Neighbours erected HUGE decking outside our back window....

[huffythethreadslayer]

Would you complain to the local authority and enforce planning permission???

Half of me thinks I am being unreasonable and should just let it drop...half of me wants to just move.

We live in a 3 bed semi with nice green views across the city. The house is 3 stories at the back, 2 at the front because of the hilly ground.

New neighbours moved in a while ago...don't hate em, don't love em...they're just neighbours, so this isn't a grudge thing.

This weekend they've erected (and half completed) a raised deck area that takes decking from the base of the garden (ie the bottom of the house) up to the first floor window.

From the new decking, once completed, they'll be able to look straight into our living room/kitchen, especially as the decking extends quite a way out, iykwim.

DH says it's not our problem and we should leave it alone, as he hates to cause trouble, but it's driving me nuts. I can't bear the lack of privacy it'll cause. And I know it contravenes the rules for decking without permission as it's well over 12 feet tall!

What would you do?? report or not report???

I would talk to them first - show them how uncomfortable it is going to be for you once the decking is complete - maybe they haven't appreciated how close they are, and how overlooked you are going to be.

If they decide to be unreasonable (and I suspect they will, given that they can probably see how much they will overlook you, and seem not to care [cynical emoticon]), then I'd complain.

I can't see a polite chat sorting it, though I did think about printing off the details from the Local Authority website about needing planning permission, as a hint! Then thought that might be a bit snide.

The decking does put them level with us over the existing hedge. Our converted basement area is on the lower level and that will now be in shade constantly, which is fine...we don't use it that often. What worries me is the overlooking on the first floor. I can't pad around in my jammies comfortably any more!

I suspect if we say anything they'll just go

Thanks for the responses though!

I thought they were higher than you in your op but reading it now it sounds as though you are both at the same level - like you would be if you lived in "normal" homes - I am part of a terrace and our neighbours can see into our kitchen from the garden. I don't think you can do much.

I think you are right about the ineffectiveness of a polite chat - I suggested it more because then you could demonstrate to your dh (and the council) that you had tried the polite negotiation route first.

12 feet tall!

Well, if they need planning permission and they haven't got it, you are well within your rights to complain to the LA.

Particularly as it's going to make it more difficult if you ever want to sell your place, loss of light and privacy. And then it'll be too late to say, 'we're not entirely happy about the weird construction you built ten years ago...'

You will probably find they have built it under "permitted building rights". In which case you dont need permission.

I built an extension on a bungalow and didnt need planning permission because I could use my "permitted building rights". It was nowhere near any other buildings though so did not impact on anybody.

Though it would be well worth a call to your local council as it is impacting on your light and enjoyment of your property.

Do you get on with them? Could you chat to them first rather than just sending a planning officer round?

I'd ring the local planning officer for an informal chat on what is and isn't likely to be acceptable in your area. Once I knew I had the right facts then I'd either speak to the neighbours or complain formally to the council.

I live in a conservation area and I'm annoyed with myself that I never complained to the council when a neighbour erected a conservatory which means they can now look straight into my kitchen window. They should have had planning permission but didn't.

Lifeinagoldfishbowl....I know what you mean about 'now you're in the same boat as everyone else' with having a fence up to the window on your living room floor, but part of the reason we bought our house was that it overlooked greenery and was really private at the rear. That's no longer the case with this decking, so it does seem unreasonable to me.

In terms of going around and talking to them, I don't think that would achieve much.

We sent them a welcome in card when they moved in and have sent Christmas cards, offered help when their dd was born...there's never really been much of a response.

Also, it's half constructed. What would you do if you were them?? I'm torn. DH keeps saying it'll be o.k....it won't cause any problems. It's not that bad. He's jsut peaceable. I'm just feeling nauseous every time I look at the damned thing. I've lost my lovely green view and it's been replaced by a blardy great pile of timber!

I'll have a think about whether we say anything or not. I don't think it's reasonable to put up such a huge erection when it imposes on someone else's privacy/view, but is it worth falling out with the neighbours over???? I guess that's what I need to figure out!

Youre not really in the same position as everyone else as if this was at "ground" level you could stick up a fence for privacy. Sounds awful.

I second the idea of finding out informally from council if you can (or looking it up for your area) and then knowing where youre at before talking to them.

Find out if you have rights. Then, if you have any, decide which will be worse - the churning anger every time you look out of the window, or being snubbed by them in the street. Suspect the former?

If they can see in to your living space they will have to take it down as it would never have got planning.

I'd report them, I'd be on the phone tomorrow morning at 9:00am reporting them. No hesitation.

How horrible for you . I understand how you would feel nauseous when you contemplate the loss of 'your' view-I would too.
This might help a bit

I so empathise with you, our new neighbours moved in and raised the level of the ground and put up a patio right up to the boundary so that they could stand on their bloody patio and look straight down into our garden. Then they put up a three feet fence so no providing no privacy.

They were TOTALLY unreasonable - "What the hell has it got to do with you?" was their initial response. And total shock that I called the planning officer

Three years later, one thousand pounds later and some large bushes, a holm oak and we just about have our privacy back.

Anyway one consolation is that there house/garden remodelling was a total dogs dinner and they never use the patio to sit out on

My advice is if you have any rights to pursue them, because once they get away with one thing then it can open the floodgates.

That sounds bloody awful and may well effect your ability to sell on. I would contact planning asap.

Find out what the score is legally first - whether they should have got any permission, whether you have a leg to stand on. Assuming yes, report them. I'd have no hesitation - this will affect the value of your home long-term as well.

Thanks for the responses...especially the link. I think I'd read somewhere that you needed planning permission for any decking structure over 30cm from ground, so I think I'd be ok from that point of view. Off to check link now though. Thanks mostly for making me feel a bot justified about being cross. Thought it was me BU iykwim!

I would ring the council tomorrow and pursue your objections firmly. This is going to affect the value of your property and upset you on a daily basis. It could cause rows between you and your dh and it's ugly! Falling out with the neighbours is the least of your worries....

Thanks Northern. I was debating about putting the linked page, printed off, through their door as a hint, but you're probably right. I'm better to contact the experts before potentially putting my foot in it.

You're right. It's already caused problems, so I shouldn't feel bad about bringing this to the attention of the Planners.

If they'd mentioned they were having something done and explained what it was, I'd have said, er, couldn't you do something a closer to the ground? Four feet lower wouldn't cause anywhere the same privacy issues.

I'm keeping everything crossed that they realise they are in the wrong here and don't just think I'm an interfering old cow! (moos off into the bedroom and decides to try to forget it for tonight at least!).

How did you get on?

Hi there

Quick update so far...I decided to talk to them and went round yesterday morning, meeting with the lady of the house. She said she'd sort it and was clearly pissed off, but reasonable.

I just said that I couldn't live with the work they'd done as it was too high and affected our privacy at the rear of the house. I said it needed planning permission because it was more than a foot from the ground. I then said I'd worried about it all weekend, but had decided it was best to say something before the work was finished...and rather than contacting the authorities behind their back once the structure was complete.

They're blanking us at the moment, which is to be expected I guess. My DH said, if they just came around, even if they were cross about it, we could sort something out with them, a compromise...but so far, they haven't been in touch.

DH will speak to them, if he sees them outside, but he won't go around there first. He says it's up to them to make the first move now. I suspect, if they haven't been in touch in a few days and nothing else develops, my husband will go see them. He hates conflict and wants to sort out an amicable resolution.

I'll update, once I know what else happens but thanks for the interest Northernlurker. I'm keeping everything crossed that we can sort this amicably, but the neighbours are quite young and headstrong (not an inevitable or automatic combination, though I suspect we were the same at that age) so I guess we'll have to see!

I wouldnt be happy. I would be fighting to keep as much privacy as I possibly could. Good luck.

Thanks Frogety. Well worst case scenario, they'll build it, we'll complain to the council and it'll have an enforced removal order put in place.

We checked with the planning people and they've confirmed that this wouldn't be allowed.

We also checked lots of different forums about this kind of dispute and every one has ended with the individual concerned having to remove the offending decking. So I'm pretty sure it'll not happen, or if it does, it'll get resolved. If that's not the case, we'll have to move (or at least that's what I've told my husband!).

I just don't want to start a feud. We don't see the neighbours much, so it wouldn't be a major issue, but they've got a toddler, so it would be a real hassle for them.