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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Neighbour's extension

131 replies

SooSmith · 01/02/2017 17:21

So the neighbours want to build. Original plans no problem but now they want to do something else.

As it is on the party wall they have to have a survey. Have insisted on my own surveyor which I know they have to pay for. Delayed their work while they submit new plans and give me a copy.

No entrance up my side passage, and if they want to scaffold my side of the fence then they pay for the privilege. My garden fence stays intact.

No Sunday or bank holiday working.

I've just been callled a bitch by next door. Why? All I'm doing is protecting my property and insisting they work reasonable hours.

OP posts:

Bluntness100 · 02/02/2017 16:59

Op. I suspect you know why they called you a bitch. The councillor comment ensured we all know why too now.

SoupDragon · 02/02/2017 17:00

How doth everyone neighbour's access the rear of their garden? I thought there was usually a "right of way"across neighbour's gardens to a passage.

Original poster

SooSmith · 02/02/2017 17:12

All I'm doing is making sure that they stick to the original plans they showed me? They did not necessitate taking the fence down or coming into my garden.

BTW the planning department where I live is notorious for taking back handers, and I personally know two people who have done it. That's the real world!

OP posts:

Trifleorbust · 02/02/2017 17:27

I suspect everyone would have sympathy with you if you said you regret you can't help your neighbours but you're worried about your property. But. You sound delighted.

Deux · 02/02/2017 17:28

What a peach you are OP. Such a mean spirit. You're just rubbing your hands hoping for it all to fail. Ugh.

SoupDragon · 02/02/2017 17:46

All I'm doing is making sure that they stick to the original plans they showed me?

They don't have to. You don't get to decide what they do.

When the neighbour's eventually get to build their extension, you are in for one hell of a miserable time.

HughJarss · 02/02/2017 18:31

OP you're simply being unpleasant for the sake of it. And this post smacks of sock-puppetry.

Scholes34 · 02/02/2017 18:47

OP - of course it won't be a year of hell. If you and the neighbours can't talk to each other and seek a way forward that's acceptable to both of you, the hell will continue for much longer. You've got to live next to each other and this whole saga doesn't bode well for good neighbourly relations. Perhaps getting on with your neighbours isn't a priority for you or the people next door, though. Not all neighbours get on well together, of course, but it makes life so much nicer if they do.

As for councillors taking back-handers? Really? Is the councillor you know doing this? The Council will have a complaints procedure if this is the case. Do you have evidence to back up this claim? It's something that should be stopped.

limitedperiodonly · 02/02/2017 19:52

I charged my neighbour rent for scaffolding in my garden. There was a time limit and a penalty fee for exceeding it. The party wall surveyor employed for me at my neighbour's expense drew up a contract for us to sign.

Why wouldn't I do that? It made sure that the scaffolding wasn't in my garden for any longer than necessary - I suspect might have happened. Also it was the summer. The garden is very small and the scaffolding took up a big part of it and meant I couldn't sit in it. As it happened, it rained most days so I wouldn't have sat in the garden if I could. I didn't offer a refund though.

If the shoe was on the other foot I'd expect to pay. It's part of the cost of building work.

So YANBU there. Dark mutterings about corrupt councillors make you sound crackers though.

pipsqueak25 · 02/02/2017 21:37

you are becoming a nasty piece of work, but it's good to know that the local council are now outed, you really shouldn't have said that op, esp if people you know read this

limitedperiodonly · 02/02/2017 21:38

there were many sunny days when the left hand side of our small garden was a no-go area due to falling debris

Stinkymimi this is against health and safety legislation for a bloody good reason. My neigbour's scaffolders didn't tent his scaffolding. A complaint to him and a refusal to allow access got him to make it safe.

Astoundingly you can't complain to the Health and Safety Executive as a member of the public or a neighbour to building works. You have to be a contractor on site.

I don't think that was his fault btw. He didn't want me to be hurt or my property damaged. The scaffolders couldn't be arsed. They are a law unto themselves and have to be watched like a hawk.

He had bought the house next door and was spending a lot of money and time renovating it before he moved in. I didn't see why I should have to put up with the disturbance for nothing if he wasn't prepared to. We have perfectly good relations now but I wouldn't give a shit if he thought I was a bitch

sillygoof · 02/02/2017 22:19

OP, seriously, can you please answer the question about how the neighbour accesses the back of their property if they don't have a passage? Are you sure they don't have a legal right of way across the bottom of your garden? That's how my dads house works.

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 02/02/2017 22:31

I don't get it. I really don't. Are you refusing access simply through spite or is there an actual reason?

I could understand if you had concerns about damage to your property, but that doesn't seem to be the case. You're not asking for guarantees that they'll 'make good'; you're trying to stop them from doing it at all. Is it the extension you object to? The neighbours?

limitedperiodonly · 02/02/2017 22:40

sillygoof No one here has a route into their back garden except for through the back door of our houses. No one has a legal right of way over anyone else's garden just as you wouldn't expect them to have a right of way through your house This is normal. Perhaps that's the set up where the OP lives.

sillygoof · 03/02/2017 06:38

Sorry, I've never heard of that, all the terraces I've lived in had a right of access at the very end across the neighbouring garden, I guess for emergencies - must be a different set up round here.

SaucyDough · 03/02/2017 06:55

and I personally know two people who have done it. That's the real world!

Lots of people have killed other people. That doesn't mean that you should.

TrickyD · 03/02/2017 08:28

When you sell your house you will have to record a dispute with your neighbours on the relevant forms. Unless of course your buyer's solicitors also take backhanders.

GoesDownLikeACupOfColdSick · 03/02/2017 08:32

Are you talking about a scaffolding licence, OP?

pipsqueak25 · 03/02/2017 11:03

op doesn't want the extention built, that is obvious, and that is her thought, but it's not her choice, this might be to do with right to light thing which doesn't technically exist in the way a lot of people think anyway.

QuinionsRainbow · 03/02/2017 12:00

All I'm doing is making sure that they stick to the original plans they showed me?
If the neighbours want to alter the design of the extension AFTER planning permission has been granted, won't they need to re-apply for new permission. OP should then be notified by the council before the new application is dealt with, can view the plans, probably on-line or definiitely at the Planning Depaartment, and can raise an objection if wished.

CripsSandwiches · 03/02/2017 12:32

I still don't get why OP is so obstructive - I could understand if these neighbours had a history being massive pisstakers - making loud noise, blocking driveways or whatever and I can understand wanting to make sure it's not too over the top but why the massive attitude about it?

JanuaryMoods · 03/02/2017 12:59

I wouldn't allow workmen trampling around in my garden at all. It's possible to have a flying scaffold and your land not be touched at all.

Builders are not know for taking care in people's gardens as others on this thread have said.

Latenightreader · 03/02/2017 14:56

I am a local councillor and I sit on Planning. The majority of decisions made are delegated decisions - that is they are decided by the officers without the input of the committee of councillors because the guidelines are clear. It is a common misconception that there are backhanders (we get told that sometimes and on my council it is utterly untrue) - if you believe that it is happening, it is highly illegal and needs to be reported. Most Councils have little enough money at the moment and don't want to risk huge lawsuits.

If the revised plans are sufficiently different (by nationally defined standards) from the originals, the department will have to notify you. You also have the right to object. I would advise doing this directly to the planning office.

The rules regarding to Planning changed at a national level a few years ago. This makes it much harder to refuse applications, which can only be turned down on specifically defined grounds. If applications are refused and an appeal is lodged, if found in favour of the appellant, the council could by liable to pay a six figure sum. This is why planning decisions are made very carefully.

Quartz2208 · 03/02/2017 18:23

Agree latenightreader, the guidelines for what is and isnt allowed will be very clear, so if someone else in the street/neighbourhood has it then it is highly unlikely planning permission will not be granted.

For example side extensions round our way have to be under a certain width but other than that they are allowed

The thing is the building work is going to take place there is going to be noise and disruption but you live in a terrace what do you expect?

Aderyn2016 · 03/02/2017 19:01

I'm with the OP. It's the neighbours who want an extension, not the OP and so why should she do anythibg to facilitate it at cost to herself, either in terms of damage to her garden or inconvenience.

I wouldn't allow access to my property at all - the neighbours should have all the mess and stress, not the OP.

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