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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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:
Redroses11 · 04/03/2016 16:26

With six bedrooms, it's quite likely that 4 of them would fit two people or a couple. So, 10, in a 6 bed house is quite typical actually.

squeaver · 04/03/2016 16:27

Possibly over-development. Possibly overlooking/privacy. Possibly parking.

Wait for their planing application - the council will write to you - then get in touch with your councillor for help.

GrumpyOldBag · 04/03/2016 16:28

OP, you are right there are no guarantees. And our home is for most people our most valuable asset, so of course we want to protect it.

Make sure you pay careful attention to the plans when they are submitted and object through the normal channels if you want to.

But I would also advise you not to burn any bridges with your new neighbour - you will have more influence with him if you seem to be reasonable than if you don't.

Good luck.

Footle · 04/03/2016 16:29

He may be about to make you an offer he hopes you can't refuse.

Redroses11 · 04/03/2016 16:30

And my advice would be the complete and utter opposite to GrumpyOldBag's.

He is not your new neighbour, he will not be reasonable and there is not a chance in hell of you influencing him remotely. The council is your friend here, not your 10 new ever-changing neighbours.

Redroses11 · 04/03/2016 16:33

Just get as much info out of him by being all innocent and wide-eyed and make sure you protect your own interests as best you can.

GrumpyOldBag · 04/03/2016 16:39

Well I've always found that occupying the moral high ground works for me. Grin

but I agree with Redrose11 that you also want to get the council on your side.

Redroses11 · 04/03/2016 16:43

I would innocently ask him whether he has plans to convert the lounge into a bedroom too. He could then shove another 2 in there lol. A small family could live in the garage.

Why didn't I see this property before he did! :)

Phalenopsisgirl · 04/03/2016 16:46

My friend is on our local planning committee and his biggest bit of advice is before you submit anything to planning is talk to your neighbours first. People are far more accommodating if you have discussed plans with them in advance, also this gives you the chance to make compromises if there are elements that they aren't happy with which saves endless time and money resubmitting plans because the neighbours objected and their complaint was upheld. I'm sure this guy is just being polite and following this advice.

lorelei9 · 04/03/2016 16:51

I feel for you OP

You're right that any new neighbour could have been a mare but given his proposal id start looking at ways you can object.

8 people, coming and going at different times, parking etc...interesting that he wants to talk, I wonder what permissions he needs specifically?

OzzieFem · 04/03/2016 16:53

I would be concerned. The fact that it is near a hospital doesn't necessarily mean it would be let to 'young professionals". It could in fact be used as a temporary residence to people undergoing treatment at the hospital but did not need to be hospitalized.

Seriously, I would be checking and double checking everything this guy is saying, and whatever you do don't sign anything.

YouTheCat · 04/03/2016 16:59

There's a house down the road that a developer bought with a view to changing it into an hmo. All the residents on the street (all families, no students, bit of a posh area), objected to the council and the developers had to make do with making it into flats and they had to provide enough off street parking.

You could put in an objection on the grounds of parking issues for a start. Also tell your other neighbours what he is planning so they can object too.

APlaceOnTheCouch · 04/03/2016 17:01

Ooh, I guessed an HMO

OP make an appointment to view his other HMO. Then you will get an idea of how well it's maintained and an idea of the type of tenants. If it's any consolation, I don't know anyone with an HMO who would double up the occupancy levels and actually most do let to young professionals.

It will impact on your house value and personally if I were you, I would object to the one in the garage. It's setting a precedent that the garage is residential and considering its proximity to your garden, that's not ideal. As a PP said, the other issue to raise is parking. The planners can stipulate how much parking they have to make available in the plot so you can present that as a valid concern.

GrumpyOldBag · 04/03/2016 17:03

One way you may be able to negotiate for a better outcome, for example, if you keep on friendly terms with him - is to explain that you don't want the garage turned into an additional bedroom, and that if he alters his plans to reflect that before he submits them then you won't object/will support the application.

I work in a planning-related business and know from experience that this can work.

Redroses11 · 04/03/2016 17:06

GrumpyOldBag - she should just object to this change of use of the garage through the appropriate avenues. She doesn't owe this man anything.

APlaceOnTheCouch · 04/03/2016 17:06

lorelei he needs permission to change the class of building. It's changing from residential (possibly Class C3) to HMO (Class C4). There are variations to the classes depending on where OP lives. He'll also need permission if he is undertaking substantial internal works and there may be issues around parking and garden ground depending on the layout of the site.

GrumpyOldBag · 04/03/2016 17:08

She doesn't owe him, it is a negotiating tactic.

If she can persuade him not to submit for change of use for the garage then there's no chance of the garage being changed to accommodation. However he could submit it, she could object, and then it could be approved anyway.

Alexa444 · 04/03/2016 17:12

You might be being paranoid. We are mid terrace and our neighbours have occasionally checked with us before doing any major building work that might affect us. Some people really are that nice. When we had our kitchen done, we asked for a different date so that it would be torn out while NDN was working day shifts as she does 2 weeks on nights and 2 weeks on days, to spare her the noise of a wall coming down while she was trying to sleep. It was a small courtesy, that was all.

No point worrying about it until you have to.

APlaceOnTheCouch · 04/03/2016 17:12

She doesn't owe him but, regardless of what OP does, this is her new neighbour. He owns the site and OP might as well try to work with him.

Original poster
Genx77 · 04/03/2016 17:25

Gosh so much conflicting advice my head is spinning! I have emailed my concerns regarding the garage, he has replied that he will 'put some thought into it' so far so nicey nicey....if he submits the planning application and includes turning the garage into a dwelling then I will object, it's the one thing I won't be moved on, he may well get the PP for it anyway but I have to try.

OP posts:
Blondeshavemorefun · 04/03/2016 17:27

8 flats/bedrooms and a garage is a lot, is there room for 8 cars?

would he be interested in your home? if you wanted to move .....

for the right price of course Wink

LaurieFairyCake · 04/03/2016 17:33

Even if he turns that garage into accommodation you will definitely be putting something/anything in front of that window so they can't see into your garden

Redroses11 · 04/03/2016 17:35

Realistically, there won't be 8 cars, probably won't even be one car. Doesn't prevent the OP from raising that as an objection of course, but in reality it won't be the case.
Having seen these set-ups before, what they will do is use the lounge as a bedroom too. So, 7 bedrooms to rent out plus garage. That's where he's getting 8 from.
Council can put a cap on the amount of tenants. Cowboys being cowboys however, will ignore such caps and lease to couples/friends sharing so you could very easily have upwards of 10 tenants there.

The major sticking point I agree would be to hold firm on the garage.

SoupDragon · 04/03/2016 17:41

Realistically, there won't be 8 cars, probably won't even be one car.

You're right. I'm sure all these professionals he is letting to won't have a single car between them.

ineedabodytransplant · 04/03/2016 17:43

Although I personally hate the idea of living next to a HMO I can see the necessity in some areas. But I can't see the problem with having the garage as a bedroom. Ok, so someone is sleeping a few feet away from your kitchen. Surely, that happen in millions of terraced houses and flats across the world?