AIBU to ask if I can report my neighbour's bright blue house?

[Katey83]

I live in a terraced house. My neighbours have painted the back of their house bright blue (think swimming pool blue / like the Mikanos blue). It is horrible and looms over my garden. It’s really going to spoil my enjoyment of my space to have to look at this every day. I spoke to the wife earlier this morning and said it was not to my taste and would they consider changing and she said ‘the beige of your house isn’t to my taste but it’s your house. This is my house.’ And shut the door in my face. WIBU to report them to the council? Can I even do so? Surely you can’t just paint any offensive colour and expect neighbours to live alongside it?

If it's good enough for posh Chelsea it's good enough for anywhere! Paint yours a jolly colour and start a trend

I love this, all the contrasting colours.

What's the story in Balamory?

Why would you stand/sit in your garden looking up at your neighbour's house?

He will now....

Google Zipporah Lisle-Mainwaring and her stripy house. She won. Nothing you can do.

I know someone who grew up in a pink house and it had to remain pink according to the deeds. Also on the way into Honiton (Devon) on the A35 there was a pretty pink house as you dame down the hill. It was a great landmark, especially when the children were young as they knew it was only an hour more in the car to our destination. It always made me smile. But 2 years ago it was painted white! I'm wondering if next time I am in the area I should knock on the door and complain. How do you think they'd react to me asking for them to put the cheerful pale pink back?

I’m on your side OP, unless I lived in say Notting Hill, or Copenhagen, where the coloured houses are iconic, then I wouldn’t want a brightly coloured house next door to me. A bit of Mama Mia, in the UK in December, when there’s three inches of snow on the ground and Christmas lights twinkling away, is an assault on the senses. It’s pretty shit in 37 degrees in the summer too, but marginally less so.

You have my sympathy, there’s no accounting for taste.

YABVU for expecting your neighbours to decorate to your taste, for referring to 'the wife' and for being snobbish about a neighbour's skilled manual job and calling him a lout. I could go on but I haven't read the whole thread yet.

It's her house. I don't think you have any say in the matter at all.

She probably thinks you were rude.

Call 999 at once. 😂

A murial surely? IYKYK 😉

It didn’t occur to you that they’d have agreed on a bright blue colour before he painted the house with it? You assumed he’d done it behind her back and she would leap at the chance to change it when a neighbour knocked on the door? You’re nuts, or have a bizarre view on relationships.

When I honk ma horn 😂

I have a large bright pink detached house with deep blue/purple sills. So far, all my visitors have been very complimentary about it. 😁

I think she may be right that there's nothing you can do.

I wouldn't give a flying fluff if my neighbour stuck a 20 feet long model of the Starship Enterprise on the roof, and painted a starfield on the back. And I certainly wouldn't care if someone painted their house blue.

However, you're not happy @Katey83 so you are free to report it. (To the council.) Be prepared for a long-running war with your neighbour though, as if you do manage to get the council to tell them to repaint it in a basic colour, they will hate you forever.

Here's what I found on Google.
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In the UK, you generally do not need planning permission to paint the exterior of your house, as this usually falls under Permitted Development. However, painting it a bright or unusual colour comes with a few major caveats depending on your local area and property type.

Key Rules and Restrictions
Listed Buildings: If your home is listed, you almost certainly need Listed Building Consent from the council for any exterior painting, even if you are just re-painting it.

Conservation Areas and Designated Land: If you live in a Conservation Area, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), or a National Park, permitted development rights are often more restricted. In some of these areas, councils enforce an Article 4 Direction, which removes your automatic right to change the exterior colour without applying for planning permission.
Leasehold or Social Housing: If you are a tenant (e.g., in a council or housing association property) or own a leasehold, you must get written permission from your landlord or freeholder before altering the exterior.
Restrictive Covenants: Check your property deeds for any restrictive covenants that dictate acceptable exterior colours.

Next Steps & Local Checks
Before you pick up a paintbrush, it is highly recommended to double-check the specific rules for Eccleshall and your exact address.

This cannot be real. I'd tell you where to go if you insulted my paint choice then asked me to pay for a new fence.

You're getting a hard time because you deserve it. What you've written is mean-spirited, petty, selfish, snobbish, rude and clueless. I'm glad I don't live next door to you.

You're clearly setting yourself up to have a horrible adversarial relationship with your neighbours. Bad move.

My mam used to tell me you can pick your friends and you can pick your nose but you can't pick your friend's nose.

Think it's quite apt here.

Yes people keep saying it because you are coming across so entitled and unreasonable. It is funny to read though!

I know - quite agree with you. Fancy being allowed to paint your house beige!

I haven't read the thread so apologies if this has already been posted. This woman in South Kensington painted her house in red and white stripes allegedly to get back at the neighbours

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-41229433

But those colours [dull to my mind] are the front of the houses aren't they? You still have your garden sanctuary that hasn't changed, just the neighbours wall.

Can you plan some fast growing trees?