Built a cabin and neighbour not happy.

[ReginaaPhalange]

This week, we built a cabin in our back garden and we have complied 100% with guidance which states the highest point must not exceed 2.5m in height. Our cabin is 2.3m at its highest point. We have not put it up against the fence, we have left a good amount of room to fit an adult down the back and around the sides for painting, maintenance and pick up any weeds etc.

On Tuesday, my DH was doing the roof and his bottle of water went into the neighbours garden. This neighbour lives at the back of us, so I went round and politely advised her of what had happened and asked if I could go into her garden and collect the bottle of water and any off cuts that may have come away too. She allowed me to do this and there was literally the water and one small piece of wood, so I took that away and said to my DH who was still on the roof to be careful and he even shouted over to the neighbour to apologise.

When I went to leave, she came out her back door (we were keeping 2m apart) and started saying she's not happy about the cabin, said it's in her view when she looks out of her kitchen window and told me she had spoken to her children (they're away from home with kids etc so probably similar ages with me (30's) )and her kids were apparently not happy either Incase it blocks out the sun. I can confirm when I went round, this was not the case, the sun was beating down and her garden was not obstructed.

Further more, the neighbour said she was not happy that we had not told her of our plans and that we should have told her. I did tell my husband prior to delivery of the cabin that we should maybe tell her, but he said as it was within the guidance of height etc, it did not require planning permission and he didn't need to advise her. In hindsight I wish I maybe did give her a heads up.

Yesterday when DH was tidying up the edging of the room, he overheard the neighbour moaning on the phone saying it's such an eye sore, how it was just there when she came home and how disappointed it is. Now, I fully understand if she had beautiful views from her kitchen window, but she doesn't. Her window looks out to her back garden, fence then the back of our house.

Today, her friend walked around to our house, stood at the end of my driveway, looked into the garden, shook her head and walked away. I didn't say anything as I had just come out the shower and still had my towel around me (I was looking out for the yodel courier when I noticed it).

Further more, 3 years ago, when me and DH were at work, she had her BIL hack away the base of our fence so she would double panel the fence. The fence is owned by us and on our boundary and she acknowledged that, but she never told us she was going to do it. We just found out when we came home from work to find half the base of our fence gone!! We never kicked off, we actually went to her door to ask her if we could panel OUR fence up the back. She was fine and so were we. We have never spoken to her since as you can't see her in the garden as fence is double panelled, we live on different streets so we both have different entrance/ exit routes and our paths have never crossed so it's not a case of avoiding her.

Earlier when I was upstairs I noticed her at the fence (I was talking out to husband asking what he wanted for lunch). She was snooping around and I can only think she was maybe looking for off cuts which fell into her garden, but DH said there's definitely nothing there as he peeked over and checked.

I'm not sure if I should say something to her or just leave it and just hope she leaves it alone, but our neighbours next door who we get on brilliantly with have said they have had problems with her snooping before, peeking over the fence and asking when they had a baby as she saw baby clothes on the line (they have never spoken to her before)

3 years ago btw, she told us her name was (let's say) Barbara (not her real name), but when I was speaking to her on Tuesday, I said "it's Barbara isn't it?" And she said "no, it's Mavis(changed)." I found that a bit off too.... even DH had said to me no, she definitely told us her name was Barbara(charged).

Odd... anyway, I digress. Should I leave it or approach her about it, maybe give her flowers as an apology for not telling her about the cabin?

Cabin will be used as a wee gym for me (treadmill and weights) and she knows this. She did say "thank god it's not a hot tub"

I think a summer house, cabin or pergola is a bit different to a full on house in the garden. Lots of people have these cabins now, I’d be happy if my neighbour had a shed against the wall, it’d put more distance between us! If you had a large fence, how would she even be able to see over it? It’s no different.

One point you might want to make to her is that she is not entitled to a view over your garden. You own from the ground right up to the edge of the Earth's atmosphere.

I'd also warn her to leave your fence alone.

Ive had this done to me by my neighbours, came home from work and there it was. Big cabin right up against fence is my view from kitchen window. Not great to be honest. Not much i can do about it but i would have appreciated a heads up.

They are not very considerate neighbours anyway, bonfires in garden etc when my washings on line is one example

•it, and any other development, does not take up half or more of the 'curtilage' – this means half or more of the grounds behind your home
•it's not higher than 4 metres at the highest point
•any part that's a metre or less from the boundary is no higher than 2.5 metres

we are about to build a garden room ourselves but in England the rule is it must be 2m from the boundary to exceed 2.5m height. We did consider putting up some kind of narrow tower as that is all we'd manage to fit in our garden with 2m on either side, but I think we'll just keep it near the fence and suck up the lack of overhead clearance.

Congrats on your cabin, OP, I hope it brings you lots of enjoyment.

I have a Mavis type neighbour too.

We ignore them. They said I couldn't have my large plant pots where I'd put them because they will spread to his garden and he doesn't want weeds. (It's mint in a giant plant pot and coriander in the other) his garden is also slabbed. Had their son come to speak to me about it one day. Son was very apologetic and said he only came over because he knows how unreasonable his parents are and that he had spoken to them about ridiculous demands about my garden.

My brother built a garage/workshop in my mums garden. The neighbours 2 doors away complained, the council came out and measured it. Said it was fine and that was that!

Maybe the neighbour should get a Shepard's hut

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3960055-To-not-be-impressed-by-Shepards-huts-in-gardens

My neighbour has a massive outdoor room/cabin thing. Our neighbour on the other side refers to it as "the wendy house" in a scathing way

Barbara-Mavis 😂

Yeah to keep the peace try flowers. But tbh this is batshit. You can erect up to 2.3M on your own land and anything that short is unlikely to block out anY sunshine. It’s total bullshit, don’t worry about it beyond the flowers.

Yes ignore her and all her ensemble,she has cabin fever, and can't help herself from being a nit picking busy body. These types of people seem to inhabit a lot of neighbourhoods.

You’ve done absolute nothing wrong...let her stew you can’t live your life for her!

Ignore her, she’s just jealous x

@mamansnet

Ignore her, she's batshit. Definitely no flowers! Perhaps paint a middle finger on the part of the cabin roof that is visible from her house, but otherwise do nothing!!

Hahaha haha. Definitely do this...Please DO NOT engage as it only winds people like her up. I know by experience......

We built a garden room/cabin for a home gym about 4 years ago. It was, like yours, within permitted development. I back on to a field so no-one behind. I did let the two immediate neighbours know it was going ahead (more for noise and people up and down the shared drive). They were completely fine. The building work finished, we paid our final payment then a letter turned up from the Council saying someone had reported us for building without planning. Had a 3 week wait for the Council to come and inspect which was a bit stressful. I trusted our builder had done everything within the PD spec but you never know! Anyway it was all signed off and a letter was sent to the person who reported to let them know. We're pretty sure it was someone 2 doors down as we caught them having a nose out of their window when I was moving my gym equipment in. I agree with everyone else to completely ignore the neighbour and don't engage. She can easily grow some big shrubs to improve her view.

I'd just leave her to it and ignore any comments you hear. Don't get into any conversation regarding the cabin. I'm not normally like this but have had issues like this in the past, bending over backwards for neighbours and realise I only give them a platform to moan. If you're happy with what you've done I wouldn't have any other conversations about it and definitely don't take round flowers, in my experience it doesn't help.

Ignore, dont engage. And save up for a hot tub

We had a neighour like that, we are both semies our front driveways are next to each others, there was a chain link fence between, we decided to have a wooden fence put up only 4 ft high, when we started to put the posts in, she came out saying she doesn't want a wood fence there she likes the chain fench, so she reported it to the council we are home owners she was council, they did come to take a look, but told her there's nothing to be done it looks fine.

Write an anonymous letter telling her she is being talked about on Mumsnet? Maybe she will realise she is being silly. However from her point of view......my mother have had her view ( exceptional view-worth £200 000-being serious, as she is close to the sea)blocked by her neighbours who have built a shed! My mother who doesn't say boo to a goose, isnt goin to do anything about it! So perhaps the neighbour is seeing something different to you? My mum used to sit in the garden watching the boats and now she cant. She can still see them if she stands on the second floor. If you are sure she isnt having anything blocked just go and talk to her. Record the conversation( you dont have to tell her) and find out exactly why she objects.

Just completely ignore the CF. I would think of some more things to do to annoy her.

Definitely ignore her if you’ve abided by the rules. And no flowers. Just be calm and polite in any interaction with her. And enjoy your hut, sounds fab. I want one!

God what a miserable bitch. Ignore her.
The neighbour at the end of my garden used to address me as "Oi you" until one day I snapped and said there is nobody called "Oi you" living here. Then I was ignored totally, thank God!

Ignore her comments & enjoy your cabin.

The house directly behind us recently got rid of their shed which bothered me as it felt like less privacy between the 2 x gardens. You have done nothing wrong & agree with pp she really shouldn’t be messing with your fence! Ignore is probably the best advice x

@AlexisCarringtonColbyDexter

IGNORE her. I dont know why people always suggest giving neighbours a "heads up" first. What does this achieve? if they dont care, its pointless and if they say "no, I dont want you to do it" then you go ahead, its just going to make things even worse and make it look like you did it to spite them anyway!

What you have done is perfectly legal and above board and she has no right to complain. Of course, she can not like it, but thats what comes with living next door to someone- you arent going to love every little thing they do, doesnt mean you have the right to stop them doing it if they havent broken any laws. I cant stand people like her- they should go out and live in the sticks if they want full control over their boundaries. Otherwise, they can STFU.

I don't get it either. It doesn't seem much of a kindness to me to tell someone that you're going to do something they'll probably dislike but can't stop you doing, risk giving them the idea that they might be able to persuade you not to do it, and then ignore them and go ahead with what you were always going to do. Can't see how that's any better than just doing it anyway.