Neighbouring treehouse

[Spooked7]

I will append a diagram if it helps, but AIBU to ask neighbouring family to take down large wooden treehouse that sits above the level of our fence and dominates the view?
I don’t know the neighbours and don’t want to start a dispute with them, especially as we only recently moved in. However, we had no idea there was a treehouse overlooking our garden. It was disguised by overgrowing trees as the previous owner of our house had passed away over a year before we viewed the house...and the trees hadn’t been cut back for a while. After a few days living here we started to see heads of small boys popping through the trees about 4 feet above our fence. I still didn’t realise it was a treehouse. Then a month later they employed a tree surgeon to cut back the trees as they were overhanging our (small) garden and blocking light from getting in. This exposed the entire, very large, wooden treehouse. It is a platform about 5.5ft off the ground, with a see-through fence panel about another 3 ft in height around its edge. The whole structure sits above the level of our fence. It has some bits of camouflage netting and a sheet of canvas loosely attached, that flap and wave in the wind. It is both intrusive and unsightly and I have no idea what to do about it without angering the neighbours. I have had advice from the council who said they will happily go round and investigate anonymously whether they should have sought planning permission for it, but it would be completely obvious that we instigated it, as it doesn’t really affect anyone else. I know that if/when we decide to sell our house this treehouse will put a lot of people off. It dominates our very small garden.

Has anyone managed to resolve a similar issue without it leading to a dispute?

For those who think I'm being unreasonable to ask them to take it down, perhaps you can't appreciate the size of it. It is about 3 m wide and is half the width of my entire garden. It's 7.5m from my windows, and 21m from theirs (according to google maps). They have a huge garden measuring 15m by 20m whereas ours is 6.5m by 7.5.

god that is horribly intrusive

id try inviting them around (when it's allowed!) so they can see - ill give them the benefit of the doubt and say they probably dont realise just how intrusive it is from your side

sympathy OP, it's a crap situation

It's fucking massive op.

I'd go the council route too , i'd hate that
if you don't it could become a selling point if they want to move

@Jamhandprints how is it no benefit to them? Should I have just waited for them to drop off on my kids' heads? Or would that not have been their problem?

Wait until next summer and sunbathe naked, I think you’ll find the problem will soon be sorted in the form of a very high barrier on the treehouse!

Pots of bamboo would probably do it. Although they probably shouldn't have it, they had it before you moved in and you'd be very unpopular asking them to rip it down.

I think asking them to put a screen up so the kids cant look into your garden is reasonable.

@Spooked7

For those who think I'm being unreasonable to ask them to take it down, perhaps you can't appreciate the size of it. It is about 3 m wide and is half the width of my entire garden. It's 7.5m from my windows, and 21m from theirs (according to google maps). They have a huge garden measuring 15m by 20m whereas ours is 6.5m by 7.5.

It’s irrelevant how intrusive it is. You bought the property with the treehouse already there, you just didn’t do enough research on the surrounding area and property to realise that.

You didn’t think “oh the tree will need cutting at some point” or “the tree may not always be there”, so how will that affect the house then? You just assumed it would always be like that.

That’s on you, and now you have to deal with the consequences.

I think your delay in making any complaint, or even noticing the structure is likely to diminish any impact as far as the neighbours are concerned.

However structures put up against regulations can be, and are taken down, or altered. So your recourse is with the Council. I'd put aside irritating these neighbours and involve the Council.

Or as a most impractical alternative, move house when the trees have grown back- after all you didn't see the wretched thing, and don't have to declare it until you have made a complaint.

Also the kids won't be interested in climbing in it forever as they grow up.

Apparently because treehouses are temporary structures they don’t need planning permission.

@emilyfrost that's utter nonsense. Have you ever bought a house? Did you knock on every neighbour's door and ask if they had any surprise structures hiding in their bushes in case one day they became less hidden?

Tree houses can and do need PP.

I have dealt with several applications in the past.

And that tree house is not temporary - it couldn't be taken down at the end of each day. It's as permanent as the OPs fence.

The regs are clear - any deck or platform that is more than 30cm above ground level requires permission. I am fairly certain that this one wouldn't get it because of the impact in the neighbours.

@VinylDetective that isn't what the planning department said. It depends on its height and proximity to neighbouring fence.

Difficult! I don't think that you can ask them to take out down without it pissing them off and them saying no. But I think you would be reasonable to explain the situation and ask them to make the back wall of the tree house a higher piece of solid wood so the children can't see you and vice versa. I also think the tree surgeon has done a bloody terrible job there! Hopefully the tree will recover quickly! Could you put up a bamboo screen or buy a couple of fairly mature birch for your side.

My guess it will need planning permission. Start there with your local planning authority

[quote Spooked7]@emilyfrost that's utter nonsense. Have you ever bought a house? Did you knock on every neighbour's door and ask if they had any surprise structures hiding in their bushes in case one day they became less hidden?[/quote]
Yes, I’ve bought a house. It wasn’t hard to check the property, surrounding properties, boundaries and areas for any surprises.

It didn’t even involve talking to any of the neighbours.

It’s not nonsense to do your research on a property you’re buying, it’s basic common sense.

You are definitely not being unreasonable.

@Indecisivelurcher yes he has massacred the trees. We actually loved them, and had it not been for the falling branches we'd have said nothing about them. He did say they'd grow back, but he also said he's coming back to cut about a third off the height of it.

@emilyfrost and I have already told you I looked through the trees and saw nothing. It was draped in camouflaged netting, and still is, though now it's not really as effective!

Personally I would not be mentioning it to the neighbours and would be going down the council route. If they don't have planning and need it they will either need to apply, and you can object, or take it down. If it transpires that they don't need planning then i would put something up to block although the problem you have is that you cannot erect a fence that tall. Do not plant leylandii they are ugly, will grow wide and take up your garden, will need to be cut back each year and do take a few years to grow. A negative for you and more work.

Show them the before and after pics and given the size of their garden offer to have a look ariund their garden to find a better location. Perfectly reasonable. Whereas keeping it there is not. If they get shirty by their selfish choice then get the Council round and if for some strange reason the Council say it's okay then get a good carpenter/garden landscaper to build a sturdy ladder up to it for your pet dog, children, aunty Maisy and all to make use of it whenever they please. It will be an extension of your garden. Honestly the nerve of some neighbours. Hopefully they will be apologetic and move it immediately. Good luck.

TBH It would also annoy me ,but any complaints from you would probably sour Relations between you both .Sometimes these things are hard to detect(seems like they obscured them well!) Maybe approach the Council and ask advice? Agree some tall shrubs will probably shield them well .

That structure will last a long time, so when you sell it could well still be there, affecting the ability to sell.

That is part of the reason we have planning law.
It looks new. So report. Once a structure has been there a while then the council can lose the ability for enforcement.

I'm in two minds. It definitely needs to be screened somehow if it's staying which could result in an eyesore/ loss of light.

What direction does your garden face re. light? Do the boys make a lot of noise when up there?

As per pp the tree at the right hand side is definitely laurel which is evergreen and will grow back bushy within 6-12months - hopefully by next spring/summer.
It's much better than lleylandii.

I inherited a pleached laure which grows 4ft above the level of my 6ft fence and screens the neighbours (it's at the end of both our gardens). It's brilliant for screening in that respect so I'd be inclined to let the three house stay if it can be fully screened and the noise isn't too intrusive. A foot away from your boundary is not ideal though

YABU because it was already there when you bought the house, the onus was on you to notice TBH.