Landscape gardener and or builder?

[Quinten]

Our next door house owners (currently have renters) landscaped their garden a couple of years ago and raised their terrace to approx the level of bottom of the fence.  Because the garden is on a slight incline, the original house builders put down these big wooden beams which put the fence on a level.  Now those beams are rotting away and are being pushed out due to the weight of the neighbours terrace.

Before the whole thing collapses, I'd like to have someone in to give me an estimate of what it would cost to remove/replace the beams, either with new beams, or a wall, or something else that would be able to last a lifetime.  But do I get a landscape gardener in (even though I do not want the rest of the garden done), or a builder (even though it is garden work)?

Anyone able to offer advice?

edit: the brick wall is the party wall of my next door neighbour, our houses are slightly different shaped

[Paul Hurdsfield - Joint Manchester AO]

Try a fencing contractor. I would go for 8' or longer concrete posts well into the ground, then concrete panels at the bottom up to the required height, then wooden panels above.

I would also ask for a contribution from next doors landlord, because it's his height difference that is causing the problem.

[DonPeffers]

Best to get the owner (landlord's) view regarding the work and any financial contribution; maybe even writing him a letter (or email) and getting a written response, so there is no confusion over what has been agreed.

What you don't want is to go ahead and later the neighbour (or owner) claims your work has undermined their terrace and they try to bill you for remedial work.

Good luck.

[Quinten]

Thanks @Paul Hurdsfield and @DonPeffers.  I have yet to speak to the renters (two Spanish F1 engineers who are more often than not away) to see if they've got contact details for the landlord, but fully intend on seeking permission before I even get someone in to quote.  I'm not actively looking for "compensation", but I will see how the conversation goes...

[jonjh1964]

Worth checking who owns and is therefore responsible for upkeep; It should be marked on your deeds. The normal convention is for the ‘good’ side of the panels to be facing out, if this is the case, your neighbours potentially own the boundary fence and should be maintaining it, but this is not always the case. 

[Quinten]

I've tried to speak to the neighbours, but I guess they are in Austria for work at the moment, so instead I got a land registry search done and have obtained the landlord's details.  Will sent a letter their way and hopefully they are willing to discuss the matter amicably.  If my memory is correct, they used to live in the property until a couple of years ago, and they still live within 30 miles or so, so it shouldn't be too difficult for them to plan a visit.

[stephenh]

A retaining "wall" which is what the beams effectively are if I understand the O/P correctly, would almost invariably belong to the owner of the higher ground, and therefor be their responsibility to maintain, because it is there to support the land/buildings on that owner's property. So you certainly should expect them to sort out the problem or at least pay for it. After all, if you do nothing and the rest of the boards rot away it is the neighbour's property which is going to collapse onto your property.

The one exception to this is if your property was originally at a higher level, and for some reason was excavated from your side, perhaps to get a better level from your point of view. In that case, it would be your responsibility to replace the support to your neighbour's property which it enjoyed from your land before it was excavated. However from reading the O/P that seems unlikely to have been the case.

[Quinten]

They raised their garden, ours has always been at this level.  Ideally they pay for it all (I would say that), but I would have no objection to having to contribute if it allows me to set timescale and looks.

[stephenh]

1 minute ago, Quinten Uijldert - Northants AO said:

They raised their garden, ours has always been at this level.  Ideally they pay for it all (I would say that), but I would have no objection to having to contribute if it allows me to set timescale and looks.

[Blatman]

I agree with Stephen. This is their (the owner's) problem to fix not yours.

[Quinten]

Letter's in the post...