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Original poster

Extractor fan going out external wall to neighbours garden

55 replies

22Newnames · 01/03/2022 22:34

We have a kitchen on our external wall with an extractor going out there. The other side of the wall is in a neighbour’s garden.

Kitchen has been there with extractor in that position for 15 years (years before current neighbour moved in).

We are getting a new kitchen and asked neighbour a while ago if we could have access as the extractor may need to move about 30cm. He said fine, all good.

Saw him today and suddenly he asked what the extractor was for and he is concerned about cooking smells. He has apparently never noticed the external flaps open so assumed our current one didn’t work (it did although probably wasn’t great). I told him it did work and told him i didn’t expect it to be much different to now. The reality is though that tech has moved on and I assume the new extractor will be better than the old one.

So the question is, can he actually object to potential cooking smells? There is a chance the builder may not need to move the extraction point but it is still possible he may get smells if it is more effective.

My gut tells me he can’t legitimately complain about it as it has been there for years even though it’s being replaced. But I also don’t want to fall out with him, although have no other option of where to extract in reality.

It’s a 70s housing estate if that makes any difference, we are not in any special or remote area.

Any thoughts would be welcome. Thank you!

OP posts:

LivingDeadGirlUK · 01/03/2022 22:38

How close to your neighbours house/windows is the extract fan?

Original poster

22Newnames · 01/03/2022 22:42

@LivingDeadGirlUK

How close to your neighbours house/windows is the extract fan?

Difficult because I rarely go in their garden and can’t see it properly but I would say 3m min to their nearest window.

OP posts:

LivingDeadGirlUK · 01/03/2022 22:51

Thats plenty of distance they don't have any real grounds for complaint but if you want to keep the peace can you extract through a different wall?

Sandrine1982 · 01/03/2022 23:10

Also have you considered buying a hood that doesn't need an external outlet? Most modern hoods are like this. But if you do a lot of cooking, then you might be better off with an extractor..

user1471528245 · 01/03/2022 23:45

I had this with a previous neighbours venting in my garden, I consulted a solicitor, he advised the neighbours were within their rights to vent, If your wall is the party boundary, if you check your deeds you’ll find you have a right to vent covenant which allows for this and reasonable maintenance access in which case as long as you give them notice you’re within your rights and there is little your neighbour can do legally to stop you

TizerorFizz · 02/03/2022 08:10

It’s not very neighbourly though is it? Would you want to sit in your garden, or on your patio with your neighbour’s cooker extraction vent nearby? I would get a recirculating “extractor” out of courtesy or vent out to my own garden.

If I had this extracting onto my patio, I would be very tempted to cover it up! Be kind and don’t extract over them.

Bumtum126 · 02/03/2022 08:12

It's not extracting over them , 3m is abig enough gap into open air.

Original poster

22Newnames · 02/03/2022 08:27

Sorry, posted then went to sleep!

We can’t vent out of a different wall. The wall that vents out is an extension wall (built 25-30 years ago) so probably wouldn’t be covered by the deeds or would it?!

I can’t see that it is much different to now, in reality we rarely use the extractor so maybe that’s why he has never noticed it before.

Also it vents into a side bit of his garden, where they have a shed, not the main part. Difficult to explain so have done a diagram!

Extractor fan going out external wall to neighbours garden

OP posts:

Original poster

22Newnames · 02/03/2022 08:28

Oh the pink lines at the back are the neighbours windows.

OP posts:

Original poster

22Newnames · 02/03/2022 08:29

Neighbour does not have a back door, just the side door.

OP posts:

Worriedmrs · 02/03/2022 08:37

I cannot say about legality but I would personally not vent into neighbours garden when you have another external wall available to vent in your own garden and I would not like if my neighbour did that as well.

Original poster

22Newnames · 02/03/2022 08:38

I should add that even if we could extract out of our back wall, which may be possible with significant modification to the kitchen cupboards, we would then actually extract nearer to their windows and bit of garden that they use.

OP posts:

Original poster

22Newnames · 02/03/2022 08:39

Also to reiterate, this is not new ventilation, just the replacement of an existing extractor fan which has been there for 15 years and never caused an issue.

OP posts:

onepieceoflollipop · 02/03/2022 08:40

I am perhaps misunderstanding but you have 2 outdoor walls in your kitchen? One that you are venting out of into neighbour’s garden.
I know it would involve extra ‘piping’ (not quite the right word) but you could vent out over your own garden.

You may legally or technically be within your rights to use the wall that leads to his garden but it seems a bit unfair.

What if he likes to dry washing outdoors in that area or sit there? What if you or a future owner likes to cook heavily spiced or chargrilled meat for hours every night? What if he is vegan and someone in your kitchen roasts big legs of lamb or ovens full of pork joints regularly.

You may be coming at it from the angle that you are only grilling a couple of fishfingers once a week…

He may be looking at the bigger picture which I think is sensible when you own a home.

It is a bit like parking/shared drive issues.
No problem at all when the nice old lady on one side doesn’t have a car, and the nice couple the other side have one small Micra and they share quite amicably. Then a new family move in and because it is all quite amicable they block the drive with 4 cars and the nice couple don’t want to cause awkwardness.

Original poster

22Newnames · 02/03/2022 08:50

Fair questions, let me answer them.

I am perhaps misunderstanding but you have 2 outdoor walls in your kitchen? One that you are venting out of into neighbour’s garden.
I know it would involve extra ‘piping’ (not quite the right word) but you could vent out over your own garden.
Yes in theory we could but it would involve reconfiguring kitchen cupboards and buying a couple of new ones but actually, would not achieve the aim of being nicer for the neighbours as that would extract nearer to their windows and also nearer to the bit of garden they sit in.

What if he likes to dry washing outdoors in that area or sit there?
Where we currently vent is down a void bit of garden where he has a shed and things like his lawnmower, not where they would sit. It is in permanent shade due to having walls on 3 sides.

What if you or a future owner likes to cook heavily spiced or chargrilled meat for hours every night? What if he is vegan and someone in your kitchen roasts big legs of lamb or ovens full of pork joints regularly.
You may be coming at it from the angle that you are only grilling a couple of fishfingers once a week…
Yes true, but we do really cook fishfingers once a week, probably chargrill a steak every couple of weeks, don't cook curries etc. He has never noticed the current extractor fan that has been there since before he moved in.

It is a bit like parking/shared drive issues. Very true, we also have a shared drive which works very well as we are both considerate. To put it very bluntly he is elderly and we have no intention of moving for decades so chances are we will be here for much longer than him. Which sounds harsh but is the reality.

OP posts:

BonnyandPoppy · 02/03/2022 09:02

We just got a new kitchen and our new extractor hood needed a bigger vent than the old one. Can now certainly smell a lot more cooking smells when you are walking up the steps to the house than before. So it might make a difference to him. Not sure our old one worked that well either to be honest. We were shown some ones in the middle of the induction hobs but they vented down into the cupboard below and through a filter which I didn’t like the idea of.

TizerorFizz · 02/03/2022 09:03

Oh! So he doesn’t matter because he’s elderly and will die? Really? What a nasty thing to say! If you don’t cook much get a recirculating extractor. I’m with the neighbour now snd I would cover up your vent! Regardless of where if vented to in my garden!

onepieceoflollipop · 02/03/2022 09:08

@22Newnames

It’s a tricky one - the sensible option does seem to continue extracting where it is now which ‘on paper’ looks like it could cause inconvenience. (Hence my question on smells etc)

When in reality you would be continuing to extract into a bit of a ‘dead’ space and have been doing so for 15 years…

Due to the layout of windows etc the reality is that moving it would be more inconvenient- to neighbour and to you.

How amenable would he be to further discussion and then access? So you could explain that you could re-route it but it would likely cause him more of an issue. This would be the best outcome if he was prepared to enter into further discussion and understand the options.

If he is becoming anxious about allowing access and says no then you would of course need to seek legal advice. Then if you confirm you do have a right to access to move the extractor you could proceed. But this is costly in terms of your legal bill and in terms of neighbourly relations.

Tontostitis · 02/03/2022 09:08

We had this with a neighbour when we moved in they asked us to move the extractor and we did. The previous owners of our property should never have vented the extension onto next doors property imo.

JustWonderingIfYou · 02/03/2022 09:08

Is the kitchen or garage single storey? You could get a mushroom vent and go out of the ceiling.

I don't think yabu though if he bought the house with the vent there.

Original poster

22Newnames · 02/03/2022 09:09

@TizerorFizz

Don't be ridiculous, that is not what I said at all. I said we do not plan on moving so there is little likelihood of another neighbour coming in and making strong smells all the time, which would be detrimental to him, i.e. the curry/chargrill etc example someone asked about above.

OP posts:

Tontostitis · 02/03/2022 09:11

And you come over very ageist that post was vile

Original poster

22Newnames · 02/03/2022 09:18

Bonny Interesting about your new extractor needing a larger vent. I don't think ours does and the fitters think they can use the existing hole if required.

Justwondering - no it's a two story extension.

@onepieceoflollipop - thanks for your considered views. We certainly don't want to cause a neighbourly dispute, we don't see them regularly but have always got on well. I am hoping we won't need access at all but if we do then we would be open to discussing moving it with him, but would explain how that would actually be detrimental to him in terms of it being nearer his windows and the useable bit of his garden. I think he is reasonable and would also not want a dispute. We certainly wouldn't want to go down a legal route at all.

OP posts:

House2022 · 02/03/2022 09:18

If you have not ordered the kitchen I would recommend have another look to see if the design can be changed to accommodate the move.
There is nothing to stop a new neighbour moving in and extend their house right up to the border like yours, and block your vent.

tanstaafl · 02/03/2022 09:20

You can get a plume kit which is basically a short chimney to take the extracted air up rather than out.
Maybe an acceptable compromise?

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