Next door's conservatory...

franklee

Kathy535 wrote: »

The situation you are describing sounds much like mine. In my case, I live in the house with the conservatory with frosted glass looking out onto the neighbours' side.

I'd be interested to know the the build came about. Did you inherit it from your vendor, was it done with agreement from next door etc.

MrsFingersCrossed wrote: »

It is a concern DRP. I've just checked the Land Registry and the house next door is not listed which means they've been there a long time and it probably was them that built it. I'm not exactly losing sleep over it but we are now telling ourselves if it doesn't work out and we can't be happy with the situation (or neighbours) we will do it up and sell it in a couple of years.

Which won't be that easy if the conservatory issue is still there and you will have to declare any disputes, unlike the current vendors. I would seriously talk to other neighbours now and use any information gleaned to approach the conservatory neighbours and be prepared to walk. You really do need to talk to next door before committing, moving is stressful, time consuming and expensive you don't want to be doing it twice when what you said you wanted before is to settle into a long term home!

Pincher

A simple solution is to put up some wired fencing, and grow some ivy.

moneyistooshorttomention

Davesnave wrote: »

Thanks for that. I must read more carefully in future.

This still means some of the foundations are on your land. As others have said,it speaks reams about the attitude, imagination and foresight of the people who did this.

Yep...what I've been thinking all along...:(

I am concerned that OP seems to be prepared to sell up and move on again if this neighbour decides to be a bit antsy with her - the thought of even contemplating all that trouble and expense to move on again just because of a neighbour:(:eek::(.

I do feel OP is being prepared to "bend over backwards" to a much greater extent than most of us would and is worrying a lot more about the situation than most of us would - so at a bit of a loss here...

I'd do what I decided - in exactly the same way as this neighbour has clearly done exactly what they decided personally.

One thing I am wondering is if OP might want to get one of those HUGE windowbox type planters (I'm thinking of the ones that are 6' long and a couple of feet or so wide), or maybe two of them even (meaning a total of 12' in length if they were side by side). I imagine that something like that could be fitted with (strong) wheels, so that they could be moved out of the way if required. Those planters aren't cheap - ie they are around £150 each! That might be one way to deal with this if OP is going to worry so much about doing perfectly reasonable stuff she is perfectly entitled to do in her own garden. The planters I have seen have sturdy trellis several feet tall fitted to the back of them and would block off quite a bit of "view" if a thick plant was put into the planter and trained up the trellis attached to it.

Some people do get a lot more worried about potential neighbour trouble than others. I know that the last owner of my house gave way to Human Bulldozer next door and let her have things all her own way - and went round telling people how much she disliked Human Bulldozer - and a friend of mine urged me to move again in order to get away from the Bulldozer, even though she knows I cant afford to (that being because my friend couldn't have found the courage to carry on as per plan against the wishes of the Bulldozer).

Some people do find it more difficult to deal with awkward neighbours than others...and hence are way more accommodating than most of us would be.

MrsFingersCrossed

Like this, Money? http://www.treebox.co.uk/products/green-screens.html You are a genius, thank you.

C_Mababejive

I think i would pass this one by. Its already causing stress and it isnt even bought yet.

Kathy535

franklee wrote: »

I'd be interested to know the the build came about. Did you inherit it from your vendor, was it done with agreement from next door?

I'd be interested to know how it came about too! The conservatory is at least 15 years old and predates the previous owners of our house and the current owners of next door. Next door have intimated that they want to build an extension in the future so I'm not sure how that would work but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

kataklysm

DRP wrote: »

OP, what kind of inconsiderate idiot neighbour builds a conservatory in such a manner?

This. My neighbour built a conservatory inches from our fence. As a result, they continually blame me for things that grow in the gap, pour weed killer under the fence and kill my plants, make a huge fuss about bringing in gardeners, chuck rubbish over, talk loudly about me all the time... The fact they built it too **** close and failed to think how that gap would be maintained means nothing to them; now it's my problem. There are days I'm imprisoned inside because I can't handle being subjected to their misery. It is unpleasant to say the least and all over a couple of weeds. Pathetic, but that's what some people are like.

Your new neighbours have +1'd this though. Would they expect you to clean their windows? :rotfl: Seriously, I'd at least want to clarify that. Erecting a fence may well be your right, but with no space between, you may never hear the end of it. There'll be leaves in there, insects, moss, mould... rats... Whatever they can dream up.

Others have pointed out the difference between "right" and practicality... knowing how that feels, I'd 100% be running for the hills. The only proper solution here is for them to rebuild their conservatory. Future buyers will surely also spot this dilemma.

moneyistooshorttomention

MrsFingersCrossed wrote: »

Like this, Money? http://www.treebox.co.uk/products/green-screens.html You are a genius, thank you.

I haven't come across them before - but they would do the trick.

What I was thinking of will come up if you put into Google "images trellis planters" and you will see quite a few examples of what I have in mind.

I have been turning the thought of something like that over in my mind at intervals in order to get a bit of privacy along my dividing wall between my nfh and myself - as I don't want to fix anything to my wall because I know the Human Bulldozer next door well enough by now to know she would start creating one way or another if I fix anything to it (even though it is MY wall) and I'd like to make it harder for her to nosily look into my side garden whenever she decides to.

moneyistooshorttomention

C_Mababejive wrote: »

I think i would pass this one by. Its already causing stress and it isnt even bought yet.

I can see its already causing stress....but there's (unfortunately) quite a few unreasonable type neighbours around and if OP passes on this house then who is to say the next one will have a "soul of sweetness and light next door" there either?

I tend to think most "naughty neighbours" will shut up after a while if its been made plain to them quite firmly they wont be making YOUR decisions for you. I could see what sort of neighbour I would have next door when I bought my current house - ie a right bossyboots who would try to "rule the roost" - but I figured I can deal with that and I think she has given up doing any more than glaring at me by now (fingers crossed that I wont spot any more of what is most probably vandalism having happened in my garden). The damage is still visible - but I don't think (feels optimistic) there will be any more - now that she has my measure (ie = no wimp).

OP has the advantage of having a husband and it is the case that she will have an easier ride from any hassle the neighbour might wish to create. It does have to be said that single women are seen as "easy targets" by any neighbour that wishes to make a nuisance of themselves - but OP may well not have a scrap of trouble with this neighbour - as soon as they see she has a husband with her.

Women on their own do sometimes have to prove they have a very "firm" streak in them if pushed before the "awkward squad" shut up - whereas I don't think married women do by and large....