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AIBU?

To be suspicious of this (on the surface of it) friendly note?

165 replies

Genx77 · 04/03/2016 11:06

So, the house next door has sold, it's been empty for 2 years as the elderly previous resident is now in a care home.
It's a big house (6 beds) needs a good amount of work to make it habitable.
Today I receive a gushing 'notelet' on expensive personalised stationary in the post from the new owner of the house. To summarise he states he is so sorry not to have met us in person, he will clear his schedule at our earliest convenience to meet up in our home to discuss 'a few planning permission queries'
Hmm, on the surface friendly, husband thinks I'm nuts, that it's nice he's introducing himself instead of just cracking on.

Would I be cynical to presume he can't just 'crack on' because in fact he needs our permission to carry out any works on the house as these works will affect us/our home in some way? We are currently not overlooked as any windows onto our property are bathrooms, would he need planning permission to change these?

Ponder away with me mumsnetters, I'm waiting for him to call me back!

OP posts:

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CandOdad · 04/03/2016 12:07

Perhaps he wants to buy some of you land?

CandOdad · 04/03/2016 12:07

*your

Genx77 · 04/03/2016 12:07

I don't think he's going to extend, he can't, there is no space to extend into so I guess it's a waiting game until I speak with him.

OP posts:

Momamum · 04/03/2016 12:09

If need be, check out the Gardenlaw co.uk website. Full of knowledgeable people there and it's not just concerned with trees/hedges and boundaries. We got a lot of help and pointers when our privacy was affected by a potential extension next door.

mummytime · 04/03/2016 12:14

Party wall doesn't just mean you have a shared wall, but applies to any development within a certain distance (I think 3 feet might be more) of any wall of yours, I think this can also apply to the boundary.
If it was around here I would suspect a developer wants to pull it down and put two houses on the space, as close to the boundaries as possible.
He also wants to stall you, and prevent you necessarily getting a local group to fight the plans.

Sunnyshores · 04/03/2016 12:21

whatever he wants, at least hes got the manners to write and ask to speak to you - lots of people dont bother. Even so, doesnt mean you have to agree to anything. Perhaps though, there is something he could do for you in return for your support, new wall, lay a drivewaym plant trees etc...

sohackedoff · 04/03/2016 12:21

He may need your cooperation under the Party Wall Act. Also, Get a copy of his title deeds from the Land Reg and see if there are any restrictive covenants limiting what he can do.

IShouldBeSoLurky · 04/03/2016 12:22

What a cynical lot you are! We did this when we bought our house - polite note on a card from DP's (reasonably impressive) workplace. We're planning a small extension that we're doing within PD but we did want to make sure the neighbours were on side and also we wanted them to know how to get hold of us if there were any problems/disruption with the work we're doing, as we won't be living in the property while it happens. Yes, there was a degree of softening them up, but why not? Far better and politer than just cracking on regardless.

HuevosRancheros · 04/03/2016 12:24

Oh, and if you're not happy about him inviting himself into your home (which I can understand), I would suggest that you meet at his new house - that way he can talk you through his plans in the place they're actually going to take place.

thebiscuitindustry · 04/03/2016 12:25

I'm cynical too. Sounds like he's on a charm offensive to try to get you to agree to something. I agree with aginghippy, it might be better to meet him away from your home. Perhaps he thought being at your home would put you at ease so it's easier for him to win you round to his view.

blindsider · 04/03/2016 12:29

I agree with the cynics - far too oily an introduction.

He wants/needs something from you.

Witchend · 04/03/2016 12:44

Neighbour objections to planning permission don't necessarily sway the judgement.

You'd be best going in reasonably, discussing it sensibly and not defensively. That way he's much more likely to listen to your concerns and try to compromise.
If you go in going "he's obviously trying to get round us with a dreadful idea" he'll most likely go ahead with what he,wants and may well get permission. In which case there is nothing you can do.

SoupDragon · 04/03/2016 12:44

It's not that he necessarily wants something from you, he just wants to make sure you think he's nice and amenable as you are more likely to agree to things if he is nice.

MrsSteptoe · 04/03/2016 12:46

You're certainly being realistic, but perhaps a little quick to assume that he is therefore evil. (I know you haven't said that, but the tenor of the thread is sort of drifting that way.) Yes, he's a developer, and yes, he's going to apply for PPs that you will have the right to object to. Were I in his shoes, I too would want to try to open the door to communication with neighbours. But I would try to see the fact that he is setting up direct communication as a positive, because you can ask direct questions that way. The last time I saw a set of plans, they were utterly bewildering, and the outcome was awful for my poor friend.

As a couple of posters have said, set up a meeting on site, not in your house. It will prioritise the notion that the discussion is professional, not neighbourly.

Sadly, change does happen...

blobbityblob · 04/03/2016 12:46

I'd meet him, see what he's got to say and go from there.

Don't agree to anything whilst he's there. Say you need time to think about it. It can be a bit overwhelming when it's first thrown at you and you need time to look at properly any plans. If you do end up needing to object to an official planning application, Planning Aid were very helpful to us and it's a free service.

In our case the things that we objected to (mainly loss of light), were not necessarily the things you have a hope of "winning" on. They steered us in the right direction and we did manage to get our objection upheld. But in all honesty the plans were quite unreasonable in our case. I understand the planning laws have changed since then though.

No harm at all in meeting with him and seeing what he's got to say. Might just be I'm doing this and that and it's going to create some noise for a while.

You should be able to ring the council and see if he's submitted any plans. You just need the address to do that. Ours are also on the council website but they can be quite hard to find. But we had a visit from the planning office and a letter to inform us of ndn's plans, giving a timeframe for putting in an objection.

GrumpyOldBag · 04/03/2016 12:47

Sorry but i think you are being overly cynical.

As you say yourself, the house will need a lot of work doing to be habitable.

It's going to be disruptive to the neighbours whatever happens.

It is decent of him to want to let you know in person about what his plans are - would you prefer to wait until you get a notification from the council that he's submitted a planning application?

If he requires pp he will need to follow all the planning regs and guidelines - you will be perfectly entitled to object through the normal processes if his plans contradict policy.

We made a lifelong friendship with our former neighbours when they applied for pp to do something in their garden of their London house which would have impacted our views. We objected, they did not get pp, we sold up & moved away from them over 10 years ago but we are still great mates.

So try and keep an open mind until you've at least met him.

GrumpyOldBag · 04/03/2016 12:49

Also agree with what Witchend and sunnyshores said. I have lots of experience of dealing with planning ...

ClarenceTheLion · 04/03/2016 12:59

Place marking, because I want to know about this chat when it finally happens!

OVienna · 04/03/2016 12:59

I would be saying fine, happy to meet with you after we've had a chance to review and digest your plans and can he forward you a copy first please?

Genx77 · 04/03/2016 13:00

He called, he wants to turn it into a house of multiple occupancy for 8, including one sleeping in the converted garage......

OP posts:

blindsider · 04/03/2016 13:01

If he is a developer he might want to buy your house and make the whole development plot bigger.

MadisonAvenue · 04/03/2016 13:01

Another cynic signing in, very interested to know what he has to say....

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MadisonAvenue · 04/03/2016 13:04

He called, he wants to turn it into a house of multiple occupancy for 8, including one sleeping in the converted garage......

Okay, how do you feel about that?

ClarenceTheLion · 04/03/2016 13:07

Wow, is that 8 separate residences then? Bit more than the 3 you were thinking it might be.

Is there even enough parking for that many people?

If I were you, I'd get some advice on what he can and can't do. Maybe post in Legal here as well?

ToadsforJustice · 04/03/2016 13:07

Oh dear. Are you near a university?

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