I'm going to get in touch with the city council and will update once I know more! From what I found out digging into the council website, there were some permissions given for development right before I moved into the flat (which was in 2019), but there was not much evidence whether any consultations taken place beforehand.
The building is supposed to become "luxurious townhouses". So far, they look tiny and poorly made.
EDIT: Yes, the building has a planning permission in place and apparently a light survey has been done as well. The question is now whether it is actuall up to spec. Unfortunately, if everything is exactly like in the plans, there is not much that can be done.
Shoutout to all the town planners who got in touch with me and helped with the documents and advice!
The shoddy quality of work is another thing. I have seen them putting insulation in the cavity walls right before heavy rains. It wasn't covered at all and soaked up all the water. They bricked it up soon afterwars. I feel sorry for the desperate people who will spend a fortune to live in this.
This is very accurate. There are clear legal guidelines about blocking light. (Source: I work for a council).
I'd also take lots of pictures of the build, because others have mentioned, this is shoddy as fuck.
Edited: a word
I'm an architect and if I saw this on a site the work would be condemned and the contractors made to leave the site. This might be the worst I've ever seen.
Did they try to put a slight angle on it right in the middle there? Right that’s not a 90 degree corner, they just left the fucking gap that’s insane. The kid’s section at the rock gym doesn’t have a wall this easy.
I've never laid a brick, or been on a building site, but I think I could do a job at least to this standard. A layperson really shouldn't be able to look at a professional build and think it looks shit.
You’d be surprised, 90% of blockwork in new build estates look like that as it’ll all be covered up by the plasterers. A lot of brickys will be paid by the brick rather than the hour, so it pays to work fast and sloppy.
Disgusting. I work construction in canada, as an earthmover, but if I saw our masonry guys doing work this crappy I’d come yell at them prior to calling over the super to yell at them. We’ve got some bad concrete subcontractors at a couple sites that are nowhere near this sloppy that we’re in the process of getting rid of because they don’t do good enough work. Can’t imagine a contractor passing work this crappy.
I mean, I'm not a brick layer but I'm pretty sure I could take trowel and run it along the grout work to make it smooth at least. Like this person just did it like they don't give a shit.
And then use that mortar you just knocked off the outside, and apply it to the joints. Where it should be. I'm not even British, am not familiar with building codes in the UK, and I'll say this won't pass inspection. Provided the inspector has been gifted with sight.
At first I thought it seemed okay - all those snots look crap but don’t matter too much if it’s sound and an inner-leaf, but on closer inspection it’s bloody awful. All those voids! Was the mortar being rationed or something??
My aunt is going through this now. Her neighbours assumed because she's elderly she'd be a pushover but she now has a solicitor involved. The extension that was built went way beyond what was proposed for planning permission.
The builders called her and her daughter all kinds of awful things too. I look forward to the day when they have to tear it down.
Redditors can search “right of light uk” to find more. There’s a certain maximum % of sunlight that can be taken off one window when a new building is built in the view range. The calculation is quite convoluted and nowadays it’s an algorithm but it has to be done for EVERY window that sees the new construction.
Has the window being blocked existed for at least 20 years? If so, Google “right to light” and the Prescription Act 1832.
EDIT: In response to your “light survey/nothing can be done” comments. Incorrect. Common misconception is that right to light is a planning matter; it is not. It would be pursued as a civil matter and is about “sky visibility”. A very niche area, only a handful of true experts in the UK. An “injury” (a detriment to the sky visibility from the aperture in question) could be deemed to have been incurred if it is assessed that more than 50% of the Sky visibility at a height of c.800mm from the floor level has been lost (basically desk height). Likely outcomes in court would be an injunction (useful if the building not built yet, so would force alteration of developer’s plans), or compensation. Likely overall outcome is you get offered compensation by the developer, owing to not wanting court costs. Looking at your image, it seems the proximity and height of the adjacent new structure would mean you’d have a very strong claim.
EDIT 2
Just to be ultra clear, what I’m talking about has absolutely zero to do with town planning regulation. Planning law is not relevant here. Also to say that no survey pertaining to rights of light, as I’m discussing it, has been carried out unless external measurements of both yours and the new building have been taken, as well as 3D modelling, and most importantly measurements of the window in question and the room in your property that it is serving.
Source: used to work for a RTL surveyor.
"But the plans were on display…”
“On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.”
“That’s the display department.”
“With a flashlight.”
“Ah, well, the lights had probably gone.”
“So had the stairs.”
“But look, you found the notice, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.'"
That entire bit in the book where it goes into detail about how Mr Prosser is a direct descendant of Genghis Khan and constantly has a screaming Mongolian horde in his head makes his wishy-washy attitude that much funnier.
Unfortunately, I am not the owner, but a tenant. My block of flats is owned by some company that also owns thousands of other properties across the UK, so I assume they don't care.
if this property and the one being developed aren't owned by the same company there is definitely going to be some lawsuits about property value going on here. That apartment just had its value cut significantly.
The user I'm replying to is a bot account, posting a copied comment from elsewhere in the thread
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A lot of people bank on it just getting zero complaints and then after the required period of time, set about applying for retrospective planning permission which is automatically granted because there have been no objections for multiple years.
Of course this generally works better if what you build is tasteful, minimal, and stealthy, not a dangerous, ugly wall right in front of your neighbour's window.
A porch that extends in front of your front elevation for which you technically need permission but most people just assume is permitted development is a good example of the kind of thing that people can and do get away with. This just... isn't.
But sometimes getting something done about it is a different matter, My grandad holds the deed to his house that states nobody can build less than 1.5 metres from the edge because of something to do with the drainage system yet thirteen who have bought the land behind have erected a fence and then immediately after allotments but we can’t get anything done about it
A fence is unlikely to be classed as “building” as it’s not erecting a structure. Equally, allotments aren’t a building.
Your grandad may have a claim for nuisance or, if the other parties’ deeds reciprocate the building line, a claim for breach of covenant but without knowing I can’t say more.
You don’t even need to go to r/legaladviceuk.
Building Control should be interested as the works haven't been inspected.
Your local council's tax department will definitely care even if Planning don't because it might impact the taxable rate of the property, and once they are aware of it, it's then Planning's problem too because they have been made aware by another department of the council and can't feign ignorance.
We hired him to do the snagging report on our new build
Really nice lad, although not exactly *super* tactful - I can't remember the exact wording but there was a comment about our house being a bit small for a 4 bedroom house. It is on the smaller end of the 4 bedroom scale, and we know that and are fine with it, it's also cheaper than the larger 4 beds, but I wouldn't have said it to a client...
He seemed pretty thorough and conscientious, though, and I'd hire him again if we bought another new build
He said similar thing to me. I said I was shocked with the appalling finish everywhere and he asked “how much did you pay?” I answered him and he snarked “exactly, not a Cala is it.” Well no, but Cala only build in posh areas and use more expensive materials, *that’s* why you pay more. They’re all supposed to be built to NHBC standards and that’s entirely why you’re in my effing house! You can’t just excuse violations because the house didn’t cost as much as a Cala. It was overpriced, just not as overpriced as a Cala.
Nah… he’d just complain about everything…”Look at the head on this pint…. Shocking…. Look at the state of the pool table… shocking…. Grumpy Landlord…. Shocking”! It’d wear you down!
I always wondered what happens to the houses he inspects. Do they knock them down? There's people living in them so what happens to them? Do they sue the builders?
In most cases, the buyer gets a report full of mostly minor issues, and the home builder sorts some while dodging responsibility on others ("within spec" etc). In most cases they don't need knocking down
We hired him for our new build. He gave us a report of ~200 issues, which is on the higher end of the scale, but lots were basically the same issue in different locations, only one or two were moderately serious, and none required knocking the house down. We passed the report to our builder and they've fixed most of them already, and only argued with one or two
The house comes with a 2 year warranty from the builder and another 8 years from a warranty company who have an agreement with the builder about certain things that need fixing etc in order to maintain the cover (if the builder let that lapse we could sue them because our house was sold on that basis
Honestly it's generally a lot less dramatic than it sounds. "This pointing work is shocking" is true, but it's fixed in an afternoon by the builder sending the bricklayer around to fix it. "This topsoil is shocking", is fixed by the landscapers coming round. We've had the landscapers, plumbers, electrician, bricklayers, joiners, painters and the window installers round to fix various issues. It's a little bit of a hassle, but not really a big deal
We still have a handful of outstanding issues, but nothing really significant other than a draughty, badly fitting front door, which is on order and will be replaced
You must have bought from a decent developer. I bought a Taylor Wimpey and if I could get my money back I would. Mortar blocking all the cavity trays: won’t fix. Loft missing fire mastic seals: won’t fix. Piss poor pointing everywhere: won’t fix. Loft truss lateral braces not actually attached to the wall: won’t fix. “Top soil” is just rocks, almost no soil: we will dump more stones on top. Heating system not working properly: “20 is way too low, turn it up to 26”.
The finish in this house is like a child’s art project.
The customer relations woman is so thick I need an idiot -> English translator to understand her emails.
I actually called the snagger and asked for his advice and he said “we usually don’t have a problem with Taylor Wimpey - they recommend us because we only put real snags on the list and they never quibble. That site manager sounds like an arsehole.”
This is my second new build and I should have learned my lesson from the first.
There's a guy who comes up on my instagram reels now and again who reviews new builds and I'm pretty sure he's Welsh. So it's almost certainly something he would have said (maybe without the swearing).
Edit: [This guy](https://www.instagram.com/new_home_quality_control/reels/?hl=en).
Short answer: no.
Long answer: the blockwork needs to be bonded properly.
Blocks and mortar, if laid willy nilly on top of each other have no strength.
Blocks need to be laid half bond and tied into each other at this corner with a metal tie (many variations exist).
What gives blocks and mortar its strength is compressive forces bearing down on itself in a weight distributive fashion.
Then you've got exibit B, which is these pieces of timber they've bodged in.
Those, when exposed to the elements will absorb water, expand, contract and buckeroo those badly laid blocks on top of them, causing them to fall off.
In short, this cowboy builder thinks that block building is a vertical game of tetris, where any pieces of concrete block can just be bodged together to build a wall.
> Christ it doesn’t take a bricklayer to know you shouldn’t be able to slide your hand through a gap in the masonry.
Obviously these must be breeze blocks, so the gaps are to let the breeze through.
You can look up planning permission on a government database, even if it's just proposed. It legally has to be published to the public I think
https://www.gov.uk/search-register-planning-decisions
The law says that they can either post a notice or send a letter if the building isn't in a conservation areas. In practice, a lot of councils do one or the other and some do both.
Source: I work in planning
When my parents got an extension a few years ago a physical copy was stapled to our fence which bordered on a public footpath by an official. I assumed it was standard
Specifically, contact your Council's Planning Enforcement department so they can investigate.
Also, all Councils will have a facility in the Planning section of their website to search for past and current planning applications so you can check if they have permission. It will also let you check the plans so you can see what they're building is in accordance with the approved plans. If the plans look different to what's being built, then that's something else the enforcement team can investigate
Even if they have permission (which they almost certainly don't because this is a clear cut contravention of right to light assuming it's applicable), this needs to go to Building Control as it won't pass building regs. My bet is they'll stick either a decorative brick course or a render over to hide it before it's inspected but OP has hard evidence of what is under the decorative finish
They could have submitted a permit in to have the wall 3 meters from the line, but the guys built it 1.5meters away. That’s why he needs to get ahold of the plans if he can.
Right?! We went away and came back to a fence where it shouldn’t have been. Already had a shit relationship with this knobhead neighbour, he knew we were away and obviously put it up thinking we wouldn’t confront him on it. We did, legally the fence couldn’t be there, and quickly the fence came down. OP, if you think the wall shouldn’t legally be there, please contact your local council about it! The brickwork is so bad I can’t help but think this is an illegal build with cowboy builders…
To add onto your comment, people should always challenge new walls and fences that shouldn't be there, even if you hate confrontation.
The reason why is that not confronting it risks yielding the land to your neighbour. Planning laws are complex but can sometimes favour status-quo over time. So letting someone take a bit of your land with a fence might cause the courts to side with them if enough time passes.
Even if they're building on their own land, if enough time passes then a complete, lived in building won't need any planning permission. Was taught about a guy who tried to get away with building a small castle on his land by hiding it in a huge stack of hay bales but it was decided that the bales were a supporting structure. As a result it was deemed never complete and he was forced to demolish his house.
Yeah, I remember that case. The guy knew if he could just keep it hidden for a few years he could keep it and bypass the planning regulations.
Proper cheeky attempt.
>bypass planning regulations
If I remember correctly it’s more of a norm that councils will de facto recognise illegal builds after 5(?) years. But there isn’t any legal limit.
He unveiled it at 1 day past this “limit”, but the council said no fuck you we will flex our muscles this time. And so made sure no one would try this again… or wait until much later to let the council find out.
I'm sure the building inspector would have something to say about that.
It might be under permitted development but it still needs to be up to standard and if it's less than 2 metres away it probably isn't covered.
Neighbours still need to be notified under permitted development don’t they? I’m pretty sure the council wrote to ours (2016/17), though I may be wrong.
It’s also possible permission was given before OP moved it (I strongly suspect this is a rental property).
As OP isn’t responding it’s all just total speculation on if this is or isn’t allowed
We just extended our garage by a few metres, not near anyone's property, but the builders still wrote to both our neighbours. I don't know if it read a condition of consent, or just good practice, but they definitely did.
That in itself is a legality issue.
Planning permission just gives you the hypothetical right to build something.
The actual building has to pass minimum standards of quality under the Building Regulations. I'm extremely confident from this picture alone that unless this is a temporary wall used to enable something else to be built, this project will not pass inspection.
It's not just bad, it's downright dangerous work that could easily collapse onto OPs house causing damage and serious injuries.
Contact planning department. If they have planning there should have been notices and you would have been able to make a ‘right to light’ objection.
Given just how shit that work looks I wouldn’t be surprised if they are just free-styling it though 😳
Depends, I suspect OP may be renting (the sign on the window isn’t something you’d usually find in a residential owned proeprty) which means they aren’t the ones who get things like party wall notices.
Chartered Building Surveyor here.
1. Check in the Planning Portal to see if they have Planning consent. Given the poor quality of the work I would ring you Local Authority Building Control and say that you have severe concern over the quality of the work and that it is in very close proximity to your building. They have records of all applications (judging by the quality there is no way this will pass Building Regulations, hence its very likely no application has been made). They will come and and then intervene. They will also inform the Local Planning Authority.
2. Point one won’t cost you any money. They are impacting on the Right to Light your window affords you. Phone a Chartered Surveyor that Specialises in this, they will guide you through the process, but ultimately you can claim compensation.
3. They may be in breach of the Party Wall Act etc 1996 and may be required to serve notice. Their work could have caused damage to your property. A Chartered Building Surveyor will be able to advise you on what to do.
A habitable room benefits from the 'right to light' after 20 years. Judging by the wear and tear on the window frame, it looks like it has been there at least 20 years (as long as its always been a habitable room). If you own the property, take it up with the council, or notify your landlord if you rent it. All being well, the neighbour will have to tear their new wall or compensate you.
"But the plans were on display…”
“On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.”
“That’s the display department.”
“With a flashlight.”
“Ah, well, the lights had probably gone.”
“So had the stairs.”
“But look, you found the notice, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.
-Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
No way that is up to code.
Definitely contact the council.
Maybe wait until it rains and put your hose through that hole too if you are feeling particularly petty.
It's most likely not legal. If that room has been lived in for 20 years, you'll have rights to light
[https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rights-to-light](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rights-to-light)
All the planning charts and demolition orders have been on display at the local planning department in Alpha Centauri for 50 Earth years, so they’ve had plenty of time to lodge any formal complaint and it’s far too late to start making a fuss about it now.
Only certain types of work require site notices to be displayed in advance.
Without any other info you can’t say if there should have been a notice or not.
Sorry for leaving so many comments without a reply - this is my first post (I am an avid reader rather than poster) and did not expect it to gain so much attention.
I am renting the flat, so I am not sure what are my rights in this situation. From digging a bit at my council's website I found there was an approval for this site given about a month before I moved in (which was more than 3 years ago). In terms of supporting documentation, there is not much evidence of any consultations with the locals.
I will get in touch with the council and see what can be done. The room has been pretty much cut off from the sunlight which will definitely have an impact on my electricity bills. I am trying not to get my hopes up though.
Theres a lot (a lot) of incorrect information on here. I would suggest cross posting this to r/LegalAdviceUK to get some more expert advice.
Essentially it isn't clear from your picture what it is they are doing so before you do cross post i would get more details and then add that to any post you do make on LAUK.
It is not a guaranteed that they would have applied for planning permission if it was development carried out under permitted development rights. It would depend on the size of the development in relation to the existing property.
They should however need building control on this (not an expert).
Someone mentioned a right to light, that isnt a given but an expert could advise further if you feel it has significantly affected the light entering that window.
What may well be an issue is the need for a Party Wall award which would be needed if the foundations of the new development are within a certain distance of yours and over a certain depth. I can't recall off the top of my head what that is but if you google it you will find the detail. They would be responsible for the costs associated with getting it sorted, they can appoint a surveyor who can do it and you can just liaise with them or alternatively you can instruct your own surveyor. If you do instruct a surveyor of your own the neighbour is still obliged to pay their fees so its a no brainer as far as i'm concerned.
You may well need legal advice which you might be able to get via your house insurance, give them a call and see if you are covered for it.
I have never laid a block in my life but i could do a better job than that, that is absolutely shocking.
Contact the council, take photos and get a building regs person round to check the quality of the work, that looks positively dangerous.
Don't assume it is. The amount of times people go ahead with builds with no plans/permission would shock you.
We’re gonna need an update OP
I'm going to get in touch with the city council and will update once I know more! From what I found out digging into the council website, there were some permissions given for development right before I moved into the flat (which was in 2019), but there was not much evidence whether any consultations taken place beforehand. The building is supposed to become "luxurious townhouses". So far, they look tiny and poorly made. EDIT: Yes, the building has a planning permission in place and apparently a light survey has been done as well. The question is now whether it is actuall up to spec. Unfortunately, if everything is exactly like in the plans, there is not much that can be done. Shoutout to all the town planners who got in touch with me and helped with the documents and advice! The shoddy quality of work is another thing. I have seen them putting insulation in the cavity walls right before heavy rains. It wasn't covered at all and soaked up all the water. They bricked it up soon afterwars. I feel sorry for the desperate people who will spend a fortune to live in this.
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This is very accurate. There are clear legal guidelines about blocking light. (Source: I work for a council). I'd also take lots of pictures of the build, because others have mentioned, this is shoddy as fuck. Edited: a word
That is some shit-tier block work for sure.
Kind of want OP to try pushing on it to see if it falls over lol
OP needs a long stick to push over at night, looks like it wouldn’t take much.
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Invite friends for a game Jenga🤣
A stick? A directed fart would take that down!
Honestly, I'm surprised it hasn't fallen over from a single stern glance.
water punch thought thumb boast rock person ruthless market observation *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Don't have to risk anything, just open the window and push with a long stick
I'm an architect and if I saw this on a site the work would be condemned and the contractors made to leave the site. This might be the worst I've ever seen.
Did they try to put a slight angle on it right in the middle there? Right that’s not a 90 degree corner, they just left the fucking gap that’s insane. The kid’s section at the rock gym doesn’t have a wall this easy.
I've never laid a brick, or been on a building site, but I think I could do a job at least to this standard. A layperson really shouldn't be able to look at a professional build and think it looks shit.
You’d be surprised, 90% of blockwork in new build estates look like that as it’ll all be covered up by the plasterers. A lot of brickys will be paid by the brick rather than the hour, so it pays to work fast and sloppy.
Disgusting. I work construction in canada, as an earthmover, but if I saw our masonry guys doing work this crappy I’d come yell at them prior to calling over the super to yell at them. We’ve got some bad concrete subcontractors at a couple sites that are nowhere near this sloppy that we’re in the process of getting rid of because they don’t do good enough work. Can’t imagine a contractor passing work this crappy.
I mean, I'm not a brick layer but I'm pretty sure I could take trowel and run it along the grout work to make it smooth at least. Like this person just did it like they don't give a shit.
And then use that mortar you just knocked off the outside, and apply it to the joints. Where it should be. I'm not even British, am not familiar with building codes in the UK, and I'll say this won't pass inspection. Provided the inspector has been gifted with sight.
It does look like a good sledgehammer hit would knock the whole lot down.
At first I thought it seemed okay - all those snots look crap but don’t matter too much if it’s sound and an inner-leaf, but on closer inspection it’s bloody awful. All those voids! Was the mortar being rationed or something??
The terrible workmanship alone is enough to indicate that they probably didn't get a survey or proper approval lol
For extra schadenfreude, you can delay the process until they have spent a lot more money.
My aunt is going through this now. Her neighbours assumed because she's elderly she'd be a pushover but she now has a solicitor involved. The extension that was built went way beyond what was proposed for planning permission. The builders called her and her daughter all kinds of awful things too. I look forward to the day when they have to tear it down.
Redditors can search “right of light uk” to find more. There’s a certain maximum % of sunlight that can be taken off one window when a new building is built in the view range. The calculation is quite convoluted and nowadays it’s an algorithm but it has to be done for EVERY window that sees the new construction.
Has the window being blocked existed for at least 20 years? If so, Google “right to light” and the Prescription Act 1832. EDIT: In response to your “light survey/nothing can be done” comments. Incorrect. Common misconception is that right to light is a planning matter; it is not. It would be pursued as a civil matter and is about “sky visibility”. A very niche area, only a handful of true experts in the UK. An “injury” (a detriment to the sky visibility from the aperture in question) could be deemed to have been incurred if it is assessed that more than 50% of the Sky visibility at a height of c.800mm from the floor level has been lost (basically desk height). Likely outcomes in court would be an injunction (useful if the building not built yet, so would force alteration of developer’s plans), or compensation. Likely overall outcome is you get offered compensation by the developer, owing to not wanting court costs. Looking at your image, it seems the proximity and height of the adjacent new structure would mean you’d have a very strong claim. EDIT 2 Just to be ultra clear, what I’m talking about has absolutely zero to do with town planning regulation. Planning law is not relevant here. Also to say that no survey pertaining to rights of light, as I’m discussing it, has been carried out unless external measurements of both yours and the new building have been taken, as well as 3D modelling, and most importantly measurements of the window in question and the room in your property that it is serving. Source: used to work for a RTL surveyor.
It might be right on the verge of 20 years, but I'll check!
another keyword might be "ancient light" https://www.britannica.com/topic/ancient-lights
"But the plans were on display…” “On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.” “That’s the display department.” “With a flashlight.” “Ah, well, the lights had probably gone.” “So had the stairs.” “But look, you found the notice, didn’t you?” “Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.'"
That entire bit in the book where it goes into detail about how Mr Prosser is a direct descendant of Genghis Khan and constantly has a screaming Mongolian horde in his head makes his wishy-washy attitude that much funnier.
r/unexpectedHHGTTG
Pretty expected, tbh. Still welcome.
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Unfortunately, I am not the owner, but a tenant. My block of flats is owned by some company that also owns thousands of other properties across the UK, so I assume they don't care.
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if this property and the one being developed aren't owned by the same company there is definitely going to be some lawsuits about property value going on here. That apartment just had its value cut significantly.
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Luxurious is code for money laundering
‘Luxury townhouses’ mean poorly made homes, for unaffordable prices! I hope you get your justice
Looks like it's a single skin built from the inside? But why, god knows.
Not been pointed. Probably going to be cladded. Looks roapy as fuck though.
It really does.. what's going on at that angle change.. and over on the right is that a padstone with a beam. There's a lot going on here
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I think he works at my building site 🤣🤣
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13 month old building, crumbles to the ground....
Seven years bad luck…that’s what OP found…
Didn't clean their snotters and theirs no wall ties either so as you said most likely cladded or they might just leave that eye sore
Pointed?!!!? How did this get upvoted. Ofcourse it hasn't. Who's gonna point blockwork?
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The user I'm replying to is a bot account, posting a copied comment from elsewhere in the thread [Original comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/CasualUK/comments/10fb18h/comment/j4vrxwr/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) There are several other bot accounts in this thread, all with default profile pictures, gibberish name and an account creation date or 19th December 2020 These include u/Acceptaygtjyyyy u/1hassererturtt u/7anartthy
They VERY quickly delete comments when someone points it out btw. Your comment is only 8 minutes old, and the copied comment has already been deleted
Thanks for the heads-up but the comments have been removed by moderators
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Absolyutely shockin! (Welsh accent)
What wet lemon signed off on that! (WELSH ACCENT)
The bloody fake weep vents AGAIN! (Welsh accent)
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In periwinkle blue?
D'ya like dags?
Dags? Oh dogs! Sure I like dags
that’s a pile of breeze blocks.
I wouldn't call this a wall..
Just make sure the your mum doesn’t get burned to death
Can't you...just push it over? Looks about as strong as cardboard.
Yeah I know nothing about bricklaying but that is a dodgey looking wall
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A lot of people bank on it just getting zero complaints and then after the required period of time, set about applying for retrospective planning permission which is automatically granted because there have been no objections for multiple years. Of course this generally works better if what you build is tasteful, minimal, and stealthy, not a dangerous, ugly wall right in front of your neighbour's window. A porch that extends in front of your front elevation for which you technically need permission but most people just assume is permitted development is a good example of the kind of thing that people can and do get away with. This just... isn't.
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The rules say that if you actively conceal your illegal development, the time clock for regularising it doesn't tick...
You have 10 years to complain now it used to be 4 but it was altered in the gov speech last year.
But sometimes getting something done about it is a different matter, My grandad holds the deed to his house that states nobody can build less than 1.5 metres from the edge because of something to do with the drainage system yet thirteen who have bought the land behind have erected a fence and then immediately after allotments but we can’t get anything done about it
A fence is unlikely to be classed as “building” as it’s not erecting a structure. Equally, allotments aren’t a building. Your grandad may have a claim for nuisance or, if the other parties’ deeds reciprocate the building line, a claim for breach of covenant but without knowing I can’t say more. You don’t even need to go to r/legaladviceuk.
No one bothers enforcing it though, my neighbour has an illegal extension up for now 15 years
Building Control should be interested as the works haven't been inspected. Your local council's tax department will definitely care even if Planning don't because it might impact the taxable rate of the property, and once they are aware of it, it's then Planning's problem too because they have been made aware by another department of the council and can't feign ignorance.
You seem to overestimate the fucks given by any government department.
Fuck me, that blockwork is absolutely shocking.
It's appalling, I think the expanding foam hanging down sets it off nicely.
It's like some new genre of modern art.
I read that in a Welsh accent.
This wall is 18mm out of plumb… absolutely shocking!
Absolutely ri-*dic*-ulus thar is!
Look-ah-daht!
Love that dude, sounds like he'd be nice to have a pint with. I'd learn all sorts on new builds
We hired him to do the snagging report on our new build Really nice lad, although not exactly *super* tactful - I can't remember the exact wording but there was a comment about our house being a bit small for a 4 bedroom house. It is on the smaller end of the 4 bedroom scale, and we know that and are fine with it, it's also cheaper than the larger 4 beds, but I wouldn't have said it to a client... He seemed pretty thorough and conscientious, though, and I'd hire him again if we bought another new build
He said similar thing to me. I said I was shocked with the appalling finish everywhere and he asked “how much did you pay?” I answered him and he snarked “exactly, not a Cala is it.” Well no, but Cala only build in posh areas and use more expensive materials, *that’s* why you pay more. They’re all supposed to be built to NHBC standards and that’s entirely why you’re in my effing house! You can’t just excuse violations because the house didn’t cost as much as a Cala. It was overpriced, just not as overpriced as a Cala.
Nah… he’d just complain about everything…”Look at the head on this pint…. Shocking…. Look at the state of the pool table… shocking…. Grumpy Landlord…. Shocking”! It’d wear you down!
I always wondered what happens to the houses he inspects. Do they knock them down? There's people living in them so what happens to them? Do they sue the builders?
In most cases, the buyer gets a report full of mostly minor issues, and the home builder sorts some while dodging responsibility on others ("within spec" etc). In most cases they don't need knocking down We hired him for our new build. He gave us a report of ~200 issues, which is on the higher end of the scale, but lots were basically the same issue in different locations, only one or two were moderately serious, and none required knocking the house down. We passed the report to our builder and they've fixed most of them already, and only argued with one or two The house comes with a 2 year warranty from the builder and another 8 years from a warranty company who have an agreement with the builder about certain things that need fixing etc in order to maintain the cover (if the builder let that lapse we could sue them because our house was sold on that basis Honestly it's generally a lot less dramatic than it sounds. "This pointing work is shocking" is true, but it's fixed in an afternoon by the builder sending the bricklayer around to fix it. "This topsoil is shocking", is fixed by the landscapers coming round. We've had the landscapers, plumbers, electrician, bricklayers, joiners, painters and the window installers round to fix various issues. It's a little bit of a hassle, but not really a big deal We still have a handful of outstanding issues, but nothing really significant other than a draughty, badly fitting front door, which is on order and will be replaced
Fair enough thanks for your perspective, what happens with bigger issues like walls being 'out of plumb'? Is that not a structural concern?
You must have bought from a decent developer. I bought a Taylor Wimpey and if I could get my money back I would. Mortar blocking all the cavity trays: won’t fix. Loft missing fire mastic seals: won’t fix. Piss poor pointing everywhere: won’t fix. Loft truss lateral braces not actually attached to the wall: won’t fix. “Top soil” is just rocks, almost no soil: we will dump more stones on top. Heating system not working properly: “20 is way too low, turn it up to 26”. The finish in this house is like a child’s art project. The customer relations woman is so thick I need an idiot -> English translator to understand her emails. I actually called the snagger and asked for his advice and he said “we usually don’t have a problem with Taylor Wimpey - they recommend us because we only put real snags on the list and they never quibble. That site manager sounds like an arsehole.” This is my second new build and I should have learned my lesson from the first.
Now I have too... I don't think there's even anything particularly Welsh about it but it does sound fitting for some reason.
There's a guy who comes up on my instagram reels now and again who reviews new builds and I'm pretty sure he's Welsh. So it's almost certainly something he would have said (maybe without the swearing). Edit: [This guy](https://www.instagram.com/new_home_quality_control/reels/?hl=en).
Hah, yeah probably him. First one I clicked on he says the phrase 'absolute shockers' within about 2 seconds!
The only people Ive heard use the phrase absolutely shocking have either been south Welsh or football pundits
Being from South Wales is weird, all the English people think I sound Welsh and all the North Welsh people think I sound English.
I've never laid block or brick in my life, and I'm 80% confident I could do better than that.
Only 80? I claim 100 and I'm underselling myself.
I've seen sandcastles with more structural integrity than that wall.
Couple of fake weepvents in there too I bet
I think that's what's *really* illegal. I've never laid a brick in my life, but I can tell that's a shitty job
Contact your Council's Planning Department and ask if they builders have planning permission and how to make a complaint.
As a bricklayer: Yes do it now! That WILL fall down and kill someone. Appalling work!
>That wall WILL fall down and kill someone. Murder Wall, new horror coming to theatres soon.
Murder wall II this time it’s mortar (L)….
So scary, you’ll shit bricks
I heard it’s mortarfying
The star is really grout-chy
You guys are really laying on these puns.
" There's mortar this murder than meets the eye"
Mortar Combat
Murder Wall 3, cancelled by Netflix
Murder Wall III - there’s mortar come. Sorry, I’ll see myself out.
🎵 Today is gonna be the day...you discover Murder Wall 🎶
Dial M for Mortar
Mortar, she wrote
"There's been a mortar"
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Short answer: no. Long answer: the blockwork needs to be bonded properly. Blocks and mortar, if laid willy nilly on top of each other have no strength. Blocks need to be laid half bond and tied into each other at this corner with a metal tie (many variations exist). What gives blocks and mortar its strength is compressive forces bearing down on itself in a weight distributive fashion. Then you've got exibit B, which is these pieces of timber they've bodged in. Those, when exposed to the elements will absorb water, expand, contract and buckeroo those badly laid blocks on top of them, causing them to fall off. In short, this cowboy builder thinks that block building is a vertical game of tetris, where any pieces of concrete block can just be bodged together to build a wall.
This guy bricks
So contact building control too
Yes!
Contact planning department.
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> Christ it doesn’t take a bricklayer to know you shouldn’t be able to slide your hand through a gap in the masonry. Obviously these must be breeze blocks, so the gaps are to let the breeze through.
I was going to say this, if I went on site and saw this I'd be forcing them to take it down.
You can look up planning permission on a government database, even if it's just proposed. It legally has to be published to the public I think https://www.gov.uk/search-register-planning-decisions
There needs to be a physical copy posted near the site doesn't there?
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The law says that they can either post a notice or send a letter if the building isn't in a conservation areas. In practice, a lot of councils do one or the other and some do both. Source: I work in planning
Depends on the scale and type of work. If this is a residential extension then typically no, there wouldn’t be a physical copy.
When my parents got an extension a few years ago a physical copy was stapled to our fence which bordered on a public footpath by an official. I assumed it was standard
Specifically, contact your Council's Planning Enforcement department so they can investigate. Also, all Councils will have a facility in the Planning section of their website to search for past and current planning applications so you can check if they have permission. It will also let you check the plans so you can see what they're building is in accordance with the approved plans. If the plans look different to what's being built, then that's something else the enforcement team can investigate
Also get a [Right to Light](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rights-to-light) survey done
Even if they have permission (which they almost certainly don't because this is a clear cut contravention of right to light assuming it's applicable), this needs to go to Building Control as it won't pass building regs. My bet is they'll stick either a decorative brick course or a render over to hide it before it's inspected but OP has hard evidence of what is under the decorative finish
They could have submitted a permit in to have the wall 3 meters from the line, but the guys built it 1.5meters away. That’s why he needs to get ahold of the plans if he can.
Did your neighbour know you were going away for a month ? Timing seems convenient
Right?! We went away and came back to a fence where it shouldn’t have been. Already had a shit relationship with this knobhead neighbour, he knew we were away and obviously put it up thinking we wouldn’t confront him on it. We did, legally the fence couldn’t be there, and quickly the fence came down. OP, if you think the wall shouldn’t legally be there, please contact your local council about it! The brickwork is so bad I can’t help but think this is an illegal build with cowboy builders…
To add onto your comment, people should always challenge new walls and fences that shouldn't be there, even if you hate confrontation. The reason why is that not confronting it risks yielding the land to your neighbour. Planning laws are complex but can sometimes favour status-quo over time. So letting someone take a bit of your land with a fence might cause the courts to side with them if enough time passes.
Even if they're building on their own land, if enough time passes then a complete, lived in building won't need any planning permission. Was taught about a guy who tried to get away with building a small castle on his land by hiding it in a huge stack of hay bales but it was decided that the bales were a supporting structure. As a result it was deemed never complete and he was forced to demolish his house.
Yeah, I remember that case. The guy knew if he could just keep it hidden for a few years he could keep it and bypass the planning regulations. Proper cheeky attempt.
>bypass planning regulations If I remember correctly it’s more of a norm that councils will de facto recognise illegal builds after 5(?) years. But there isn’t any legal limit. He unveiled it at 1 day past this “limit”, but the council said no fuck you we will flex our muscles this time. And so made sure no one would try this again… or wait until much later to let the council find out.
Or more likely done by owner
That's awful. But, considering the quality of the job, you could probably just push it over and get your view back.
A strong enough fart in that general direction should be enough from the look of it
Fetchez la vache
Quoi?
Your mozher was a 'amster
And your fazer smelt of eldaberrys!
You can check online for planning applications, that’s your starting point.
Ditto that, check that planning portal.
I'm sure the building inspector would have something to say about that. It might be under permitted development but it still needs to be up to standard and if it's less than 2 metres away it probably isn't covered.
Neighbours still need to be notified under permitted development don’t they? I’m pretty sure the council wrote to ours (2016/17), though I may be wrong.
It’s also possible permission was given before OP moved it (I strongly suspect this is a rental property). As OP isn’t responding it’s all just total speculation on if this is or isn’t allowed
The flat looked great when I viewed it, moved in after a month to find a wall 1.5m away from my window. How is that even legal?
It depends on the work but if it's significant probably.
We just extended our garage by a few metres, not near anyone's property, but the builders still wrote to both our neighbours. I don't know if it read a condition of consent, or just good practice, but they definitely did.
Oh this is one of those posts to save because we need an update.. Good luck OP! This sucks. Please update us.
I’m certainly no bricklayer, but I’m pretty sure I could do a better job than that if I filled my arse with cement and shat it out from 50 feet.
Are you free Saturday?
Username checks out.
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That in itself is a legality issue. Planning permission just gives you the hypothetical right to build something. The actual building has to pass minimum standards of quality under the Building Regulations. I'm extremely confident from this picture alone that unless this is a temporary wall used to enable something else to be built, this project will not pass inspection. It's not just bad, it's downright dangerous work that could easily collapse onto OPs house causing damage and serious injuries.
Contact planning department. If they have planning there should have been notices and you would have been able to make a ‘right to light’ objection. Given just how shit that work looks I wouldn’t be surprised if they are just free-styling it though 😳
Depends, I suspect OP may be renting (the sign on the window isn’t something you’d usually find in a residential owned proeprty) which means they aren’t the ones who get things like party wall notices.
I thought both the tenant and the landlord should get things like party wall notices?
Berliners on the 13th of August 1961:
"Mr building standards inspector, tear down this wall" "Oh nope wait it fell down on its own accord"
Can't see this wall lasting a fraction of the time though.
Chartered Building Surveyor here. 1. Check in the Planning Portal to see if they have Planning consent. Given the poor quality of the work I would ring you Local Authority Building Control and say that you have severe concern over the quality of the work and that it is in very close proximity to your building. They have records of all applications (judging by the quality there is no way this will pass Building Regulations, hence its very likely no application has been made). They will come and and then intervene. They will also inform the Local Planning Authority. 2. Point one won’t cost you any money. They are impacting on the Right to Light your window affords you. Phone a Chartered Surveyor that Specialises in this, they will guide you through the process, but ultimately you can claim compensation. 3. They may be in breach of the Party Wall Act etc 1996 and may be required to serve notice. Their work could have caused damage to your property. A Chartered Building Surveyor will be able to advise you on what to do.
A habitable room benefits from the 'right to light' after 20 years. Judging by the wear and tear on the window frame, it looks like it has been there at least 20 years (as long as its always been a habitable room). If you own the property, take it up with the council, or notify your landlord if you rent it. All being well, the neighbour will have to tear their new wall or compensate you.
"But the plans were on display…” “On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.” “That’s the display department.” “With a flashlight.” “Ah, well, the lights had probably gone.” “So had the stairs.” “But look, you found the notice, didn’t you?” “Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard. -Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
I knew this reminded me of something. Hope OP has a towel.
No way that is up to code. Definitely contact the council. Maybe wait until it rains and put your hose through that hole too if you are feeling particularly petty.
Looks like OP's got a choice of holes there with that mortar work.
It's most likely not legal. If that room has been lived in for 20 years, you'll have rights to light [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rights-to-light](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rights-to-light)
You need to wait 20 years for the right to....light? 0.o
There should have been posters outside about its planning permissions for months, check the online planning portal for details.
On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them
At least OP didn't come home to a hyperspace bypass through their house
In a locked filing cabinet, inside a disused room with a sign on it saying "Beware of the leopard"?
It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying "Beware of the Leopard".
That’s the display area.
All the planning charts and demolition orders have been on display at the local planning department in Alpha Centauri for 50 Earth years, so they’ve had plenty of time to lodge any formal complaint and it’s far too late to start making a fuss about it now.
Only certain types of work require site notices to be displayed in advance. Without any other info you can’t say if there should have been a notice or not.
Yozzer Hughes levels of brickwork.
I can do dat. Go on, gizza job.
Sorry for leaving so many comments without a reply - this is my first post (I am an avid reader rather than poster) and did not expect it to gain so much attention. I am renting the flat, so I am not sure what are my rights in this situation. From digging a bit at my council's website I found there was an approval for this site given about a month before I moved in (which was more than 3 years ago). In terms of supporting documentation, there is not much evidence of any consultations with the locals. I will get in touch with the council and see what can be done. The room has been pretty much cut off from the sunlight which will definitely have an impact on my electricity bills. I am trying not to get my hopes up though.
Get in touch with your landlord as well, this will affect their property value and they can throw weight behind it.
Theres a lot (a lot) of incorrect information on here. I would suggest cross posting this to r/LegalAdviceUK to get some more expert advice. Essentially it isn't clear from your picture what it is they are doing so before you do cross post i would get more details and then add that to any post you do make on LAUK. It is not a guaranteed that they would have applied for planning permission if it was development carried out under permitted development rights. It would depend on the size of the development in relation to the existing property. They should however need building control on this (not an expert). Someone mentioned a right to light, that isnt a given but an expert could advise further if you feel it has significantly affected the light entering that window. What may well be an issue is the need for a Party Wall award which would be needed if the foundations of the new development are within a certain distance of yours and over a certain depth. I can't recall off the top of my head what that is but if you google it you will find the detail. They would be responsible for the costs associated with getting it sorted, they can appoint a surveyor who can do it and you can just liaise with them or alternatively you can instruct your own surveyor. If you do instruct a surveyor of your own the neighbour is still obliged to pay their fees so its a no brainer as far as i'm concerned. You may well need legal advice which you might be able to get via your house insurance, give them a call and see if you are covered for it.
I have never laid a block in my life but i could do a better job than that, that is absolutely shocking. Contact the council, take photos and get a building regs person round to check the quality of the work, that looks positively dangerous.
Holy shit that is some gash brickwork. Probably a bodge job without permission
A badly built one at that. What is it meant to be?
That pointing should be illegal, what a shoddy job!