New neighbours extension plans

[Greenfingeredsue]

Hi all

My current neighbour has died. Now probate is completed her house is being sold.

Her son has prospective buyers. He has mentioned in passing to me that they want to extend the property out the back. I am wondering wtf they can’t just buy a house that meets their needs?

The gardens are quite big so there’s plenty of room for them to do this. However, we don’t want them to.

We need a new shed, so my husband has suggested we build a new one with a greenhouse on their side right as near to the boundary as we can, next to the house.

We’ll do this once contracts have been exchanged so we don’’t scupper the sale, plus they would have to get planning permission.

My only concern is that the new neighbours could force us to dismantle them so the builders can work?

They can build around the shed.

If you wish to object you need valid reasons.

I think that you are being very unreasonable. For many reasons, the outstanding one being your carefully planned timing. That is warped. You actually want them to buy this house to find their hopes smashed by your subsequent actions. Your spiteful little gotcha wont work though.

1. Fair enough that you have already been thinking of a greenhouse/shed but put it where it is best for light and your own access etc rather than planning on putting it as close to the house and boundary as possible. You will need to maintain it, sheds and greenhouses are fairly fragile, and need very regular maintenance. Putting it too close to the boundary will actually backfire on you. How will you do that maintenance without access to your neighbour’s land? You’ll hardly be able to expect favours from them when you are so manipulative, argumentative and spiteful. I certainly wouldn’t do a neighbour like you a favour in giving you access to maintain your shed or greenhouse.

2. Extensions can be completed without needing access to neighbour’s land even in terraces. So whether or not you plan to refuse access makes no real difference to any build that fits the planning regulations. Sorry that smug little ‘gotcha’ doesn’t help you either. Of course if denying them access makes things harder and slower the noise and general disruption will go on for longer. So you’ll be disturbed for even longer by the build of an extension. So that may mean you are shooting yourself in the foot.

3. Depending on their ambitions they may be able to build without planning permission. You will have no comeback. If it does require an application for planning permission of course you can object but the only particular objections are taken into consideration. And even if objections are upheld the neighbours may redraw their plans accordingly and reapply and get permission. But even if they build after your interventions you being awkward and difficult won’t help neighbour relations. You’d better hope that you never need their consideration or help. And their approved extension may block light to your greenhouse if you’ve located it too close. Too bad. So sad.

It's pretty disturbing that OP is setting out to make life difficult for new neighbours that she hasn't even met yet.

@Genderwitched we had no issues with neighbours extensions on either sides and our own and get on great. Maybe it’s you and OP doing something wrong with your neighbours to create such had feelings around extensions and you’re not very nice? They’re a fact of life now, we have to deal with them.

I can understand you not wanting the disruption but it's going to happen anyway and wouldn't it be better for it to be done quickly?

By all means deny them access to your garden but if you don't really need a shed or a greenhouse that seems several steps too far.

Noise and disruption isn’t going to stop someone getting planning permission. They will be able to use any public access. Why wouldn’t you want to help out new neighbours?

OP reminds me of the two travellers story. But this really is meeting trouble half way. If they move in and don't extend she'll be unhappy about the expense and hassle of the greenhouse.
Fable Here

OP reminds me of the two travellers story

I have found this to be completely true and very accurate. Love this!

I am wondering wtf they can’t just buy a house that meets their needs?

Because they cant afford to buy the next level house up so and/or want to do it there way. Whatever buyers you get on the probate sale I suspect will be exactly the same - its perfectly normal

Oh my god you sound HORRENDOUS

another thought op
No matter who moves in you have no idea of what their plans or future plans might be
Or
their attitudes or behaviour
You cannot control what they do - all you can do is to try to be a decent neighbour & communicate & hope they reciprocate

What a ridiculous post. We bought a house with 15 x 15m beside it and started getting our planning permission straight away.

This is the risk you take when you live in a terraced house - your direct neighbours may do things you don't like, and you have no right to stop them.

Why don't you go and buy a house that suits your needs?

@AlexisCarringtonColbyDexter
neighbours and extensions both plural.

@Gulabjamoon
We all get on fine, there is no bad feeling at all, I know that extensions are inevitable, didn't stop it from being two years of hell for us.

It's the amount of people wishing bad things the happen to the OP that is truly shocking, todays world I suppose.

This is life I am afraid, new neighbours move in and may want to extend.
My new neighbours did this and it took 12 months, lucky for them they did not move in until the work was completed, unfortunately we had to put up with it.
They completely altered the house and added a new extension, it would have been cheaper to purchase a house more to their taste in the first place. They replaced a drive which could already park 4 cars with what eventually looked like a parking lot and there was only the 2 of them. A neighbour once asked me if I minded them moving my front wall? A closer look at the plans revealed that they were planning to move it and it was on my land.

You sound very petty.

Do you get pleasure from being obstructive and somewhat childish in where you are going to place your greenhouse.

I suggest you move.

@Lamentations

If you don't let them on your side then your side probably won't look very tidy because they will have to point the brickwork from the other side. This will impact you and not them. Don't be a twat about it.

This plus if it's not brick and it's going to be rendered they won't be able to render or paint it! I built a small extension on the back of my house, talked to neighbours on both sides in advance, gave everyone wine and flowers..no scaffolding in anyone else's garden, no use of neighbour's side entrance. Also, I would think it's likely that whoever buys the house might extend it if it has a big garden? About 60% of houses in our street have had this done. Generally it's a selling point if garden big enough to extend and still have a reasonable size garden - this is a bonus for you too, if and when you sell you will be more likely to do so. So yes, you are being very unreasonable and a crap neighbour. Why not be nice?

How awful it would be to buy a house and then find out you're living next to unfriendly, unhelpful and petty neighbours.

I’m sure they can still build without access through your property- it wouldn’t be a decade of noise ffs- wanting to add value is not an indicator of a bad neighbour

@Haffdonga pretty awful. Speaking from experience. Out first home owning experience, completely sullied by our petty, spiteful neighbours.

I am obviously in a minority as I think YANBU. All these people saying it will only take a few weeks. Really? More likely a few months and will no doubt be during the summer meaning the OP won’t be able to enjoy their garden because of noise. And for those saying it will finish at 5pm weekdays only don’t you watch the news? It has been decreed by our beloved Prime Minister Boris Johnson that building works can be allowed all day until 9pm Monday to Saturday. All because ‘we’ve got to build the economy up again’. I would anticipate planning laws will be relaxed soon as well.

Who owns the fence or wall the new neighbours side OP? If it is them you can bet they will want to take it down to make building easier so bingo no privacy at all in your garden and if you have children or pets a nightmare. Also then very difficult to stop the builders trampling across your garden and using the side entrance. If you haven’t got a lock on your side gate get one now.

If a party wall survey is needed OP make sure you get a different surveyor than your NDN. You don’t need to pay, is up to them and they should factor that cost in. You want and need someone who will be working for you and who will give you the best advice possible.

You sound like an absolute nightmare neighbour. Maybe scuppering the sale would be a blessing for the new unsuspecting neighbours. If I were them you'd really get my back up with behaviour like that before even knowing you. I'd still go ahead with the extension and would feel no need to be considerate of you since you couldn't do the same for me. The disruption will be temporary but chances are you'll both be living there a lot longer. Why would you do something to get off on the wrong foot when you don't even know if it's going to be an issue?🤔🤦‍♀️

I can understand you wouldn’t be overjoyed at the prospect of an extension but that’s life , the rest of what you say is petty but the vitriol being posted on here is extraordinary

@Genderwitched well deliberately planning to build a greenhouse in a place to prevent neighbour from building an extension isn’t a very nice thing to do or wish in someone is it?

Posters are just saying if you wish bad for others then you jay get bad yourself.