Next door's conservatory...

DaftyDuck

Of course (and I do say this in jest), one of the posters on this thread so far has pointed out that the paint on their side of a party wall juts onto their property ...

"I could have just chipped the wall coating that was intruding on my airspace off and taken their wall back to the underlying brick I guess...."

:rotfl:

So, I'm guessing you can just paint over their windows, so long as the layer of paint is on your side of the property.....

Look, I'm a great advocate of talking to neighbours before you buy. I always do so, and have avoided one or two places because of what I've found. You want this to be a home for life, not a trouble and worry. Please do "woman up" and go and chat.

You may have the door slammed in your face, with a choice four-letter greeting. Would you want them as neighbours? You may have a cup of tea, and your new friends agree it's terrible, they'd love to (share the cost and) build a brick wall, etc, etc.

If I knew you, I'd hold your hand and drag you round. I think it's that important. I have done similar with friends, I really have. But, 'tis the internet. All I can do is beg you to follow the advice of most of the wise folk above, and visit and ask. It may save a nightmare few years ....

Now, Forum Regulars: Place your bets on who our paint-peeling friend is... Give up? No, I didn't think you'd be stuck!

franklee

MrsFingersCrossed wrote: »

we don't know if the current next door people did the extension or whether they bought it like that.

Then you should at least find that out. See when the current owners purchased e.g. from land registry, see if it's likely they put the conservatory in. If the conservatory is fairly new the likes of google satellite might give you an approximate build date range. I take it there are no opening windows on your side?

If you really can't face talking to next door how about talking to the neighbour on the other side, bottom of garden or any other adjacent neighbour. Perhaps you will find out the "gossip" that way. If you get feedback about the conservatory neighbours from a third neighbour then you can tackle the situation with more knowledge.

Also even though it's an executors sale is there any family e.g. their adult children you can ask to speak to just to clear up some queries you have about the property.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

Whoever buys this property is likely to put something against the patio "window wall", so change is coming whether they want it or not...you sound like polite, reasonable people so I'm sure you could tactfully point this out.

motherofstudents

I always speak to neighbours before making a decision. In your position, I'd go round and just see if you think they seem like reasonable people. Even if you don't mention the conservatory, you will get an idea of whether they are approachable and whether you are likely to get on ok. I'd do that irrespective of any problem.

System

You have no knowledge of whether the previous owners agreed with the way it was built. Since it's been there a fair few years then that is probably the case, so as things stand the neighbours of your potential new house have done no wrong. The previous owner may have agrreed to the boundary wall being removed to build the conservatory.

Do not assume things based on YOUR likes and dislikes.

However it sounds as though you are intent on beginning a dispute which will only come back and bite you

MrsFingersCrossed

Who said that about ''chipping the paint off our airspace"? Missed that bit of advice! But yes, Dafty, I have thought about whitewashing their windows but my more reasonable H talked me round.


We do appreciate your advice even though we seem to have ignored it. It's actually very helpful to know we are not alone in finding the situation a bit strange and potentially awkward. Dafty I would like to have you as a pal talking courage into me! Mother and Jelly, yes, change is coming for our neighbours regardless and we should talk to them but hopefully by waiting till we're in we can do things gradually by placing tall plants there and so on...


Franklee, good idea to try to glean from local gossip. We're off to the local pub tonight, so you never know.


Went to see it again this afternoon and the garden is so pretty otherwise. And we had the idea of a verandah type arrangement across outside our patio doors, with a sloping roofline to echo theirs, and then fill in the side with trellis / plants. There is also a mirrored window-effect fence panel I've found online that could go in there too. So lots of ideas, just a lack of courage in approaching them in case they say no. We don't want to give them that chance, but if it comes to it we will explain that anyone would be making changes, and ours are probably the lesser of many alternatives they might really object to.

sniggings

Someone changes a brick wall to a glass wall :eek:

I would put up reed matting.

MrsFingersCrossed

!!!!!!, I disagree. We are being very reasonable and have made no assumptions about whether the previous owner was happy with the situation or not. Neither have I implied that our neighbours have done anything wrong. I said earlier that I don't know if they put up the conservatory or whether they bought it like it is. It's possible they are happy as it stands, and equally possible they don't like it.

moneyistooshorttomention

Pub for local gossip:beer:.

If you're in one of the more "gossipy" parts of the country - then that should serve you well:D

It's been quite a revelation at times tapping into the local grapevine about things round here (including my neighbours). It proved distinctly reassuring to hear that my nfh isn't nearly as well-regarded by other people as she is by herself;):rotfl:

Good idea indeed and for the sake of a couple of pints it could be a good investment.

MrsFingersCrossed

And !!!!!!, we are doing the very opposite of starting a dispute. (Bracing up not to be walked over..., as was advised earlier.)