AIBU to report my CF neighbour CF for doing the same thing she's reported me for to Planning?

[DividedHouses]

We own part of a big old house which is divided into five "residential units" really mini houses- we each have our own front/back doors and front/back gardens. We're on one end. Over the last few years we've done some like-for-like replacements (leaky oil tank, falling down porch and steps). The adjoining neighbour put in a complaint to planning (and told us she'd done it -- she's a bit off and is always having disputes with the nice old chap the other side of her). We didn't worry thinking everything we had done fell squarely under permitted development since she's the type to report you if your bin's a bit dirty.

Wrong! Letter from planning tells us permitted development doesn't apply in divided houses and now we need retrospective planning for it all. Would she/planning have preferred us to let the old oil tank leak, the porch fall down altogether (rotting!) and my older spouse break his neck on the steps (one was missing!)? Anyway.... so the letter recommends we hire a specialist firm and get plans drawn up and request permission for what we already did.

Irony is this CF has built one of those wooden shed/pod things at the end of the garden telling everyone it's permitted development..it's large and has a veranda and 3 rooms!

AND she originally bought two of the little houses we all live in and converted them into big one, again telling us all it was permitted development.

WIBU to report her? And if I do, does anyone know planning rules for subdivided houses? Can you build a wooden hut in your garden under permitted development if you live in a divided house? Can you combine two houses into one under permitted development if they are part of a divided house?

She did both of these things more than four years ago -- does the four year rule apply (if not reported in four years they let it go)?

Thanks for replying if you have any insights! I'm resigned to spending money we haven't got to fix the problem and get retrospective approval, but I'd like to either report her or let her know she's reporting us for stuff she's done that she shouldn't (if that's the case...)

Voting:
YANBU Report the CF.
YABU No, don't report her - two wrongs don't make a right.

Planner here.

I am assuming that you are in England, and that the property is not Listed, in a Conservation Area or within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or National Park.

From your description I think the residential units are houses not flats? Flats never have permitted development rights.

I suspect when the original house was converted into 4 units there was a condition on the permission removing some or all permitted development rights.
Without seeing the exact wording of the condition it is hard to say what exactly would need PP.

I think it likely that your ndn would require PP for the outbuilding, but you would need to check the original PP for the house conversion for the conditions..

Development carried out in breach of a condition can be enforced against for a 10 year period (rather than the 4years mentioned above).

I am surprised that the Council required PP for general maintenance unless what you replaced was significantly different or bigger than the original. I am also surprised that the Council recommended a specialist firm.

Generally, the conversion of 2 houses into 1 does not require PP if there are no extensions or major external alterations required, but again the original PP for the original conversion would need checking.

I think you are being unreasonable.

Mainly because you have different responsibilities when you run a business. Which you have made your home into.

If you don’t know this - this is a good lesson to you.

Don’t care about your neighbour - sounds awfull - i wouldnt want to live next to her - but why stoop to her level. Doesn’t make you sound any better.

Planner here. No point me posting because @Seeline has said it all really.

i wouldn't class your replacement oil tank or repairs to the steps as development. I can’t comment on the porch without more information.

You don’t need a specialist firm for this and I’m surprised they suggested it. I’ve dealt with retrospective applications that were supported by before and after photos

Absolutely report her. Karmas a bitch
If nothing is wrong then so be it 🤔

And mine too then. Almost whole thread is lined out.