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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Aibu-To not feel bad at having grassed next door up?

82 replies

Lifeisacircus · 24/07/2017 17:14

Sorry pre-warning slightly long post.

Next door are a nice couple who have never caused us any problems until now.

We live in an end terrace house and they live in a detached house to the side of us. About a year ago they built a monster shed, which pretty much looks like a small bungalow in their back yard which which faces the "free" side of our house. It has electric,slate tiles and conservatory like windows and doors.I believe they use it as office space but apart from it looking a bit ugly, this wasnt an issue and life went on as normal. That was until about three weeks ago when i came home from work and noticed that they decided to place an extension to this "Shed".

This extension extends from one side of their "shed" and is attached to the free side of our house. So basically i now live in a mid terrace house!

I went round and spoke to them about this and they basically said it wasn't attached to the side of the house and there was nothing to be concerned about.I contested this and said that it was as clearly attached as they had attached wooden plinths to the side of our house to support the structure. They had also attached the grey gravel type roof covering to the roof of the extension and our house leaving a 6 inch uneven and ugly boarder going up the side of our house,so clearly attached.

Anyway I decided to contact our local planning office to see if we had missed any planning application for this. In order for them to look this up they needed next doors address which i supplied and i was told there was no planning applications for this property.

I left it there with them and said i would speak to next door to sort things out and there was no need to get involved from their end.

My DH actually did the sorting out which basically meant he went round and had a nice chat and he agreed that nothing needed to be done. Annoying Af but I left it as the day of their chat we had an offer on our house and the buyer didn't seem to have an issue with it, so why should i bother kicking a fuss up if we werent going to live there for much longer and the new owner wasn't botherd. Had this not happened i would have pursued this further as i deal with house sales and boundary disputes prevent sales all the time.

Anyway next door came round today slightly annoyed as apparently planning have been round and have instructed them to remove not only the extension but also the monster shed! Woohoo! Or so i thought, now DH is annoyed at me for grassing them up!

Really though? They constructed a monster shed without permission and then attached it to the side of our house without permission.

AIBU to not feel any remorse for accidentally grassing them up? I feel sad that they have wasted a lot of money on both projects but at the end of the day get planning and show some respect for others surely?

OP posts:
Justhadmyhaircut · 24/07/2017 17:18

So they thought they were above such things as planning permission??
Good for you op. .

You have more balls than your dh it seems. . Grin

Saucery · 24/07/2017 17:19

Oh dear, what a shame. Not.
They were pushing it with the extension and they got what they deserved.

Hadalifeonce · 24/07/2017 17:20

Absolutely not!
I am amazed your DH was happy to let this slide; I would have been out there removing their 'attachment' from the house.

HeyRoly · 24/07/2017 17:21

If the shed extension was attached to your house, how was it not messing with your side access? Just trying to visualise it, but I can't.

Anyway, don't feel guilty. Cheeky fuckers.

GeillisTheWitch · 24/07/2017 17:23

Sounds like another escapee from Cheeky Fucker Land. I'd have reported them too, attaching things to your property was crossing the line big time.

HipsterHunter · 24/07/2017 17:23

They constructed a monster shed without permission and then attached it to the side of our house without permission

Jesus christ I'm surprised you managed to refrain from cutting the thing off your house yourself!

Superb result that they have to remove everything!

Pengggwn · 24/07/2017 17:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hatsoncats · 24/07/2017 17:27

Building without the correct planning regulations being followed is not just an inconvenience, it is potentially dangerous. Legal implications are one thing, but a badly built extension could have serious consequences if it collapses when occupied, or collapses onto a near or adjoining structure.
You did the right thing. Your DH didn't.

SpiritedLondon · 24/07/2017 17:27

I wouldn't feel bad. They didn't even have the courtesy to discuss the fact that they were going to attach a structure to your house. How did they think you'd react ?

AboutAGallonofDietCoke · 24/07/2017 17:29

Cheeky buggers! Sorry but they should have counted themselves lucky when they built the first 'shed'.
They must be barking mad to think it wasn't going to come to a head when they took the piss by adding it to the side of your house without even bothering to ask you!
Rude AF frankly.

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 24/07/2017 17:30

Had your buyers seen the extension to the Shed or just the shed?
If the offer is very recent, their survey or solicitor would have most probably raised an objection which could cost you the sale.
Your DH wouldn't be so happy then.
Any work which touches a neighbour's property must have a Party Wall Agreement

crazycatgal · 24/07/2017 17:39

Your DH sounds like a wet lettuce.

Next door neighbours can't just start constructing sheds without permission. I would have been fuming if someone decided to attach a random building to the side of my house.

jay55 · 24/07/2017 17:41

Don't feel any remorse, if it had caught on fire, your house would have been burned too and insurance would have been a nightmare.

ExplodedCloud · 24/07/2017 17:43

I'd keep your head down and your fingers crossed that your sale goes through. You haven't done anything wrong or started a dispute. Planning have got it in hand so if you're gone there's no reason for cheeky fucker neighbours to cause your buyers any trouble.

YellowLawn · 24/07/2017 17:45

yanbu
I'm doing a fistpump for you.

there was another poster who had a similar sounding monstrosity in next doors garden. but her council wasn't really interested...

DressedCrab · 24/07/2017 17:50

Well done, OP.

Fluffypinkpyjamas · 24/07/2017 17:51

Ugh I simply cannot abide wimpish men that just ' let it go' too worried about confrontation and keeping the peace. Cheeky buggers! They attached it to your house ffs. They got what was coming to them and your DH really needs to man up.

Lifeisacircus · 24/07/2017 17:54

Heyroly- our access is round the otherside at the other end end terrace so access isn't a problem.

I'm glad others think the same. I wouldn't say DH is a complete wet lettece but he does like to please people whereas i'm clearly a cold blooded lizard that needs to find a heat lamp, or so DH puts it anyway.

OP posts:
ILostItInTheEarlyNineties · 24/07/2017 17:57

Could we have a diagram of Monster Shed?

KERALA1 · 24/07/2017 17:59

I agree fluffy. Nothing less appealing than an appeasing drip. Well done OP.

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 24/07/2017 18:03

Tell your DH to stop bleating, and see it for what it is, which is a risk your neighbours were prepared to take, that back fired. They didn't exactly consider you, when they added their extension onto YOUR property, did they ? 🙄

diddl · 24/07/2017 18:04

They actually attached stuff to your house & your husband didn't care??

WTF??

MrsNai · 24/07/2017 18:04

In the words of our American cousins You go girl!

Angelicinnocent · 24/07/2017 18:07

I once accidentally grassed my neighbor up for claiming benefits for her dad who had been dead for 8 months. I never regretted it and would have done it deliberately if I'd known she was claiming them!

MaximaDeWit · 24/07/2017 18:08

Diagram please!