Neighbours New Tree house

[Silvafoxa]

Hi,

Just some background. I have DC and we are friendly with neighbours. We live in a semi rural area but our garden is (was) completely private and we enjoy that! especially with lockdown.
There are no other neighbours in close proximity.

So our neighbours started work on a treehouse that is approx 10ft + in a tree at the back of their garden. Our garden and house wraps around the back of the garden.It is at the very bottom of their garden. The tree house is 5ft from out kitchen window and looks directly into it.

It’s all we now see looking out our kitchen window and completely dominates our view (I have shrubs and planting but nowhere nr 15ft to cover).

It also now blocks all light into kitchen. It’s a big shed on stilts with overlooking windows. With added fairy lights. It use to be pitch black outside our window snd it’s lit up in the evenings.

Since it’s been erected random adults have been up and looking through into our house (maybe unintentionally but it’s really not nice).

I spoke to neighbour who said it’s for children and to lighten up. They were very dismissive and said it’s staying.

I just think come summer it’s going to be hell with kids in there so close to our kitchen and patio. They didn’t put it nr their house probably for the same reasons I do not want it so close to mine.

Am I being miserable, it’s such an eyesore ?
Should I report to the council ?

Very unreasonable of them, did they tell you what they were doing and ask for your opinion? Any considerate would so wouldn't feel guilty about putting in objections at all. Good luck! X

The planning rules are there for a purpose to protect your privacy. As they have refused to act report the issue of the Council and let them investigate. Otherwise it will fester.

Could you plant some Leylandi or kill the tree with a tree killer

@Silvafoxa
You could buy blinds which only allow one way viewing. You can see out and get lots of light but others cannot see IN. They're very affordable roller blinds and come in a white textured fabric which looks lovely online. They also screen harmful rays from the sun.
It might be an option if the council don't uphold your complaint.
I'd be annoyed too. I lived next to a house with a large outdoor swimming pool and diving board.
All summer, music, screaming kids and adults from 6am until 3 or 4am. Drove me mad.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9626835/Father-built-16ft-high-wooden-treehouse-without-planning-permission-ordered-demolish-it.html
This

@Noni123

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9626835/Father-built-16ft-high-wooden-treehouse-without-planning-permission-ordered-demolish-it.html This

Seems a intriguing design, I wonder if he was successful in the retro planning permission ?

Here’s a different one (high-built playhouse rather than treehouse), fwiw.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2542667/Family-ordered-tear-childrens-8ft-playhouse-garden-doesnt-planning-permission.html?ico=amp-comments-viewall#comments-2542667

From my city but I don’t know what the ultimate outcome was.

My link is very old btw — sorry! It just stuck in my mind for some reason

You need planning permission for a treehouse, especially one that high

The security light is a brilliant idea. Will annoy the hell out of them. They will then ask you to alter it……….

report it to the council , its now interfering with your light and view , yes they are going to know its you , and i appreciate its just you and dc so yes you are going to feel apprehensive , but they clearly dont give a monkeys and to be fair whats the worst they can do if they are told to take it down or make it much smaller , the only things they can do are the dirty looks when and if they see you outside coming and going if they happen to be leaving their house , in which case you just ignore it or give them a nice cheery hello , lovely morning .

i suspect it you dont report it and hopefully get it dealt with its going to eat away at you like a festering wound just as much or more than just reporting it and worrying them having the flaming hump with you ,

I’d report to the council.

And in the meantime get an outside projector snd use the treehouse as the screen. Play movies every time they use it in the evening. If it’s getting used in the day play loud music. Fuck them.

Its a planning breach. They can't do that without planning. A simple Google search will tell them that.

Report them to planning. You have been polite and tried to talk to them about it and they have not offered any compromise so it's not unreasonable at all.

Also, if you don't report it now and get it taken down, think how it will affect the resale value of your house! No way I would buy a house with a treehouse overlooking the kitchen.

and i just want to add i think theres no need for these blasted things to be built anyway , dobbies do a big range of wooden playhouses for kids , some of them are very large and have a little balcony at the front , a built in bunkbed , the only reason these well to do familes build bloody huge treehouses for their kids is as some kind of status symbel most likely , their precious darlings have a huge treehouse to play in , look how impressive it is kind of thing

A way to get round the concern about them having an ‘in’ with the local Council planning department is to contact your local councillor and get them onside. (Of course, this relies on the NDNs not being mates with the local councillors too, which they may well be.) The Councillor can go to senior officers at the Council who your concern would otherwise not reach and can be a useful way of exerting pressure for enforcement action.

To be honest, if the treehouse is as obnoxious as you’ve described - with windows overlooking your house, lit up, right on the property border etc - then I’d struggle to see how its at all permissible and how it could gain retrospective permission.

Please don't let them intimidate you (I know it's easier said than done).
Definitely phone your local planning office.
In my experience they are pretty hot and act quickly on things like this.

Definitely report.

The relationship you have now, ongoing, with your neighbour is 'we can do what we like, fuck you'... so there is no benefit in that continuing!

Don't warn them, they've had warning, they don't need any more.

I think you should report tree house . Ditto fairly lights as a light nuisance m. I had the council remove the might from the flats backing into us as it was too late. Please report. I’m too much of a wuss. Do it for me!!!!

YANBU.What a horrible thing for them to do. The least they could do is turn the fairy lights off at night, but I suppose that's when they want them on. Could they block up the window that looks into your house? They are being totally disrespectful toward you. I hope you decide to stand up to them.

Feel for you OP, and they sound incredibly selfish and intimidating. As others say, speak to council, there could be adjustments to avoid people gaping in your kitchen. The thing to keep in mind is that this could affect the value of your house and ability to sell in the future so is worth a bit of effort now.

Yes - report them and follow through. They have made their position clear - make yours clear. Do t do any daft signs - just keep your dignity and resolve.

Very inconsiderate of them. Their children's needs don't have priority over yours. I would report irrespective of whether they know.

don't

Nobody would buy a house with a tree house that close to their windows! They are blighting your property.