My neighbours' overgrown house

The neighbours don't sound like the type who would respond to a letter - even from the BBC! As I understand it, a big part of the problem is their unresponsiveness.

Don't despair, Alie, there must be someone who can do something for you - it's blighting your life

Apparently I can get some help for a legal claim for compensation....BUT this wouldn't put their house right!
Which would leave me in the same bad position....

I am temporarily ok as regards more damage to my house, but if their roof, which obviously has some rot in at the back - tiles slipping and sagging - gets worse, it can spread to mine....
I am looking a couple of years ahead here and if my health gets worse, that is when I might need to sell!

I've had a quick response from Lynda Atkins, my MP's secretary, saying 'We’ll take this issue up with South Oxfordshire District Council, as it seems to be an environmental health issue.'

She wants more details of my contacts with them, so I will have to look up when I wrote.

That is excellent, fingers crossed !

SODC haven't contacted me since 19th May, as far as I can make out.
So I have now written back.

I didn't mean the BBC should write to the neighbour. You and Yours I know have had amazing results when they've done a bit of investigative journalism and contacted the local council, etc. Stirs things up and get them moving. And there are a lot of other people in the same position.

It sounds though as if your MP is on the ball. Environmental Health is a good way to go. Are these people ok looking after themselves? Is Social Services involved with them?

Best of good luck. Hopefully things will sort themselves soon.

Nfk - see my UPDATE today, about 15 posts back!

- I will save the 'You and Yours' idea as well, and see what happens with the MP.

AlieOxon if you don't mind me asking, what do you actually want to happen now? Apart from compensation for the damaged shed?

If I understand rightly the adjoining house looks derelict, or at least in a bad state. Are you hoping that someone will make the owners of that house do it up? What if they haven't the money?

I don't mean to be rude, just wondering what the possible outcome could be now.

Don't get me wrong! You have my sympathy. It is awful for you.

Sorry, speed read the last few posts!

There's a semi house I know where the council came and cleared the garden a couple of years ago. It looks better than it did but could do with a make over! think the adjoining house is being let at present. And my SiL's adjoining neighbour was an elderly lady who let her place go in the same way. OK for SiL as she wasn't wanting to move and the old lady eventually died and the house was sold. There's a lot of it about! (Did you say one of the couple was very elderly?)

jings I want to be able to sell my house if necessary. It's not that I want to move. But unless something is done next door, apparently my house is worth nothing!
I don't know what can be done. but I can't stop trying.

The trouble is you're a nice person and they're quiet and inoffensive - just unable to care for themselves and their property to normal standards - so it really goes against the grain to complain and upset them. But they obviously have no concerns for your feelings and the other neighbours must be affected to a lesser extent too. Perhaps they should get a bit more proactive too.

On the environmental side, have you seen any rats? There must be rats. Any nasty smells?!

Would CAB be able to help with legal advise re your worries about the spreading rotten roof? Is there any sort of legal requirement regarding joined properties?

Mmm - yes.
Last try at letter communication produced him at my door - in complete denial that anything was wrong. Very weird people. After this I contacted the SODC.
According to 192.com, he is under 60 and she is under 45. He looks far older, skinny and ill,

No rats that I know of, lots of cats round here. Thought there were once, but now think the scrapings were an urban fox.

Local CAB was where I went first, and wasn't impressed, as they pointed me at a mediation organisation that didn't exist any more....

Found a little on www.thelawforum.co.uk/neighbours-side-semi-detached-disrepair about a similar problem but no real new suggestions.

Sorry if this has already been suggested, how about the local press?

I have thought round this...the thing is once you get publicity, you don't have any control over what happens, do you?

These two are also truly weird and unpredictable, I have no idea what they would do!

More interesting stuff on
forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3718209
Anyone know anything about this Act?

Also incompetencetoday.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/joy-of-section-215.html !!

Looks like this is a bit of legislation that actually covers houses!

If you are hoping to move, would a developer make an offer for yours and next doors'? Perhaps make an offer they would n't turn up?

Just a thought, if all else fails.

Or have I got it wrong, thinking that they own the house? Ignore if I have.

No. Just looked down thread. They do own the house.

It would be a pretty low offer, I think......

Actually I would rather not move. If this was sorted...and the other next-door-but-one neighbour's DOGS removed!

And I was in Oxford on Sunday last - where my daughter lives - and I realised I really am not keen on going back there....

Thousands of tourists, and correspondingly expensive. I used to hate going into town.

You would probably get a very good price. A developer would most likely put six "homes" on the site. But I understand you not wanting to move.