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 ?

Copper nails??
My neighbour has planted a fast growing tree in my front garden. It’s way to big for there and hanging over mine now and blocking the light. I also sit plotting what I can do (maybe a branch will come down in high winds? )

Report to the council 100%. I’m sorry but they don’t care about you, you need to look out for yourself x

@Silvafoxa

What makes it hard to complain is that i’m a single parent and feel isolated as it is. Falling out with my only neighbour really is quite a big thing. They are very rich and intimidating. I worked so hard to create a home for my DC and on the weekends off just do not need to feel I cannot relax.

That’s what makes my AIBU so tough. It’s unfair ppl are so inconsiderate.

They know you're a single parent and isolated. That's why they did it and shrugged off your complaint.

A big angry man standing in their doorway would elicit a different response.

@PooPooPongDelong

So @ohmybod no one should buy a house near trees now because you should factor in that neighbours could be selfish wankers and build a tree house without PP?

Nobody knows how 'bad it could be' it shouldn't be there so there's no point in speculating It doesn't matter how well behaved their children are. Those neighbours could move tomorrow and leave you with a bigger problem , they could have friends who are not so well behaved too.

It's an invasion of her privacy, blocks her light and most probably illegal but hey, she should have thought it through... I despair... 🙄

Exactly what I said, and there was nothing 'disproportinate' about it.

How ridiculous to say if someone buys a house with a neighbour's tree close-ish to their house, that they shouldn't whinge if the neighbour puts a massive fuck-off treehouse in the tree gawping RIGHT INTO their windows!

As you say, I despair too. The batshittery on here knows no bounds sometimes, honestly.

@Ohmybod

if someone has a tree and has young children, it’s not a huge leap to think perhaps one day it might be put to use as a treehouse.

Err, yeah it is a BIT of a huge leap. In the 12 properties I have lived in in my lifetime, 10 of them with children next door, and all with trees, none of the neighbours have EVER built a massive bastard treehouse 5-6 feet away from MY windows, enabling them all to gawp at me, whilst I'm doing the washing up, or sitting watching Line of fucking Duty!

@Rosscameasdoody

I have two large trees on the boundary and my first thought on buying our house wasn’t future tree houses !! They’re subject to planning permission, local covenants, and in some cases building consent. If someone is daft or arrogant enough to build one of the size the OP’s neighbour has, without permission, they deserve everything they get.

Yes! To this! ^ As I said, that would be the last thing you'd think of!

And yes, the OP's shitty neighbours DO deserve everything they get. Hopefully the council force them to remove this monstrosity of a treehouse.

@Silvafoxa PLEASE do report your neighbours. As a few posters have said, they will just continue to make your life a miserable hell, if you keep letting them get away with shit! Put your foot down now. You'll regret it if you don't.

Typo... (in my post at 14.51 and 24 seconds...)

Should read...

Exactly what I said, and there was nothing 'disproportionate' about it..

The fact they said they had a contact at the planning office is exactly the kind of thing these people do, to sound intimidating and important. People don’t generally risk their jobs for idiot relatives and their treehouses!

We had neighbours at the top of the road who constructed a huge decking structure. The council were excellent in enforcing the decision and it did get taken down in the end. Well worth persevering.

@Leftbutcameback

The fact they said they had a contact at the planning office is exactly the kind of thing these people do, to sound intimidating and important. People don’t generally risk their jobs for idiot relatives and their treehouses!

.... and if they do, then the idiot relative deserves to lose their job.

As the majority of people here have said, OP, please report to the Council - and let us know how you get on! Good luck, I really hope your neighbours treehouse gets what it deserves.

Could you plant something to obscure it?

I know bamboo grows like a bugger and can be used for situations like this.

If they really think they can bend planning laws, then copy in your local councillor to the email you send to the enforcement team. This will keep the matter under scrutiny

Excellent advice. A quiet word with the councillor would be worthwhile too.

Neighbor disputes can really escalate and get nasty, so I totally understand why the OP may be reluctant to go in guns blazing.

It's true that the kids may never actually use it, but it's also true that it's likely illegal.

I don't think the OP is a dick for not rushing into things.

I do think the neighbor is a dick though!

I wish we had a photo.

Report

Please do report it to the planning authorities.. my sister build a tree house at the bottom of her garden, within the permitted height. Her neighbours did complain, the planning officer came out and measured and said had it even been 5cm bigger, they would have needed to make alterations. It was within the limit so it was allowed to stay.

Definitely report - as everyone else has said. They were/are never going to be your friends, they are just your neighbours - and as pp have said, they are relying on you not complaining. If you were a big, rough bloke who took no shit they wouldn’t even have attempted this in case they woke to find the tree and house burnt to the ground / they are bullying you because you’re a woman in her own. Fuckers.

As for the previous comment about not buying a property with a tree nearby

@SirChenjins

Definitely report - as everyone else has said. They were/are never going to be your friends, they are just your neighbours - and as pp have said, they are relying on you not complaining. If you were a big, rough bloke who took no shit they wouldn’t even have attempted this in case they woke to find the tree and house burnt to the ground / they are bullying you because you’re a woman in her own. Fuckers.

As for the previous comment about not buying a property with a tree nearby

@SirChenjins

As for the previous comment about not buying a property with a tree nearby...

I know right. Batshit!

OP, you've tried the direct and reasonable approach which didn't work. Please don't waste time looking up planning laws, report it now to the Planning Department.

Don't let these people intimidate you, it's irrelevant if they are rich.

They just said that their house was built first and they always planned to put a treehouse there before our property was built.

Their intentions will make no odds to the council's planning office.
They are blocking your light & obstructing your window. Forget about reasoning with the selfish knobs - get on to the council & stand your ground!

@Silvafoxa
I so empathise!
These awful tree houses and trampolines are always put as close to boundary walls as possible
The people who do this want their kids as far from them as possible

We had hell from a massive trampoline
I feel your pain.

If they are that rich they can move to where there hideous jerrybuilding won’t have an impact on neighbours

They are very rich and intimidating.
Even more reason to stand up to them. Or you will continue to feel intimidated by them forevermore.

I think I’ll look up all the local planning laws and make a case. But I imagine they will just get retrospective planning. They once told me they are “in” with the planning officers as a family member works for them (they had an extension a few yrs ago).
Make sure you mention the family connection when you raise your complaint. Obvs make sure you are not talking with the relative themselves! - but once you are speaking with the planning officer, tell them that your neighbours have boasted of having an "in" & that you are concerned about their influence.

Their treehouse is compromising your privacy & denying your light.
If you are concerned about how much influence that may be able to assert at local level, get on to your MP & get her/his team on your side.
"Rich, influential" people should not be bullying single mothers or abusing the planning system. Somebody in your MP's office will see that - & the extra 'clout' will really help you.

Definitely contact planning. They are taking your feelings and neighbourly relations into account, so why would you?

MPs don't usually get involved in local Planning issues.
Your local Councillor is the person to contact.

@Silvafoxa

We sent them a photo. They just said that their house was built first and they always planned to put a treehouse there before our property was built. Such an odd response ! We didn’t build our house we purchase it.

Should a build a taller treehouse ? 😂

I would report it to the council. Include pictures from inside your house, from each location where it dominates your view or blocks your light. Also take pictures of it at night, so high up with the fairy lights on. Also, pictures that show the proximity to your house. Be sure to include how big it is and how high it is.