We are looking at a house that’s just come up in our area, it’s a bungalow very nicely done and in our price range. After doing more research on it, the extensions, fencing, garden room and planning for a new garage have met with a couple of objections over time from a few neighbouring households.
Basically they have put two separate ground level extensions on, no objections.
They then applied for planning for a new fence and garden room, a couple of neighbours objected, usual not in keeping with area, one said it would make it look like a prison camp and another saying views impacted. This was approved and both the fence and garden room have been done to a very high standard, fence was fitted because it only had 3ft high deer fences around the back and between neighbouring plots.
Next they applied for high double gates to the front driveway and another garage, this again was met with disproving views from a couple of different neighbours, they fitted the gates but didn’t go ahead with the garage even though it was approved, again views, not in keeping with the area, noise and building traffic were the objections as well as the groundwork could disturb a neighbours koi carp pond.
We asked them what the neighbours are like and they just mumbled something about keeping themselves to themselves.
Question is would the objections from various neighbours over the last few years put you off even though it was all approved and it definitely has improved the bungalow, it’s very private and nicely done in my eyes to a very high standard.
We are just wondering how the neighbours are in the road as they obviously objected to the people doing the home improvements.
Last edited by Martylaa; 11th April 2023 at 07:52.
The system exists to allow objections and to assess them 'objectively' - I guess you need to ask "were the alterations so minor that any objection would appear churlish?"
Are there any deeds of conditions that are in force? (and which country are you in - that might make a difference)
I'll assume England?
Thanks, yes North East England, some of the objections seemed to me to be very picky.Originally Posted by blackal
I’m just wondering if the neighbours who objected and lost will always feel resentment towards whoever owns that plot, can’t see why as again it was very nicely done and definitely improves the house.
People object about everything, I wouldn't worry about it, unless you are thinking a neighbours from hell scenario.
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Personally it wouldn’t bother me; people object to all kinds of stuff just because it mildly inconveniences them - the issues you listed were mainly temporary ones related to the building (noise, traffic, might upset my fish), so not things to carry forward. Neighbours change, people move, perhaps they all disliked the current owners, maybe your guys objected to other peoples builds first - who knows. All in all, I wouldn’t care provided you like the property and the work has been done well.
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Make sure that the neighbours all have letterboxes, just in case.
Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH
I wouldnt worry in the slightest.
You are a different person so no one can have beef with yourself. Start off on a good footing..... even say the modifications are ghastly but the place was a bargain! Go and have a chin wag with a couple before putting a offer in.
My Son and Daughter in Law are both Local Councillors and get this sort of thing every week and most objections are deemed trivial and are rejected. You have only got to read through TZ-UK to confirm that people will take time to moan about anything and that unfortunately is the order of the day.
If I was in your position I would not be unduly worried. Bungalows are usually occupied by retired people who worry about neighbours changing things and they do not like the noise of builders carrying out work.
They have got the time to write long winded letters to preserve the status quo.
All alterations and extensions are controlled and the decisions are normally based on the law and facts. Subjective decisions as to whether something is acceptable or not are relatively rare because they are nipped in the bud at the very beginning of the process.
To be honest, I think you are over worrying.
Cheers all, I was just wondering about the fact I work away and my OH will spend more time in the house so having a couple of potential neighbour issues wouldn’t be great.
I will say reading some of the objections weee coming across as churlish, the garage application for example, the neighbour objected so the roof pitch was reduced and he then objected again about the potential use of black slate roof tiles. Seemed like the seller couldn’t win tbh.
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You take a risk of having neighbours that are ‘less than ideal’ wherever you move to. I wouldn’t worry about it if you like the property enough to buy it.
It takes two to tango, perhaps the seller is the problem and the neighbours just reacted to other unreasonable or unpleasant behaviour.
It wouldn't bother me, unless your planning on making lots of alterations.
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
Have a search for other planning applications in the street I suspect the same complaints will have been made for other applications, some people like to complain for the sake of it.
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That’s the thing, if we buy it I’d be wanting to go into the loft and convert it in the future as long as planning approves it, would also need some minor alterations inside but nothing it would need planning for.
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This very much depends on how the people are around you. It could be that once they have voiced their concerns and influenced the decisions by the council as much as they can, it's get on with your life and hey ho. It could be that you will now be the focus of their irritation, simply because you have inherited the situation. They could hate you before they have even met you. I get the feeling once you want to go up into the loft it will be the end of the Christmas cards. My son moved into a house last year. It became clear that previous work had caused a lot of bitterness from next door. The neighbour isn't capable of letting it go and as such has destroyed any friendliness that was hoped for.
Sometimes people object just to object without even reading the application. Particularly older people who think the younger crowd are changing the area. I don’t see any harm in knocking for a few neighbours and introduce yourself.
Regarding two to tango mostly agree but not always. Karen’s are Karen’s for a reason.
Our attached neighbour here is an idiot with too much time on his hands. After a year of trying to be a neighbour I lost it with him one night and he calmed down for a few weeks. Was only when I reported him to the council and threatened to go legal that stopped being an idiot. The £1k fine from the council no doubt helped.
Neighbours come and go, and people hate change. Objections on the planning wouldn't put me off at all. Bungalows tend to have elderly residents who hate change. I Lived in a small close of bungalows between 2013-2016, We were the youngest couple by far , The residents nicknamed the close god waiting room. It was great living there when we had our first child they were so excited and when we moved some cried on our last day.
It wouldn't put me off, but I don't particularly want to be bessie mates with my neighbours anyway (that's the Mrs' job). In your situation, I think you have to assume you have pedantic NIMBY's as neighbours who will moan about anything, and have too much time on their hands, which is a dangerous combination. As already said, you'll likely have the same sort of thing to deal with when it's time for the loft extension (noise, traffic, parking, invading the fishes privacy).
There is always the chance that the neighbours simply don't like the current owners and want to annoy them as much as possible, but they'll love you and be more relaxed. That seems somewhat optimistic but it's possible.
Go into it with your eyes wide open - at least you know what they're probably like, which is something you don't usually find out until after you've moved in.
We bought a house knowing the vendor had been in dispute with the neighbour over planning issues.
When we moved in despite our best efforts the neighbour has been pretty unpleasant to us but it's not a big deal.
I suspect she is just an unpleasant person.
You can't choose your neighbours so unless you think there are some grade A nutters that will make your life miserable I'd not worry ...
That said I'd choose nice neighbours every time; all ours are nice except 1 ... so that is how it is ...
Thanks, there's only one house either side (one complained about the fence and garden room) and the one who was objecting the most lives in another road but his garden backs onto the front driveway hence him complaining about garages.
The other person who complained lives across the road and she was the one complaining of excess work vans etc etc.
Sitting down tonight to work some numbers out and see where we go from there.
Hard to take a view if the complaints are fair without photos but most planning applications attract moans from neighbours; there are some sad nimbys about ... we had complains about a planning from a neighbour who'd done loads of extension work to their house ... bit rich but still ...
Sounds like the neighbour's didn't think the changes were in keeping with the village's rustic aesthetic.
I wish I could show you pictures, it improves the house drastically tbh.
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I'm sure.
I'm afraid I was just quoting a line from Hot Fuzz.
I would knock on the door of the neighbour and have a chat and gauge what you would be dealing with. I’ve done that in the past and it helped make a decision as to whether to go ahead.
I wouldn’t worry about this. Yes the neighbours might not be happy about some of the changes that have been made to the property, but they were made by the previous owner, so they shouldn’t be grumpy with you about them, and if they are, sod’em.
Well it does if they've a track record and the OP wants to similarly extend.
I think I had a flashback there.
A few objections would not put me off especially if you consider them unfounded.
"Bite my shiny metal ass."
- Bender Bending Rodríguez
What are the neighbours houses like? Could it be a bit of jealousy ?
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I think the old Yorkshire saying ‘ there’s nowt so queer as folk’ applies with neighbours.
The run- down bungalow I bought in 2020 as a project, a bereavement property which was the subject of a protracted legal wrangle, is a good example. It’s on a quiet cul be sac and has a very long garden, apparently the folks who live opposite ( Detached house with very small drive and garden) were interested in buying but didn’t put in an offer, the seller told me the project would’ve been too much for them and I think he may have been correct, but they had first dibs, they had chance to get it but they didn’t.
After two years of hard work and expense we’ve sorted the bungalow out and made a nice home out of it, all the neighbours are absolutely fine except the couple who live opposite, they’ll pass me or Mrs W in the street and ignore us. We’ve done nothing to upset or annoy them, we did our best minimise disruption during building work, yet they seem to bear a grudge for no obvious reason. Jealousy?......maybe.
As I said, there’s nowt so queer as folk. Sometimes you can’t win.
Like others on here I wouldn't worry unduly about a beef between the present owner and the neighbours. As long as your house has a nice clear boundary line, fencing in place and no disputed ownership, and no shared drive you can easily get away with never interacting with your neighbours anyway, should you so desire.
From previous experience, if you've got anything like a shared driveway and your neighbours are tossers it'll cause no end of stress. If not, I'd say go for it.
Exactly - you haven't upset anyone just bought a nice house. We have trees planted by a neighbour for privacy which when we asked nicely he expained the previous owner was a bit of an arse and had put up a big extension but was quite happy for us to have them trimmed to a level he agreed with. Our other neighbour was almost in tears as had got back their view (collateral damage). So I wouldn't worry what the previous owner has done within reason as they are not you. We even got permission for another extension (not yet built) !
Is it a local road for local people?
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