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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think my neighbour should not be able to attach a structure to our house without asking...or actually at all?

177 replies

bigmouthstrikesagain · 30/10/2011 19:22

But he has.

It is a wooden structure very basic clearly for storage but he has drilled into and attached it to our wall which is the boundary between our house and his property. So he has joined our formally detatched houses.

Shurely shome mishtake!? He is a nice young man with a nice young family so I am surprised, and not v happy. Willing to be reasonable but we do not want anything attached to our house so there will need to be action on his part.

Anyone got a similar issue/ wisdom/ experience to share?

OP posts:
benandhollyandgaston · 30/10/2011 19:24

Hmmm. No experience, no. We used to live in a detached house and the wall of the detached house next door was also our boundary. I can understand them being pissed off if I'd have attached anything to it too..

Teaandcakeplease · 30/10/2011 19:24

YANBU. I'd have a friendly chat with him.

Original poster
bigmouthstrikesagain · 30/10/2011 19:25

Should make clear it is the wall of our house he has drilled into not a garden wall.

OP posts:
EllaDee · 30/10/2011 19:26

Um, yes, that sounds very dodgy!

Have you asked him about it?

I wonder if he's just assuming you won't say anything now it's there - but presumably it'd be a right pain if his drilling damaged your wall, or the structure pulled at it, so I would be pretty stroppy in your position.

MrsCampbellBlack · 30/10/2011 19:26

No experience of this but lordy - what a cheek!

I'd pop round and ask what he's done and say you're not happy with it - can't he attach it to his own property?

harrietlichman · 30/10/2011 19:26

no formal experience of this but it just doesn't sound right - am certain he can't do this! Hopefully someone with more practical advice will be along soon...good luck!

ChickensHaveNoEyebrows · 30/10/2011 19:26

YANBU. I think I'd have to have a polite, smiley-but-only-with-the-mouth chat. My eyes would be saying 'You cheeky bastard'.

BlueKangaroo22 · 30/10/2011 19:26

You're not going to get anything solved until you knock on his door and ask him what on earth he is doing and to remove the structure.
If he does not comply to this, remove it yourselves and pile the wood in his front garden, knock the door and walk back into your home.

I hate self entitled neighbours who think they have the right to do whatever they want.

DodieSmith · 30/10/2011 19:26

YANBU

RandomMess · 30/10/2011 19:27

errrr I don't think that sounds ok, have you checked yr local planning dept on line?

HattiFattner · 30/10/2011 19:27

absolutely not on, go speak to him and tell him to remove structure and repair holes in your wall.

EllaDee · 30/10/2011 19:28

I am hunkering down to hear what he says back, btw. I love a good cheeky-neighbour righteous-indignation thread. Grin

activate · 30/10/2011 19:28

if the wall is the boundary doesn't the side facing him belong to him?

MangoMonster · 30/10/2011 19:28

This exact thing has happened to my Sil this week, she's fuming. Think she's going to ask ten to remove it as she needs to render her wall soon anyway, otherwise she will tell them she will call the council. YANBU, very irritating.

Secrecy · 30/10/2011 19:28

Surely he can't do that?! Since they have always been friendly in the past, I would just have a polite chat.

YANBU!

Maisiethemorningsidecat · 30/10/2011 19:28

Have I got this right? He's drilled a wooden structure onto the external wall of your house?

ivykaty44 · 30/10/2011 19:29

this website is very useful

JarethTheGoblinKing · 30/10/2011 19:29

wtf? I'd going round there and ask him to take it down!

dearprudence · 30/10/2011 19:30

Who would attach a structure to the wall of their neighbour's house without asking them? Bizarre.

SilentSinger · 30/10/2011 19:30

YANBU The party wall act exists for a reason and if this is a party wall then various steps should have been gone through by him, including notifying you some time in advance of carrying out the work. Google "Party Wall Act" for info.

BTW someone else further up mentioned looking at the your local planning depts website. Unless whatever he has attached required planning permission itself (regardless of whether it was attached to your wall) they will not be able to help you, this is a civil matter.

SacreLao · 30/10/2011 19:30

YANBU I would demand it was removed and the holes repaired, what a cheek!

IndieSkies · 30/10/2011 19:31

It isn't allowed.
Whatever he has put up must be completely self-supporting and not supported by your wall.
The chances arer he just didn't think.
I would politely point it out to him and ask him to make good the holes and re-build it as a self-supporting structure.

ThePathanKhansWitch · 30/10/2011 19:31

I'd repost this in legal and get professional advice. What will you do if the structure causes big damage to your house??

Sweet janey bigmouth i can't believe your neighbour would just go this. Find out where you stand re planning, the law etc, try the nice approach and if they don't comply come down like a ton of bricks (no pun intended). Good luck.

Do come back and let us know.

squeakyfreakytoy · 30/10/2011 19:31

Of course he cant just do it! If he had asked and you had said it was ok, then fine, (as we did when we wanted to put hanging basket brackets up in our garden, which is bordered by our neighbours extension, so we asked if we could drill, they said yes...)..

bibbitybobbitybloodyaxe · 30/10/2011 19:36

I absolutely cannot picture this!

You live in a detatched house, right? Is there no strip of land or fence between you and the neighbour? What "gap" separates your houses?