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.

I'm hopeful that Heritage Lady will be galvanised into action on her return.

The heritage bods at our council are really fierce. They have been known to turn up on spec when it comes to their attention that building works are going on at a listed building, and have issued stop notices at a couple of houses.

My friend lives in the conservation area and had to have the tiles on upper part of her cottage replaced. The heritage lady actually walked round to check what they were doing and that all the materials they were using were acceptable.

Just posting so I get to see the update, but bloody good diagram op, love the extra neighbour details.

Is the tarp 15ft high? I thought fences etc could only be 6.6ft high? But it's the drilling into your wall I can't get over. Do you know the tradesmen she used?

It is approximately 15 ft high yes @Crockof. Basically as high as my first floor ceiling.

It is super windy today so she has lowered the tarp by about couple of feet. So it must be on a pulley as another poster correctly suggested. Still flapping around loads though. I have videoed it so can show the heritage lady if necessary. I did email the planning guy, who originally messaged me, to ask if he knew when I would get an update, but no reply as of yet.

Euro21widow did you include your video in the email?

Any chance of getting at the ropes on the pulley and cutting them?

If it's on a pulley, she may have not only the main high fixing point drilled into your wall, but also the base fixing point plus also a cleat for the pulley rope

This is scary - I'm in a listed house in exactly the same situation where we back straight onto a neighbour's garden. Luckily they're lovely and the house is actually a lifetime tenancy from a big estate, so I've always assumed the estate would step in if the next people to live there started something like this or planted a hedge in front of our windows or something. But it's worrying the council are so unbothered. It makes me angry the 'right to light' rules were never changed - I remember a while ago they debated having a rule where you couldn't have a 6ft hedge closer than 6ft to the window, for example, but sadly it didn't get voted into legislation. And not sure if it would have helped in your tarpaulin case.

Thanks for keeping us updated OP.
I'm so angry for you!

What has your house insurance said OP?

Jesus this is a shocking read

@Euro21widow

It is approximately 15 ft high yes *@Crockof*. Basically as high as my first floor ceiling.

It is super windy today so she has lowered the tarp by about couple of feet. So it must be on a pulley as another poster correctly suggested. Still flapping around loads though. I have videoed it so can show the heritage lady if necessary. I did email the planning guy, who originally messaged me, to ask if he knew when I would get an update, but no reply as of yet.

If you have the email/and or name of the heritage lady I'd call her directly - she might have it on a large TODO list coming back after her holiday and won't prioritize it unless you nudge her a little.

Any new updates?

She sounds nuts! Good luck

I would be hassling the heritage person until you were her priority

Your insurance surely are not happy

Your neighbour - batty as hell

Definitely keep videoing and taking photos etc and document everything

Can you not pressure your local Council member - I can't believe she can just do this

Oh gosh, you can't let this go. We ask before painting a little bit of next door's house wall that borders our garden - it has been painted for years (before we came here) and we just repeat the same colour, but we still always ask as it is their house! Good luck.

I think we need a photo. The thread is already outing so a photo won’t make any odds.

Please 😁

@Euro21widow

It is approximately 15 ft high yes *@Crockof*. Basically as high as my first floor ceiling.

It is super windy today so she has lowered the tarp by about couple of feet. So it must be on a pulley as another poster correctly suggested. Still flapping around loads though. I have videoed it so can show the heritage lady if necessary. I did email the planning guy, who originally messaged me, to ask if he knew when I would get an update, but no reply as of yet.

fingers crossed for you .. it's so frustrating waiting on a response but hopefully Heritage Lady is a stickler for rules 🎉🌸

The (literal) giant red flag must be so outing at this point that the only course of action is the local paper? With the children dressed as pirates in front of the Dorito.

I would be sending her a solicitor's letter

Following. This sounds awful.

All this talk of pirates and the big red Dorito sail, I've worked out how to deal with your neighbour...

you just need to channel The Crimson Permanent Assurance!

@Euro21widow

Sorry guys, no updates. I am hoping the heritage lady is back from leave this week and she will get in touch. I will update when I hear from her.

I feel like I need a picture of this. Im invested and im a visual person 🤣🤣🤣

My DH who just looks at me and smiles when I mention threads on here, keeps asking about it.

Hurry up heritage lady.

OP think it might be time to kick ass.

OP the council will only be concerned from their own point of view: not from yours. I would contact a solicitor quick smart about the fact that she drilled into YOUR wall!

Surely she has committed criminal damage.