Can i obscure a neighborss window?

peachyprice

chamelious wrote: »

I hate fireplaces, almost any house comes with at least one that we will be ripping out, i've not come across a house without one.

Its enough of an inconvenience that so much wall space is taken up with radiators and windows.

Surely one of the newer builds a little further down the road wouldn't have fireplaces?

chamelious

peachyprice wrote: »

Surely one of the newer builds a little further down the road wouldn't have fireplaces?

We don't have control over what goes up for sale and when, also as i said i've never seen a semi/terrace without a fireplace, even new builds. Only flats seem to be without one, which we don't want.

I'm not basing a house purchase off a fireplace. If i want to remove a fireplace and chuck it in the attic in case someone wants to put it back in 20 years time, who cares.

stator

Haven't read this thread but you have to consider the neighbour may have acquired a right to light with that window.
So you can obscure it with something temporary, but if they threaten to take you to court you should be prepared to take it down again (or be willing to risk thousands on losing a court case).
You need planning permission for a fence over 2m or 1m if it's too near a highway (inc walkway).
But if you just put a plant there and it grows to obscure the window you don't need planning permission. They might still threaten you though, so you might have to trim it.

brightontraveller

chamelious wrote: »

The house next to the house we're buying has had an extension done, which for some reason features a window with a view to nothing more than my back door.

http://imgur.com/a/QROhT (Window on the left)

What are my legal options there, can i install a nice big fence there? It'll obviously leave them with little to no light, but to be honest i can't understand how they were allowed to install that window in the first place.

What rights legally is pretty much irrelevant as there are shared things roof, guttering walls etc If your buying to rent it out it matters less if you get on with them , If to live in yourself you’d need to get on with “neighbor”because of above ( terraced more so than detached etc).

If your bothered about the window sticking some fence, plant, complaining to planning whatever its pretty likely only to cause years of grief it would be moronic to buy it immaterial of what the deeds say if it bothers you?

Although forums are full of grumpy gits that like nothing better than moaning and making there and others life miserable so sure they'd disagree. :rotfl:

forum_posts

Doozergirl wrote: »

I would be wary of taking this purchase much further.

You need to put the onus firmly on your vendor to rectify the problems with the boundary and the overlooking before you spend another penny on this transaction.

Nobody needs a neighbour that takes liberties to this extent. Perhaps they are great friends and the arrangement is informal, but it needs to be rectified and you should not be incurring costs for this.

You can give them the benefit of the doubt, but delay any survey until issue is resolved.

chamelious wrote: »

Thanks, the survey was what uncovered this problem though.

So before you had the survey you ddn't think there was problem till it was pointed out to you?

Doozergirl

86 posts and counting to address a potential problem where the simple answer is for the vendor to
a) provide some solid information
b) address it if necessary

forum_posts

Yeah, but I've seen lots of topics where people post away, mainly amongst themselves.

moneyistooshorttomention

chamelious wrote: »

Thanks.

We actually already visited with a friend who is herself a vendor who's had a lot of experience with house problems, and I've been talking to her about this too. She pointed out that we/she didn't notice any problems when we were there, other than noting the fact the back garden wasn't entirely ideal as its so enclosed.

Good friend as she might be - and with some experience "under her belt" - doesnt necessarily imply she'll notice everything.

Instantly thinking how I wouldnt dream of taking financial advice from any of my 3 best friends (as they've all made some awful financial mistakes over the years and I'm not sure that would prevent them making further ones).