If You Hated Your Neighbours ...

[bednobs]

What kinds of official (and unofficial) things could you do to make their lives miserable?
i am not asking because i want to do that, but i need to prepare myself for what they may do.
After a protracted nearly 3 year planning battle to get an extension, we finally got permission last night (very close 5-4 in our favour)

Since the PP first went in they have already spuriously called the police on us, reported us unwarrantedly to the dog warden, complained to the council about our hedge, been round to all the neighbours to muster them to put in complaints about the PP as well as necessitating us spending loads of money on professionals to rebut their frankly laughable claims about how our extension will ruin their life and so on.
Now we have "won" (hardly feels like a victory!) i really feel like we need to be on the defensive, but as i am not crazy, i cant conceive what they might do. WHat would you do if you were sneaky and peed off like they probably are

[naomi24]

I wouldn’t do anything. I don’t do revenge.

[choux]

Oh dear, not a nice situation to be in. I might arm myself with a voice recorder, camera and notepad and pen. Other than that I would do nothing.

[bednobs]

neither would i, but from past experience, they might

[anneasquith]

Don’t even think of ‘ revenge’ Get professional help. Lawyer.

[andy-hughes]

I'd seriously consider moving.

Whatever benefit and pleasure you may obtain from your extension is going to be more than offset by that worst of domestic situations, a war of attrition with your neighbours.

Long experience, and several Channel 5 series shows, that neighbours who are determined to make your life a misery, and are willing to devote considerable time and effort to do so, will never stop.

This will not stop,you will never win, so pick your battles, walk away from this one, get somewhere else to live.

Life is too short to be consumed with this sort of nonsense, so put the money you would spend on your development towards finding a new and happier home.

[AuntPG]

They could complain about the workmen's noise, not allow the workmen access to parts of your property, damage materials such as pouring paint over bricks ect. All these things I've seen done on building sites where neighbours hate one another.
I strongly suggest you get CCTV and record all activity, making sure your neighbours are aware that your property is 'wired'.

[calmck]

Agree with using CCTV on all points of the house

[anneasquith]

BN is this extension to enable you to have a better quality of life? If it is there must be some organisation who would advise you.

[bednobs]

i dont want to move andy, my daughter is happy and settled in school and that is my primary concern. i also like living here

[jackthehat]

You need to ensure that:
All materials (that you will have bought and paid for) are securely stored on-site (preferably in your back garden 'away' from their side of the fence),
Your Builders DO NOT start work before 9.00 (most builders like to get started a bit earlier than that) as that will ensure that your neighbours can't complain about early morning noise,
Your Builders DO NOT park their vehicles in a manner/position which could be construed as being a nuisance,
Your Builders carry out any block/brick cutting at Ground Floor Level (to minimise dust 'drift').

I am sure some others will come to mind......

But the above may result in complaints to various bodies which can involve you get stiff-letters, stern 'phonecalls and the like.

[Mamyalynne]

Warn builders to try to curb language too, that's a favourite gripe.

[andy-hughes]

bednobs - // i dont want to move andy, my daughter is happy and settled in school and that is my primary concern. i also like living here //

It's possible to move within your daughter's school catchment area, although I would suggest that if she is already enrolled, than your relocation would not affect her school.

Similarly, it is possible to move close to where you are, and lose none of the good reasons why you like where you live.

But you would be losing the one good reason why you don't like where you live, and it is an all-encompassing issue that will only grow with time - and that is that you hate your neighbours, who are clearly making it their career to make you miserable.

[jackthehat]

^^ That's a good one, mamya....
And no loud music playing to keep the Builders entertained.....unless you are using AB's The Builder who has a far more civilised taste in music than the chaps who were working on JtH Towers earlier this year. :o)

[burlyshirley]

CCTV as others have said and then you have absolute proof if they are behaving like morons ! Good luck, people like this very rarely give up.

[ladybirder]

All them not to have their radio on full blast all day.

[davebro]

As an aside - are your properties attached or detached?

[choux]

I think the earliest that work can start on site is 0700 hrs. Soon the clocks will go back as the nights draw in.

My neighbours had very lengthy work done on their property, from an extension to having a new internal staircase built, a new kitchen after knocking down an internal wall, new flooring, new windows and even had their roofs cleaned and treated to stop moss growing. I think she inherited after her mother died and they had cash to spare. We had so many issues with the builders including trespass on this property. It became a war of words (I am quite good with that). The times they blocked our drive was amazing, even down to the nice man who parked his vehicle to empty the on site w.c.!

I wish you good luck with all of that bednobs. I don't see why you should move either.

[Barmaid]

I suggest you keep a contemporaneous diary of all things you notice or are brought to your attention.

[The Builder]

Congratulations Beds. It can wear you down, can't it?
Mwaaaaah to jth for the mention xx.

Check your Planning conditions for any mention of working times. Often it's limited to workdays but no weekends (except maybe Sat. mornings.) And no Bank holidays. This varies between Councils. There may be nothing. But, I would honestly include in your contract with your builder, these restrictions.
Not working on holidays and weekends never bothered me. However, you might want to think about it.

Sub-contractors' parking can often be idiotic. It's already been said by the earlier posters. Don't give the neighbours any opportunity to call the Police.
Pick your builder carefully Beds. Some of them thrive on aggravation.
The industry has changed a lot for the better. Successful (usually younger) tradesmen are much more civilised these days.

Get this straight with your builder from the start. If he's any good, he/she will give your neighbours no cause for complaint.
(I know they'll probably complain anyway, but there's nothing they can do if you're polite.)

And........ good luck with the project :o)))

[roadman]

Could order a *** ton of pizzas to your door to all arrive at the same time or building supplies lol it can be awful if someone knows your name and address if they have phone number also so many things you could be signed up to