Genuinely unsure if IABU

[devildeepbluesea]

My lovely neighbour (rented property) told me on moving in that she works nights as a HCP. This is borne out, as far as it goes - she’s clearly out overnight but only for 1-2 nights per week.

In the meantime I’m pretty sure she’s running a commercial kitchen from her home, and making her living mostly from this.

Are there any circumstances where this is ok? I don’t want to knacker her income stream but equally I’m a bit worried about vermin (lots of evidence of food prep outside in the garden).

You're not.completely sure what's happening?

Oh, please do report it to the council. You seen determined to. Just bloody well do it.

Then keep your sticky beak out.

Well if the cap fits OP...

You have no idea what the food is even though you smell it constantly, it's prepared six feet from you, and you can see the food waste (over a 9ft fence). K.

What exactly are you complaining about? You don’t know if she has a business, you don’t know if she leaves food out.. you don’t know if there is a vermin problem.. you don’t know what she does… what is the problem?

YANBU to complain about unreasonable or late night noise or vermin or any reasonable problem, but if none of those exist then YABVVU.

FYI in 2015 legislation was brought in to make it easier for tenants to run suitable businesses from rented homes so she might be well within her tenancy. Google The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015.

Before this the main issue for landlords regarding tenants running businesses from home were concerns that it may give the tenant security of tenure (ie the right to renew indefinitely) under the The Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. They were not necessarily objecting for any other reason.

LLs are usually glad that tenants are earning, and should be even more so these days. Cottage industry used to be normal and widespread including from rented housing. It should be still. It’s ridiculous to prevent tenants from earning a living in reasonable and law abiding ways just because they rent.

I hope you’ve got planning permission for your 9ft fence (it needs it if it’s over 2m). I’d hate to think of one of your neighbours reporting you to the council.

You came on here to ask if you were being unreasonable. You have been defensive when people have said you are, so what is it you want? Mumsnet to align with you? You could have got a really shitty neighbour instead you have a lovely one, so just mind our own business.

Are you in Becontree by any chance, OP?

eh? That’s not what unconscious bias means.

It’s DEFINITELY ethnic food. I’d wager a hefty bet.

Could you please confirm one way or the other so we can rule that in or out.

Sorry, I meant to say Dagenham

9fts really high(states the obvious) so do you hear chopping and whisking? How do you know the ingredients. Is there a fire burning and smoke? You can't actually see anything unless you have a window that overlooks?

Right? This is getting intriguing…

• the neighbor is preparing food in the garden
• it smells good
• I can’t see what it is due to the 9’ fence
• I can see that the results of this cooking is attracting vermin.
• I know it’s for commercial sale.

Of all the things that keep me up at night, it never occurred to me to worry about whether my neighbour’s landlord has the right insurance 🤣🤣. Clearly I am doing life wrong… 🤔

Unless you live in a different country I don't see how preparing food in the garden in the UK multiple times a week is even possible with the weather we have 🤔 and surely food cooking (which I presume your other neighbours do too) which you said smells good is better than having a stoner neighbours who stinks your house out with weed every night.

For me it largely depends on if she’s peeling some veg or baking brownies (live and let life) or plucking live chickens and draping fish guts about the place? The two are quite different…

From your OP:

”In the meantime I’m pretty sure she’s running a commercial kitchen from her home, and making her living mostly from this.”

If you had simply said you actually knew she was prepping food commercially on her property, you’d have had a very different response.

Why did you go from not being sure, to being certain, when the thread didn’t go your way?

I suspect the OP knows exactly what food is being prepared but is being deliberately vague because revealing the cuisine would be telling on herself of what the real issue is.

I couldn’t care as long as there is no vermin, which it seems as though there is not. If vermin do appear, THEN it’s an issue that needs to be addressed, on the basis of vermin.

Don’t speak to her first. She will know it’s you who rang the council. You know you have to do that or you will get rodents, flies, etc. Etc

Wow, how intriguing.
Is she cooking for the people she cares for?
Does she cook for her family who work full time?

This is the start of a best seller.
Do you fancy writing a book.

Is this so people can point and giggle 'you racist ner ner'? wouldn't it be simpler even if the food is british for people to just call the op racist as they want to do that anyway, people stick racist onto anything

9ft high fence - OP you need to add this to your list to report to the planning department, in case the property owner didn't get planning permission. That's well over the allowable maximum.

Yanbu in respect of food rotting in the garden. It will definitely attract vermin, and must also be an eyesore. Mention to her your concerns about the food outside, and if she chooses to ignore your valid worries, then report her to environmental health.

Oh give over 🙄

Oh, come ON!

It's obviously going to be "foreign food", isn't it?
And also obviously, if it attracts vermin then the OP needs to do something about it.
Otherwise-well, she doesn't have to eat it. And cooking outdoors doesn't mean lack of hygiene. It's something that's done in many non-Shepherd's Pie making cultures.

Rental tenants are a real lottery, so if I had a lovely neighbour and nice cooking smells, I'd keep my nose out.

You could end up shooting yourself in the foot if you get her evicted, OP.