A rig turns up next door. Then an excavator, then a month of hammering. Six months later there is a crack above your bedroom door and a damp patch on the boundary wall, and nobody can say whether they were there before. Without a "before", it is your word against a contractor's. Thirty minutes now fixes that.
We are not lawyers or structural engineers. Whether a neighbour is liable for damage depends on facts and on the law. This guide is only about evidence, which is the part you can control.
Do this before the digging starts
- Photograph every wall that faces the boundary, inside and outside. Take one wide shot and then close-ups of corners, door frames, window sills and the plinth.
- Mark existing cracks. Put a ruler or coin next to each crack for scale. Draw a short pencil line at each end of the crack and write the date. If the crack grows past the line, you will see it. Our wall cracks guide explains which ones matter.
- Cover the unglamorous parts: terrace edge and parapet, compound wall, gate pillars, sump and water tank, floor drains, and the line of any stormwater drain along the boundary.
- Take a slow video walkthrough while saying the date and address out loud. It is quick, and hard to dispute.
- Send copies to yourself by email or WhatsApp. That gives you a second dated record outside your phone gallery.
Tip: keep all of it in one folder named with the date. In a dispute, the person who can produce an organised record in two minutes is taken more seriously.
Ask the basic question: is the work approved?
You are entitled to ask politely whether the owner holds a sanctioned plan. Most disputes get calmer once both sides know the plan is in order. If you suspect there is no approval, or the building is coming too close to the boundary, the complaint normally goes to the ward or zone office of your city corporation. Procedures keep changing during the shift from BBMP to the Greater Bengaluru Authority, so confirm the current route with the office before you file. Our guide on setback violations covers what to look for.
Watch for these while work is on
- New or lengthening cracks, especially diagonal ones near door and window corners.
- Doors and windows that start sticking when they did not before.
- Damp on the boundary wall after any dewatering, borewell drilling or excavation.
- Muddy or discoloured tank and sump water.
- Changes in how water drains along your plot after their site levels change.
Re-photograph from the same spots every couple of weeks while the heavy work continues. That interval is our suggestion, not a rule. Note the dates of rock-breaking or heavy machinery too.
Do not rush a permanent repair. If damage appears, photograph it, tell the owner or contractor in writing, and get a structural engineer's opinion if it keeps growing. Stopping an active leak with a temporary fix is fine. Plastering over a crack that is still moving erases your evidence and the crack comes back.
Where LoklFix fits
We deal with the water side: seepage, damp walls, leaking terraces and sumps. If a boundary wall starts weeping or a terrace edge cracks during a neighbour's build, we will inspect it, tell you plainly what is cosmetic and what needs an engineer, and fix the waterproofing once the structure is settled. We do not issue structural certificates.
Neighbour work starting and want a second pair of eyes on your walls? Send photos on WhatsApp, or call +91-8123083393 for a free inspection this week.
Frequently asked questions
You need dated evidence from before the work: photos and a short video of each wall facing the boundary, with close-ups of any existing cracks. Phone photos carry a timestamp, and sending copies to your own email or WhatsApp adds a second dated record.
Document it first. Photograph it with a ruler, mark its ends with a dated pencil line, and tell the owner or contractor in writing. If it keeps growing, get a structural engineer's opinion before any permanent repair. Stopping active water seepage can be done as a temporary measure.
Ask the owner whether they hold a sanctioned plan. If you suspect no approval or a setback violation, the complaint normally goes to the ward or zone office of your city corporation. Rules and procedures change, so confirm the current route with the office.