Neighbours portaloo

[jamandpeonies]

Our neighbours on one side are a large sports ground and last year they added about 10 portaloos behind fence that is at the end of our (small) garden. I can see the portaloos from the kitchen, and can smell them in the garden during the summer. Certainly adds a festival vibe to the BBQ!

Just wondering if anyone knows if there are rules on how close a portaloo can be to a neighbouring property? My google searches have been fruitless but I'd like to contact them armed with the right information.

Oh god!
That sounds intolerable.

Contact your local EHO.

Do you know how often the loos are emptied? I ‘m guessing not often enough if they smell. The neighbours immediately opposite my house had a portaloo while they had lots of building work done, it was emptied at least one a week, and there were three builders there every day. If there is a phone number on the portaloos you could ring and ask for them to be pumped more frequently. You could complain directly to the sports ground management, they may be unaware of the nuisance and it gives them a chance to sort it out before the EHO have to be involved and they could possibly get fined.

Having to see them I’d say is a pain but not worth stressing about

Having to smell them though is vile and i would definitely be complaining to the sports ground.

From experience at large Scout camps if they’re in the sun on a hot day they start to reek very quickly. Once a week definitely wouldn’t be enough during summer if they’re in regular use.

I think they are probably being emptied frequently enough as it's the chemically smell rather than sewage that wafts over.

The chemically smell is definitely preferable to sewage! But still not what I’d want wafting over my garden

It’s worth asking if they could be moved to a different location where they won’t impact residential neighbours

No idea what rules exist, but presumably it's a planning issue?

No idea what the rules are, but have you tried going round and speaking to someone at the sports club ?
It is more than likely that they are not aware that the chemical smells drift into your garden.

If the smell is causing a “nuisance” (in the legal sense) then you may be able to take legal action to stop it (ie get them moved).

As a first step I’d write a polite letter explaining the issue and ask them to move them somewhere else. If that doesn’t work, you’ll need legal advice about what you can do and what it might cost.

This is a nuisance in tort law. A nuisance is anything that interferes with your right to quiet enjoyment of your land. Go on westlaw/lexis nexus and look for cases of smell nuisances. I believe there was one case where a restaurant successfully argued that fumes from a rubber burning facility were a nuisance for example. Such a decision will set a precedent for you to ask them to move the portaloos. If they don't you can take them to court. This will expose them to paying you damages, an order forcing them to move the loos anyway and, cost (punitive costs if the precedent is clear). Find a clear case and write them a stern letter. A good place to go would be the probono legal society at your local university.

Thanks so much everyone, much appreciated.