Neighbours doing a loft conversion without consulting us.

manic

We live in a semi-detached house & our neighbours have started a major loft conversion without consulting us.

The first we heard about it was when the neighbour came round to tell us that the scaffolding will be going up within the next couple of days. Since then a massive dormer has appeared on the back of their house.

I don't know whether they have followed the "rules" correctly.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Mr_Warren_2

Sorry but they do not have to consult you for a loft conversion and hopefully the dormer (although large) is to your taste. They might have built the dormer under "permissible development" rules and that gives you sweet FA against them. They were nice to tell you about the scaffolding and am afraid, that's all you were entitled to know about their project. Just ensure that if you had open areas in your loft giving you access to theirs, that those be closed securely with bricks and mortar.

jblack_2

If they've altered the roofline of the house, as they have if a dormer is installed, then they MAY have to have Planning permission and a building warrant.

If planning permission was applied for then all neighbours will have received notification including details of the work. This is to allow any objections to be heard.

Sounds like they've not bothered with the Planning department to me.


HTH, J

cally1_2

You should have had some Party Wall paperwork at the very least.

TEDDYRUKSPIN

Mr_Warren wrote: »

Sorry but they do not have to consult you for a loft conversion and hopefully the dormer (although large) is to your taste. They might have built the dormer under "permissible development" rules and that gives you sweet FA against them. They were nice to tell you about the scaffolding and am afraid, that's all you were entitled to know about their project. Just ensure that if you had open areas in your loft giving you access to theirs, that those be closed securely with bricks and mortar.

Are you his angry neighbour? :rotfl:

Hope this clears the issue [see below].

Majority of the time, most loft conversions do not require planning permission. It will be likely that they have submitted an application and it has been okayed due to the size of the expansion.
Planning Permission

Planning permission is not normally required. However, permission is required where you extend or alter the roof space and it exceeds specified limits and conditions.
Under new regulations that came into effect from 1 October 2008 a loft conversion for your house is considered to be permitted development, not requiring an application for planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:

• A volume allowance of 40 cubic metres additional roof space for terraced houses*
• A volume allowance of 50 cubic metres additional roof space for detached and semi-detached houses*
• No extension beyond the plane of the existing roof slope of the principal elevation that fronts the highway
• No extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof
• Materials to be similar in appearance to the existing house
• No verandas, balconies or raised platforms
• Side-facing windows to be obscure-glazed; any opening to be 1.7m above the floor
• Roof extensions not to be permitted development in designated areas**
• Roof extensions, apart from hip to gable ones, to be set back, as far as practicable, at least 20cm from the eaves

*Bear in mind that any previous roof space additions must be included within the volume allowances listed above. Although you may not have created additional space a previous owner may have done so.
**Designated areas include national parks and the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, conservation areas and World Heritage Sites.
Please note: the permitted development allowances described here apply to houses not flats, maisonettes or other buildings. View guidance on flats and maisonettes here.

Building Regulations

Building regulations approval is required to convert a loft or attic into a liveable space.

Chippy_Minton_2

What about the party wall agreement?

Have you signed that yet?

Get the work stopped asap until either this is signed by you or you have proof that no wotk will take place on the party wall.

manic

Thanks all. I didn't make it clear in the first place that it was our attached neighbour .

I think it is the party wall issue that is bothering me. I'm assuming that they will not be touching it, as they haven't contacted me. How can I approach them about it diplomatically?

Foyzone

manic wrote: »

Thanks all. I didn't make it clear in the first place that it was our attached neighbour .

I think it is the party wall issue that is bothering me. I'm assuming that they will not be touching it, as they haven't contacted me. How can I approach them about it diplomatically?

They wont need a party wall agreement unless they are going so far into the wall, which they dont need to. May have been nice to let you know in advance though. We did for our neighbours but they still bloody moaned needlessly the whole time

manic

Foyzone wrote: »

They wont need a party wall agreement unless they are going so far into the wall, which they dont need to. May have been nice to let you know in advance though. We did for our neighbours but they still bloody moaned needlessly the whole time

I have found the following from http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/partywall

Section 2 of the Act lists what work can be done. The most commonly used rights
are:

• to cut into a wall to take the bearing of a beam (for example for a loft conversion), or to insert a damp proof course all the way through the wall

• to raise the height of the wall and/or increase the thickness of the party wall and, if necessary, cut off any projections which prevent you from doing so

• to demolish and rebuild the party wall

• to underpin the whole thickness of a party wall

• to protect two adjoining walls by putting a flashing from the higher over the lower, even where this requires cutting into an Adjoining Owner’s independent building.

So, unless the beams that would be needed span the front to back walls, then the most they can do is cut a plug hole into the adjoining wall!

manic

I have just found a planning application on the Borough council's website for a "Lawful Development Certificate (Proposed) - Roof conversion and extension" - status REFUSED.

It seems that this application was dealt with by an agent (I'm assuming the loft conversion company) all the documents on the council's website are all addressed to the agent!

I don't really know what to do

Mr_Warren_2

Ring the council and enquire about this refusal. This of course all depends if the loft extension is causing you grief.
Sorry i was a bit harsh last night but we had a loft extension years ago and did not mention it in so many details to the neighbours. Just had to tell them all (6 of them) that because our crane (to lift the steel beams in place) did not have enough space due to overhanging telephone lines, they would be disconnected for part of the day. That worked well and they did not cause trouble.