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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Backgarden privacy

49 replies

Sunny300 · 27/01/2022 10:03

Our neighbours recently had a gym installed in their garden as a business. There was no courtesy warning about this project.

The boundary between us is theirs but has a short wall. We were alright with this until now when the gym is in place and obviously attracts private clients/people unknown to us.

We want privacy given that it is no longer just their friends and family accessing their back garden.

We are in good books with our neighbours and so I raised the idea of increasing privacy but the neighbour does not agree. They said the clients will not look into our garden or at our property as each client has been informed. We don’t think it is practical as sometimes you can’t control where you look. They also said the numbers coming to every appointment are limited and clients are not allowed to loiter.

On thinking it through we still feel that is not enough for our privacy and still strongly feel like erecting a fence on our side property (a few inches from theirs) or add planters with high trellises. We will of course seek fencing law advice.

Are we being unreasonable to want to increase privacy in this case?

OP posts:
shedevill · 27/01/2022 13:59

Check with planning. It's not just privacy, but it's parking, insurance, liability, noise levels, disturbance etc., a whole lot of things. Be very surprised if that doesn't require planning permission.

NameChangeCity123 · 27/01/2022 14:03

@MogsBestestFurball

I think there are regulations about starting a business at a residential property, I'd look into that in the first instance.
Absolutely this. They were lucky that you let the home business thing go ahead given that you will likely now be reluctant to use your own garden or when you do it will be noisy. I'd hate this. If I was them I would have let the fence go higher as a compromise as they probably haven't followed the correct procedures for having a home business given that you weren't asked or even notified in advance
Original poster
Sunny300 · 27/01/2022 14:13

The neighbours on the other sides of their garden have either high fence or trees.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sunny300 · 27/01/2022 14:16

So far noise has not been an issue. But as others have pointed out, we don’t know what might happen in the future. Our main concern at the moment is privacy.

OP posts:
minipie · 27/01/2022 14:20

The thing is, if you don’t object now to the principle of them running a business, it may weaken your position if you get sick of it later and want to object at that point.

Original poster
Sunny300 · 27/01/2022 14:36

Thank you everyone for responding to my post. I certainly did not realise that something like this business would require planning permission which raises an issue for what we should do next. I wonder if our neighbours did. We certainly never saw a planning consultation letter (which our local office sends out if there is an application). This most likely means that there was no application in the first place. Will certainly check the website. We will certainly think through all the points raised above as originally we thought just a fence would solve everything.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sunny300 · 27/01/2022 14:40

Good point. Best to have terms of operating the business on paper now.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sunny300 · 27/01/2022 14:45

Please elaborate on insurance as this is the first time I am hearing about potential impact.

OP posts:
Jesusmaryjosephandtheweedon · 27/01/2022 14:45

They definitely should have planning permission for running a business from a residential property. They should also be paying business rates to the Council for their business.

Finally if you do just whack up a fence to stop the invasion of privacy just eh careful, as others have said the gym then won't be regulated by planning laws ie start times etc. At a point in the future (its 7 years in Ireland not sure in uk) you won't be able to claim as they will claim its established use and you will be stuck at their mercy.

Weigh up your options.

SeasonFinale · 27/01/2022 14:50

@CrystalMaisie

Just put a fence up. Please don’t go to the council or tax office: I’ve been in the receiving end of that, and it was the worst time in my life.
Then perhaps you should have acted within the regulations and laws?
DameAlyson · 27/01/2022 15:03

Please elaborate on insurance as this is the first time I am hearing about potential impact.

Normal household insurance almost certainly won't cover business use/having paying clients on the premises. If any claim arose from their using the premises for business, or involving a client, they probably wouldn't be covered.

Socialcarenope · 27/01/2022 15:03

Just put up a fence on your side of the boundary. It really isn't complex. As long as it's on your land and 2m or less high it's a really simple issue!

Leftbutcameback · 27/01/2022 15:15

Agree with others. You can check if they did apply for planning on the council website (search by address) but you should have got a notice and my money is on them not bothering. Write to the council and let them deal with it.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 27/01/2022 15:33

Could you put a row of seats in your garden looking at their gym and invite friends round to watch and shout encouraging or disparaging remarks like "Come on Number 4, put yer back into it" and a give a rousing cheer should somebody fail at a task. Offer free beer to friends when they attend. You may consequently find that your neighbours raise the height of their fence.

(I'm not really like this myself!) Wink

Original poster
Sunny300 · 27/01/2022 15:37

Wow!

OP posts:
Original poster
Sunny300 · 27/01/2022 15:39

😂 That is some suggestion!

OP posts:
CrystalMaisie · 27/01/2022 16:29

@SeasonFinale I was acting within the law and regulations, Thankyou.

SeasonFinale · 27/01/2022 17:05

[quote CrystalMaisie]@SeasonFinale I was acting within the law and regulations, Thankyou.[/quote]
Then it wouldn't have mattered if someone had made a report about you then.

BigYellowHat · 27/01/2022 17:13

@MorningStarling

Why did you consult them over a fence, given they didn't consult you about opening a gym?

Just put the fence up and forget about them. (Well, once you've checked with the council that the gym is all above board, of course...)

I think this might be a reverse.
LINDAHOAD · 12/01/2024 13:33

if they are running a gym they should have toilets and showers and planning permission - you need to clarify all this because if you want to sell in the future and they are operating a gym from the premises they will say they have operating this for years.

lh

MissCherryCakeyBun · 12/01/2024 13:55

Zombie thread

Vettrianofan · 12/01/2024 13:58

Well, there's nothing else for it. Your neighbour will need to blindfold each client, lead them to the gym and then unblind fold them once they are in the gym. Easy solution 🤷🏻🤣

viques · 12/01/2024 14:01

Human nature being what it is there is only on possible outcome to them emphasising to their clients that they are not to look over the fence…….

WinterMarchesOn · 12/01/2024 14:07

LINDAHOAD · 12/01/2024 13:33

if they are running a gym they should have toilets and showers and planning permission - you need to clarify all this because if you want to sell in the future and they are operating a gym from the premises they will say they have operating this for years.

lh

Hello @LINDAHOAD - why have you resurrected a TWO YEAR OLD THREAD only to add what was said by others at the time? All that will happen now is that another twenty people will come along and say exactly the same thing and the original poster’s inbox will blow up with notifications (always presuming they they are even still registered here).

ZOMBIE THREAD, FOLKS.

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