To deny neighbour access to render extension?

[Amberlynnswashcloth]

Semi detached neighbours are building extension within millimeters of the shared fence allowing no access from their own property for maintenance. Predictibly, they now want access to my garden to render the outside and to do this they would need to remove the fence and everything near the fence like my seating area, storage box, potted plants etc. I don't want to agree to this. There's the inconvenience of not being able to use our garden, DCs wont be able to play outside and I'd have to keep the dog in. My main issue is that the layout of the houses means the wall is literally right outside my kitchen/livingroom window which feels really close and intrusive and when people are working on it they are literally looking right at me sitting in my house. I don't want workman coming any closer into our space - we are trying to enjoy the nice weather and it's been quite disruptive as it is.

Anyone had experience with this? Its really stressing me out as I don't like to be deliberately obstructive but I strongly don't want to agree to this and feel it's not my problem to solve. I accept that refusal might mean forever looking at an ugly wall but I plan to grow something climbing to mask it.

They are waiting for an answer.

AIBU to say 'no'?

Edited to add that they don't want access right now - just at some point.

I'd just let them. It'll be inconvenient but sometimes in life things are. I'd rather be a good neighbour than be deliberately awkward.

If you need access to do essential work on your own property (like painting, repairing a roof, or fixing a wall), you have two main routes:

Ask for Permission: Always try talking to your neighbour first. If they agree, get it in writing.

The Access to Neighbouring Land Act 1992: If they refuse, you can apply to the County Court for an Access Order. A judge can grant this if the work is essential for the preservation of your house and cannot be done otherwise.

Is their work essential?
Doubt it.

So sounds like they're stuffed and you effectively can hold them to ransom if you want to. Not necessarily good for future relations though.

However, if you choose to allow them to, you can make it contingent on payment for your disruption. How much is a conversation to be had between yourselves but payment is a classic way of resolving disputes.

Annoying but I’d probably let them, at the end of the summer once you’re no longer using the garden to sit out in during the day. You don’t need to inconvenience yourself too much, while still not being horribly awkward.

It might be essential to render the wall if it’s made of porous material (eg concrete blocks). It would then also be essential to re-apply the render occasionally in future.

So I think you should tell them now that you don’t plan to allow access, that you will be growing plants in that area that you don’t want to be disrupted/damaged now or in future, and so they should build the wall from weatherproof materials that they don’t need to render, like brickwork.

Did you object to their planning permission or was it not needed?

I would probably agree in the interests of future good relations but wouldn’t do anything to help aside from allowing access. So they have to move everything and put it all back exactly as they found it. And I would set any limits about future access. For example not being allowed access to paint it within three years or whatever.

Were you aware of what the planed extension would be like before they built it? Did you have any chance to object on the grounds of proximity, blocking light or anything.

I mean, if you didn't object before it was built presumably they are reasonable to suppose you are ok with it being there

TBH now it's there I probably would let them but first I would want to enquire:

• how long the work is likely to take
• For some idea when it is likely to take place as you have plans for that bit of the garden which you wouldn't want to start until all work is done

YABU and petty.

Rendering will take a matter of hours.

if they are anyway decent neighbours I would just let them do it. I would everything put back the way it was though.

A total home goal not to you have to look at it
take a couple of days tops

Also how would you grow something to cover it you can’t attach anything to it

Pick a period of time that suits you, ask that they use stuff that doesn’t need painting and cleaning, tell them which covers you are happy with. Tell them how much notice you will need and that they will have to pay for all clean up & any damage.

Inconvenient as it is, is it worth falling out with your neighbours over. You may be living side by side for many years

My main issue is that the layout of the houses means the wall is literally right outside my kitchen/livingroom window which feels really close and intrusive and when people are working on it they are literally looking right at me sitting in my house.

They will be busy focusing on getting the job done, they won’t be standing around peering in through your windows all day. Is shutting the curtains/blind/taping paper to the window to temporarily obscure view an option?

I can’t really imagine not allowing my neighbours to do this tbh. But, having lived next door to nightmare neighbours in a previous property, I’d prefer to keep a happy neighbouring relationship. Once things sour it can be hell to live nextdoor to some people.

You cannot grow anything on their wall, and if you do and it causes any damage you are completely liable for repairs. If the building is not structurally sound without the render then they can apply to the court for access for essential work and they will get it. Im afraid the only thing you can do is be difficult and refuse and have an ongoing bad relationship with them, or not. The wall will still go up and if it has to be rendered it will be. Your choice.

Did the extension need planning permission, does the guttering hang over your garden, do you know what the exterior wall is made of, how much wall needs render or treatment.,did they need access from your side to build any of the extension.

We are self building an extension and we will be rendering in the next 3-4 weeks as our wall is built with blocks. I have the loveliest neighbour and she has no issues with us using her garden but I always make sure if we need to access her garden that we clean properly.
Tbh I would not like to look at a wall that is not rendered if it was the other way round!

Let them do it. It's more stressful being THAT neighbour than it is being co operative.

I would definitely ask them how long this will take. If more than two days or so I'd ask for a quicker turnaround. And reinstatement of your side of things.

For the duration of the work I'd just close the curtains, or pull the blinds, or like I had to do a few years ago before my own house was finished inside - tape brown paper over the inside of the window! It'll get you through a few days. Then it's done and won't happen again for years if ever.

This happened to us some years ago. The people next door built an enormous extension and it turned out that ours was the only household that they had not notified of their plan. They had previously objected successfully to plans we had submitted for alterations to our own property. They then tried to get us to agree to their builders erecting scaffolding in our garden to render and then paint the wall that abutted our hedge. It was a big garden and we didn't have any garden furniture anywhere near, as you do but there was a thick, mature hedge and part of it would have had to be removed. We said no and the wall was still unrendered when we moved some years later. We had no trouble seeing the umcompleted wall but you have it ouside your kitchen and living room windows. Your plan to grow some screening is sound.

I’d let them do it, good neighbourly relationships are important and for the sake of a little inconvenience I’d get over myself.

If the extension is already built then they could apply to the court for access. If its not built then you can deny them access . Either way you can impose conditions as other PP upthread have pointed out.

If the extension already exists then it seems reasonable not to have any work done during summer so you can enjoy your garden. So you can insist upon it being put off until autumn. I would also insist upon them signing an actual written agreement promising to restore the ground like for like and indemnify you for any damage done. Do not rely upon verbal promises.

If the extension is not yet built and you decide to grant access you can again insist upon a legal agreement drawn up by a solicitor for which they pay. You can charge for the use of your land as well as requiring them to make good. You can also impose access conditions going forward.

What you need to ask yourself is what are you getting out of this situation? They are getting a nice new extension but there is noting in it for you except mess and inconvenience. There has to be something in it for both parties. You dont have to do free favours for neighbours. Treat this as a business transaction.

Once you begin talking about money and "I will give you a price/impose conditions" people often back off and find another way around he problem.

My neighbour presented me with the same dilemma- she threatened - allow us access or the wall you look at with look like shit. I had no choice - she could have said please!

Thanks for all your views.

It's within permitted development so no opportunity to object to anything despite this blocking out my light.

Not planning to grow anything on their wall - just on my side.

Although awkward (and expensive) for them, I wonder if there is a way of doing it from above or using some telescopic tool to access the space between their wall and our fence from their side?

If I agreed to let them and set specific times and ground rules should this be done informally or ask them to get legal papers? Would that be OTT? I just don't trust them and other things have happened that tell me they don't take a lot of care with other people's property. I don't like them, honestly, but I make the effort to be neighbourly and considerate. They don't give a hoot.

You can't grow anything on their wall, I'd say yes but need a firm date which is mutually acceptable, how long will it take, they move your furniture, pay for ant damage, keep the house down. If the wall is that close I assume their equipment will be on your garden? I'd always offer compensation for the mess, noise and inconvenience and if they built a brick extension they wouldn't need render.

I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t trust them not to damage things or to replace or fix things they do break.

They should have thought about this when they decided to build their extension mere mm away from the boundary.

We have lost a load of plants this year from our Arsehole neighbours and their work. Despite promises of fixing or replacing anything they damage they haven’t. So from now on they get to go fuck themselves zero good will.

How much wall is there? Is it just a low wall below windows or the same size as the house, take plenty of photos.

Well......if they were easily allowed to do the initial work it seems a bit pointless to stop them doing the rendering. I'd say yes between (say) 9 and 12 noon each day until completed and any damages are paid for by them. Take photos. I'd see CAB to draw up a little "letter" of confirmation