Link-Detached Conversion - Noise question

tink_1983

You need to look at what you can do. They've made the garage functional for what they want which they are allowed to do. 
How old are the kids? Will they soon be back at school during work/office hours? 

Davesnave

tink_1983 said:

You need to look at what you can do. They've made the garage functional for what they want which they are allowed to do.

Yes, it will cost at least £10k to move, which could buy a second wall and a lot of insulation, admittedly with the loss of some floor area.

The problems with this house are known, whereas buying a fully detached one will mean paying more, or compromising on space and/or locality. The problems that other house might have are unknown.

Alan2020

Why don’t you rent an office with an office service provider. Just because there is COVID-19, strictly speaking majority of people are breaking council rules working from home without paying business rates.

homes are for living and that is what those children are doing. Working from home, is strictly speaking is not allowed. Obviously people turn the blind eye for office work, but would you be happy if a blacksmith started working from home and used an automatic hammer to forge a 100 ton steel ingot due to COVID-19 

jimpwarsop

Alan2020 said:

Why don’t you rent an office with an office service provider. Just because there is COVID-19, strictly speaking majority of people are breaking council rules working from home without paying business rates.

homes are for living and that is what those children are doing. Working from home, is strictly speaking is not allowed. Obviously people turn the blind eye for office work, but would you be happy if a blacksmith started working from home and used an automatic hammer to forge a 100 ton steel ingot due to COVID-19 

So thats what my neighbour is doing !!

NameUnavailable

The issue here appears to be that the OP's garage was 'converted' first and they therefore feel it's unfair that the neighbours should want to do the same. As said they can use their garage for whatever they want, within reason. It could be a band practice room for example, or a workshop.

It sounds like the neighbours have only adapted the room rather than converted it, if the garage door is still there and they've not knocked through to the house etc., which the OP has, so building regs probably don't come into it - no law says their kids can't play in the garage.

I think the OP is the inconsiderate party in this case, thinking they have preferential rights over the neighbours for some reason. The solution, as said, is to improve the conversion so that the noise is less of a problem, bearing in mind that you are in what was never intended to be living space.

Emmia

Alan2020 said:

Why don’t you rent an office with an office service provider. Just because there is COVID-19, strictly speaking majority of people are breaking council rules working from home without paying business rates.

homes are for living and that is what those children are doing. Working from home, is strictly speaking is not allowed. Obviously people turn the blind eye for office work...

I'm not sure this is necessarily true for the OP, it will depend on the type of work being done, what proportion of the home is being used, whether the work requires staff employed in the business to also work in their home...

Gov.uk says:

Working at home

You do not usually have to pay business rates for home-based businesses if you:

• use a small part of your home for your business, for example if you use a bedroom as an office
• sell goods by post

You may need to pay business rates as well as Council Tax if:

• your property is part business and part domestic, for example if you live above your shop
• you sell goods or services to people who visit your property
• you employ other people to work at your property
• you’ve made changes to your home for your business, for example converted a garage to a hairdresser’s

https://www.gov.uk/introduction-to-business-rates/working-at-home

Doozergirl

Emmia said:

Alan2020 said:

Why don’t you rent an office with an office service provider. Just because there is COVID-19, strictly speaking majority of people are breaking council rules working from home without paying business rates.

homes are for living and that is what those children are doing. Working from home, is strictly speaking is not allowed. Obviously people turn the blind eye for office work...

I'm not sure this is necessarily true for the OP, it will depend on the type of work being done, what proportion of the home is being used, whether the work requires staff employed in the business to also work in their home...

Gov.uk says:

Working at home

You do not usually have to pay business rates for home-based businesses if you:

• use a small part of your home for your business, for example if you use a bedroom as an office
• sell goods by post

You may need to pay business rates as well as Council Tax if:

• your property is part business and part domestic, for example if you live above your shop
• you sell goods or services to people who visit your property
• you employ other people to work at your property
• you’ve made changes to your home for your business, for example converted a garage to a hairdresser’s

https://www.gov.uk/introduction-to-business-rates/working-at-home

I'd be less polite and say Alan292's post was almost an entire fabrication. 

Thank you for your sensible and correct demonstration of Google.  Infinitely more useful than scaremongering.  

Davesnave

Doozergirl said:

Emmia said:

Alan2020 said:

Why don’t you rent an office with an office service provider. Just because there is COVID-19, strictly speaking majority of people are breaking council rules working from home without paying business rates.

homes are for living and that is what those children are doing. Working from home, is strictly speaking is not allowed. Obviously people turn the blind eye for office work...

I'm not sure this is necessarily true for the OP, it will depend on the type of work being done, what proportion of the home is being used, whether the work requires staff employed in the business to also work in their home...

Gov.uk says:

Working at home

You do not usually have to pay business rates for home-based businesses if you:

• use a small part of your home for your business, for example if you use a bedroom as an office
• sell goods by post

You may need to pay business rates as well as Council Tax if:

• your property is part business and part domestic, for example if you live above your shop
• you sell goods or services to people who visit your property
• you employ other people to work at your property
• you’ve made changes to your home for your business, for example converted a garage to a hairdresser’s

https://www.gov.uk/introduction-to-business-rates/working-at-home

I'd be less polite and say Alan292's post was almost an entire fabrication.

Let's be charitable. It's that time of year when some of us over-indulge. Perhaps he's in metal and sees the world through welding specs?  Anyway, I think we should be grateful he made no attempt to show us his 100 ton ingot!