Neighbour amending my property without permission - Any advice welcome!

[millymollymandy678 0]

I've got a Victorian end terrace property. Our external wall which overlooks our neighbour's property was rendered and considered to be in satisfactory condition by a structural engineer who recently surveyed the property. 

Our neighbour didn't like the aesthetics of the render and we arrived at the property yesterday to find that he has removed the existing render & dumped it in our garden. His is planning to re-render the wall. I don't want to make an enemy of the neighbour, but we are concerned that he clearly believes he has the right to tamper with our property without any discussion or consent- and believes we should have to pay for the rubbish he has created to be removed. We need to do some more work on a different wall overlooking his property and I'm worried this has sent a negative precedent for the neighbour and that he might cause problems when it comes to undertaking that project. I wouldn't have had a problem with him rerendering if he'd had a chat first, and disposed of the waste rather than just dumping it all over my garden and damaging my plants. 

We've tried to discuss this with him, but he is adamant that he can do what he likes to our wall as it overlooks his property. I know legally this isn't the case but ideally don't want to take this to the small claims court. He is a heavy drugs user and at 5'2" I don't particulary feel comfortable with a face to face conversation as from the swearing before I don't fully trust that he wouldn't be aggressive. 

What would you do? Do you think I am best to approach the police/small claims court/just go along with whatever he says?! 

 

Thanks for any advice!

[alastairkennedy 25]

If I understand this correctly as an end-gable wall, solely providing enclosure to your dwelling and not offering support or enclosure to the adjacent building (inc. lean-to or garage, etc); it is almost without question your wall built upon your land. In this case, your neighbour has no right to alter the wall.  
 

However, without seeing it I’m going from the information you have stated.  This is not a party wall matter as they have no right, however PW and boundary dispute go hand in hand and a local PW surveyor should be able to offer some advise, perhaps to write to your neighbour on your behalf. 

[bhupinder_bhatti 1]

If your neighbour is troubling you then it's time to take action. Here some suggestions in following link:

https://www.legalzoom.com/articles/neighbor-disputes-what-to-do-when-your-neighbor-invades-your-property

[challisj 26]

Sounds like a really difficult situation and I am sure I am not the only one that feels for you.
How have things developed since you posted so we can see if we can support further?

[millymollymandy678 0]

I contacted the police but they've decided not to get involved. I've paid for the rubble to be removed as there seems little else I can do- I don't want to throw it back on his land as I'm sure he'd just move it back again. 

I don't want to go through the civil courts as I don't think it is likely to resolve the issue. Really I need the wall re-rendering to protect it, but there isn't much I can do whilst he is still living there. I'm hoping he will move in the next few years before too much damage is done. I intend to get the minimal work done on the other wall, just to make it safe. I won't be re-rendering it whilst he is living there as I've no idea if he'll pull off the render again. 

It is far from ideal, but essentially I'm not putting up much of a fight. I feel like it is unlikely to get me anywhere productive, and without the police correcting him he will never accept that he was in the wrong in the first place. 

[challisj 26]

Sorry to hear that the relationship has got this bad and put you under so much pressure. Sounds like you are finding the right balance to be safe and keep your property secure.

I hope he leaves you alone.