Neighbour changes use of garage and then complains about noise

roger196

I would tell these neighbours that you are happy to install sound proofing at their expense, that you want compensation for loss of garage width and substantial compensation for entering into a restrictive covenant not to exceed a set number of decibels between certain hours. I would seek at least £50k.
ps have they got building regs and notified the council tax department of their conversion work so that the council tax band can be re-allocated.

tunnel

TBagpuss wrote: »

I would start with a polite conversation with the neighbours, explain that you have not changed the way in which you use your garage. You could ask them what sound insulation they installed, and even express surprise that the planners did not insist on more effective insulation.

Depending on the size of your garage, and your willingness to do so, you could also tell them that you would have no objections to additional soundproofing being installed on your side, at their expense, and suggest that they consider adding additional soundproofing on their side.

I would start with a polite conversation with the neighbours, explain that you have not changed the way in which you use your garage and then explain it's totally unreasonable of them to expect you to change how you use your garage. It wasn't a problem before then why should it be a problem now.

Depending on the size of your garage, and your willingness to do so, you could tell them you are going to continue to use your garage in the manner of which it has been used previously. Then suggest they move their living room back to where it came from and re-instate the garage back to its former use so everyone can live happily ever after

vivatifosi

Something else I have been thinking... living in a detached house is very different to living in one that is attached to something. Therefore if they move their main living space to the garage, even if it has been properly insulated, will still lead to different noise levels to having nothing adjoining (or just their own garage).

Further, the OP could soundproof his garage to his heart's content, but still, he is unlikely to pull the garage door down over him while he is working in there. Therefore the whole of the front of the garage would be open and sound would escape, probably immediately adjacent to the neighbour's windows. In other words, the soundproofing may be a waste of money.

clingingtothewreckage

TBagpuss wrote: »

I do not think that their lack of foresight in converting the room, or he issue as to whether or not they complied with proper planning ad building regs would actually make any difference if they were to make a complaint about noise nuisance -


Actually if a complaint of an alleged Statutory Noise Nuisance was made to the Council in this situation one of the first actions would be to check with BC that as a new conversion that the works comply with current BR.

If the conversion did not comply, EH would not take any action before planning or BC.

Agree with your suggested approach of trying to chat to neighbour but from limited info provided and experience I don't, sadly, believe he will get anywhere.

lincroft1710

roger196 wrote: »

ps have they got building regs and notified the council tax department of their conversion work so that the council tax band can be re-allocated.

Firstly there is no legal requirement for anyone to notify either the CT department of their council or the Valuation Office Agency when they make alterations to their home.

Secondly, a CT band cannot be increased on account of alterations or improvements made by the current owner.

Thirdly, in the majority of cases, this type of alteration would not lead to an increased CT band.

AdrianC

lincroft1710 wrote: »

Secondly, a CT band cannot be increased on account of alterations or improvements made by the current owner.

This bit makes no sense to me whatsoever. Never has, never will.

Icey77

AdrianC wrote: »

This bit makes no sense to me whatsoever. Never has, never will.

I believe it's so that the current owner who has spent money altering his house is not penalised for improving it. When he comes to sell the buyer is buying a bigger property and the CT band will be re-assessed at that point.

I checked this last week as we are about to start planning a big extension

AdrianC

Icey77 wrote: »

I believe it's so that the current owner who has spent money altering his house is not penalised for improving it.

"Penalised"...? He gets to live in the bigger, better place that he wants to live in... Might be for a year, might be for thirty or more. Without having to pay the appropriate CT.

When he comes to sell the buyer is buying a bigger property and the CT band will be re-assessed at that point.

Quite. And the buyer doesn't know what CT band he'll be paying until after he's bought the place, because the re-assessment is triggered by the change of occupier on the CT bill.

Hoof_Hearted

I was shocked by this. We doubled the size of our property -- bungalow to large house. I wrote to the Council expecting a reassessment but I have it in writing to say that this won't happen.

moneyistooshorttomention

roger196 wrote: »

I would tell these neighbours that you are happy to install sound proofing at their expense, that you want compensation for loss of garage width and substantial compensation for entering into a restrictive covenant not to exceed a set number of decibels between certain hours. I would seek at least £50k.
ps have they got building regs and notified the council tax department of their conversion work so that the council tax band can be re-allocated.

Sounds like the quickest way I can think of to have all out war between these two neighbours:cool: and a dispute OP would have to notify buyers of if they decide to sell their house at any point. In neighbours' position then their feelings would soon ramp up from "Fancy someone using their garage as a workshop and we have to put up with their blimmin' noise until they move on one way or another" to "...and not just that...but they're now threatening me and my money....right..that means its time to start running rings round them....Bet I'll understand whats what better than them...better start reading-up and doing so....."

I very much doubt they could be threatened into shutting-up and putting-up.

Just saying.....