To not want to allow neighbours access to put up solar panels?

[TheHorneSection]

The back of our neighbour’s house is the rear wall of our small courtyard garden. We’ve just received a letter from the council saying planning permission has been requested to put solar panels on their rear roof. This rear roof is a) about 10 foot at most from our floor to ceiling kitchen window, and level with our first floor so we can see the entire roof from our kitchen table, and b) seemingly inaccessible without them putting up scaffolding or gaining access through our garden.

They haven’t spoken to us about it, or tried to put letters through the houses they might guess back onto theirs, we’ve only heard through the planning department.

On the one hand, it’s solar panels, and these are good things. But on the other hand, they’ll completely fill our eyeline from the kitchen, and they haven’t asked about access yet.

Would I be a complete arse to tell them I’m really not happy and don’t want to provide access, or do I need to suck this one up for the greater good?

I’ve seen glare from solar panels, from low angles especially.

Scaffolding poles are bolted down onto boards to protect the floor, at least mine were, my side were on decking , the ones next door on concrete slabs, both lots of poles were on feet bolted onto boards.

The boards are 6” wide. The feet were 4x4” squares.

I’m less worried about the glare now, though may ask to know what brand they are putting up so I can read about them.

The idea they can slot scaffolding down the gap is frankly bonkers, I don’t imagine they can get a man down there to bolt it all together, and if they remove the guttering they’ll need access of some sort to put it up. The gap is tiny and filled with plants.

This is the gap, though I don’t know if people can adequately make out the width from this picture.

@Fallenangelofthenorth i'm not in the UK and " is used for ft here. I'm not trying to humiliate anyone! it's even more ridiculous if she's worrying about 2 inches

At the moment it's only at the planning application stage. Why would they ask permission just now when they haven't even got the go ahead.

IF they need access they'll probably ask the OP when the work is being arranged

At the moment she's totally jumping the gun talking about not allowing them access when they might not even need it

Oh man. I'm a total twonk and arranged to build an extension on a semi-detached house without telling our neighbours. In mitigation I have 3 kids and a full on job but even so. Just assume that your neighbours are nice people and it's an oversight rather than anything nefarious.

You’d be massively unreasonable to object though if I was your neighbour I’d have come round “just to let you know”
and ask about access or lack of. I know some installers just walk around rooves without scaffolding. We did have scaffolding and it was there a bit longer than I’d have liked but not unreasonable. Perhaps a week either side or the installation that took one day for 13 panels.

we had solar installed last year, admittedly it’s more of a visual impact to neighbours than to us but it doesn’t bother us (or them, to our knowledge) at all.
No “glare” issues.

Excellent suggestion

our bills are down by about 35% since we got ours but you need a battery to store the energy to make the most of it

Good installers will do this on your behalf. I wouldn’t do a blanket refusal but I’d want reassurance

They might not need scaffolding. When ours got done no scaffolding was involved.

Massively unreasonable to refuse access regardless.

I would just go back to planning, tell,them you object due to the proximity of the properties and that no access will be allowed via your property for installation or maintenance/repair

What exactly does the letter from the council say? You will have received it because the council have identified your property as being nearby enough to be impacted by it. The plans will be available for you to view on the council's website and because you have received the letter you will be invited to object or comment. This will be about the impact the panels themselves might have on you, not about the logistics of actually getting them onto the roof. Access is something to be dealt with at a later date. The householder can't demand access but I don't think you would be reasonable to deny it either. Putting panels on an existing roof won't take long. I'm not sure scaffolding is even always necessary. Read the planning application before worrying about it. Just a thought, is there anything on your deeds about them needing access to maintain their wall?

Where in the world are you where " is used for feet?

She's not worrying about who owns it. She's worrying about how they intend to get access equipment in a 2-inch gap without damaging her fence and/or using her garden

We had them installed last year, they used 2 ladders,no scaffolding. There is no glare. My neighbours had them recently, they put up unessary scaffolding (it's a bungalow) for which they charged £600 extra, they didn't even use it. The scaffolding extended right over our side path,no one bothered to ask permission. It's extremely rare to require pp for solar,on the government paperwork we were given,it said only in conservation area or listed buildings.

Perhaps go and speak with your neighbours, get the reassurance you need that your garden won't be affected, and if you do, then contact the council to say you have had the conversation and support the proposal.

If they refuse to discuss it with you, that is another matter, and you could object to the planning permission.

Solar panels = Good
Being petty = Bad

@BitOutOfPractice middle east. besides that gap is not 2 inches anyway 🙄

I would never grant a neighbour access to my property unless it was for essential repair work that genuinely couldn't be accessed from their own side.
There's nothing in it for your benefit and just potential aggro of the scaffolders or installers cause damage.

It ain’t two feet either @jolaylasofia 😁

Well I never knew it was a variable around the world. I have only ever dealt with uk and American products measured in feet and inches and it’s always ‘ = feet and “ = inches though to me that seems the wrong way round to my brain and I always have to think twice which way round it is. Every day is a school day on mn.

I still think they’re going to struggle manipulating panels in the gap if that is indeed what they’re planning on doing.

I’m trying to get them to talk to me about access but they’re not filling me with confidence yet. Even if they use ladders there’s not enough room that gap for them to place a ladder and climb it without accessing our property, and the only access to our garden is through our garage.

I’m not going to say no on a whim, it’s just not straightforward and we need a conversation.

Between the edge of their gutter and our fence it’s not exactly much more.

I would try and request they install integrated solar panels - they may be able to upgrade those ugly Veluxes at the same time. Why not have a chat with them and try to agree a compromise.

Integrated solar panels, means removing the roof tiles,it's major work,much more expensive, they aren't as energy efficient. Get the neighbours to change the velux windows.... because they are ugly!!!! Well, the houses opposite me, have a mix of bay window, Georgian small pains and picture windows, they look awful. I am going to go round and ask them to change the design 😂

Whether integrated solar panels are as energy efficient or not depends on whether the attic below is a heated space or not.

I don't think you can ask neighbours to change their windows because someone on MN thinks they're ugly
But you can refuse access to your property for non essential work that risks damaging your own property