Neighbours and kerb appeal.

SallyG

Hoping/desperate to put my house up for sale next Spring - currently re-decorating -sprucing up- gardening etc.
....however ..........
my new next door neighbour is a builder - on moving in he applied for planning permission to extend - I objected - it was refused and then dismissed on appeal -another very similar application now ?ongoing -decision overdue by about four weeks - ?non-determination. Anyway I reckon he'll appeal again because
his agent is some sort of planning application refusal ambulance chaser - from reading testimonials he trawls Public Access for targets - approached my neighbour to offer to represent him in the failed appeal and new application.
Now my neighbour has taken to stacking builders' waste in the highly visible area between our two houses - both houses are purely domestic dwellings in a conservation area -
a personal approach is not possible - what lawful arms length remedies are open to me to persuade him to desist?

hazyjo

Are you sure it's builder's waste from his work and not from his own home improvements?! Presumably, some company will be along to clear the waste? Is it held in one of those huge industrial type bags (instead of a skip)?

Jx

pimento

If you're moving anyway, why not make peace with the man? Tell him you won't object to his new application and ask him to play fair while you sell your house.

marshall666

from a buyers point of view, I wouldn't be put off by building works next door, it shows the area is being invested in

phoebe1989seb

marshall666 wrote: »

from a buyers point of view, I wouldn't be put off by building works next door, it shows the area is being invested in

This ^^^^^

We're currently two years into a five year restoration project on our house and have had major building work with all the associated mess - 20+ skips in the last year alone on our private driveway - that entails. We've actually had neighbours tell us verbally (and by way of notes through the door) that they're so pleased our house is finally being loved again after more than 40 years of neglect. Despite the comings and goings of builders, diggers and plenty of noise as well as occasional deliveries of materials spilling out from our drive to the pavement, no-one in the village (in an AONB) has complained.......

Whilst I appreciate that building mess is a pain, I'd rather have that than a rundown, uncared-for property next door.......which we actually have to one side of us

SallyG

Thanks for your thoughts - he refurbished the house in his first few months - as you'd expect of an FMB member there was absolutely no mess.We were on neighbourly terms.
This started about a week after his appeal against refusal was dismissed.
It's mostly block insulation with cut unprotected edges - has been out in all weathers for about two months now - not sure if it's still fit for purpose.
Not sure if degrading insulation is a pollutant.

phoebe1989seb

In that case it definitely sounds as though he's doing it deliberately as a direct result of your objections to his proposed building works and I'd be inclined to do as pimento suggested earlier in the thread and attempt to make peace with him on the grounds that you'll not stand in the way of his plans if he desists from deliberately creating an eyesore whilst you're attempting to sell

I_have_spoken

make peace with him on the grounds...

He'll seize on that as weakness and know he's got you over a barrel. That's what bully's do.

You need to fight fire with fire, complain to environment dept. at council, his trade association etc. Leaflet your neighbours and explain how to object - they may assume the problem is sorted. Speak to councillors and highlight how many neighbours will remember this at the next election.

mark?_3

I_have_spoken wrote: »

He'll seize on that as weakness and know he's got you over a barrel. That's what bully's do.

You need to fight fire with fire, complain to environment dept. at council, his trade association etc. Leaflet your neighbours and explain how to object - they may assume the problem is sorted. Speak to councillors and highlight how many neighbours will remember this at the next election.

what awful advice. if you're planning to sell your house, the last thing you want to do is get into a dispute as this will need to be declared to buyers and will likely impact the value of your house.
As others have said, swallow your pride and offer to support his second application (obviously unless it's going to devalue your house!)

ValHaller

mark? wrote: »

what awful advice.

Unfortunately, the analysis is sound. The guy is bullying and taking his revenge over the planning permission.

mark?_3

ValHaller wrote: »

Unfortunately, the analysis is sound. The guy is bullying and taking his revenge over the planning permission.

analysis yes. solution (if you're planning on selling in the imminent future) no