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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be pissed off about the house next door being converted into bedsits?

101 replies

belfastbigmillie · 09/03/2013 19:27

We live in a residential street where all the other houses are families or old people. The people next door to us sold their house but now it turns out that they sold it to builders. They are converting it into 2 studio flats (definitely without planning permission because we checked). There is only about 2 feet between their house and ours and we share a fence etc. It overlooks our garden. I'm not too happy about it. In my mind studio flats = young people/noise/ parties or single dodgy blokes. Either way it doesn't feel good to me. Can I do anything about it? Will it devalue our house? BTW we don't live in the kind of area where it will attract professional singles etc.

OP posts:
AmberLeaf · 09/03/2013 22:54

She didn't say they were the lowest of the low though.

She just implied that they would be more likely to be noisy or problematic as neighbours.

She has a point.

AmberLeaf · 09/03/2013 22:57

Only on AIBU.

Where people will pick over the terminology rather than answer the question/advise.

thornrose · 09/03/2013 22:59

Why are people who live in studio flats more likely to be noisy or problematic though?

AmberLeaf · 09/03/2013 23:06

Off the top of my head, Id say because they are generally young and child free.

So more likely to be up late, coming home later [doors slamming, etc]

When you have children in bed by 8pm you really don't want to share a house wall with that do you?

Im a much better neighbour since being a parent, I wasn't that bad when I lived in my bachelorette pad, but I just didn't think a lot of the time.

There are noisy arses of all ages but IME more are young.

AllBellyandBoobs · 09/03/2013 23:08

I'm still Grin at saadia's hostel neighbours dumping their rubbish in a bin. Of all places!

thornrose · 09/03/2013 23:14

My noisiest neighbour to date has been an elderly lady who's tv was so loud it was deafening.
My sister is single, no children and has had a nightmare with the young family next door. Children screaming and banging, up at the crack of dawn. I know a few singles who have been driven mad by young children.
I hate the horrible generalisation about people that choose or have to live alone.

JackieTheFart · 09/03/2013 23:16

Surely shared student houses are worse than a couple of bedsits?

kim147 · 09/03/2013 23:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AgentZigzag · 09/03/2013 23:26

Inconsiderate neighbours are the lowest of the low though, they're so up their own arses that they don't see how their anti-social behaviour affects all the people who live around them, and if they do notice, they deliberately don't give a bollocks.

I don't particularly have a vested interest in single blokes or students, it's the association with low income groups being anti-social wankers I'm not keen on.

AmberLeaf · 09/03/2013 23:43

it's the association with low income groups being anti-social wankers I'm not keen on

You missed the bit where the OP said they are poor too?

I don't see any association with low income groups coming from anything the OP said.

AgentZigzag · 09/03/2013 23:46

Someone who could afford to buy a £150000 house isn't going to be living in half a house are they Amber?

AgentZigzag · 09/03/2013 23:46

Sorry Amber, that sounded more snippy than I meant it to.

AmberLeaf · 09/03/2013 23:57

That's ok Smile

They could be just managing once mortgage, bills etc are paid each month though?

Plenty of working poor about these days.

OP said their plan is to sell up and move away in a few years, so I can see why she is worried really. If her goal is to get by for a few years until they are in a position to move, I can get why she is concerned about anything that may affect her houses saleability.

I just really didn't get a snobby vibe from this, just concern.

BoneyBackJefferson · 10/03/2013 11:34

Xiaoxiong

LadyPessaryPam · 10/03/2013 11:47

They have broken the planning law by changing use with no permissions. We had to abide by planning laws, why should these people next door to OP be exempt?

Losingexcessweight · 10/03/2013 12:08

Haven't read the whole thread, so this may have been mentioned...

There's a big difference between bedsits and studio flats.

Bedsits are were several people in the bedsits adjacent to each other share the same bathroom and toilet, in bedsits the kitchen area and living room aren't much quality and its very tiny.

Studio flats are like posh flats, they tend to be in a maintenanced block with your own parking outside with your door number on the space.

Studio flats are more expensive than your average flat, so to be able to afford a studio flat, you are generally on a good wage therefore won't be partying at all hours as you have a stressful job to go to.

I would object to bedsits as you do tend to get the younger, immature generation in there, but I personally wouldn't object to studio flats.

LessMissAbs · 10/03/2013 12:12

I think it sounds more like inverse snobbery. And fear of the unknown/a demographic of society different from the OP's own but perfectly standard and normal.

AmberLeaf · 10/03/2013 14:48

Studio flats are like posh flats, they tend to be in a maintenanced block with your own parking outside with your door number on the space

Doesn't sound like the OPs set up?

It's a two bed ex local authority terrace.

giraffesCantDateDucks · 10/03/2013 14:50

Just be glad they are not turning it in to somewhere to film the next series of "young, dumb and living off Mum!!"

Losingexcessweight · 10/03/2013 14:55

Amber

No they don't sound like the op's set up, but in the title it says bedsit and in the op it says studio apartment/ flat so I wasn't sure whether she knew the difference between the two

MousyMouse · 10/03/2013 14:58

a studio flat is just a bedsit with its own shower room and a mini kitchenette. at least the one we have been living in years ago was like that.

Trills · 10/03/2013 15:02

YANBU to be pissed off that the house next door is being converted without planning permission.

YABU to assume that people who live in small flats will be worse neighbours than people who live in a small house.

ProudAS · 10/03/2013 16:17

I lived in a bedsit for a time (nine of them in the house). Loud TVs and music were rarely a problem and if someone did make too much noise other residents would soon gang up and sort them.

saadia · 10/03/2013 20:14

Really Allbellyandboobs, not sure many people would be thrilled about having to go to the dump to throw away someone else's rubbish Hmm

sarahtigh · 10/03/2013 20:29

a studio flat is smaller than a 1 bedroom as sleeping and living area are one normally with kitchenette and separate bathroom, 1 bed flat have separate bedroom, studio flats are the next step up from house share as not sharing kitchen/ bathroom. studio flat will have own front door within the house unlike house share where only your bedroom is possibly lockable

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