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

happinessfactory

I live in a block of flats in a converted Victorian house and if any of my neighbours in the block wanted to put in uPVC I'd be livid. In a period house it looks utterly hideous and screams "chavs live here".

I'm looking to buy a Victorian terrace at the moment and all the houses with uPVC are valued at around £25k less than *identical* houses with their original wooden sash windows.

I have no prejudices about uPVC in modern buildings but ugly blocks of flats with a mish-mash of decorating styles don't do much for 'kerb appeal' and this will definitely devalue your property, not to mention everyone else's in the block.

As someone else has said, look into your lease, find out the price of windows identical to the ones you have in your building already, and persuade her (nicely!) to play ball;)

MushyPeas

Gosh, such different views on this thread!! Thanks for everyone's input.

Popped downstairs, she's still not in so I can't have a chat with her

nollag2006

Best of luck MP !

I get a feeling it will work out for you ...

seven-day-weekend

Contains_Mild_Peril wrote: »

I would assume that the planning report will include the names & addresses of those who have made representations (usually objections). That's how i works here in Scotland anyway. Planning permission is not normally required for new windows unless it's a conservation area, a listed building or strutural alterations are involved (e.g. removing stonework dividers between existing windows etc).
P.S. Agan, this is in Scotland and I'm not sure if it's the same down South, but here, effect on the value of nearby properties is not considered a planning criterion: however, whether it is in keeping with the character of the area is.

I have not read all this thread, forgive me if I have repeated anything.

The Planning permission is needed as it is a block of flats. These do not have any Permitted Development Rights at all.

All objections and other comments (indeed the whole application) is open to the public so yes they will know who has objected.

House prices are not a planning criterion.

seven-day-weekend

I would also like to say that I own a Victorian terraced house in the UK, (we've owned it for over thirty years) and it has UPVC windows front and rear (plenty of original features inside) - the reason for the windows is because they are draught- and maintenance-free unlike the old sash ones which blew a gale in and went rotten, particularly at the back. They don't have to look 'hideous' or mean that chavs live there, as one poster has mentioned. Nearly all the houses in our street have them and they look very smart indeed, as they can do if done tastefully.

Markyt

michaels wrote: »

Iam amazed that the perfectly resonable people in our street of 1880's victorian terraces put in hideous pvcu windows of whatever colour. They look out of keeping with the properties and I would have thought diminish the value of the houses and the street. Most of the town is conservation area and it wouldn't be allowed.
I've nothing agaiinst these windows on newer buildings though, but if you are paying 320k for a tiny 2 bed Victorian terrace I would have thought you would want Victorian character and expect to fork out extra for wooden windows when they need replacing.

I've just put uPVC windows in my 1870's Victorian terrace. Brown ones, with a grain effect, and they look fantastic - they go with the stone colour, and have increased the value of the house by more than the cost.

I wouldn't be mug enough to pay £320k for a 2 bed terrace though. I'd want a 4 bed with a few acres of land for that.

sandieb

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guppy

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

The Planning permission is needed as it is a block of flats. These do not have any Permitted Development Rights at all.

Is the case for any block of flats? Even just for the renewal of existing windows?

MushyPeas

sandieb wrote: »

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I've still not been able to contact the neighbour, yet.

SquatNow

Why don't you all get yours changed at the same time... should be able to get a good discount.