Unwanted Neighbours - What to do?

scheming_gypsy

pulliptears wrote: »

Of course it is! Residential streets can and do change.

exactly; residential but if it's being bought and used for work it'll be a commercial property.

I'm with the OP though; i wouldn't want a load of kids moving in next door to me whether they had issues or not.

shegirl

thistledome wrote: »

Having a hard to sell house isn't a good thing either.

Nothing snobby about not wanting to live next door to problem children (or adults either). "Emotional and Behavioural difficulties"; sounds like a pile of scallies to me.

You lot are so self-righteous it makes me laugh. You'd probably welcome a load of ne'er do wells moving in next door just so you could show off how tolerant and right-on you are. LMAO

Not always.It covers many things from kids with disabilities who have emotional and behavioural problems to those who have difficulties and a hard life that have left them having trouble with emotions or being a bit stroppy.Doesn't have to mean theiving kids or those who like to cause damage and burn things down

warehouse

O.P. you should be grateful that the neighbour isn't selling it to a housing association.

Lavendyr

My parents ended up next to a house like this. On the positive side, they had no trouble selling. On the negative side, they had to sell because it was, for the most part, not a pleasant experience for them. The road was full of retired people and they plonked a house-full of 11-16 year-old boys, fresh out of a young offenders institution, in the middle of it. The residents felt threatened and uncomfortable. The boys were generally controlled reasonably well but could be intimidating in their behaviour on occasion. It's not snobby but the right to feel safe in your neighbourhood and in your home and some of these kids can be - and were for my parents - very intimidating.

I can totally understand feeling uncomfortable about this but ultimately it is very difficult to prevent. My parents worked hard to prevent it happening to their next door house and nothing succeeded. I hope you fare better.

ali-t

pulliptears wrote: »

Of course it is! Residential streets can and do change. Housing Associations buy homes privately for one and those homes can then be used for tenants and even shelters for people at risk.

All smacks of severe NIMBYism to me.

What would you do with these people? Ostracise them? Move them away from a community they desperately need to integrate with? Stick them out if the way somewhere where they aren't any trouble?

For goodness sake what happened to community spirit? Welcoming people and giving them a chance before passing judgement and trying to get rid of folk who havent even moved in yet. Personally I'd be ashamed and embarrassed to own those views.

I have no issue with supported living projects, supported accomodation or residential units and live pretty close to a couple and there are no issues at all.

My point is that if the OP wanted to live next door to a business, s/he would have bought a house that met that criteria. Take a step off the self righteous high horse and look at the wider picture.

pulliptears

ali-t wrote: »

Take a step off the self righteous high horse and look at the wider picture.

LMAO, this is a home for YOUNG CHILDREN. We are not talking teens we are talking children from 7 - 13, small kids from backgrounds we cannot begin to imagine and kids that deserve a chance to thrive in as normal environment as can possibly be afforded.

Perhaps you need to look at the wider picture? How would you feel if it were a child of yours that had problems and they were being treated like lepers because of hearsay and conjecture? How would you feel if people didn't want your child living next door?

Some folk need to get a grip. And for the record, no, I wouldn't mind at all if they set up one next door to me and I'd do my level best to get to know them and integrate with them as the programs intend. My Mother has lived near a home like this for most of her life, and me for the first 21 of mine. She's not had a single problem at all from it in 40 years.

Softstuff

I can see why the OP is concerned, such things can and do affect the ability to sell your home in addition to their sale price.

Take my mothers house for example. For some years now it's been used as a home for those receiving care in the community, adults with mental and physical difficulties. The first lady to live there was lovely. Carers would come twice daily to help her, she had some mental difficulties and also epilepsy. Mum got to be friendly with her, as she does with all neighbours, and from time to time helped her with shopping and small household jobs. In return she was a lovely trouble free neighbour. Unfortunately she sadly passed away and a new lady moved in. Mum made friendly approaches which were returned, and she was optimistic the new lady would be just as easy to get along with. Sadly the new lady has violent tendancies and loud outbursts. Such as throwing furniture and screaming at the top of her lungs at 2am. Talking to carers or the lady herself stops this for a day or two, then she gets right back to it. I've heard it, and it can be quite unnerving. Still, mum doesn't want to get the authorities involved, since the lady isn't doing it maliciously, she really can't control herself, so continues to persist with her carers.

Mum wanted to sell to downsize, and put the house on the market. One couple made an offer and withdrew it when they found out what the property next door was used for. The next couple who were interested didn't even make an offer when they were told. So mum has removed the house from the market and will be staying.

Now, I appreciate that you can't choose your neighbours, and will be lucky if you find good ones, but you choose your house with that in mind (this is why there are so many planning laws to protect a homeowners "enjoyment" of various aspects of their own homes). I can certainly understand the OP's concerns at the proposed change of use to her neighbours. And it is a change of use, just as much as if it were to be converted into bedsits.

I think the organisation looking to convert the property really ought to approach the neighbours prior to purchase to allay their fears, but given that hasn't happened, perhaps it might be worth calling them with your concerns and if you're not reassured the council planning department would be the next step.

Incidentally I too would be happier with a group of young children than with turning a property of that size into a house of multiple occupation.

bromleymum

mutey wrote: »

My next door neighbour is selling their house to a company that is going to change it into a home for therapeutic care and education for children 7-13, with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

What rights do I have to stop this from happening and how do I go about stopping it?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the OP asking for advice. Shame so many posters have used it as an opportunity to have a dig about being a NIMBY etc, or telling someone to buy a detached house instead (yawn).

Anyway, to back up what other posters have said, you usually get advance notice of a change in residential status to a business and can object then. It's not that easy just to buy a house and set up a nursery, residential home or similar.

In an ideal world this wouldn't matter but there are similar homes near me that are a complete nightmare for the neighbours and there are others that are a complete joy.

I would love to say it wouldn't bother me but it probably would. On the other hand we have had a complete nightmare in our street with a family who own their house but that's another story.

Good luck OP.

fluffnutter

There's a house a few doors down from me that's a home for adults with mental disabilities, including behavioural problems. They're just people like anyone else, trying to live in a caring, loving home. You could try a bit of compassion, OP, instead of worrying about your house price.

These kids will be looked after by trained professionals who are hardly going to sit there drinking cups of tea whilst the kids trash the neighbourhood. It's not in anyone's interest to create a home that will create problems in the local community. I think it's a storm in a teacup and the OP's been listening too much to chuntering, close-minded people who like to get outraged about anything they possibly can.

heretolearn_2

Can you find out more information about the proposed scheme? How many children, for example. If it's going to be only 2 or 3, (assuming it's a normal sized house) then it shouldn't have too much impact on you and I can't see you having much luck opposing the planning. If, however, there are plans to extend the property/or it would be a larger unit anyway, then you might be able to argue that it's inappropriate to place this in a residential street/plot that size/that close to neighbours etc.

I wouldn't mind a couple of kids but I wouldn't be happy next door to 6+ disturbed children. Well, I wouldn't be happy with the noise from 6+ non-disturbed children either!

I'm in two minds over this. No, I wouldn't want to live next door either just 'in case'. You have no idea what problems these kids will have and what impact it will have on you. It may be fine, or it may be hell. But then you could say the same about any new neighbours.

the age group makes a difference I think. If it were teenagers I'd be more worried (unfair I know).

I had a relative who was admitted to a secure mental health unit for teenagers (in hospital grounds, not in community). I was so shocked to find out that there was also a childrens' unit for 6-12 year olds. It had never really occured to me that children that young could have problems so bad that they needed residential mental health treatment. It broke my heart at first, thinking about what could have happened to them to do that to them so young. But you know? They were sweet little kids. We'd bump into little groups outside playing, or cycling round the grounds in a line on little bikes with stabilisers and helmets, or doing PE with the teachers, and you would never have known they were any different to any other little kids that age. Whatever their problems, and I'm sure some of them must have had behavioural issues, first and foremost they were still just little kids. So as other posters have said, if you don't get anywhere, try not to make too many assumptions, and give them a chance.