neighbor's chimney causing damage
The chimney of the row house attached to ours has a compromised lining. As a result, we are getting water damage on our Parlor floor. We can also feel a hot spot on the parlor level from the neighbor’s boiler vent (which is in this chimney). The neighbor’s house also has water damage. He has…
The chimney of the row house attached to ours has a compromised lining. As a result, we are getting water damage on our Parlor floor. We can also feel a hot spot on the parlor level from the neighbor’s boiler vent (which is in this chimney). The neighbor’s house also has water damage. He has been non responsive to our requests that he fix the problem. Has anyone else gone through this? What did you do to rectify the problem?
The building next door is owned by a large owner of properties in Red Hook and Columbia St.
His rear chimney had a hole in it easily big enough to fit a 70’s surf board through. of course it leaked rain into our house and he refused to fix it for 8 years.
Finally his front chimney fell down into the street on a July afternoon. It was a miracle that no one was killed. It was the literal ton of bricks. Fire dep’t came and DOB. He finally fixed both chimneys. I had to file a claim with my insurance and have them chase him.
Good Luck!
In my opinion, 10:20 has it right just up to the end, when “I would have called the City” should be “I would have done the work myself, saved the bills and then sued him for it.” Document all your attempts at communication – including registered letters, so you can prove they knew of the problem and took no action. Talk to a lawyer, and be prepared to spend some cake if you need to go to court, like $10K+. The real threat of an imminent lawsuit tends to get people moving, but not everybody.
That’s awful! We had a (very) hot spot from our neighbor’s chimney, but once I told them about it they had the flue relined. Had they been unresponsive I had planned to have my attorney write a letter with a specific deadline (short) for action and compliance. If they didn’t meet that them I would have called the City.