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.

[Mummyoflittledragon]

Wow she’s bonkers. You’ve so done the right thing. G2 listed, no way!

[BruceAndNosh]

"Privacy" from what?
Where are the windows of yours that overlook her property?

[PatchyTwat]

Cant you just drop your side that’s attached to your wall and leave it dangling. Keep doing it until the council turns up.


Cheeky cow!

[randomkey123]

I reported our neighbours for putting up a party gazebo in lockdown (solid wood structure complete with foundations) in their front garden. Someone from the enforcement team at the local council went round 2 days later, they take planning breaches very seriously.

Fight it officially and not with batshit neighbours (which seem to be in very plentiful supply).

[roseinthedark]

Wow so cheeky!!! Glad you have reported it

[DartmoorDoughnut]

Hope you get a reply back ASAP and it’s down again soon

[Conchitastrawberry]

She’s totally bonkers and I’d go mad. My mum has a grade 2 listed house and the rules are super strict. She’s even had the people who regulate this stuff looking through her windows to see what they’ve done. Tell her to remove it and that you’re reporting her.

Jesus what a f....ing cheek!

[FatCatThinCat]

I thought you were being unreasonable when I read the thread title. Not worth falling out with your neighbours over. Then I saw your diagram Holy shit, she's off her trolley. You can't just hang a sheet over your neighbour's window because you don't like them looking out of it. What on earth is going on in her head? And that's not even factoring in the listed building bit.

By the way, when I did my contruction degree I got to spend a few weeks shadowing a planning officer. We went out to grade 2 listed building who'd put in a planning application for new windows. When we did the site visit the officer spotted a proper, professionally installed, retractable canopy. She was furious as it had no planning permission and they had to remove it.

[Its90minutestonight]

Well done OP. Might be worth contacting the listed buildings people as well. May the birds shit on her awning.

[theemmadilemma]

I was going to ask if your property was empty for a while before you moved in.

Glad you've reported it. Good luck!

[MarianneUnfaithful]

I would check the legality of anyone attaching anything to your house wall whether listed or not.

If you haven’t long moved in could you drop an e mail to the solicitor who handled your purchase and ask whether or not she is correct about it being her garden wall and can screw stuff in.

Based on what s/he says you could then relay the info to your neighbour and eventually pay the solicitor to write her a letter.

Aggravating that such entitlement could end up costing you £150 ish

[Jaxhog]

Highly unlikely she can do this.

1. If this is party wall (unlikely if you have windows in it), she would need party wall consent from you.
2. She would need listed building consent, which is unlikely to be forthcoming.

However, councils are often reluctant to take enforcement action, so I would also be talking to a solicitor ASAP.

[Jellybabiesforbreakfast]

If they're sail shades, you can simply lean down from your first floor windows with some long cutters (have forgotten the technical name for them) and cut the cords.

In your neighbours' position, I wouldn't be all that happy with your windows looking straight out onto my garden but it's not exactly your fault, the houses were built like that. And I'd be looking at legal solutions (growing a hedge, bamboo screening or a sail shade mounted properly on poles in my garden) rather than drilling into someone else's wall.

[Stompythedinosaur]

Absolutely astonishing behaviour from her!

I think the grade 2 is the way to raise it, as it sounds like the wall is a party wall (if is lies along the boundary) and I don't think you have to notify the other party for drilling to put things up.

Info here:
www.gov.uk/party-walls-building-works/work-tell-your-neighbour-about

[memberofthewedding]

How did the neighbour get onto your property to drill the hole? Did she trespass? Did you not notice the drilling? Or was it done before you moved in?

[Melroses]

@Jaxhog

Highly unlikely she can do this.

1. If this is party wall (unlikely if you have windows in it), she would need party wall consent from you.
2. She would need listed building consent, which is unlikely to be forthcoming.

However, councils are often reluctant to take enforcement action, so I would also be talking to a solicitor ASAP.

Yes this.

You are going to need a 2 pronged approach - planning enforcement and civil enforcement.

It is worth seeing a solicitor who knows about deeds/listed buildings and sensible ways to approach problems. Forewarned is forearmed and all that. It is then something you will have a better understanding about if another thing happens.

[Lovenahla]

So rude

[KeziaOAP]

My childhood home was Grade II listed, ndn attached trellis to the house wall abutting their garden, my father asked them to remove it they refused saying it formed part of their garden wall, this wall also belonged to my father's house. Planning enforcement were notified consequently it had to be removed. Any structure/trellis subsequently put up had to be freestanding away from the wall, can't remember the distance 6" maybe.

[mogsrus]

letter headed by he words....Intent of action..followed by how long you give them to remove item, it's a listed building & your property so it all comes down to criminal damage, job done.

[Jaxhog]

You might also want to enlist the help of your local councilor, as they can add pressure on the conservation officer into taking swift action.

[Newbie8365]

Following

[cheeseismydownfall]

I'm struggling to understand your diagram, sorry! Does one of your windows open into her garden? What privacy is she trying to create from what?

[SupremeDreamz]

[elfycat]

If you're in the UK with current lovely weather, I'd make a call chasing this up, as you are concerned that if a gust of wind gets under it the anchor points might give, damaging your listed property.

[gardenworks666]

pair of scissors should sort it out. followed by a solicitor's letter to warn them off ever trying something so stupid again.

something similar happened to someone I know; neighbour decided to put up an extension to their fence and for stability they drilled it into my friend's house!!! with no consultation / discussion, nothing .

Where the hell do these people come from? beggars belief ..... they are barking mad and entitled as hell.