DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Having moved into a Victorian Terrace last summer one of my jobs is to make the loft a useable space, generally for storage purposes at first.

Upon entering the loft I've realised that the space is completley open to my neighbours loft space on one side, after speaking to my neighbour it's the first she knew about this too. Both loft spaces have never been used.

I've been advised that this may be a fire hazard or indeed an illegal buidling regulation, are you able to offer any advice on this??

Any help & advice is much appreiciated.

"I've been advised that this may be a fire hazard"

Yes that would be true.


"or indeed an illegal buidling regulation",

maybe for a new property but unlikely in Victorian times. If you mean do you have a claim against the people you bought it from then the anser is probably not.


"are you able to offer any advice on this??"

Build a stud wall with fire resistant properties and divide the space.

Cheers

Normally this would be in the surveyors report, unless he had no access to the loft area.
I had the same situation in my loft and built a stud wall, but could only plasterboard my side, thus giving it 1/2 hour fire rating.
When my neighbour sold recently she had to have the other side boarded to bring it up to 1hr rating