, the one that's building it leaves the other side bare (not painted or not plastered if they want to be arses) and only beautify it on their visible side.
 
They had told me I would only need to pay for the plastering on my side, so I agreed on that even though the invoice for the plastering was given after it was done so it was a surprising cost but i thought that would be the end of it.
 
NiTeD said:
Common sense says if you have submitted plans to your local authority to build a wall then you don't to pay for any wall. Normally if neighbours haven't agree to share cost of the common boundary wall, the one that's building it leaves the other side bare (not painted or not plastered if they want to be arses) and only beautify it on their visible side.
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Can you explain what the bold part means? I did not submit any plans to local authority for a wall.
 
It's been 4 months since then and they are asking for half the payment of the wall despite us not formally agreeing upon it.
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They can fk right off

That's really not the type of thing a reasonable party springs on someone after the cost has been incurred.

Tell them straight you gave them permission to build, you didn't agree to split cost and if that's what they wanted then they should have discussed this in advance.

Neighbours are shady fkers...parents had a similar story...they covered cost but turns out there was an ulterior motive...embedding piping for a water feature in the wall.
 
My neighbors also came with an idea, very nice and I gave permission, then the came and ask I must pay half of the price for there benefit.
 
They built the fence, it belongs to them. The only things they can do is to tear it down, but then they are liable for your inconvenience (during construction and demolition).

If you have signed a written agreement, your payment part should be stated there, but then they should submit an invoice for your approval.

Not a legal advice, but it can't be any different.
 
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HavocXphere said:
Does it? Rather questionable for border structures built right on the border
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Depends where it's built I guess. My neighbours wall is a few cm on his side of the divide (built before we moved in) and he retained complete control of it. He wouldn't even let us paint it a different shade when we painted the house for example. I was about to start a war when he died all of a sudden. His wife isn't too fussed so it was problem solved.
 
Btw I did not get a quote for this, I did get an invoice after it was built but not to see how much to pay for the whole wall but just for the plastering for my side .

The quote was apparently revised to a higher price but by the neighbour, I knew nothing about initial price or the price increase.
 
Do you like the wall? Does it benefit you? Does it add value to you?

If the answer is yes to above, then why not pay? If no, and you don't want to speak to your neighbors again, then don't pay.

It was a bad move on their part not asking you to agree to it, so they are in the wrong. But think about the long term benefit of the wall to you and the neighbourly relations.

If you don't have the money, then be honest with them. Or if it is a matter of principle, then be honest too.

I went to my neighbor and asked him about a boundary wall, and he agreed to pay half. I built the first house in the street and he a year or so later. 15 years later and he still have not paid a cent. I asked a few times, but the ****er jut looked me in the eye and said F*U.

Not losing sleep over it, but never invited him over for a braai. Did name my dog after his wife. Nothing better than shouting "xxxx you bithch, come here" at the top of my voice when he has people over.

So, ask yourself, how do you want the next few years go down?
 
stoymigo said:
Btw I did not get a quote for this, I did get an invoice after it was built but not to see how much to pay for the whole wall but just for the plastering for my side .

The quote was apparently revised to a higher price but by the neighbour, I knew nothing about initial price or the price increase.
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Seems like one of his friends has popped an idea into his head about getting you to cough up half AFTER the thing was built and he's now trying it on.

It could be a tough situation to navigate if you are a decent person and good relations with your neighbours is important, but I'd be thinking this guy is not such a person and he is having no qualms abut trying to take the p!ss out of you. You agreed on the plastering costs your side, he even came in higher than you expected yet you paid, but now he's shifting the goal posts as an afterthought in the hope of squeezing you for a bit more.

Tell him your side of the story and then tell him no.
 
Spizz said:
Seems like one of his friends has popped an idea into his head about getting you to cough up half AFTER the thing was built and he's now trying it on.

It could be a tough situation to navigate if you are a decent person and good relations with your neighbours is important, but I'd be thinking this guy is not such a person and he is having no qualms abut trying to take the p!ss out of you. You agreed on the plastering costs your side, he even came in higher than you expected yet you paid, but now he's shifting the goal posts as an afterthought in the hope of squeezing you for a bit more.

Tell him your side of the story and then tell him no.
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That's funny but it is not it...the neighbour really wanted the wall (they're on a renovation spree) so I thought why not let them have their wall. They're claiming they did me a favour by paying for it upfront based on an email one year ago where I explain my hesitancy but never saying I will pay or go ahead with it.
 
stoymigo said:
That's funny but it is not it...the neighbour really wanted the wall (they're on a renovation spree) so I thought why not let them have their wall. They're claiming they did me a favour by paying for it upfront based on an email one year ago where I explain my hesitancy but never saying I will pay or go ahead with it.
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Fact remains, if it was understood that you were going to be paying half, you'd be party to discussion and acceptance of quotes.
 
They are just trying their luck bottom line. there is nothing they can do to make you pay.
 
stoymigo said:
They had told me I would only need to pay for the plastering on my side, so I agreed on that even though the invoice for the plastering was given after it was done so it was a surprising cost but i thought that would be the end of it.
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You agreed to pay for plastering of the wall on your side so pay it and refuse any other costs associated. Plastering isn’t cheap but there are industry norms for pricing per square etc. Also bare in mind that plaster these days fails etc so make sure your plaster job is guaranteed.
 
OP,

Simply tell him no you were not part of the planning, costing nor construction. Simply say that your finances are over-stretched and that you did not ask for the wall so without prejudice there will be no further funding forth coming for his wall project.
 
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