is this building extension wrong

[toughbook2014]

can somebody please give me some advise.
My Next door neighbours builders are in the process of building a extension. i have contacted the council building team to take a look. To me the neighbours external wall has encroached over my boundary line and pitched up right next to the barge boards of my flat roof.
My concerns are how do i renew the felt on my flat roof in the future, have they encroached over my boundary and is the gap between the walls to small for sufficient air flow.

thanks in advance

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• toughbook2014
• 23 Aug 2014
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[wingcoax]

First step would be to visit your council planning department and ask to view the plans(if any). If not then report them for not applying.

 

[terrypin]

If the brickwork between the windows can be used as a good indicator they are a good 100mm over. If so they will be required to take it down and rebuild within the boundary/permitted area.

 

[catlad]

Yes I would say they have overstepped the boundary, the picture from the top shows they have bent the wall further into the garden so as not to make it obvious.

 

[Alastairreid]

Renewing your flat roof in the future wont be a problem! just slot a lead apron into your new wall.

 

[cotswoldbuilders]

the work looks shoddy, looks like they have missed the insulation out.

 

[tony1851]

As above, it looks as though they have built over the boundary.
Whether you could do anything about it at this stage is a moot point.

Ultimately, if an issue like this went to court, the court would have to decide if the benefit to you in having that extra 4" would outway the cost to the neighbour of demolishing the wall and re-building it 4" further in. Clearly it wouldn't.

Re-felting your roof wouldn't be a problem, and as the Scotsman has said, just put a lead flashing into it and there will be no problem. Your extension might even be warmer in the winter.

Having said that, clearly it's a bit galling to know that your neighbour has taken a bit of your ground without a by-your-leave. But if it is just a matter of principle, then why not leave it? You have to live next door to them, and if you initiate a neighbour dispute, what happens if and when you sell?

 

[terrypin]

You could come to some beneficial settlement of course, new 50" TV?

 

[gregers]

why not have a friendly chat before it gets too late,explain your concerns,THEN if they start tell them you will escalate it to the council planning dept.

 

[xr4x4]

In the first picture you can see the centre line between the windows and they have clearly built over this on your side by half a brick.

 

[tony1851]

THEN if they start tell them you will escalate it to the council planning dept.

We don't know whether or not the neighbours have applied for planning permssion.

Assuming they haven't then probably the worst that will happen is that the council will ask the neighbour to make a planning application. This could well be approved because the OP already has an extension and the loss of amenity would be minimal.

As regards the actual encroachment, the council would not give a toss - councils don't get involved in neighbours arguing over bits of land.

 

[wingcoax]

We had a similar episode round here, rear extension built without neighbours being notified(should have been letters sent)enforcement department came round and building control, made them take it down due to shoddy build.

 

[toughbook2014]

Thanks for all the replies.
The neighbours have not moved in yet. They did applied for planning permission which was granted.
I was not informed by the owner before hand of the proposed extension, until i had received the planning notice from the council. we did raise are concerns at that point to the planning office, but it was still passed.
The approved plan is below, this clearly shows the building was not up to the boundary line just the guttering.
After speaking with owner before the work started i ask if he would not touch the mature boundary hedge row. He agreed but i came home from work to find the hedge had been ripped out.
He then advised me the plans had changed and it would be sloping roof not a pitched roof. should he not be going by the agreed plan.

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• toughbook2014
• 24 Aug 2014
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[terrypin]

Not a pitched roof but a sloping roof????can you please explain what the difference is, in your opinion.

 

[toughbook2014]

Terrypin

Thanks for pointing that out.

I mean roof going straight down from back wall, instead of the roof on the plan. Does a change in the roof design need new planning permission???.