Moral dilema: neighbour wants pvc windows...I want to object

djbd1973

The cost of new UPVC windows should be the same whether they are brown or white, and I would check with the owners/management of the whole block first as to whether this is allowed.

Debt_Free_Chick

I wouldn't bother objecting, for the simple reason that your comments will be "on the Public record" for all to see.

If it's going to be refused, it will be refused with or without your comments. The planners either have grounds to refuse or they don't. You are unlikely to give them any grounds they don't already know about, as it's their job to know about planning law.

I speak as someone who is involved on the fringes of planning (Parish Council Clerk) and long since came to the conclusion that commenting is a complete waste of time.

nollag2006

Objecting, either to the freeholder's managing agent or to the council, would have to be declared when you come to sell, and might dissuade a potential purchaser who could be put off by what could be interpreted as an ongoing dispute.

You are better off to get someone else, locally, to object to the planning application and keep your name out of it

MushyPeas

Blimey, I didn't know about having my objection on record and dissuading a potential buyer, thanks.

Useful to think that my comments might not make any difference!

Debt_Free_Chick

nollag2006 wrote: »

Objecting, either to the freeholder's managing agent or to the council, would have to be declared when you come to sell, and might dissuade a potential purchaser who could be put off by what could be interpreted as an ongoing dispute.

You are better off to get someone else, locally, to object to the planning application and keep your name out of it

My understanding is that a comment on a planning application is not a dispute, for the purposes of the SPIF. It's no different to not liking your neighbour's choice of curtains. Even if it were a dispute, the matter would be resolved when the planners isue the decision notice - so it either goes ahead or it doesn't, but the matter ends there.

A dispute is a complaint which is unresolved and gets escalated to "a higher degree". Although, strictly speaking, there is no legal definition of a dispute for use with the SPIF, but it's not a simple disagreement or difference of opinion.

duchy

It seems it isn't the colour that's the issue here (that's a matter of taste)-more the fact that they may look odd and therefore lower values on all the flats. I really can't see that brown is going to cost so much more than white so perhaps there are other reasons. Best way is to simply take a big deep breath-and ASK You don't have to be confrontational just say you've seen the sign and wondered why they wanted to change it. The value issue may not have even occurred to them-in which case you might be doing everyone a big favour.

MushyPeas

Duchy - I think I need to take a trip downstairs to chat with my neighbour this afternoon!

duchy

Good luck-let us know how you get on

custardy

i can totally see your point.last place we lived in was a cul de sac type flat complex.
all brown wooden widows with light brown bricks(looks nicer than its sounds lol) and IIRC there was a clause in the factoring or somthing regarding windows.
some had been replaced with UPVC but they were brown and the same style as the old wooden frames so were hardly noticable

nollag2006

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

My understanding is that a comment on a planning application is not a dispute, for the purposes of the SPIF. It's no different to not liking your neighbour's choice of curtains. Even if it were a dispute, the matter would be resolved when the planners isue the decision notice - so it either goes ahead or it doesn't, but the matter ends there.

A dispute is a complaint which is unresolved and gets escalated to "a higher degree". Although, strictly speaking, there is no legal definition of a dispute for use with the SPIF, but it's not a simple disagreement or difference of opinion.

As I understand it, all correspondence to and from the council and between neighbours has to be disclosed