Neibour building attached extension to my linked detached house!

[Tommyf]

I have contacted the council about it and sent over pictures (only the first original pictures). There response was it's aloud to be there under permitted development laws and its a private matter regarding attachment. I never explored the safety aspect of it with them and would be interested in there response. Do you think it's maybe worth exploring this to see if there ears prick up if I mentions safety aspects of it...? I don't want to fall out with the neighbours over it as he has most likely spent some money building his green house for me to tell him it's not aloud is going to be like slapping a horse from behind!

 

[motorbiking]

Not to mention it doesn't look strong enough to take a ladder, so maintaining the roof just got a whole lot more expensive due to the need for more complex scaffolding.

 

[Footsoldier888]

Tommy the council are right when they say it is permitted development but all extensions have to comply with building regulations which is why you need to contact a different department, the planning enforcement team. These are the guys that can order work to be done if a building is not safe. This is especially true when it comes to electrics and fire regulations. It really doesn't look safe to me. Also it isn't your fault if your neighbour has built an unsafe building, it will be dangerous to the occupants aswell as yourself.

 

[motorbiking]

I'm not sure building regs apply? it looks like a conservatory/outbuilding? Sorry I'm not an expert on this.

 

[Footsoldier888]

This is what the Enforcement Officer is for though, to come on site and give their opinion as to the building's status. There will be a lot of case law on it but as it is attatched or touches the neighbours house it could well be an extension. I understand what you are saying but I would like to think it legally is an extension.

It does look like it is touching from the photo.

 

[^woody^]

I have contacted the council about it and sent over pictures (only the first original pictures). There response was it's aloud to be there under permitted development laws and its a private matter regarding attachment.

Did you tell them that it is not in accordance with the PD guidelines, and therefore is not PD?

 

[Tommyf]

Did you tell them that it is not in accordance with the PD guidelines, and therefore is not PD?

I haven't yet spoke to them again but I'm going to try and speak to the enforcement side of things. Now I have abit more info from you guys I can dig abit deeper with it and send over the new pictures I managed to get yesterday of the roof. I did manage to speak to my other neighbour today regarding it and she also told me she had a storm drain the same as mine on her side so they must run along the back of the houses in line. Now the question is what has he done with his... Neither my gutter down pipe or his is going anywhere so I'm wondering if he has maybe covered it over and discarded it... Then this causes alot more problems and will also involve the water board because I'm pretty certain he wouldn't of contacted them with a build over agreement for his storm drain for his greenhouse!!

 

[^woody^]

Have you changed the photos in the OP, or have I been looking at a similar thread recently? I recall seeing what looked like a first floor extension across the boundary.

 

[Tommyf]

Have you changed the photos in the OP, or have I been looking at a similar thread recently? I recall seeing what looked like a first floor extension across the boundary.

This is what I managed to get from leaning out my bedroom window...

 

[Doggit]

To put this simply, you're either going to accept what he's done, or you're going to fall out with him if you don't, because in challenging him, he's going to get annoyed with you. If he thinks he can just attach something to your property without asking your permission first, then he's either arrogant, or stupid, and neither attitude bodes well for a future neighbourly relationship.

Your property will be the demarcation line on the boundary, but it won't be a party wall, and he has no right to make any changes to it, nor attach anything to it without your permission or agreement. Woodys better at PD than I am, and whilst Motorbiking seems to be making a good case in favour of the neighbour being able to do what he likes, no permission was sought prior to the work being done, so it will come under criminal damage, but the police will push you to come to an understanding, as it'll be classified as an honest mistake.

But whatever happens, this situations going south.

 

[motorbiking]

I’m not making a case that he can do as he pleases. I’m correcting the view that this is criminal damage. If the OP can’t get the council enforcer to act then his remedy is an injunction for the trespass and an award of costs or an attempt to settle out of court.

I do agree with everything else you said apart from the criminal damage aspect.

You do have to be a bit of a w***er to start chopping in to your neighbours house without even a nod or a word

 

[Notch7]

I thought PD states 'to be of matching materials' -which it doesnt.

Ive always thought it an odd requirement since conservatories are hardly matching, but often built under pd.

Is it larger than 15sq metres? -if it is I guess it needs to be built of non combustable materials if closer than 1metre to boundary (not sure on this, it certainly counts for outbuildings).

 

[bernardgreen]

I’m correcting the view that this is criminal damage.

If someone drilled holes in your car when it was parked in the street would you not considered that criminal damage. ?

If someone walked up to your house and drilled holes in the door wpould you not considered that criminal damage. ?

 

[geraldthehamster]

I thought PD states 'to be of matching materials' -which it doesnt.

Ive always thought it an odd requirement since conservatories are hardly matching, but often built under pd.

That's because conservatories are explicitly exempt from that requirement

 

[Notch7]

That's because conservatories are explicitly exempt from that requirement

That would make sense! I will have to read through the PD guidelines again. We make timber orangeries which of course dont match for the same reasons.