Neighbour has built a bar

[Julshk73]

My neighbour has spent the last three months building every night beyond 10pm. Sawing hammering, no use of my garden this year so far. Yesterday they unwrapped their new building.

It's a bar.

On a raised platform.

That looks right into my daughters bedroom.

She is terrified as a preteen as grown men were staring in all day yesterday.

Then the drinking began.

Until 3am we couldn't even hear our tv for the shouting screaming and chanting.

The council noise team aren't working due to covid. The police don't answer calls anymore on 101 (we tried several times on advice of the council).

What can I do?

My daughter is extremely distressed at losing her privacy and I cannot deal with parties that go on until 3am that are so loud we have no respite.

Help?

What did the neighbour say when you spoke to him about it?

Get some blinds? It's a right pain though.

Well firstly get some blinds

I’m confused though a group of grown men just stood there staring into your daughters bedroom? That’s really odd.

I’m confused though a group of grown men just stood there staring into your daughters bedroom? That’s really odd.

I agree, really weird

Can you draw a picture, so I can understand clearer.

What about planning or the other one, I'm not sure what it's called

Get some frosted film to stick on the window to give her privacy back.

Then look up the planning regs on raised decking / platforms. If it's over a certain height off the ground it needs planning permission.

Our council is currently dealing with complaints about noise through The Noise App. You have to register in advance and then when there’s disturbance, it takes a decibel reading and log sit with the council - lots of them use it apparently.
In terms of privacy, can you get some kind of trellis / screen? That really sucks.

That's shit, so sorry for your daughter.

You've already tried what I would have suggested.
The only other thing is to tell your neighbour that his friends are staring at your daughter and making her uncomfortable.

Sounds awful

I know it's awkward but you should definitely speak to your neighbours about it first.
Also, can you check if they've had the necessary planning permission to do this?

Talk to neighbour. His guests would probably be motified to discover it appears they spend their time starting into teen's bedroom.

If the noise is more than a one off, contact your councillor re noise team.

Max. 300mm above ground level to be permitted development.

Contact the planning department at the council first thing tomorrow. If it's raised platform it'll need planning consent. If your neighbour is a complete arsehole rather than just unthinking then it's going to take a while to sort but the planning department don't like people who ignore them.

That’s quite unpleasant. I doubt you. Can do anything about the bar but could you change rooms with your DD so she doesn’t have to deal with this outside her window? I’d get in touch with your local councillor regarding the lack of action on noise nusiance.

I don't think noise teams are the right place to report to. You need to report on the basis that it sounds like the structure may be too tall.

Just looked it up - if it's more than 30cm off the ground it needs PP.

What can I do?

Go and speak to the neighbours is a start.

What height is it if they can see into your daughters bedroom? Can you drawn a picture because I can't picture it. Sounds shit though.

I work for a local council and all services are working, go back to the council and contact your local councillor.

If it is raised more than 30cm above the garden level or is above 2.3m tall it may need pp.

Surely if it’s a bar they are facing into the bar ? We need a diagram.

Put up trellis and a climber ?

Of course Environmental Health is operating - it's a statutory function. As is Building Control. And the Police are contactable via many routes.

You also have three ward councillors and an MP who spend much of their time on residents' case work and liaison between residents and the Council and/or the Police.

My neighbour has spent the last three months building every night beyond 10pm. Sawing hammering, no use of my garden this year so far.

Why can you not use your garden?

She is terrified as a preteen as grown men were staring in all day yesterday

Did you write this poorly? Did you mean she was scared they were staring in but clearly were not as they were watching the football together?

Blinds or privacy film will sort her issue. I’d maybe try to calm her down, it’s highly unlikely a group of men were standing all day staring into her bedroom.

How high is the bar if they can stare right into your daughters bedroom? I’m a bit confused by that, but maybe I’m being thick.

I’d speak to your neighbour, then having a bar in their garden shouldn’t have such a massive impact on your life so long as they’re not having parties until the early hours every weekend. Also if the men really are staring into your DDs room, I’d have a word at the time abs remind them they’re staring inappropriately at a child. That should stop them in their tracks.