To have given my neighbour short shrift on the phone after I allowed access under false pretences

[TooManywines]

Neighbour is almost at the end of a first storey extension.
i never opposed any of the plans and as she was extending to the end of her garden I figured that it would give my small garden a litttle bit more privacy. I can see having reviewed the plans her builder has built out 1400 more than was on the plans.

she messaged me to ask if her builder could come into my garden as he needed to make a small hole - there are three brick vents n the new bit so I summised he must’ve been adding to it.

my DD text me at mid day to let me know we had a window facing directly into my garden - I check on my CCTV and she was right.

i phoned the neighbour aghast and asked her what the hell she was playing at and that the window was definitely not on the PP application-her response
‘we needed more light’ 😩

I told her under no uncertain terms that her builder was to vacate my property and to stop work

AIBU to ask them to brick up the window and return it back to how it was - I’m tempted to call the planning enforcement officer so they can see all the other gaffs they’ve made but panicking that she might get asked to tear it all down - which although I’m really cross about I’d not want that to happen.

You can't wait till the weekend to deal with this, planning are notoriously slow.

You must be rich if you can afford to lose the value of your home.
You need to proactive and fight this now

Act now or regret it. Report it either way

OP read this really carefully...

I suspect you're trying to preserve relationships hence giving her some time, but she's not willing so personally I'd call the council and planning asap

Have told her this morning

builder just turned up

You sound petty and ridiculous and I doubt that the Planning dept. will care a jot.

A frosted glass non opening window won’t affect your privacy in the slightest. All the houses on my street where I used to live had them for the upstairs hallway and they made the upstairs brighter and safer.

Solicitor's letter. Raising a formal objection and pointing out there will be financial, and other, consequences.

Told her what?

It's not frosted or non-opening though.

Told her what?

@SummerFade : the window is not frosted. The window can be opened.

This. She cannot have a window overlooking your property. Planning will tell her so, I would think.

I thought it was illegal to build a window into a wall overlooking someone elses property in close proximity like this - unless it was there historically.

Check the bldg regs with your council. She may be hoping that you'll just accept it without checking.

What's being built isn't what they were given permission for, so the planning department will care.

These neighbours are taking the mick, they could well have planned the window all along but knowing it would be a problem left it off the plans.

The basketball hoop will block her out but it’s not a long term solution.

That window is devaluing your property and needs to be removed.

@TooManywines - Builder just turned up- don't let him in your garden!
Get straight onto the planning department!

Refuse access for the builder and tell him what’s going on
works stops until it’s gets bricked up and be there to supervise it being bricked up good luck

It’s neither of those things and we have planning departments for a reason

you’re the one who sounds petty

read the thread properly

How much work is there left to finish the window and does he need access to your garden to do it (obviously don't give it to him!)?

Adding my voice to those saying to ring planning ASAP.

Just adding to the chorus saying you need to tell Planning asap or you'll be giving yourself an even bigger headache further down the line.

Your neighbour has completely forfeited friendly relations if that's your worry - obviously you don't want to get unpleasant with her but absolutely deal with it promptly through official channels, not just about the window but everything.

If she wants more light she can put In a roof light and/or go outside.
Flaming cheek. Report the whole lot to planning. People can't just put in whatever they want. Planning is there for a reason.

Yes don't delay because if she doesn't stop and goes ahead with the window it's harder to get it removed than it is to stop it. Especially as she can delay trying to get retrospective planning.

Then why are you waiting so long to actually do something?

It only happened yesterday afternoon while OP was at work!

We decided not to buy a house we really loved purely because their neighbours had a window which looked over the garden. The house had been reduced and on the market for 6 months so I wonder if other people felt the same. The estate agent was trying to convince us that the neighbours ‘wouldn’t be able to see us’ but we just got out of there straight away.