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.

[lastqueenofscotland]

Speak to the council and English heritage

[Wombats12]

Do come and update.

I'd have gone ballistic and I'm a total wuss. I had enough problems with the Sky bloke drilling a small hole for his safety gear...

[CoraPirbright]

I would contact your local conservation officers. If they are anything even remotely like the ones in my area, they will come down on her like a fucking ton of (grade 2 listed) bricks!!

She may feel that she is entitled to her privacy but not by damaging a listed building! You also have a right to light...

[Wombats12]

And that was perfectly reasonable.

[ApolloandDaphne]

She is one CF that's for sure.

[justanotherneighinparadise]

Wow! This is the kind of shit one of my neighbours would pull and I ended up having to call the police on them. No trouble since.

Start the process legally, don’t trespass into her land and I’d be amazed if you didn’t win.

[Tobermorie]

Honestly I would cut it down before it does any more damage. If the wind gets up or it gets heavily rained on and it rips out of the wall, there could be a lot of damage.

[Euro21widow]

I have had an auto reply email saying they will look into it. I will 100% update as things happen, but knowing my council, could be a little while.

[MrsTulipTattsyrup]

@lastqueenofscotland

Speak to the council and English heritage

English Heritage is now a charity looking after the buildings of the National collection of buildings open to the public. Historic England is the body you mean. But they don’t have a general remit over grade II buildings so won’t be involved in cases like this unless to II* or I buildings, or in special circumstances. The OP has rightly reported this incident to the local planning authority enforcement team.

[khakiandcoral]

@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!

If you only just moved in too, what else is she doing to do next! She's nuts.

You asked, she won't be removing it. so that's your next step.

[khakiandcoral]

Cross post, but good luck!

[Chloemol]

Remove it from your property and report to the council enforcement tem

[Doodlebug71]

@Roselilly36. Please don't conflate CF-ery with people being plain gits.

We've seen a few examples of this level of CF-ery. Including a former neighbour who drilled into our house wall to attach their gate. When we asked the local council for help, they told us it's a sadly common occurrence (people drilling into other people's houses to attach stuff, and refusing to remove whatever they've attached).

OP, you said you've taken photos. Good. My experience of this sort of thing means I'd send CF neighbour a polite letter, stating they've damaged your property, didn't have permission. Please remove immediately, or you'll take appropriate action via relevant authorities.

Then follow through, if necessary.

[Wanttocry]

she says she is entitled to have her privacy and as it isn't permanent (she says she will remove it when windy) then it is allowed

Even if that is correct regarding the awning, surely the part she has drilled into your building is permanent? She won’t be redrilling it every time

[Littlecaf]

I’d ask her face to face first to remove it. Give her a week.

Then write a letter and give her another week.

Then contact planning enforcement.

[FernGilly]

Good luck! People can be so crazy

[Hsurbbrb]

Following for cf response 🤣

[unsync]

Looking further ahead, when it comes to removal, you may well need a specialist contractor to make good the damage caused - someone with experience of working on listed buildings. Do you know what the listing is for?

[Theimpossiblegirl]

Obviously YANBU, also bonus points for the diagram.
If it wasn't a listed building it would be bad enough, but this raises it to a whole new level of Cheeky Fuckery.
Well done for getting the ball rolling with an email. Give them a few days then ring them next week to chase up.

[Doodlebug71]

@justanotherneighinparadise

Wow! This is the kind of shit one of my neighbours would pull and I ended up having to call the police on them. No trouble since.

Start the process legally, don’t trespass into her land and I’d be amazed if you didn’t win.

When we called police for criminal damage, they refused to attend unless we could provide evidence that the neighbour had actually done it. Which we pointed out was ridiculous, unless plod was actually suggesting that Random Roger would come and drill a hole in our house wall and attach items for the neighbours.

[MrsTulipTattsyrup]

@unsync

Looking further ahead, when it comes to removal, you may well need a specialist contractor to make good the damage caused - someone with experience of working on listed buildings. Do you know what the listing is for?

Listing is for the overall architectural and historic interest of the buildings, and covered everything, inside and out. You’re right that it might need a specialist contractor though - the conservation officer will be able to advise.

[Star81]

I hope the council act quickly. Can’t believe the audacity of some people !

[Nitpickpicnic]

Best way I’ve found with this stuff is to say directly to the neighbour (who you have to actually live with forever) something like:

‘My BIL’s mate was round our place last weekend and he works for ‘…’ agency. He was shocked at the tarp and said that only this year he knows of xx people prosecuted and fined £1000’s for this sort of thing. It’s not allowed and people are surprised to find it causes so much trouble for themselves for YEARS. He seemed very agitated by it. Thought id mention it so you can have a chance to look up the rules. I’d hate for that sort of trouble with someone I know so well. I’m sure you checked carefully beforehand though, right?’.

…and let nature take its course.

[KihoBebiluPute]

YANBU! Nothing to add, but posting here for the updates.

[ArrrMeHearties]

Wtf?! Shes not just damaged a property shes damaged a listed building she needs to fix it asap or end up in serious hot water