Neighbours

[Dinotree]

We have lived in our house for over 30 years and always got on well with neighbours on both sides. "New" neighbours moved in around 15 years ago and from the start started telling us what we should and should not be doing. We got a new larger conservatory about 10 years ago, it is a permitted build does not go right up to the boundary line (which is our fence) but suddenly the neighbours have complained about the amount of moss which somehow bounces over the 6ft fence onto their patio from our conservatory roof - it does not, the magpies love to sit in the guttering on all the house roofs and fling the moss down - it lands on our conservatory roof (and stays until we remove it) and also their conservatory and patio. They wanted us to put up a screen or higher fence. They have now decided to put up 4 9ft fences themselves on their side of garden, but hard up against our fence, they have put fence posts in and made an 9ft frame and started to put panels in for a fence - we asked if they had planning, which they didn't and then proceeded to tell us the conservatory is an eyesore, they have to look at it from their conservatory, the gutter brush was ugly, its too near their house - so trying to be nice neighbours, we removed the gutter brush and always keep the side pannels down the side facing them clean.

We have not been advised from planning department so assumed it still in the process. They went away for a month, came back and within a week another frame went up - again we asked if they had planning and they say they have put it in, we did tell them that just because they've put it in does not mean they can go ahead, to which they replied that one of them had slipped on the moss. The problem is that we can now see this "fence" from every room at the back of our house and through our conservatory roof - we have had to change around the conservatory seating area so that we can not see it, but is difficult as we work from home in there. They have now hung christmas lights onto the frame - having never had lights before, which when switched on shine into all our back windows and lights up the conservatory - now, I like christmas and christmas lights, but don't expect them to be above me. They have been trying for years to get an extension, but as they spent out for a tiled roof to their conservatory they couldn't afford to extend. I Really do not know what to do.

You have to have planning permission for a fence over 6ft6 high so you can report them - but permission could well be granted eventually. Surely you would be better off thinking how you can enhance your side of the boundary to make it nicer - perhaps some mirror panels?

this is how neighbour disputes start and they can go on like this getting worse and worse for years so think really carefully about your next step in trying to get this resolved. First off I would speak to your local planning officer and explain the 9ft panels. anything over 6ft usually needs planning permission and if they have installed them without then this is a breach. but be aware. if you do this then this becomes something that you have to declare on a sellers information form should you decide to sell in the next 5 years.

Try talking with your neighbour about both of your issues somewhere on neutral ground not in one or other of your homes. if both of you agree look into mediation to see if between you you can work out a compromise. basically do everything you can to resolve this informally and amicably because neighbour disputes make your home a nightmare to live in once they escalate.

They are very unlikely to get planning approval. I am on a planning committee and we would only approve something over 6 foot in exceptional circumstances e.g. the house backed onto industrial units, never between 2 houses.

Are you certain they have even applied? I'd definitely make calls to council.

We did speak to them about lowering the "fence" - we would be happy for them to have a 7ft one, they would then only see their fence and we would not see it through the glass roof and all they said was we'll see and maybe, this was before they put up the second frame so obviously not going to happen 😕

Google the planning portal for your local council then search for their address, if they have applied all the details and the current status of the application will be there.

A 6ft fence suffices for both parties to get their privacy.

There is nothing on the Council Planning Portal so far and I know that when you put in planning or objections you need valid reasons and cannot put anything 'personal' - as in the conservatory is ugly!

Report to planning and stop engaging with them. I had a nightmare neighbour - a real bitch who hated the fact she could see our conservatory. I bent over backwards trying to please her. Even repainted it a different colour. She was a nasty piece of work and I should have just ignored her from the off and told her to do one.

There's your answer then. Let the council know