Neighbours portaloo

[AmIAWeed]

We have new neighbours - they have a very large house, we have a the tiny poor house next to them! On one side of our property - their boundary which they are responsible for there is a very poor hedge, numerous gaps, falling over in places and an absolute eyesore.
To make the eyesore worse the new neighbours have decided to add a portaloo right on the boundary in full view of our dining room - delightful.

Since they've moved in they've been plagued with problems, putting horses on their field and due to lack of proper fencing they've escaped numerous times. I know a few people have complained as a result and they probably aren't feeling particularly welcome so i'm dubious about how I can ask them about the eyesore that is a blue plastic portaloo and how long it's going to be there.

If it is going to be there more than a couple of days, am I unreasonable to ask them to move it anywhere else on their 8 acres that isn't on the boundary/in full view of my lounge/diner?
I can see lots online about regulations on needing portaloos on construction sites but nothing at all about positioning.

I think it would be reasonable to ask them to move it, since they have plenty of space! No-one wants to see that while eating their dinner! It's such a reasonable request, OP, it's hard to imagine them having a problem with it.

That's what I thought - but after being on Mumsnet too long I worry I'll start a neighbour war!! I thought if its likely to be there more than a fortnight ask for it to be shifted...that seems reasonable doesn't it?

If it's to be used by whoever is tending the horses (and not during building work) it's likely to be permanent, so I'd ask if they could move it a few metres out of your eyeline.

I'm not sure Mumsnet is a very good representation of real life sometimes weed! You sound lovely and eminently reasonable. Hope you can get this sorted.

There's a reason for me wanting to be lovely, I desperately want to buy 10ft of their field to extend my garden...but short term I want to get the boundary sorted.
Perfect world, they rip out hedge and put a fence up. We are willing to pay towards fence if they don't sound like they want this - and honestly with placement of their house its far less important for them than us, I guess that's the difference with tiny garden V huge garden. We did contemplate putting the fence on our side, but due to the hedge we'd loose a good 2 foot of garden, doesn't seem a lot but when the garden is small that 2 ft makes all the difference so I really want the hedge gone first.
Plus, doesn't hurt to get along with your neighbours!

I should say their garden is to the right of us which is the boundary/portaloo area. Then their horse field goes along the back of my garden (and all the other neighbours on this side of the road) so 2 of my boundaries back onto their land. The bottom boundary is mine though. Hedge is in good shape, with chain link fencing but not fit for keeping horses out! The little buggers have eaten what little greenery was left and can reach over to our compost area so that needs moving....

Could you approach them to discuss boundary and then drop the portaloo into conversation?

Ask them round for coffee to meet them. Then ask.

Make friends with them first before you discuss the boundary or the portaloo. I think you are being a bit precious about the portaloo tbh - unless you can see hairy bottomed builders going to the loo as they aren't shutting the door!

Ah we had similar. I think try asking nicely in so far as they may not realise you can see it and may be happy to move it.

We dropped off wine and a card when they first moved in - they weren't there but chatted to FIL who answered the door, about 3 weeks later they came round with a bottle of wine and said thank you but were too busy to stay, in and out in 5 minutes. I did say let me know when free for a drink...
That was almost 3 weeks ago so maybe I should make a point to call round again and invite them. They both work next door so I haven't seen them and we're away most weekends so its much harder to be casual.
I must be brave, knock on their door and formally invite them, with a set day and stuff....meh, I much prefer gossiping over the garden gate like I do with every other person in the village!

wowfudge OOOh hairy bottomed builders, just my type!!!
See this is my concern, will I look precious? Its so hard to ask casually how long something will be there, if its just a week or two I can live it with...if as breakfast suggests it could be there for whomever deals with the horses then I do want it moving. I live in a rural village - my view is trees and fields, not plastic blue portaloos
I imagine they are already on edge with people complaining about the horses so any question could be viewed as hostile

wowfudge - I had a portaloo outside my house for about 2 months before Christmas for building work and one guy just didn't ever shut the door!!! It's not rural - it's a city street. He was just there, weeing in front of the entire neighbourhood.

I suggest you check about field & garden differences before you approach them. We have 4 acres of paddock but we can’t treat that as garden, it’s classified differently. I’m not an expert & don’t know whether rules where you live are the same.

BigGreen, we would need change of use. The village has 2 farms - half the village bought part of a field to make their gardens bigger and all applied for change of use, So the precedence has been set. The second farmer wouldn't sell (who we back onto) he packaged it up with the house next to us as an 'equine' property. They have 4 horses and 8 acres (7 land and 1 garden) so based on 1 acre per horse I am hoping they wont need all the land and we may still be able to make our garden a little larger. For all I know though they may see the house as a fixer upper to make a tidy profit on and move on in a few years so the land may come up for sale in the future - it's not a tragedy if they don't want to sell it

This is starting to need a MUMSNET DIAGRAM weed

Do you know the pressure a call for a diagram brings?!
On account of I can't be bothered to work, and do not want to break the MUMSNET DIAGRAM rule I have attempted. Please note:
Scale is terrible.
Hot tub is listed ONLY so you can see where it is in conjunction with their drive/shit hedge...Was in it, saw them pull up on drive and realised they could very easily get out car and see me...haven't used it since.
Highlighted the windows the portaloo is visible from, kitchen, utility and lounge/diner

Magnificent effort! The horses are brilliant!

It really looks like it's close to your house! I mean, really close. I totally agree you need it moving!

right, on account of the majority think its not unreasonable to ask for it to be moved I shall firstly invite them round for a drink this weekend.
Keep conversation super casual, notice portaloos is that for builders are you doing much to the house - I think a pretty standard question
From that we know if its horses and permanent or temporary which can then lead to the next time its emptied can it be moved.

For the boundary hedge I think I agree with wowfudge and shouldn't be mentioned yet, same with the land. I assume they've masses to do inside the house and the field needs sorting for the horses. The boundary hedge is probably really low on their priority list...I'll make sure they are of the friendly variety before enquiring it may not be too bad in the spring/summer when all the leaves are on trees again or they may be like us and spend time in the garden in the summer and feel there isn't much privacy - the house has been empty the whole time we've lived here so it does feel odd

Beautiful diagram op.

I am astounded that anyone would put a portaloo that close to someones house when they have so many acres they could put it. It's thoughtless at best and CFs at worst. I really hope it's just thoughtless and/ or only there for a couple of days and you can this sorted out amicably.

Don't forget the portaloo is there for convenience - it shouldn't be a hike away or the risk is it won't get used. If it smells, then that's a different matter. And it's temporary after all.

Re the hedge - what is it planted with? It could be sortable without needing to go to the expense of a fence or anything expensive. Hedges often become ropey because they are badly cared for or badly cut, and a bit of TLC and a year or two of patience can work wonders in bringing them back to health and life. If the hedge is mixed, you can interplant with climbers and all sorts of lovely things to make it vibrant again.

hedge was once hawthorn - Id say 90% of that is dead now as its been suffocated by ivy. There's quite a few sycamore saplings poking through. In the summer time there's easily 6ft their side of brambles and stinging nettles. I have stakes throughout propping up the rotten hedge trunks .
My own hedge out the front was a mamouth task last year of pulling out ivy - in 2 sections I have no hedge at all but could buy large enough hedge plants for the big gaps and lots of whips for the harder to reach bits, it'll take years to knit together though. I still remember the constant bathing of hands from thorns. No gardening gloves kept me safe!
I believe IF the hedge was treated you'd need to dig out so much bramble , stingers and ivy there would be zero privacy between us until the new hedge became established. I also have a dog and have had to put mesh up along the whole hedge to stop him escaping - hes the reason we don't mind paying towards a fence. We have 'farm' fencing all along the front our our hedge to keep him in. Front garden is a smidge bigger than the back so the front is mostly grass for dog and kicking a ball about and the rear set up for entertaining

That diagram

'Catio'??!

Ask them round for tea / wine. Sit them facing the portaloo!

As or the hot tub - I'd want to be in charge of the whole boundary so I could control my privacy, not be at the whim of neighbours hedge tending.