Rendering extension

John1125

New neighbour has built pitched roof extension on back of house and left side facing our property as breeze block.
Plans say will render and dash to match existing - they haven't and work has finished. 

We've allowed access to our side and previously spoken with neighbour advising happy for them to access our side to complete. Verbal promises were made multiple times but nothing happened and all work now done. Neighbour is now refusing to discuss. Have no previous issues with them - but they are new and maybe we've just been unlucky with type of person they are. 

Raised it with council - as stipulated on plans - but council have said although non-compliance they won't take action as only affects us eg 1 neighbour. Various legal reasons that although they can remove planning they can't and won't compel completion in line with what's stipulated on the actual plans. In short they don't think it's worth their while. 
we want to sell our house in next year or so as children grown and looking to downsize. We're concerned the breeze block view is off putting to potential buyers and has impacted value of our house. 

We have legal cover through house insurance and are wondering if we should explore this route. I do feel a little frustrated and disappointed as we didn't object to any of the work, tried to be nice neighbours etc, but they've now breached the plans and the council won't do anything about it - and we're left with breeze block view as a result. 
for info - neighbour has rendered rest of extension, just side facing us they've not completed. extension comes up to party wall line but is not on it so isn't something we could paint/ rectify ourselves (not that I want that cost) as it's on their property; just.
ive been told we could argue it's impacted value of our house and ask for surveyor and take a claim that way but not sure if we've just got to take impact from their lack of work and councils lack of action.
appreciate any thoughts/ advice.

HampshireH

If they have left lightweight breezeblocks exposed to the elements it won't be waterproof 

What a strange decision by them to make.

Doozergirl

They've not breached planning, really. 

 I suspect that the side was excluded (ie. never requested to be included)  from the builder's quote, they've stuck to rule and your neighbour won't pay.  

It's short sighted, it's not neighbourly, but they are under no obligation to render the side.    

I've sold that many houses, I know that if you want something doing you do it yourself... 

35har1old

HampshireH said:

If they have left lightweight breezeblocks exposed to the elements it won't be waterproof 

What a strange decision by them to make.

Even a finished brick instant waterproof that's why there's a cavity 

ThisIsWeird

Some folk just make you shake your head in wonder, John. The additional cost of completing this rendering - in the scheme of the whole extension - must have been pretty minimal.

If you have Legal Protection in your house insurance, by all means ask if there's any way to oblige them with respect to Planning - but I suspect not.

The only other lever I can think of is if they were flipping the house and hoping to put it up for sale for a quick buck - a casual mention of the word 'dispute' (not that you'd go there...) might make them sit up.

I guess that leaves simply screening it off to cover the eyesore. Plenty of cheap options available - a few posts of the required height, SS wire strung between them, and your choice of lightweight screening material hanging from that.
At least you now know their calibre. 'oles. An astonishing lack of consideration.

Doozergirl

ThisIsWeird said:

Some folk just make you shake your head in wonder, John. The additional cost of completing this rendering - in the scheme of the whole extension - must have been pretty minimal.

If you have Legal Protection in your house insurance, by all means ask if there's any way to oblige them with respect to Planning - but I suspect not.

The only other lever I can think of is if they were flipping the house and hoping to put it up for sale for a quick buck - a casual mention of the word 'dispute' (not that you'd go there...) might make them sit up.

I guess that leaves simply screening it off to cover the eyesore. Plenty of cheap options available - a few posts of the required height, SS wire strung between them, and your choice of lightweight screening material hanging from that.
At least you now know their calibre. 'oles. An astonishing lack of consideration.

They won't enforce planning.  They'd ask for a retrospective application and it would be approved.  

I agree the solution is to erect their own screen, whether than be planting, fencing, whatever.    

EssexExile

John1125 said:

New neighbour has built pitched roof extension on back of house and left side facing our property as breeze block.
Plans say will render and dash to match existing - they haven't and work has finished. 

We've allowed access to our side and previously spoken with neighbour advising happy for them to access our side to complete. Verbal promises were made multiple times but nothing happened and all work now done. Neighbour is now refusing to discuss. Have no previous issues with them - but they are new and maybe we've just been unlucky with type of person they are. 

Raised it with council - as stipulated on plans - but council have said although non-compliance they won't take action as only affects us eg 1 neighbour. Various legal reasons that although they can remove planning they can't and won't compel completion in line with what's stipulated on the actual plans. In short they don't think it's worth their while. 
we want to sell our house in next year or so as children grown and looking to downsize. We're concerned the breeze block view is off putting to potential buyers and has impacted value of our house. 

We have legal cover through house insurance and are wondering if we should explore this route. I do feel a little frustrated and disappointed as we didn't object to any of the work, tried to be nice neighbours etc, but they've now breached the plans and the council won't do anything about it - and we're left with breeze block view as a result. 
for info - neighbour has rendered rest of extension, just side facing us they've not completed. extension comes up to party wall line but is not on it so isn't something we could paint/ rectify ourselves (not that I want that cost) as it's on their property; just.
ive been told we could argue it's impacted value of our house and ask for surveyor and take a claim that way but not sure if we've just got to take impact from their lack of work and councils lack of action.
appreciate any thoughts/ advice.

Unfortunately getting into an official dispute with your neighbour will also impact the value of your house. I'd just paint it or put something in front of it.

ThisIsWeird

EssexExile said:

John1125 said:

New neighbour has built pitched roof extension on back of house and left side facing our property as breeze block.
Plans say will render and dash to match existing - they haven't and work has finished. 

We've allowed access to our side and previously spoken with neighbour advising happy for them to access our side to complete. Verbal promises were made multiple times but nothing happened and all work now done. Neighbour is now refusing to discuss. Have no previous issues with them - but they are new and maybe we've just been unlucky with type of person they are. 

Raised it with council - as stipulated on plans - but council have said although non-compliance they won't take action as only affects us eg 1 neighbour. Various legal reasons that although they can remove planning they can't and won't compel completion in line with what's stipulated on the actual plans. In short they don't think it's worth their while. 
we want to sell our house in next year or so as children grown and looking to downsize. We're concerned the breeze block view is off putting to potential buyers and has impacted value of our house. 

We have legal cover through house insurance and are wondering if we should explore this route. I do feel a little frustrated and disappointed as we didn't object to any of the work, tried to be nice neighbours etc, but they've now breached the plans and the council won't do anything about it - and we're left with breeze block view as a result. 
for info - neighbour has rendered rest of extension, just side facing us they've not completed. extension comes up to party wall line but is not on it so isn't something we could paint/ rectify ourselves (not that I want that cost) as it's on their property; just.
ive been told we could argue it's impacted value of our house and ask for surveyor and take a claim that way but not sure if we've just got to take impact from their lack of work and councils lack of action.
appreciate any thoughts/ advice.

Unfortunately getting into an official dispute with your neighbour will also impact the value of your house. I'd just paint it or put something in front of it.

You can't paint it - it isn't the OP's.

I would only suggest dropping the word 'dispute' into any conversation if the neighb was selling before the OP. I wouldn't actually entertain causing one :-)

Swasterix

Has it been signed off by building control? When we recent completed our extension I was told by the building control officer that as it was built using block, it could not be signed off until it was rendered. Not sure whether this is an actual thing, but may be worth checking with building control. 

ThisIsWeird

Have you spoken to your LegProt, John? There is no reason to not do so - it's free.
I doubt very much there's anything much they are able, or willing, to do, but just in case they are prepared to send out a letter outlining the potential issues involved, or just suggesting to you the correct composition of your own letter; non-compliance with Planning requirements, potentially affecting the value of their own property, ditto of neighbouring property, reduction of weatherproofing, the damage to good neighbourly relations, even the risk of a dispute which would need declaring on sale, that sort of stuff. 
I doubt they will, but a legally-constructed letter like this would at least leave them in no doubt that you are rightly irked by their selfish behaviour, and might sober them up. We've seen many times on here how concerning and even frightening solicitor's letters can be for the recipients, especially when they imply that they are open to 'further action' and stuff.
They will, at least, be made fully aware that they've messed up previously good neighbourly relations.
Failing that, it's put up a screen time. I find that fabric screens can sometimes flap annoyingly in the wind, slapping percussively against nearby objects, so make sure it's pulled taut, y'hear?