Overlooking Conservatory?

GordonCopestake

Hi Folks,
I'm looking for a bit of advice! My attached next door neighbour has recently constructed a small conservatory. However on the boundary side they have glazed and windowed the new wall which now overlooks into my house through my kitchen window. It's a little disconcerting whilst I'm sat at my dining table to be able to look into my next door neighbours conservatory!

Do I have any recourse for action via planning permission or building regs etc etc? I've been told that conservatories are exempt from both but surely this can't be right and is an invasion of privacy?

Any advice or guidance would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance

Gordon Copestake

frogglet

I was lead to believe it depended on the size of the conservatory as my friend needed planning permission as hers was huge. They were given the choice of either putting in frosted windows on one side or installing a six foot fence even though the side was only overlooking a frosted utility room window of next door.

jennifernil

I would take a few photos and visit your local planning/building office to see what they have to say about it.

maypole

My neighbours wanted to build one and they were told by planning that they would have to put in frosted glass,other wise we would be looking into each others windows! I would go to your planning office, if they haven't got permission to do this they might be forced to replace the glass.

They are not exempt from planning permission, we had to have it for ours a few years ago.

PasturesNew

You could, in the menatime, put up some sticky backed plastic frosting. Or start walking round naked, so they do.

I don't know if the Party Wall Agreement would apply to their development, if they're building up to the boundary or a wall adjoining you ... until somebody more knowledgeable than me pops along you might like to google for that.

tanith

Put up a fence on your side of the boundary.... they will then look at the backside of your fence....:eek:

GordonCopestake

Thanks for all your replies folks. I'll give the council a call on Monday and see what they say. I would like to broach it with my neighbour before getting the council involved ideally but it's a sign of the times that I don't even know their names.

deanos

You dont need planning permission if its under a certain size, however if its got no internal door or a radiator it does need planning permission, i checked before we built our conservatory, you are allowed a certain percentage to expand your property cant remeber what the fugure is now as it was a few years ago.

But firstly I would have a word and see if they can put some frosting on the window, hopefully you get on with your neighbours and shouldnt be a problem

SailorSam

GordonCopestake wrote: »

Thanks for all your replies folks. I'll give the council a call on Monday and see what they say. I would like to broach it with my neighbour before getting the council involved ideally but it's a sign of the times that I don't even know their names.

You're in a difficult position, if you go to the council and next door are told to do alterations, it's falling out before you even get to know them. They will say, you should have come to see us, but as you said it's difficult to ask, you don't know what their reaction will be. The thing is if you asked and they said no, if they're that sort of people it would even get a worse reaction if you reported them.
Life is never simple.

Inactive

Most conservatories don't need planning permission, subject to size.

Some vertical blinds or similar at your own window may produce a remedy.;)

jennifernil

You could ask the planning/building regs dept to advise you whether it is acceptable without giving details. Armed with the facts you could then approach your neighbour with your concerns.

It would be very easy for them to stick some "frosting" film on the inside of the glass, the amount of sun/light they will get will not be affected.

Did they not approach you before they had it built? I cannot think it is correct that they can just build something so the windows of your houses can so easily look into each other.