Distress from a property devloper bully !!

[GJB]

hello there I am a newbie so any help appreciated !

I own a ground floor flat (17 yrs)and own both the leasehold and the freehold and reside there as a single occupier, upstairs is owned (6 yrs) by a property developer and is rented out although the property is currently vacant. I have had many problems with the upstairs leaseholders as they will not pay there building insurance premiums and over the last few years have systematically tried to intimidate me to sell with vandalism, parking restrictions etc. This pressure has increased dramatically recently with the arrest of the flat owners estranged husband a few weeks ago resulting in a 4am police raid, where I was awoken by torchlight !
Last weekend they flooded my kitche and hallway with no apology and earlier this week they have entered the loft space and have disconnected the water to my header tank resulting in no hot or cold water to my bathroom and lavatory. When confronted they claim there water main has been feeding the cold water tank but have offered no evidence and will not allow me to see the plumbing in the loft space despite my understanding as a freeholder this is my right ? they had the audacity to ask me for a £50 payment to turn the water back on !
From a legal aspect I am convinced they are lieing as I know my water main rises into the loft and is chased into an interior wall, they will not allow me to see the issue and prove that when there stopcock which is on the drive adjacent to mine both with water meters is turned off, water stops flowing into the cold water tank as they claim. They bought the property and the tank was in situ into the loft, they were quick to tell me on complaining I need a combi boiler !! and that there would be considerable cost as they have laid a new floor. This floor claim is untrue as I have seen the exposed floor boards through an upstairs window by there fire escape. I believe they are intimidating me to replace my conventional boiler and water cylinder with a combi so they can free up space in the loft to accomodate a further bedroom increasing there rental return, as freeholder I believe they cannot make structural alterations without permission and turning off my water is most distressing plus I have no budget for an unecessary boiler replacement. Any advice greatly apppreciated.

[brian]

I think you definitely need to talk with a property solicitor - at the end of the day you have rights, and you need making clear of what these rights are - and what enforcement of these rights may be required against the property developer.

People by themselves can be easy targets - solicitors are not easily intimated and can coolly sift through the facts and ensure these are made clear, as well as support their client's rights with teeth.