What can we do about next doors property??
Discussion
Been a member for quite some time and also a regular visitor/reader of this forum... Cue the top lurking jabs! 
I will say it never fails to amaze me the wealth of knowledge on here though...
So on to the reason behind this post...
We currently live in a reasonably sized semi-detached cottage. When I pruchased the property the neighbours were living in the adjoining cottage under roof with us and their house wasn't in too bad condition hence me buying ours... Moving on 7 years now, our neighbours have been living elsewhere for the past 5 years and their property has somewhat gone down hill since being empty. We have already invested considerable amounts into our property renovating it and modernising the property to a functional family home... Last year we put the property on the market as we had enjoyed our journey doing this project and had our eye on another potential project. We had plenty of intrest in the property and several second veiwings whilst on the market for 4 months however all of the feedbavk we recieved from the vendors was that ours was lovely and they really liked what we have created, however next door was putting very off putting... At this time we managed to obtain a letter from one of the vendors stating this and forwarded this onto the council for them to take up with the owners (I had emailed the owners several time without a response).
Just for the the record, their are a good few surrounding neighbours whom think this property is falling into disrepair and something should be done about it...
Since this the owners have been back once which I believe was following a letter from the council and one of the councils inspectors sighting a rat coming from there garage. We have also applied for planning permission to add an over structure extension containing an additional 2 bedrooms above the existing kitchen, utility and wc... This application was oeiginally to be decided at delegate level, however the council have today (the original decision date for the application) requested an extension on the timeframe as it will be going to the planning committee meeting next month for concideration/decision. This has us slightly worried that we may be refuse the planning permission for our extension. The reason for doing this extension is to accommodate our rapidly growing 5 children and the feeling that we are soon going to outgrow our family home.
In a perfect world we would like to buy next door and knock through, creating one 6-7 bedroom property. This would also get rid of the shared access next door has via our driveway. It is unlikely that we'll be in a position to make the neighbours an offer to buy for the next 5-7 years...
If required I can get some photo's if this will help to paint the picture of where im coming from...
So lookining at worst case, if we don't get planning approval and we can't extend were are inevitably going to have to upsize again...
Has anyone been through anything like this before or can the vast knowledge withing the pistonheads community offer some advice on what options we have to overcome the predicament were in?
Can we use the detrimaental impact next door is having on our property as leverage for getting planning approval as we've previously attempted to sell and upsize or on the other hand what can we do with regards to getting something done about next door ao as potential buyers are not put off by it?.
Hopefully 2015 will see this sorted out before next door falls further into disrepair and SWMBO goes
I will say it never fails to amaze me the wealth of knowledge on here though...So on to the reason behind this post...
We currently live in a reasonably sized semi-detached cottage. When I pruchased the property the neighbours were living in the adjoining cottage under roof with us and their house wasn't in too bad condition hence me buying ours... Moving on 7 years now, our neighbours have been living elsewhere for the past 5 years and their property has somewhat gone down hill since being empty. We have already invested considerable amounts into our property renovating it and modernising the property to a functional family home... Last year we put the property on the market as we had enjoyed our journey doing this project and had our eye on another potential project. We had plenty of intrest in the property and several second veiwings whilst on the market for 4 months however all of the feedbavk we recieved from the vendors was that ours was lovely and they really liked what we have created, however next door was putting very off putting... At this time we managed to obtain a letter from one of the vendors stating this and forwarded this onto the council for them to take up with the owners (I had emailed the owners several time without a response).
Just for the the record, their are a good few surrounding neighbours whom think this property is falling into disrepair and something should be done about it...
Since this the owners have been back once which I believe was following a letter from the council and one of the councils inspectors sighting a rat coming from there garage. We have also applied for planning permission to add an over structure extension containing an additional 2 bedrooms above the existing kitchen, utility and wc... This application was oeiginally to be decided at delegate level, however the council have today (the original decision date for the application) requested an extension on the timeframe as it will be going to the planning committee meeting next month for concideration/decision. This has us slightly worried that we may be refuse the planning permission for our extension. The reason for doing this extension is to accommodate our rapidly growing 5 children and the feeling that we are soon going to outgrow our family home.
In a perfect world we would like to buy next door and knock through, creating one 6-7 bedroom property. This would also get rid of the shared access next door has via our driveway. It is unlikely that we'll be in a position to make the neighbours an offer to buy for the next 5-7 years...
If required I can get some photo's if this will help to paint the picture of where im coming from...
So lookining at worst case, if we don't get planning approval and we can't extend were are inevitably going to have to upsize again...
Has anyone been through anything like this before or can the vast knowledge withing the pistonheads community offer some advice on what options we have to overcome the predicament were in?
Can we use the detrimaental impact next door is having on our property as leverage for getting planning approval as we've previously attempted to sell and upsize or on the other hand what can we do with regards to getting something done about next door ao as potential buyers are not put off by it?.
Hopefully 2015 will see this sorted out before next door falls further into disrepair and SWMBO goes
We have indeed engaged with the planning officer whom is working on our application. He has been great throughout the whole process as has our architect whom is very well known and respected by the planning dept... One of the initial recommendations from the planning dept was his service. The planning officer is behind our application and will be putting it to the committee for approval.
There has been two objections to the application detailed below:
1) Next door in the bungalow - their concern being loss of lightgetting into their bedroom via both the north and east windows. We are on the north side of this bungalow and our property is set much further forward too.
2) An objection from the parish council... Old lady oposite us was at the parish council meeting and has informed us the objection here came from the neighbouring bungalows good friend whon sits on the council. None of the others on the parish council had any concerns what so ever.
The planning officer has informed me that due to the objection from the parish council the application automatically gets transfered to the committee meeting.
We will be attending the meeting along with our architect whom can describe how we have taken all parties concerned into consideration with the design...
Will post some pics once it gets light enough...
There has been two objections to the application detailed below:
1) Next door in the bungalow - their concern being loss of lightgetting into their bedroom via both the north and east windows. We are on the north side of this bungalow and our property is set much further forward too.
2) An objection from the parish council... Old lady oposite us was at the parish council meeting and has informed us the objection here came from the neighbouring bungalows good friend whon sits on the council. None of the others on the parish council had any concerns what so ever.
The planning officer has informed me that due to the objection from the parish council the application automatically gets transfered to the committee meeting.
We will be attending the meeting along with our architect whom can describe how we have taken all parties concerned into consideration with the design...
Will post some pics once it gets light enough...
I wouldn't have believed how much it could have gone down hill in a mere 5 years either... Just to mention a few issues arised so far though...
Tree grown through the flat roof of ther garage, render falling off the extension, flashing from around the chimney stack came off in high winds along with two ridge tiles, garden greenhouse and shed now consumed by a mass of ivy, triumph dolomite moved 3-4ft sideways by a butterfly bush growing next to their garrage, rotting wooden window frames...
Not to mention the additional damp problems we have experienced due ro our house being warm during winter and the damp from their side naturally coming throufh to our nice warm and dry side!
Would also like to add, I paid a roofer to come in and replace the flashing and roof tiles in order to prevent further damage to both their property and theirs due to water ingress... Emailed the owner at the time and he aknowledged the email but heard nothing further since.
The owner is living somewhere in the lake district, renting a place whilst working over there.
Tree grown through the flat roof of ther garage, render falling off the extension, flashing from around the chimney stack came off in high winds along with two ridge tiles, garden greenhouse and shed now consumed by a mass of ivy, triumph dolomite moved 3-4ft sideways by a butterfly bush growing next to their garrage, rotting wooden window frames...
Not to mention the additional damp problems we have experienced due ro our house being warm during winter and the damp from their side naturally coming throufh to our nice warm and dry side!
Would also like to add, I paid a roofer to come in and replace the flashing and roof tiles in order to prevent further damage to both their property and theirs due to water ingress... Emailed the owner at the time and he aknowledged the email but heard nothing further since.
The owner is living somewhere in the lake district, renting a place whilst working over there.
Sir Bagalot said:
Not sure how it could of went downhill that much in a mere 5 years.
My Inlaws live in a detached bungalow. Next door is a very similar property that hasn't been touched in 25+ years. Single bloke lives in it and it's now in such a condition that when his kids visit they just meet him in a local hotel instead
It's so bad that when the cold water tank in the loft started overflowing 15+ years ago instead of repairing it he simply ran a piece of guttering from the overflow pipe to ground level and then dug a channel for the water to flow away in. FIL reckons it doesn't devalue his place. I told him he was wrong.
Buying next door wouldn't really be cost effective. I know two couples that have done it and you never regain the full value.
Do you know where owners live now? how about a chat. Convince thenm to sell/rent?
My Inlaws live in a detached bungalow. Next door is a very similar property that hasn't been touched in 25+ years. Single bloke lives in it and it's now in such a condition that when his kids visit they just meet him in a local hotel instead
It's so bad that when the cold water tank in the loft started overflowing 15+ years ago instead of repairing it he simply ran a piece of guttering from the overflow pipe to ground level and then dug a channel for the water to flow away in. FIL reckons it doesn't devalue his place. I told him he was wrong.Buying next door wouldn't really be cost effective. I know two couples that have done it and you never regain the full value.
Do you know where owners live now? how about a chat. Convince thenm to sell/rent?
speedyguy said:
eliot said:
Have you looked on the planning portal for any comments from neighbors?
By the look of it a neighbour has queried it with the council and the council has put an objection in over a couple of potential 'issues'One of them being a "loss of light".
CoolHands said:
but so what if they did you could deny it. It'd never go anywhere as long as you never ever admitted it.
Anyway OP - I don't like your property! It's overly fussy and if I was them I'd hate looking at that massivehouse garage you've built. So you're just as bad as them in a different way - takes all sorts! 
The garage is bigger than most and ine of ny favorite features the property offers Anyway OP - I don't like your property! It's overly fussy and if I was them I'd hate looking at that massive
Edited by CoolHands on Saturday 10th January 13:00
The perfect solution for us would be to purchase next door and knock through... the only issue we have with this at present is even with re-mortgaging we would not have enough funds to purchase and make habitable (to our standards)... I certainly couldnt let the children live in it as it is and any additional disposable income we have at present to do it up would be eaten up by the higher mortgage payments... Like mentioned earlier in the thread though, hive it another 5 years and we would be in a much better position to do this.
ATTAK Z said:
Why is there a gate between the properties ? Is there a right of way across your property ?
Yes, thats correct. We have put gates at both ends though to both increase the security of the property and so the dogs can have the run... Neighbours not been back since we had them done but all we have to do is allow access so just have to share the lock code to the outer gate if/when he does come back to visit.Hopefully having to open and close two sets of gates each time he wants in/out will be too much effort and he'll just park on the road
So the general opinion is it's going to be much easier for us if we just bite the bullet and carry out some sprucing up ourselves?? If it comes to the stage where we don't get planning permission and have to move on before we out grow this place then I dont mind putting in some graft mysrlf, also know the lad renting the hoise the opposite side too so would be no worries with him if they were to vome back and ask a few questions...
On a slight tangent then...
If we do get planning permission and extend then the grand plan would still be to buy them out at some point. Depending on when this happened would depend on weather we would knock through really. If the kids are still of an age where their likely to be within the nest for a while then it would make srnse for the additions space. On the other hand if the kids were getting ready to fly the nest then renovating to rent or sell, taking away the right of access via our drive and some of yhe garden to increase our plot would be another option.
At present ours is valued @ £180k last year. Next door even in an equally good state of repair isnt going to be of equal value due to being a narrower parcel of land etc... I would imagine in the current state and market conditions it's worth somewhere in the region of £80-100k.
Within our gillage there are very few houses which would be comparable if the two were knocked into one. However the closest I have seen in recent years was a similar age detached cottage with 5 bedrooms and a similar plot size which wrnt for £375k... Am I missing something with regards to the two veing knocked together and what the possible end value could be??
On a slight tangent then...
If we do get planning permission and extend then the grand plan would still be to buy them out at some point. Depending on when this happened would depend on weather we would knock through really. If the kids are still of an age where their likely to be within the nest for a while then it would make srnse for the additions space. On the other hand if the kids were getting ready to fly the nest then renovating to rent or sell, taking away the right of access via our drive and some of yhe garden to increase our plot would be another option.
At present ours is valued @ £180k last year. Next door even in an equally good state of repair isnt going to be of equal value due to being a narrower parcel of land etc... I would imagine in the current state and market conditions it's worth somewhere in the region of £80-100k.
Within our gillage there are very few houses which would be comparable if the two were knocked into one. However the closest I have seen in recent years was a similar age detached cottage with 5 bedrooms and a similar plot size which wrnt for £375k... Am I missing something with regards to the two veing knocked together and what the possible end value could be??
Quick update...
Today we were at the planning committee meeting and after 6 hours walked out very happy customers! Unanamous decision with 11 votes from the committee
Now time to get some firm quotes in from builders and try and haggle a fixed price before work commences! Hopefully the next time I start a topic will be a build thread with some pictures of builders on site
Next door still hasn't been back and done anything with their place...
Would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their input and opinions on this subject.
Cheers
Ben.
Today we were at the planning committee meeting and after 6 hours walked out very happy customers! Unanamous decision with 11 votes from the committee
Now time to get some firm quotes in from builders and try and haggle a fixed price before work commences! Hopefully the next time I start a topic will be a build thread with some pictures of builders on site
Next door still hasn't been back and done anything with their place...
Would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their input and opinions on this subject.
Cheers
Ben.
spats said:
Good result!
I feel your pain, we have neighbours who have let their house fall into disrepair, and allow the back garden to turn into a scrap yard complete with rotting fence, which they wont let us replace.
I missed the extension plans, can you repost them edited to loose the info that was on them?
Just being nosey
Hi Spats, will include the plans at the start of the build thread when we get things moving. Hoping of a 4-6 week build schedule so hopefully will be able to keep regular photo updates coming through whilst I'm at home at least.I feel your pain, we have neighbours who have let their house fall into disrepair, and allow the back garden to turn into a scrap yard complete with rotting fence, which they wont let us replace.
I missed the extension plans, can you repost them edited to loose the info that was on them?
Just being nosey
Cheers,
Ben
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