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.

It is criminal damage and also probably something relating to the grade 2 listed bit on the civil side.

You have two options really, report it and thus embrace the probable dispute and the stress / implications that brings

Or

Try to talk / reason with her

I mean o guess you could just live with it but I wouldn't

Or both as I suggested above.

A formal letter notifying her to take it down and fix the damage within 7 days. If that fails then report her to the police for criminal damage and instruct a solicitor to deal with it. (The council will already have been notified).

OP can then feel she’s tried reasoning with her and only gone commando if/when she doesn’t play ball.

@dopeyduck

It is criminal damage and also probably something relating to the grade 2 listed bit on the civil side.

You have two options really, report it and thus embrace the probable dispute and the stress / implications that brings

Or

Try to talk / reason with her

I mean o guess you could just live with it but I wouldn't

The damage to a listed building would be prosecuted by the local authority, not the individual. The enforcement team, whom the OP has already notified, would decide on the appropriate course of action to take. Putting it right would be the first option. If the OP has to do this rather than the perpetrator, then there could be a civil case for the OP to reclaim the costs from the neighbour.

I cant believe a building firm didnt check beforehand-who startes putting up things on another persons house without checking - your neighbour is batshit

Loving the pirate jokes though

That's criminal damage, and she might as well have chucked a brick through your window.

Utterly unhinged and I hope the fine is satisfyingly large.

The advantage of going through planning enforcement is that I don't think that would count as a "neighbour dispute". The CF neighbour would be in dispute with the Planning dept not the OP

In my experience planning are relatively efficient especially about conservation areas (tbf though you can speak to me people at my local council which you seem not to be able to).

@strawberryshortcake1
It's shocking isn't it? We seem to have no 'rights' as homeowners.
Hope you have better luck OP!

BruceAndNosh Sat 19-Jun-21 13:37:55 The advantage of going through planning enforcement is that I don't think that would count as a "neighbour dispute". The CF neighbour would be in dispute with the Planning dept not the OP

Is this true? Is it only if you contact the police or solicitor that you have to declare a dispute?

Is this true? Is it only if you contact the police or solicitor that you have to declare a dispute?

No idea, I thought I'd just join in with the "haven't a clue" brigade

I know someone who had a protracted dispute with a CF who was claiming a strip of her garden. It went the whole way and the new house owners were pleased to have a clear county court judgement on the issue when they bought the house.

If the dispute is resolved by formal channels and there is a clear outcome, then it is a positive.

@Its90minutestonight

Was that the SpanGran thread? Was all made up.

That makes me sad … I really liked those threads and really felt for the OP 😔

OP can then feel she’s tried reasoning with her and only gone commando if/when she doesn’t play ball.

Good afternoon everyone, please be aware that the Pirates now have no pants on.

They are the Nopants Pirates of the Good ship Flappyhouse.

Contact the council, she can’t just drill into a listed building without some sort of consent. They’ll soon get her to take it down

We own a listed building and had to apply to council to put up a sky dish, we also took ivy off the house when we first bought it and had to repoint and repair brickwork with lime mortar..

This CF is batshit Im h go lad that you've reported it OP. Now get on the rum put on an eye patch and have a very loud ship garden party!

*glad

@BruceAndNosh

If you've got rain like we have today (I swear I just saw an ark full of paired animals floating by) unless the tarp is completely vertical, it will be puddling with HEAVY water....

I think you've won the thread with this comment!

What is it with these CFs lately? Have all the Covid restrictions addled their brains or something? ARGH!

[quote DartmoorDoughnut]@Womendohavevaginasnick www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2991707-CFN-vanished-Spanish-grandma-patio-doors-I-dont-know-what-the-hell-to-call-this-thread-5 I wasn’t aware it was a troll but I loved them back in the day[/quote]
I think it was thought to be a troll, but ultimately turned out to be genuine. (I don't know how these things are assessed)

Either way, I enjoyed the threads, too.

In effect, the owner of a building with windows that have received natural daylight for 20 years or more is entitled to forbid any construction or other obstruction that would deprive him or her of that illumination. Neighbours cannot build anything that would block the light without permission.

Right to light - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org › wiki › Righttolight

Good luck with planning OP!

After several years of low level cheeky fuckery with my neighbour he committed a huge breach of planning. After speaking to him and enduring the same waffle I've been hearing for years, I just went to the planning enforcement team. Bingo it was fixed within a week.

Hope your team are as quick to take action.

You're entitled to a certain amount of light to come into your property, not sure what those figures are I'm afraid, though it's known as the 'right to light' rule and is protected under English law. To my mind, if she's drilled into YOUR house then she has committed criminal damage.

I have added the post about a right to light as she could erect a pole to attach her sail to and that would still result in a loss of your light

To attach anything to another person’s property should, obviously, be done with owners permission and with a legal indemnity drawn up by a solicitor. Years ago neighbours wanted to attach railings to our listed property but when we informed them that solicitors costs would be down to them to draw up the indemnity they quickly changed their minds! The the hole she has drilled results in damage to your property she will be liable and without an insurance indemnity could be very costly for her. Good luck but absolutely she is a CF!

YANBU
Aside from the listed status which is serious, that’s a party wall which also carries its own legal implications.