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Having a living green wall on boundary wall with neighbour

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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    @Dannyboy334 - when you say you own that half of the wall, has that been determined absolutely in your deeds?
    I've never heard of that before, and I've lived in several end terraced houses.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Dannyboy334Dannyboy334 Posts: 68
    Well from a practical standpoint it only makes sense to split the wall down the middle. I will check my deeds.

    From a moral standpoint, what damage am I potentially doing from having some form of greenery growing up the wall? If it will adversely affect the wall's structural integrity then I guess I should not even contemplate trying to make my living environment more pleasant.
  • Dannyboy334Dannyboy334 Posts: 68
    I was just thinking I guess one option is to build another wall directly on top of that wall. That way I would own it 100%. I do not mind losing some internal yard space as I have an extensive back garden.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited May 2022
    I think there may well be a difference between a 'boundary wall' ... i.e. a garden wall or fence, and the wall of a house ... I may be wrong, I've worked for conveyancing solicitors but I am not one ... and I'm certainly not aware of the different legislation applies in NI and/or Scotland. 

    However, I think that to protect your own interests you should seek clarification in writing from a solicitor ... not an architect.  Getting things wrong could result in a large legal bill for you.  

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    Digging down on your side of the wall would presumably compromise the foundations for the whole wall...  not sure if climbers would result in damp problems for your neighbours - that might depend on the age and construction of the wall.  Clarifying your legal position, as @Dovefromabove says, is obviously vital or you could be in for trouble later on.

    I'd say that @Fairygirl's solution, putting up a freestanding fence on your side of the wall and growing things up it (perhaps from a large trough rather than breaking up the concrete) would be the way to go.  
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • Dannyboy334Dannyboy334 Posts: 68
    edited May 2022
    An extension to a property on the same street made the party wall a feature, it was left exposed in their kitchen. A cooker hood was attached to it, it was tracked for cabling etc. The fact someone would go to that much effort must have meant they were pretty sure legally where they stood.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited May 2022
    Just a thought ... if you own half the wall of your neighbour's house, how does it work if the house burns down ... do you have to claim for part of that wall on your insurance? 
    Or is your half uninsured and you would have to pay to re-build it out of your own pocket?

    Do you have to pay for the maintenance of that wall, given that you own the outside of it ... repointing the brickwork etc? 

    If your neighbour decides to sell the house, do you get an apportionment of the sale price?

    I've known cases where the wall of a house is build right on the boundary line ... even with guttering overhanging the boundary ... but even in these cases the whole wall belongs to the owner of the house of which the wall is part ... it is not part owned by the adjoining owner.  Very odd to my way of thinking. 



    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Dannyboy334Dannyboy334 Posts: 68
    Well if we say I do not own any of the neighbour's wall that must mean my other neighbour's party wall belongs to me?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited May 2022
    Why?  Is your property detached or semi-detached?  If it's semi-detached then the dividing wall forming part of both houses is a party wall ... neither yours nor theirs, but with both of you responsible for it's integrity. 

    Garden walls/fences are a different matter and sometimes ownership/responsibility is indicated on the deeds, but not always. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Dannyboy334Dannyboy334 Posts: 68
    edited May 2022
    The property is a mid-terraced house. I should have mentioned this in the title, silly me.
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