Scaffolding dispute with the neighbour

Shaqui

greenface2 said:

SHAQUI can the scaff be avoided . Does it need to be outside yours too . Can they put up a guard to prevent access to your side . could they still see into your bedroom from their side stood on their side . can you not put up curtains or something to stop this if it isn't avoidable 

I have no idea. I wanted to see what my rights were first as I've had disputes with the neighbours over their noise, lack of control of their dogs, and using our bins.

If there was no overhang, yes, at an angle they could still see in. But their plank goes a clear couple of feet under our window. I consider that a major breach of personal privacy.

If we had been told in advance, I could have tried to do something. I'm going away soon, but leaving my lodger there. I don't want her to have to deal with these issues as she has mental health problems.

Doozergirl

Shaqui said:

greenface2 said:

SHAQUI can the scaff be avoided . Does it need to be outside yours too . Can they put up a guard to prevent access to your side . could they still see into your bedroom from their side stood on their side . can you not put up curtains or something to stop this if it isn't avoidable 

I have no idea. I wanted to see what my rights were first as I've had disputes with the neighbours over their noise, lack of control of their dogs, and using our bins.

If there was no overhang, yes, at an angle they could still see in. But their plank goes a clear couple of feet under our window. I consider that a major breach of personal privacy.

If we had been told in advance, I could have tried to do something. I'm going away soon, but leaving my lodger there. I don't want her to have to deal with these issues as she has mental health problems.

Surely if it's outside your window then it isn't an issue for her at all? 

When you say the plank goes under your window, where are the poles?  Their side?  They won't be walking outside of their structural support.  

Photo? 

elsien

Shaqui said:

greenface2 said:

SHAQUI can the scaff be avoided . Does it need to be outside yours too . Can they put up a guard to prevent access to your side . could they still see into your bedroom from their side stood on their side . can you not put up curtains or something to stop this if it isn't avoidable 

I have no idea. I wanted to see what my rights were first as I've had disputes with the neighbours over their noise, lack of control of their dogs, and using our bins.

If there was no overhang, yes, at an angle they could still see in. But their plank goes a clear couple of feet under our window. I consider that a major breach of personal privacy.

If we had been told in advance, I could have tried to do something. I'm going away soon, but leaving my lodger there. I don't want her to have to deal with these issues as she has mental health problems.

If it is outside your bedroom window and not your lodgers, as per your previous post, I'm unclear why it is an issue for your lodger and her mental health because there isn't anything for her to deal with?

I fully appreciate the privacy issue and the lack of courtesy in not speaking to you first, but you will be away and it doesn't affect her bedroom so if you can do a short term temporary fix for yourself until you do go away, I'm not sure what other issues you think might arise?

Shaqui

elsien said:

If it is outside your bedroom window and not your lodgers, as per your previous post, I'm unclear why it is an issue for your lodger and her mental health because there isn't anything for her to deal with?

I fully appreciate the privacy issue and the lack of courtesy in not speaking to you first, but you will be away and it doesn't affect her bedroom so if you can do a short term temporary fix for yourself until you do go away, I'm not sure what other issues you think might arise?

We have a damp issue and there is a dehumidifier on the landing. While I'm away (or even at work) then my bedroom door is open so the humidity is reduced all upstairs - this is especially vital in the window, when the windows are closed. So while it is only an issue if someone were to stand on the scaffolding on our side, someone could see through to the landing, and the passage from the bathroom to her bedroom (she has OCD which means she uses the bathroom a LOT).

Shaqui

Doozergirl said:

Surely if it's outside your window then it isn't an issue for her at all? 

When you say the plank goes under your window, where are the poles?  Their side?  They won't be walking outside of their structural support.  

Photo? 

See my reply to another post below but here is a photo i took yesterday morning, showing the clear overlap of their scaffolding plank. The poles are on their side, but I could argue some support poles on the left are actually on my brickwork, not theirs. Why these could not have been put over the alleyway on the other side is beyond me - unless they're more concerned about their own privacy and security, but not ours?

Also, this neighbour is a recent director of the residents' association, so you would think it a duty of that position to notifify residents of even personal work like this?

unforeseen

That is just an overlap. They will not be using that bit of plank as it is unsupported at the far end. If you notice, there is a scaffold pole at the end preventing access BECAUSE it would be dangerous to use it. 

Section62

Shaqui said:

Why these could not have been put over the alleyway on the other side is beyond me - unless they're more concerned about their own privacy and security, but not ours?

The yellow thing at the right-hand end of the scaffold is an access gate.  If that is the bit 'over the alleyway' you refer to, then the reason the planks don't extend at that end is so the access gate can be used safely.

There are ways the scaffold could have been put up so it didn't overhang the boundary, but it would have cost more to do, and would make no practical difference.

The neighbour being an ex-director of the RA has no bearing on this.

Shaqui

Section62 said:

The yellow thing at the right-hand end of the scaffold is an access gate.  If that is the bit 'over the alleyway' you refer to, then the reason the planks don't extend at that end is so the access gate can be used safely.

There are ways the scaffold could have been put up so it didn't overhang the boundary, but it would have cost more to do, and would make no practical difference.

The neighbour being an ex-director of the RA has no bearing on this.

Thank you clarifying the gate issue. Being unfamilar with scaffolding I can see why certain things have been done.

Re: the neighbour being a current director of the RA (recently appointed) I would say that a responsibility to ALL residents very much has a bearing on this. It does not give them carte blanche to do what they like, when they like, to whom they like...

TELLIT01

The builders can't access the part of the plank outside the window.  There is a scaffolding barrier in place to prevent them doing so.  You could ask it they can fix a couple of scaffold planks to that end section to block vision. 

Section62

Shaqui said:

Re: the neighbour being a current director of the RA (recently appointed) I would say that a responsibility to ALL residents very much has a bearing on this. It does not give them carte blanche to do what they like, when they like, to whom they like...

Sorry, I thought "recent" meant was, but no longer is.

Unless there is something in the RA articles of association/standing orders/code of conduct which requires a member to act in a specific way, then they won't be required to notify/consult you any more than any other resident would be.  If there was something, then the issue would be a disciplinary matter for the RA (e.g. making the director promise not to do it again) rather than something which would be of direct benefit to you.