Sheriff Alan Mackenzie said both legal cases could go ahead
A sheriff has given the go-ahead for neighbours in Glasgow to take legal action against each other over a £35,000 garden makeover.
Rajendra and Elaine Sockalingam had tiered patios with pools and a hedge of bamboo trees installed at their townhouse in the Jordanhill area.
But Stuart Dallas and his partner Dayo-Ola Amusa claimed the changes created a nuisance and devalued their home.
The Sockalingams have lodged a counter civil action alleging harassment.
The couple had the work carried out to their home in 2008.
The landscaping included having four tiered patios and ponds situated close to the gable end of their neighbour's home.
The patios were built using concrete slabs on concrete slabs and part of the work involved raising of the original ground level.
Soon after, Mr Dallas and Ms Amusa, who are both architects, claimed that the garden makeover and bamboo trees created a nuisance and devalued their home by between £5,000 and £10,000.
Retirement money
They were also concerned about soil against the common boundary fence.
The Sockalingams began a counter claim at Glasgow Sheriff Court alleging that their neighbours were harassing them.
They claim they have been required to spend and continue to spend sums out of their retirement money in responding to complaints and legal objections.
The Sockalingams say they have been prevented from using their back garden for substantial periods and allege harassment from their neighbours.
During five days of legal argument in June and July lawyers for both sides asked for the cases against them to be dropped.
But, in a written judgement, Sheriff Alan Mackenzie has now stated that both cases should go ahead.
