Advice on disruptive next-door developments....

[Terpsichore]

Bit of a long-shot here, but I've just been talking to a friend who's going through hell with a developer working on the house next door - I was so horrified that I thought I'd ask whether anyone knows of any sources of advice or has any tips.

Basically, the guy keeps doing things that he's not supposed to, then appealing when the neighbours go to the council. They're now feeling that everything's stacked against them, and that the offending party seems to be getting away with everything he does.

Any battle-scarred veterans out there who can advise?

If there are safety risks to your neighbour or the people doing the work then contact the HSE with photos and as much info as possible - particularly evidence that he's not just doing all the work himself as he could claim that it's his house and he's going to live there - difficult to enforce.

Noise/dust issues would be Environmental Health

Structural issues to that property or surrounding properties would be Building Control.

In all cases photos are the best evidence to back up your friends claims and then be as persistent as the developer! In these departments are snowed under with complaints just like this so it's not unreasonable to phone again in a few weeks for an update. A full address of the property plus a name and contact details for the developer will also help.

what sort of things is he doing

My neighbour is the same. He has made our life hell for four summers..but last year he was noticeably quiet. I am wondering what he is planning next.

Sorry to those who replied - had to log off and haven't had time to check back, but thanks for these tips. The house is one issue: it's a big old property which is being/has been converted into flats. There's a semi-basement and a small crawl-space-type cellar, and the cellar has been dug out to create a whole flat which is entirely underground and has no natural light. Luckily that has no bearing on my friend who is detached from the house, but the neighbours on the other side are attached and apparently v v worried about cracks now appearing in their property. All sorts of things not in the plans have been sneaked through and the neighbours have had to be constantly vigilant to unauthorised changes which they then have to report to the council to get the developer to put things back as they should be - which is hugely worrying and a constant strain.

But the real problem is the garden, which has been covered over with all the spoil from the works and consequently is now at a significantly higher level than everyone else in the road - as in several metres. Anyone standing in the 'developed' part has a complete view down into the gardens to either side so all concept of privacy has disappeared. Council has deemed this to be unacceptable but appeals have been lodged and my friend is at her wits' end that it might be waved through nevertheless.

i always wonder if these people know someone in the council who lets it go thro. My neighbours get away with murder. The worst thing was drilling and banging of extension underpinning at 6.30am whilst my son was doing his GCSE exams and every weekend too.Hope the damned house falls down.They are hateful people...everyone whose garden backs on to theirs hates them since they moved in. The neighbours from hell.

They have planted 14 foot hedges at the bottom of my garden and i bought my house because it is south facing ....and its going to ME £ 440 to appeal.

Thoughless bastards(scuse the language ,but i hate inconsiderate people).
And the woman has a mouth on her like a fish wife to boot.

The developer would have needed a Party Wall Award to do his excavation works, if he hasn't got one (and just because it is not attached to your house, doesn't mean he didn't need one for your side) then get a solicitor on to it. If you and your neighbours feel powerless individually, get together and pay a small sum for a planning expert to represent you collectively.

It did occur to me that you could act with the aim of putting prospective buyers off - by putting full details of your complaints, concerns etc on the web in a blog with accompanying photos etc, so that hopefully people trying to find out about the house would spot it and be put off.

e.g. a photo saying "these are the cracks that have appeared in our walls as a result of the development - no doubt there are similar cracks on the other side of the wall, undermining the foundations of both the house and flat", etc might work well to put people off.

This might act as good blackmail material - if he acts better, you will take down the blog.

If you could get into dispute with the developer, that would need to be legally revealed when he sells, again putting people off?

But employing a planning expert might be simpler!

I have family in planning, and they tell me that corruption is not particularly likely to be the issue - it is apparently fairly rare. If you do think there is corruption involved, local newspapers would be interested.

The problem your friend has is if she is planning to move at some point all this would put off a potential buyer as you have to provide details of any disputes and written letters

If he is a developer then him getting the property finished and sold is the best thing then someone less noisy may live next door.

Re the planning officers, she can ask to see what was agreed when he put in his planning application and I think speaking to them directly instead of over the phone would be better, she can voice her concerns.

Corruption is rare as every case has to show that every issue raised was addressed and why something was allowed/permitted.

Must be awful to live next door to constant noise and praying for it to finish.