De Beauvoir neighbours’ row escalates after glass roof is smashed by worker

Warring neighbours whose relationship was destroyed along with one of their houses in a bizarre planning battle are back at each other’s throats.

The De Beauvoir battle has escalated after workmen at one house broke a glass roof at the other – then stuck it back together from the outside with gaffa tape.

Disgusted neighbour Byzantia Harlow, of Tottenham Road, pointed out the splintered glass was still sagging dangerously into the bathroom on account of the somewhat one-sided solution. What’s more, the workman who patched it up did so without bothering to inform her – although he was seen on the roof fixing it.

Byzantia and her mum Katherina, who owns the house, have protested about Leigh Barss developing his home next door since the council ruled he demolished it without permission last summer.

Despite the town hall pursuing ongoing legal action, Mr Barss was granted retrospective permission for the work in December and allowed to build it back up in a more suitable way.

But Byzantia, who believes the recent loss of all electricity to her ground floor is related to the work next door, said the problems are now getting too much, and hit out over the broken roof.

Leigh Barss said his contractors had offered to fix the glass but Byzantia had said she would take care of it. He said her electricity problems were nothing to do with him, and that her wiring was “obviously f****d”.

Byzantia said: “Glass above our heads was bowing out from the tape and threatening to fall at any moment.

“They did not even alert us to the fact this had happened although fine glass dust was all over the bathroom floor. If my flatmate had not been there when it happened someone may easily have gone into the bathroom and cut themselves.”