Dispute with neighbour

[Maybenexttime08]

Very long story, but in short we are doing a new kitchen and very small extension, that is below one of our neighbours windows. We have all the correct planning permissions, have spoken to surveyors etc and we are doing everything by the letter.

However, our neighbour is consistently unhappy having raised it with 7 other surveyors to try to prove her point and sent us several letters from solicitors.

All of this ends up with us being in the right, but obviously making tensions between us high.

My issue is, I now feel uncomfortable in my own house (where I work from home) as I am always worried that she is going to come round and have a moan.

Not sure what I’m asking - advice on how to deal with her and how to start feeling comfortable being in my own home again?

What’s the content of her solicitors letters?
what were relations like before the work began?

An extension below her window?
Are you a ground floor flat?

Ours moaned a lot during our extension. They didn’t like the brand new fence we put up between us - thought the wood wasn’t good enough. (It is). Didn’t like the flat roof that we choose (ironically to make it less visible to them). Harassed our builders every time we went out. We have a very superficial relationship now and I don’t tolerate any shit from them.

funnily enough their house and garden is a total rundown state. Whereas we maintain ours.

We’re a flying freehold hence a window above. The letters were about party wall agreements - it is a very long story but it isn’t a party wall. There was already an existing structure under the window - we’re replacing it.

Has the party wall agreement been finalised?
What is she concerned about specifically?
I’m struggling to understand how you could be building under her window? Either way when a neighbour isn’t favourable to the work the party wall surveyors will help mediate a solution beyond just what’s been agreed via the planning department and can set working times, schedules etc which can put minds at ease. I

I wouldn't entertain any further discussion about it, Op. Just tell your neighbour there's no point talking about it anymore, smile and shut the door.

sorry…. Flying freehold?

So are you in a ground floor flat or not? Otherwise why underneath her window?

So not an extension. Knocking down an existing structure and rebuilding?

Is she the type to moan about things in general? It seems like a strong reaction if you're basically replacing an existing structure.

What is her exact issue? Can you be specific OP, I know you just hear moaning now and do appreciate how draining that is, but it would be helpful for us to understand what she is concerned about or tying to stop/challenge.

Your OP states a small extension, now it’s an existing structure? If you’re doing any foundation work whatsoever you will need to do party wall with upstairs. Equally if you’re opening up the kitchen to the old structure and doing any steal beam to remove a wall you will need to do party wall with upstairs. The ceiling and floor is also the party wall, it’s not just laterally.

Ignore, ignore, ignore.

Yes I observed that. I imagine there’s more to this

The PWA doesn't just relate to party walls. An agreement is often requires for building works close to a boundary with another property.

Your NDN has a flying freehold? So part of her property projects over your common boundary and your are building beneath her property?

If you read the OP’s other comment she says that they are replacing an existing structure.

Will your extension impact them at all? If so, they have all of my sympathy.

Will they be able to hear the noise of the works? Will they get any benefit from the inconvenience you are causing them?

Doesn't make any difference with respect to the PWA.

They could be replacing a shed with a massive extension - not necessarily like-for-like replacement. OP also says that they have the relevant planning permission, so the project is nothing minor.

Are you going to pay for them to stay somewhere while the work is being done? Or do they just need to suck it up? I think you can tell I have been massively impacted by this sort of shit.

Don't answer the door to her. Put a note through her door telling her you will not enter into any further discussions about it. Get a Ring Doorbell or something similar (we have a Tapo, previously had a ring) so you can see if it is her and you can ignore her or speak to her through the doorbell.

Nothing you do will make her happy, so carry on with your kitchen.

Without a diagram this is all just conjecture

Not sure what I’m asking - advice on how to deal with her and how to start feeling comfortable being in my own home again?

Put salt around your front and back doors. This wards off negativite energies. You could sprinkle along the underneath of the door frame or put some in a bowl with some Cedar or Lavender essential oil. This is a quiet easy way to start reclaiming your territory.

She also said that it’s been checked and rechecked by planning and it’s not an issue. She also said it was “small”.

Well that’s an answer I didn’t expect!

I'm imagining a terrace, possibly ex-council, where the boundary between the terraced houses is not a straight line. So next door have a room over your kitchen.

In that case the floor between would be a party structure. also if you are altering the wall of the room over your property (e.g. inserting a steel to extend) then that is likely to require a party wall award.

Party wall awards are different to planning permission. Also you need to be clear about who owns any walls or floors and where the actual boundary is. Planning doesn't actually look at this level of detail.

Planning permission is not the same as a party wall agreement. “Small” doesn’t matter. If you share a boundary either via a party wall, or the ceiling structure and plan to alter either of them in any way then you need to obtain a PWA via two surveyors.