Neighbour disputes

ThisIsWeird

elsien said:

So your neighbours complained to the council about the log store? So what? I thought you said the council weren’t interested in those sorts of disputes.
With regards to the landscaping, as someone else said, what makes you think that they can’t do what they are doing?
It feels like you’re hanging onto the boundary disputes, although you let it go at the time, and that’s now colouring everything else that happens whether that’s reasonable or not. 

I do sometimes wonder whether ThisIsWeird is on commission for recommending legal protection, but they can be quite choosy about what they take on if they deem the chances of success to be low, or the cost disproportionate. 

Ha-ha, not on commission!
And, yes, from what I've read about the kinds of cases they'll agree to take on, you are absolutely correct. 
But, it certainly has its place, especially useful in 'protection' against a wrong action having been taken against you, but will actively help pursue cases too if the situation is clear enough. 
If Fixt could evidence that the hedge was theirs when the neighbour removed it, I suspect that would have been a pretty straight-forward case, for example. The neighbour would have had a simple choice - either pay silly money from their own pocket to try and challenge Fixt's compensation claim - which they'd lose - or to capitulate right away. Because their LP wouldn't take it on for them.
Ditto with their current situation - both parties have had boundary surveys, and had agreed a compromise location which was then marked out. Now the neighbour has arbitrarily removed this, and is possibly encroaching over the boundary. If so, I cannot think of a more straightforward case for LP.
The problem is, the OP is seemingly seeking a free solution when they haven't put anything in place for this.

user1977

fixt said:

ThisIsWeird said:

What do you expect folk to say, Fixt?
Had you added LP at any point, then any new issue - such as them ripping up the agreed boundary line - would most  likely have been handled for you.
Currently it's a case of what - 'I want to take action but can't afford to?' 
What's happening about your log store? Has Planning been out to have a look? What is the 'complaint' about? 

Our council planning office is unsympathetic to domestic boundary matters and has said the log store is needing a planning approval.

And do you agree that it does? Or are you asking us for advice on that? Whether or not it needs planning (and whether you'll get it) isn't really anything to do with your neighbour dispute.

elsien

Now wondering how big this log store actually is?

Elliott.T123

elsien said:

Now wondering how big this log store actually is?

This, I pictured a fairly small "hut" type store, open one side with a roof. I cant imagine that would fall under PP, 99% of Shed's don't so this must be something special!

Dustyevsky

Elliott.T123 said:

elsien said:

Now wondering how big this log store actually is?

This, I pictured a fairly small "hut" type store, open one side with a roof. I cant imagine that would fall under PP, 99% of Shed's don't so this must be something special!

A log store will be treated like a shed if it is in front of the building line. Of course, I don't know if it is or isn't in this case.

Sheds aren't normally allowed as part of the street scene in most urban environments, but there are exceptions.

Out in the country, where I am, no one bothers much. Our neighbour has a log shed in full view. I don't feel aggrieved; they have to look at our oil tank!

Elliott.T123

Dustyevsky said:

Elliott.T123 said:

elsien said:

Now wondering how big this log store actually is?

This, I pictured a fairly small "hut" type store, open one side with a roof. I cant imagine that would fall under PP, 99% of Shed's don't so this must be something special!

A log store will be treated like a shed if it is in front of the building line. Of course, I don't know if it is or isn't in this case.

Sheds aren't normally allowed as part of the street scene in most urban environments, but there are exceptions.

Out in the country, where I am, no one bothers much. Our neighbour has a log shed in full view. I don't feel aggrieved; they have to look at our oil tank!

Ah maybe I misunderstood, I was imagining it at the side of the house hidden from front view, but yes if it is at the front or visible then fair point

fixt

ThisIsWeird said:

elsien said:

So your neighbours complained to the council about the log store? So what? I thought you said the council weren’t interested in those sorts of disputes.
With regards to the landscaping, as someone else said, what makes you think that they can’t do what they are doing?
It feels like you’re hanging onto the boundary disputes, although you let it go at the time, and that’s now colouring everything else that happens whether that’s reasonable or not. 

I do sometimes wonder whether ThisIsWeird is on commission for recommending legal protection, but they can be quite choosy about what they take on if they deem the chances of success to be low, or the cost disproportionate. 

Ha-ha, not on commission!
And, yes, from what I've read about the kinds of cases they'll agree to take on, you are absolutely correct. 
But, it certainly has its place, especially useful in 'protection' against a wrong action having been taken against you, but will actively help pursue cases too if the situation is clear enough. 
If Fixt could evidence that the hedge was theirs when the neighbour removed it, I suspect that would have been a pretty straight-forward case, for example. The neighbour would have had a simple choice - either pay silly money from their own pocket to try and challenge Fixt's compensation claim - which they'd lose - or to capitulate right away. Because their LP wouldn't take it on for them.
Ditto with their current situation - both parties have had boundary surveys, and had agreed a compromise location which was then marked out. Now the neighbour has arbitrarily removed this, and is possibly encroaching over the boundary. If so, I cannot think of a more straightforward case for LP.
The problem is, the OP is seemingly seeking a free solution when they haven't put anything in place for this.

Thanks for that - it's encouraging (the hedge is actually joint owned)  but yes we are further along now and don't have LP but if we could take action legal ourselves on it with a high chance of success then we might. BUT is it too late?

fixt

Elliott.T123 said:

elsien said:

Now wondering how big this log store actually is?

This, I pictured a fairly small "hut" type store, open one side with a roof. I cant imagine that would fall under PP, 99% of Shed's don't so this must be something special!

The log store is the full length of the garage pretty much - like about 20 ft - and visible to the road now that the hedge has been removed (unlawfully).

fixt

Dustyevsky said:

Elliott.T123 said:

elsien said:

Now wondering how big this log store actually is?

This, I pictured a fairly small "hut" type store, open one side with a roof. I cant imagine that would fall under PP, 99% of Shed's don't so this must be something special!

A log store will be treated like a shed if it is in front of the building line. Of course, I don't know if it is or isn't in this case.

Sheds aren't normally allowed as part of the street scene in most urban environments, but there are exceptions.

Out in the country, where I am, no one bothers much. Our neighbour has a log shed in full view. I don't feel aggrieved; they have to look at our oil tank!

This log store has been in place for 2 years and nobody minded. Their complaint comes as a tit-for-tat response to our complaint about their landscaping. 

fixt

user1977 said:

fixt said:

ThisIsWeird said:

What do you expect folk to say, Fixt?
Had you added LP at any point, then any new issue - such as them ripping up the agreed boundary line - would most  likely have been handled for you.
Currently it's a case of what - 'I want to take action but can't afford to?' 
What's happening about your log store? Has Planning been out to have a look? What is the 'complaint' about? 

Our council planning office is unsympathetic to domestic boundary matters and has said the log store is needing a planning approval.

And do you agree that it does? Or are you asking us for advice on that? Whether or not it needs planning (and whether you'll get it) isn't really anything to do with your neighbour dispute.

It arises from the neighbour dispute - which is at the root of it all. This latest involvement of the planning office comes from a tit-for-tat response by our neighbour.