To think my neighbour can drill a whole in my house to permanently hang a 15ft tarpaulin?

[Euro21widow]

So, name changed as obviously outting as pretty sure this isn't a normal occurance!

My neighbour has drilled a hole in my (grade 2 listed) building so she can permanently hang a piece of tarpaulin about 15ft up (as high as my 1st floor roof) for "privacy". Surely she can't just do this? Where do I go from here? It blocks all the light out to my ground floor windows now. Have included (bad) diagram.

Makes you wonder what she’s doing in her back garden that she’s so keen to hide???

How does she suggest removing it if it’s attached to the first floor? I may have got confused, but it looks like it’s attached too high up to be easily removed ergo it can’t be “non-permanent”.

Think you should get yourself a cutlass, lean out your 1st floor window and yell “Avast me hearties! Aaaarrrr!” 😜

@MrsTulipTattsyrup

Damaging a listed building carries a potential unlimited fine and up to 6 months in prison.

If you want to go nuclear, contact the Planning Enforcement team at the local planning authority.

Absolutely this. Especially since she has indicated that she thinks she is in the right. You talked with her reasonably, and got an unreasonable answer. Time to escalate.

As it’s a listed building you need to contact your council’s conservation officer rather than the planning department, if that’s the grounds for your prime objection. Good luck. CF indeed!

[quote Euro21widow]@Collaborate nothing in our deeds about it being a party wall.

I have taken some photos and filled in the planning breech form on the council website. She is insistent she is allowed to have it and I can't remove it without entering her garden so I guess my only option . Glad I am not just being petty![/quote]
I'd wait till she was out and take that thing down pronto. You can mess about with planning, G2 listed building regs till you're blue in the face op.
I doubt it will be quick or have any real teeth. And then you've shown your hand so to speak.

If it was me I'd prefer the nip it in the bud sharpish approach and get it down asap. Then a strong letter through her letterbox.
I couldn't be doing with cherry of that magnitude.

Massive kudos OP for the numerous and thorough diagrams :)
Maybe mount a skull and crossbones flag on your garden wall to get into the pirate vibe 🤣🤣

I second house insurance, and a mutiny on the bounty themed bbq with every person you’ve ever met invited ( in Covid friendly tag teams ) .then be thinking yours as the summer holiday party house for all your children and all class mates 😎😎🍦

Can you add a skull and cross bones flag to your fence at the far end of the ‘awning’? Just to jazz it up a bit while you wait for the conservation people to make her take it down.

Are you her landlord?

Hahahahaha @SeaToSki and I are thinking along the same lines

Great minds. .Featheredhope

🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️

*cherry = CFery.

@lolapusht I don't think she really has any intention of ever removing it, but she seems to have the idea that anything "non permanent" is OK to do, so by suggesting the will remove it in bad weather it is therefore non-permanent. This seems to be her (odd) logic anyway.

Wow - CF'ery at its height! Please do as suggested above and contact the Planning Enforcement team at the local planning authority. If you let her get away with this, not only will you be increasingly resentful of the fact that it blocks all the light out to your ground floor windows now, but you'll be like a dog rolling over and showing its tummy - she'll assume you're pushovers and her CF'ery will escalate.

I would definitely contact your local councillors too. Even if you can't speak to anyone at the Council, they certainly will be able to.

I think the Listed Building angle is the most likely to be successful.

You might also speak to Building Control - I don't know whether that sort of thing is covered by Building Regs, but I think there could be safety issues, assuming your property is older. The weight of the tarp, and extra pressure if it gets wet or in high winds could cause structural damage.

my throw in is the Party Wall Act!

Also, maybe the dc would like an eye patch or two…. 🦜

Op Check if you have legal cover on your home insurance

This sounds like the start of another 'Spangran and her Paella pan' saga!

@PuntasticUsername

The main thing here is, your diagram is excellent well done OP.

Oh and your neighbour is BVU obviously.

its good yes 🌸

How in the heck is she going to take it down when it's windy if it's permanently attached to the top of the house? Stilts?

Am fully on-board with all the pirate ideas here. I'll get my coat...

Oh and I forgot: contact your parish council they live for shit like this!

Remove it. And say your solicitors will be in touch

The diagram looks like it's hanging vertically, and attached too high for her to get it down?

It's potentially going to pull the fittings out in a stiff breeze.

Of course it's permanent - otherwise your neighbour would need to employ tradesmen and get scaffolding every time she wanted to unhook it. CF.