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Nightmare neighbours extension

34 replies

Daddylonglegs1965 · 10/07/2019 18:45

Our neighbours are planning an extension. We raised an objection at the end of last week within the timescale and we are waiting to hear about this. As our existing extension (completed by previous occupants) of over 20 years is not shown on the drawings, they are planning to build right up to the boundary fence as far out as they possibly can 6 metres (a lot further out than our extension is) with a pitched glass roof in the centre, potentially impacting our foundations, our property (as he has not thought about drainage water damage), they will potentially be overlooking our main living area, reducing our light in our main living area open plan lounge/kitchen diner and our garden patio area and directly below our daughters bedroom. I dread to think what kind of gaudy annoying lighting system he will install.

He has some cowboy builders installing boxed guttering tonight now. I came in from work at 5.30pm they started at 5.45pm putting scaffolding up banging and clattering and some pieces fell into our garden so I daren’t open the patio doors to let the dog out or take out the recycling.
For context in the front they started to build a wall on the two years ago which they still isn’t finished. He forgot about the drainage pipes so their is a gap between the wall and our houses. They have had weeds, gravel, an old rotten toddler seesaw etc (their youngest DD is at secondary school) and a pile of bricks covered in tarpaulin in the front garden since then. They also installed tacky coloured lights into the wall which illuminated the old car on the drive, the gravel, weeds and pile of bricks. If we go to bed before they do I have to wear an eye mask as the coloured lights shine through the tiny slithers of space between our blackout blinds in our bedroom. They also shine through annoyingly if we are in the front room and they are unnecessarily bright.
In the back they also have extremely bright lights installed which we call ‘flood lights’ as they are not dis similar to illuminate all the dog shit which they never pick up. The lights are quite distracting if your trying to watch a film with subtle lighting on a night and we have no curtains or blinds on our patio doors.

If we have put an objection in what happens next? They have told another neighbour they want to start work on the extension ASAP. I am dreading it I work part time and have taken extra days off in the holidays to spend some time with older kids and am now envisaging having to go out everyday for the noise and mess and not being able to go into our garden or put washing out. I can imagine him getting jobs done as a foreigner so expect noise levels to be high on an evening and at weekends. DH also thinks the workmen maybe in our garden to build their extension? Do they have to ask for permission to do this in advance as we also have a dog but a nice quiet one whereas they have two big boisterous quite ferocious looking dogs. Thanks

OP posts:
Daddylonglegs1965 · 11/07/2019 12:26

Thanks SaveKevin good advice. It just concerns me as he thinks he can do what he likes and get away with it. The hideous overly bright built in coloured lights in his front wall which still isn’t finished and him expecting to build said wall on our side. DH said no build it on your side. So he built it in the middle so the drain pipe for our property and his is in the way. So his wall was built but their is a gap of about 6 inches between his wall/the house/drainpipe which looks ridiculous. I bought a large planter to block the gap as it looked ugly I could see the mess of weeds, rubbish and gravel on their side and it annoyed me.

OP posts:
SaveKevin · 11/07/2019 12:40

It’s not good advice, but it’s probably healthier then trying to fight it to the death, as I say a quick drive round my area will tell you, you won’t win, his house will still look like a monstrous shit, breaking almost every rule put on the planning. But the council will do fuck all, as “welllll it’s up now”.
It will only destroy you. Deep breaths, report what you can, object where you can. But leave it to the council to do their job, you cannot do it for them.

Daddylonglegs1965 · 11/07/2019 17:16

The nightmare continues I have just got in from work and three workmen are working on scaffolding next door they have a radio blaring and the three workman and noisy neighbour are all shouting above the din. Next door nice neighbour has obviously had enough and got his lawnmower out. I have just let the dog out and had to rescue it from the two discarded plastic bags (from the workman) chucked in our garden. I shouted excuse me are these yours. Oh I wondered where they had gone one said. I said it’s ok as I passed it back over the fence.

OP posts:
SaveKevin · 11/07/2019 17:19

The problem is you want to be out because of the noise but don’t want to leave the property as you don’t know what you’ll come back to / what’s going on at home.
It becomes consuming.

Daddylonglegs1965 · 12/07/2019 19:32

In classic NDN style he is having his guttering changed to box guttering this week so has had men working on this all week from late afternoon early evening 😉. Obviously doing him the job as a ‘foreigner’ (cash in hand/for a low value but using the works van and probably materials). They are using very shaky, very flimsy scaffolding with two unsecured planks on the top and no guards or anything and mid way through NDN has been out with a beer for them all. They are having a break to drink it. My DD is giving me a running commentary and is past herself that one of them is going to fall off and hurt themselves and land in our garden.

OP posts:
Yellowweatherwarning · 12/07/2019 19:43

Is the van sign written?. Would his boss be happy?
My ds is a window cleaner and has to ask permission to use the van for other jobs..

Daddylonglegs1965 · 12/07/2019 20:04

One van is unmarked the other has signage of a local firm on.

OP posts:
Jaxhog · 12/07/2019 20:39

The age of the house doesn’t matter, any major building works on the boundary require a party wall agreement.

This. And he has to pay for you to have an independent survey to ensure no damage. If he's already started work before getting permission, you should report this to your council planning department now.

As far as noise is concerned, general construction work is restricted to the following hours:

Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm
Saturdays 8am to 1pm
Noisy work is prohibited on Sundays and bank holidays

Again. report to the council if they don't stick to these. Get your local cuncillor's help if necessary.

Yellowweatherwarning · 12/07/2019 21:24

Contact the number and report him for moonlighting?
We had bother with a contractor parking like a twat and dh emailed his boss. It didn't happen again.

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