Neighbours and our Landing Window

Yoga Woga

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Hi folks, we are moving next year, and updating/gutting the house at present. On our landing is a frosted window 1m X 80cm. It opens, and we've had it open today and the last few evenings...tonight the woman next door came out and took photos of it and me (I happened to be using the windowsill for putting a few brushes on...our gable overlooks their house - which is at a 45 degree angle to us ) I left it open as we also have a bathroom gutted and there is an odour from old pipework until we get a new one fitted - then an hour later her husband drove by our house a few times and slowly - my car is in the garage - it was as if he was looking for us?? We have very little to do with them as they are not at all pleasant regarding boundary issues etc. I assume the woman was put out by our unusual opening of our landing gable window. Planning allowed the window - surely we are allowed to open it!! Help! I want to sell the house without problems.
 
Yoga, no matter which way you look at these occurrences, there is no doubt that there is sure to be some future history between your next door neighbours and you. My advice to you is:- (i) Keep a closed mouth (ii) Don't concede your entitlements (iii) Where necessary, make notes of any occurrence or anything that looks like an occurrence (iv) Two wrongs never made a right (v) Don't get sucked into something you want to stay out of (vi) If there is a battle situation, don't fight unless you think you can win (vii) Consider installing some unseen cctv camera if things don't improve (vii) Have your camera phone ready at all times to record anything you think should be recorded.

Try to contact the previous owner of your house. Some enlightenment might be provided to you. No harm in talking to some existing neighbours also, you might pick up something regarding your next door neighbour's behaviour.

I had a neighbour from hell once. His wife and he were dictators and whenever they got somebody to listen to them in their aloofness they'd say "We're a different kind of people to the Lepers, next door"and other stuff as well. They were right, they were different and slowly but surely I wore them down by saying nothing and doing less. Both of them are old now and depend on us whenever something happens. The assistance is one-way i.e. from us but no matter I am what I am and they are what they are. I like to think I'm amongst the lepers that gave thanks.
 
You are worrying over nothing, leave the window open as and whenever it suits you.

If challenged then do not engage, you won't win and it won't improve the situation.

Keep thoughts to yourself, you are doing nothing wrong and they have no cause for genuine complaint and nowhere to go to to complaint anyway.
 
OMG - This controversial window opening development is so exciting for your ignorant, small-minded neighbour.

I bet they're sitting somewhere now, quietly dreaming of the Erin Brockovich-esque made for TV movie that will surely follow this blight upon their tiny little life.
 
Oh my goodness!!! I've just read all these posts all at once - I laughed out aloud at the waving hand! How funny! I'll have moved by the time they become elderly. Going into the LA municipal office next week to check the planning conditions anyhow - just out of curiosity. Spoke with someone there today, and she actually told me - they (next door) built (the awful looking) a building in their back garden without planning permission and applied for retention. I actually looked out of the window this evening, they dry their washing in the patio door windows - it used to be the development's showhouse I'm told! anyhow - thank you for all the hilarious comments!!
:D
 
Going into the LA municipal office next week to check the planning conditions anyhow

Depending on how recent the works were, the full details may also be available online. Check any planning submitted for neighbouring properties also, you might find an interesting pattern of observations and conditions...
 
The plans were submitted in 1999. I've viewed as much as possible online, but still need to go into the planners. The 45 conditions of planning were mostly road, sewerage etc. So the actual house specs will be on the original plans and drawings which are not available on line. Some houses in the estate have plain glass, a few have the Georgian pane inserts - our house has the Georgian inserts - I think this was an error at the time but the previous owner chose to keep them from what we were told by the agent. Should it say on the plans - Opague glass on gables and on bathrooms etc? Opening windows on gable? Or I wonder was the frosted glass just an option they went with and wasn't a planning condition? I might try go into the office later today.
 
Or I wonder was the frosted glass just an option they went with and wasn't a planning condition?

A review of the plans should clarify. If there isn't a condition mandating obscured glass then it's down to the drawings. If obscured glass is detailed on the drawings, then that is what permission was granted for.
 
I was thinking that. I think the issue they seem to have is the opening of the window - it opens out very wide and wind blew it further out the other day. Thanks Leo! If someone did want to in the future change to plain glass. One of the staff in planning did inform me that next door built an outbuilding without planning a few years ago. I looked up their plans and the final roof finish is not according to the plans. A cheeky lot.
 
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Update Plans viewed. Went into Planning Dept. Viewed the file in full. The drawings for my house type and indeed all in the estate only state Window Type UPVC. Opaque is not mentioned anywhere. Nor in the conditions. Window is drawn as opening also. The officer dealing with my query went into one of the planners and came back to say you can put anything you want there - you can put in a mermaid if you want. Personally she would have put in opaque.
 
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