Gets popcorn, and makes self comfortable

[Brown and Boris]

I think my two neighbours are set for battle.

In the red corner, Neighbour 1. Arrogant younger sales manager, teenage kids, fiery temper, regular noisey arguments with the wife and kids.

In the blue corner, Neithbour two ; Retired estate agent with a reputation in the old days for dirty tricks, well connected locally with shed loads of money. Likes a peaceful life.


2 years ago Neighbour 1 approaches neighbour 2 for OK to install an opening velux in the roof bedroom in contravention of a covenant declaring no opening windows on that side of the house. Neighbour 2 says NO, citing noise from teenage kids (and probably thinking about the arguments and ripe language) when he is in his garden. Neighbour 1 waits until Neighbour 2 goes on holiday and installs it anyway. Neighbour 2 notes it, but has a few other problems in his life and lets it go for the trime being to see if noise is a problem.

Neignbour 2 moves his BBQ so that if the offending window is opened the bedroom fills with caramelised onion smells. Places his bins in front of the other windows on that side, blocking the light into neighbour 1's lounge which is set below Neighbour 2's house level. As soon as hNeighbour 2 goes out, Neighbour 1 goes around and moves it all back. And repeat.

A month ago Neighbour 1 pops to see Neighbour 2 tellling him he is reinstalling his boiler and will be hanging a venting pipe over his land, and up the outside wall opposite neighbour 2's kitchen window ( something like a 4 inch pipe 6 feet up the wall). Permitted by the covenants. Neighbour 2 takes huff, reminding neighbour 1 that he ignored his opinions last time anyway and that he isn't happy.

They have a barney.


Neighbour 1 installs vent. Neighbour 2 employs contractors to cut back all the bushes around the vent, exposing the vent to view and then gets his solicitor to send a letter outlining the breaches of the covenants.

FIGHT!

I am trying not to take sides but when I had 2 attemtped bteak-ins 2 years ago, Neighbour 1 enforced his covenant preventing me installing a gate for security across the shared drive so I would like him to get his just deserves for such hypocrisy.

I am settling back to see what happens next.

Edited by Brown and Boris on Saturday 21st March 21:52

[IanMorewood]

Number 1 is up a creek, but the battle will be long and costly.

[shalmaneser]

What's all this covenant stuff about? I wasn't aware there was any legal agreements between neighbours?

[bluetone]

shalmaneser said:

What's all this covenant stuff about? I wasn't aware there was any legal agreements between neighbours?

I am no expert but one exists between me and my neighbour as I have to drive across his land to get to garage. Covenant states he will maintain/not block and allow me access. Thankfully neighbour is also cool and we get on fine so I've never had to refer to it

Sounds like the OP has a ringside seat for a b!tchfight

[jules_s]

Brown and Boris said:

A month ago Neighbour 1 pops to see Neighbour 2 tellling him he is reinstalling his boiler and will be hanging a venting pipe over his land, and up the outside wall opposite neighbour 2's kitchen window ( something like a 4 inch pipe 6 feet up the wall). Permitted by the covenants.

Covenants or not, that isn't legal.

[Brown and Boris]

jules_s said:

Brown and Boris said:

A month ago Neighbour 1 pops to see Neighbour 2 tellling him he is reinstalling his boiler and will be hanging a venting pipe over his land, and up the outside wall opposite neighbour 2's kitchen window ( something like a 4 inch pipe 6 feet up the wall). Permitted by the covenants.

Covenants or not, that isn't legal.

There is a right in my deeds to hang a vent required for heating or ventilation over his land, so I assume the other nighbour has something similar in his deeds. He had a vent hanging into my garden but new regs meant when he put a new boiler in the space between his vent and my garage wall was no longer enough and he had to move the boiler. We all have a covenenant that all windows on that south side overlooking his garden must be frosted and none-opening. It was placed on when the previous owner sold the barns we now live in for conversion. The only excpetion are my two large sash windows which are of historical importance and have the original glass.

I walked away from a purchase before I bought this place because the covenants laid down by the person who had sold the land but who lived next door were so onerous (only 1 dog, no commeercial vehicles on the drive, no chieckens ( I kid you not) no erections without his say so, no businss use of any sort, no cooking in the garden etc etc).

Edited by Brown and Boris on Saturday 21st March 22:36

[Tom_C76]

Brown and Boris said:

jules_s said:

Brown and Boris said:

A month ago Neighbour 1 pops to see Neighbour 2 tellling him he is reinstalling his boiler and will be hanging a venting pipe over his land, and up the outside wall opposite neighbour 2's kitchen window ( something like a 4 inch pipe 6 feet up the wall). Permitted by the covenants.

Covenants or not, that isn't legal.

There is a right in my deeds to hang a vent required for heating or ventilation over his land, so I assume the other nighbour has something similar in his deeds. He had a vent hanging into my garden but new regs meant when he put a new boiler in the space between his vent and my garage wall was no longer enough and he had to move the boiler. We all have a covenenant that all windows on that south side overlooking his garden must be frosted and none-opening. It was placed on when the previous owner sold the barns we now live in for conversion. The only excpetion are my two large sash windows which are of historical importance and have the original glass.

I walked away from a purchase before I bought this place because the covenants laid down by the person who had sold the land but who lived next door were so onerous (only 1 dog, no commeercial vehicles on the drive, no chieckens ( I kid you not) no erections without his say so, no businss use of any sort, no cooking in the garden etc etc).

Edited by Brown and Boris on Saturday 21st March 22:36

Thing is, a lot of covenants are not transferrable. My parents' place has a list of covenants imposed by the then Rural District Council, which no longer exists, and breaches of those can only be enforced by this non-existant body, the right to enforce wasn't inherited byt the RDC successors.

[jules_s]

Brown and Boris said:

jules_s said:

Brown and Boris said:

A month ago Neighbour 1 pops to see Neighbour 2 tellling him he is reinstalling his boiler and will be hanging a venting pipe over his land, and up the outside wall opposite neighbour 2's kitchen window ( something like a 4 inch pipe 6 feet up the wall). Permitted by the covenants.

Covenants or not, that isn't legal.

There is a right in my deeds to hang a vent required for heating or ventilation over his land, so I assume the other nighbour has something similar in his deeds. He had a vent hanging into my garden but new regs meant when he put a new boiler in the space between his vent and my garage wall was no longer enough and he had to move the boiler. We all have a covenenant that all windows on that south side overlooking his garden must be frosted and none-opening. It was placed on when the previous owner sold the barns we now live in for conversion. The only excpetion are my two large sash windows which are of historical importance and have the original glass.

I walked away from a purchase before I bought this place because the covenants laid down by the person who had sold the land but who lived next door were so onerous (only 1 dog, no commeercial vehicles on the drive, no chieckens ( I kid you not) no erections without his say so, no businss use of any sort, no cooking in the garden etc etc).

Edited by Brown and Boris on Saturday 21st March 22:36

Covenants are one thing...building regulations are quite another...

I would suggest you research the latter.

[pacey_sot]

Brown and Boris said:

no erections without his say so

Sorry that's just taking it too far!

hehe sorry...

[Jasandjules]

Brown and Boris said:

As soon as hNeighbour 2 goes out, Neighbour 1 goes around and moves it all back. And repeat.

Tresspass ?

It's incredible how upsetting life can be with a s***e neighbour.... We actually go and knock on the neighbour's doors of any houses we are looking at to ask them a few questions (I know that sounds weird but still) see how they seem etc...

ON the plus side, neither neighbour has, yet, got anything against you. But do not be surprised if one of them comes to you to ask for support in any legal wrangle..

[Brown and Boris]

Just heard Neighbour 1's position:

When he went around to ask about the vent and was told 'why are you askingg me, you do what you like anyway, look what you did with the window', he took that as permission for the vent!

[Jasandjules]

Brown and Boris said:

Just heard Neighbour 1's position:

When he went around to ask about the vent and was told 'why are you askingg me, you do what you like anyway, look what you did with the window', he took that as permission for the vent!

It does somewhat seem like implied acceptance...

[Driller]

What's all this stuff about nuns?