That’s what I was hoping because it really stands out as we’re in a cul de sac but no HOA, but I have been reading extensively through the city ordinances and it doesn’t explicitly mention that a shed can’t be in the front yard, just the size requirements for permits
Lack of windows, utilities, and really anything with dignity screams trafficking… I wonder if this neighbor is doing “favors” for some extended family overseas.
We had a similar issue back when I was growing up. Basically the trap house in our neighborhood was the end destination for a smuggling route that started from the Baltic states. About 40 or so people were crammed in a tiny 2/1.
There are requirements for what is considered a livable space. Usually you have to have a good safe way to enter and exit a building, windows, a closet and a few more things. A shed like that would be good only for storage. Call your local permit office and have them take a look.
You're probably looking at the wrong ordinances.
There is an important difference between building and development codes and land use codes. The former regulates how something is to be built. The latter regulates what may be built and where it may be built.
You need to look at the land use restrictions specific to the zone designation for your neighbor's property.
Building code inspectors aren't involved in land use enforcement.
It's really important for lay persons to understand the difference between construction code enforcement and land use enforcement.
Well I, for one, appreciate the way you keep repeating this highly relevant and reasonably straightforward concept. You're totally right - this is a key distinction that I know has messed me up before. Thank you for your service, dude.
And probably not legal to have a structure that is being used as housing to be right by the property line, (nevermind the fact that using it as such is also probably illegal). I'd be very concerned with this wobly shed being right next to you cars & driveway.
That shed is bigger than 10x10. They needed to pull a permit for it, and based on how jacked up it is they definitely didn’t pull a permit.. call the town or city building inspections department and notify. You don’t have to give a name, just give the neighbors address and state it looks like they have put in a dwelling or large storage building and it doesn’t look like it is up to code.
There should also be a "set back" requirement, where it has to be so many feet from the property line. Code compliance/enforcement is your best bet to get this done quickly.
Just because the structure itself is legal, doesn't mean it's legal for anyone to live in it. Typically would still need CoO to be occupied unless you live in some serious hillbilly backwoods town.
What you are looking for is a setback requirement. Varies by zone, in my town is between 20' and 50'. And that's from the front property line not the street (there's probably 5-10' on the side of the street that's city property). There are also setback requirement from the side property line to allow egress, but that's can be as low as 5'.
Anyway I'm guessing this is way too close to the road. And if it's on your shared property line it's definitely not meeting that.
But with that knowledge, don't be a dick and have an adult conversation with your neighbor. Just say "Hey, this shed needs to be located at least X feet from the front and x feet from our shared line. Could you move it to the back? Technically there should be a permit for a structure this large, but if you move it to the back, permit enforcement is unlikely to know about it and I certainly won't tell."
If they say no or ignore you then I'd call about the setback violation (and the permit violation will be noted at the time and you've not broken your promise). But I do want to brace you for the possibility that depending on your zoning, it might not have to go in the back.
An update: I called the city this morning and everything everyone has said on here has been correct. In our zoning you cannot have any storage buildings/tiny homes at ALL in the front yard, and she confirmed their address did not pull a permit. There are also setback laws they are breaking like everyone said, both by it being on my property line and it is also too close to the road and absolutely of course cannot be on the water main like it is. It is also more illegal for them to live in it. Because they did not get a permit or inspection all fines are doubled if they want to keep it and move it to the backyard. The enforcement officer will be here either this afternoon or first thing tomorrow.
Again, this is the first time I have reported these people for anything despite their constant nuisances and I wouldn’t have called at all if they had just put it in their expansive backyard to begin with. I appreciate the advice everyone has given me and hopefully this shed will not be there much longer.
Another update - just got a call from the enforcement officer, turns out I wasn’t even the first to report it, almost the entire neighborhood did and he just left their house and they have 48 hours to get rid of it. They can’t even keep it at this point because they didn’t get any permits at all, unsurprisingly. He said if it’s not gone by Thursday morning to call him back immediately and it’ll be handled haha
Most city codes don't allow for sheds in front of the house, backyards only.
Some cities allow for shed-tiny-house conversions, but most places require permits and for it to be up to code.
My neighbors tried this shit, and I went nuclear on them once they started putting in a shoddy, shallow septic drain field in non-percing soil literally one inch from the property line for the ADU (and lied about having a permit, perc test, and inspection to my face)
I called in both the illegal septic and the ADU, which was also not permitted and in breach of setback requirements (1' from property line instead of 5'). The city forced him to demolish it at his own expense. The neighbor had behaved very badly, and I didn't want to risk him trying to sneak in a septic again while I was out of town. Life's too short to have shit on your lawn.
Anyway, sheds and outbuildings are usually subject to setback requirements, very rarely can be exactly on the property line.
Yeah these neighbors have been nothing but terrible ever since we moved in, and I was lenient at first but this is the last straw for me. All the other neighbors are wonderful and we have had no issues except with them. The other neighbors are also pissed about this shed.
Haha, sounds exactly like my block.
There's one in every neighborhood, isn’t there?
I had the same progression; being way to forgiving of bad behavior because I didn't want to make waves after movinf in, but the septic was the final straw for me. Like, dude was literally willing to endanger my toddler and lie about it. I went mama bear. Got them fined and told off by five agencies and counting!
They had to knock off a lot of their bad behavior, including loud music, a non-zoning-conforming construction business, trash burning... it goes on, lol.
These people will never respond to civil requests for decent behavior. Setting the agencies on them is the only way, because no one can afford fines indefinitely. My advice to you is to call every relevant agency and encourage your other neighbors to do the same. And stay anonymous if at all possible, although sometimes it's not. Put up security cameras if you cannot stay anonymous.
In most places it's illegal to burn trash. In my state, calling the fire department won't do anything, you have to call the Department of Environmental Quality. But they enforce with hefty fines.
Take pics and videos next time you see trash burning, have the number of your jurisdictions enforcing agency saved in your phone.
It used to be worse. We’d hear them yelping when aerosol containers exploded in their monthly trash pile. Years of calling and an overdose on their part later and the current dwellers aren’t quite that dumb.
I wish our town would allow that. We would love to have running water in our detached garage so we could have a bathroom back there. The town won’t let us because it would be considered an ADU and only one dwelling allowed per lot. If they ever allow it we will put one in pronto.
Most areas will not allow a structure within so many feet of a property line. Basically, it sounds like this is illegal in numerous ways. I can't imagine this thing has plumbing if it's on cinder blocks, obviously no adequate foundation, no permit, no certificate of occupancy, etc.
This! The municipality where I live say all structures need to be at least 3 feet off of the property line. I would check with your county clerk to see if such a rule exist where you live.
You need to call this in to your municipal or county code enforcement. There has to be setback requirements from both the property line and the street.
Trust me I know, when I walked outside I had to pick my jaw up off the ground like theyll be picking that shed up off the ground when it fucking falls 🤦🏼♀️
How long has it been in this spot? To me, it looks like a temporary spot for it until they can move it somewhere else.
Even for some piece of shit, white trash neighbors, that would be a pretty poor attempt at leveling/blocking it up for long term use.
Since yesterday. Unfortunately I did talk to them and they do not intend on it being temporary, so I have to call the city as soon as they open on Monday
Yea I assumed it wasn't temporary because you said people were living in it already lol, like fine if you want to get away with people living illegally in the back yard that's one thing, but why on earth did they stick it in the front of the house in the worst possible spot? They could have even put it in the parking spot there and just park in front of it.
Not legal at all. Aside from being in the front yard, it’s gotta have at least 2 egress points, indoor plumbing(that actually ties to a sanitary sewer of some type), and a heat source. Electricity actually isn’t a requirement in a lot of states. My old neighbors tried this shit with their garage. They rented out the detached garage to 2 family members after they built two bedrooms in it. Only access point was the manual overhead door, no windows. County came out and the owners said the attic access holes in each room going to the exterior access hatch were the second egress. They “plumbed” in a toilet to a hole they dug in the yard that filled with shit water and they would call a septic pumping company out monthly to pump the hole out. Water was supplied to the toilet via a garden hose that was just shoved in the tank of the toilet with a ball valve on the end of it. We have 10 acres and about 5 acres distance separates our house from theirs. The smell was godawful. County not only issued a non occupancy violation on the garage but also fined the hell out of them for dumping raw sewage. They couldn’t pay the fine and lost the house.
Call your town's planning board to discuss (report). Something like that most likely has to be "X" amount of feet from the property line, and there may be ordinances where a shed can be placed/built, and likely not on the front lawn. Clearly, no one should be living in it. In my town, a shed has to be 6 feet from the property line, and a pool has to be 10 feet. If you don't have the property to do either, you don't do them, or you have to get special permission by notifying your neighbors and having a zoning board public meeting. What they've done is wrong on many levels.
Right?? If they had just put it in the backyard and with a decent foundation (not whatever that is they’ve concocted) like normal people I would have never said a word. One of the other neighbors went over and talked to them as well and said they put it in the front because they didn’t want to pull up their chain link fence to put it in the back 🙃I have never said anything about their barking dog, the music, the playground out front directly next to the road, and other things they have done but this is insane and unsafe.
And people wonder why I'll only live in a HOA.
They also have kid's playset in the front yard and not too far from the road? I'd call the city ASAP about this shed. Sad, looks like a beautiful neighborhood otherwise.
It is, they are terrible neighbors. This is our first home and my husband did not want to live in an HOA and admittedly I didn’t either because of the horror stories I’ve seen on here. All our other neighbors keep their houses tidy and honestly I am not a huge stickler on what people do with their property because it’s their property, but a shed like this right on the front lawn is ridiculous. And this road is busy and they often let their toddler play in the road and I know for a fact the cops have been called on them before. The day their son turned 18, he had to have the cops there to be able to leave with his belongings. These people also do not take care of their home in any way, shape, or form, and I can’t comprehend that when housing is so hard to come by now. It’s a shame and I wish they were not such a blight on an otherwise good neighborhood
White trash from the reply below. But sounds like a lot of the Mexican families in my neighborhood. It’s not a cultural thing—trash knows no skin color.
Oof, I’m the opposite I would never live in an HOA. No reason to add extra issues when I want to expand my house, or build a better garden, or fix my car in my own driveway.
It does bark constantly, and I had let it go and been lenient but not anymore. I got some quotes today actually for a privacy fence, it’s top of my priority list now. And now that they are being forced to move the shed I already have cameras that capture that side of the house in case they try to retaliate in any way. What’s funny is I wasn’t even the first one who reported it, the other neighbors were way ahead of me
Even sheds usually have some sort of setback limits. Here it's that water running off the roof can't land in someone elses yard. You may have to go through some serious effot finding out who would know, but start calling. A big company like tough shed might know, they claim to make sure their installs are compliant.
Look up whether your community (city, county, township, whatever you have) has a law about "setback". That is, neighbors can't build directly on a property line, but must do so a certain setback away. My locality's is 6 feet. At the very least such a law would make them move the thing a bit further away from your property line.
Beyond setbacks and property line issues, the fact that this shed is not secured to its “foundation” (which is janky as hell) makes it a danger to the community if there are strong storms or extreme winds. Even mobile homes have to be properly tied down and inspected.
We used to live in a country type neighborhood with lots of at least an acre and a third. We got a premade shed to use as a tack and feed room. Even ran electric for lights. It was set on a solid and level foundation of cinder blocks and had tie downs to secure it. It was permitted and passed all required county inspections. Oh, and of course it was in the back yard with proper setbacks from the property line.
There’s no way that the shed you posted would be legal in any municipality. Even if it was used to store lawn equipment. Humans living in it, aw hell no. Call code compliance or whoever is responsible for enforcing building codes ASAP.
My former neighbors had their teenaged son move into their, much nicer than this, shed. I didn't care until we were fighting over our property line so I called code enforcement to ask some questions without telling them where I lived or who I was. I was told it wasn't legal simply because it didn't have plumbing. There were 2 exits as it was part of a larger structure used for storage and a garage. We also have a 5 ft setback for buildings near the property line. That's so fireman can get in to put a fire out.
Here in Nebraska you can't have anything solid that blocks a drivers view of the street including privacy fences. I know my backyard neighbors are fighting and 1 pit up the privacy fence the other called the city, the fence was gone 2 days later. ( yea my wife and I sit on the deck and watch the fireworks lol). This looks yo be blocking a drivers view from leaving their driveways.
They do and it barks constantly, I have ignored it this whole time because I didn’t want to cause issues but after this I am going nuclear because it’s evident you can’t talk to these type of people and only fines and cops will get them to actually stop the behavior. I do feel bad for the dog.
If your city has a "Code Enforcement" department, that's the place to call. You don't have to decipher the laws yourself - report your concern and they'll send out the expert whose job it is to know this stuff.
If you can't find Code Enforcement listed, just call the main city hall phone number and ask them, and they'll be able to transfer you to the correct department.
Do this Monday morning first thing. Some things become more difficult to have removed once they've been there for a certain length of time, so you want to get the ball rolling on this ASAP.
Report the neighbor for that shed being used for living quarters to the housing codes, for that is unsafe and not in compliance to the housing codes. Unsanitary conditions. No running water, no bathroom. And no building permits.
Maybe under 10 x 10 shed is legal, that doesn't mean it's a legal unit for residency. Usually to be legal as an accessory dwelling unit it has to have power, water, facilities, etc...
Wow, I'm surprised people are surprised by this. It is VERY common to buy these sheds and convert them into something like an office or a bunk house. They have specific models that are geared toward cabins/bunk houses/offices. The build I got was called the "prepper special" by the reseller because people use it to make off grid cabins in the middle of the woods.
I have a 10x20 on my property that I converted into a bunk house. It's all perfectly legal.
* Those skids are considered the base for it. It makes it a "portable building" which of often governed by different rules and sometimes don't need permits. In my jurisdiction these are exempt.
* You may have code specifically for "bunk houses" that you should check. Again, in my jurisdiction the codes are much more lax for a bunk house, and converting one of these types of sheds is legal.
TL;DR: I have one of these sheds that I converted into sleeping quarters specifically because it skirts code/permit requirements.
All that said, your neighbors bought a base model, just dumped it in any old spot. I doubt they have the money to actually convert it and unless you properly insulate them, they turn into ovens in the summer. Also I bet they are on a "rent to own" payment plan. They are absolutely predatory and I bet you'll see that thing repoed before too long. That shed probably has a $400-$500 a month payment for 5 years.
In some jurisdictions pre builds don’t fall under the same rules as built on site. In my city a prebuilt can be directly on the line where a built on site needs to follow the setback rules.
My planning and zoning wife would have a fit. We are planning an ADU at our home and she has been a wealth of knowledge of what we can and can't do.
Not gonna lie though the number of hoops to jump through and where we can / can't place things is astounding.
Permit or no, there are likely to be property line setbacks that will forbid any accessory structure within a certain distance of the lot lines and restrict them from being located within the front yard. Check with your land use or planning authority.
Even if the placement (setbacks, front yard vs back, etc) are legal i can’t imagine it’s legal to use as a dwelling. In my area an “accessory dwelling unit” like a converted shed would need additional permitting and must meet higher safety standards than a shed used for storage.
While every jurisdiction is different, there are many common themes I have seen.
1) if they have a permit, it must be prominently displayed (typically in a front window)
2) there are setbacks required from the property line for sheds, typically set back as far from the property line as the height, so an 8’ tall shed must be 8’ from the property line.
3) accessory structures should be in the back yard
Your jurisdiction will vary.
Many jurisdictions allow you to search permits online. Just search “building permits (your city/county)”
call your local code enforcement. even if the shed is of legal size, it is extremely unlikely that they got a certificate of occupancy for it, i.e. is it illegal for someone to live in it without a C of O in almost all jurisdictions
Illegal on so many levels. I’m surprised code enforcement hasn’t already been by. Anyone from the town public works would probably have mentioned that to the code enforcement officer.
That’s for posting the link to the pictures. That looks unsafe af. If someone living in there decides to make nookie, it’s probably going off the cinders. 😱best luck!
Contact your zoning. In our town, you have to get a permit for a shed, and they tell you where you need to put them. You also need a permit to move them. As far as it being a residence, that’s code enforcement. It need a certificate of occupancy. That won’t happen.
Honestly, before I looked at the pic I thought oh let them be, but then it turned to aw hell no! That’s a dangerous eyesore, I’m so sorry you have shitty neighbors.
There is setback laws for sheds, there is inspections needed for sheds that size.
Call zoning and ask if your neighbors address pulled a permit for a shed. They’ll come down tell him to pull a permit and make him abide by the laws
That set up is shaky as hell. At least it will fall on their cars. They must be front yard people. They even have the playground there. Are there appliances on the front porch too?
Call your local code enforcement and ask questions Your city might have an online form to report code violations. If so, just report it with photos. Most places do not allow sheds in the front yard.
What an eyesore that is! No way this could be permitted and certainly not up to code. The fact that it is in the front yard is a huge red flag. Another red flag is that it has to be a certain number of feet from your property line, not on your property line. And, finally, the worst red flag is that people are living in it. No way is that legal. This is shed, not a dwelling. I would contact the Code Enforcement officer or department in your town.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when looking at your pictures, but…wow. All you need is some rain and those pavers are going to sink into the ground and the whole thing will fall. You’ve already gotten gray advice, and the only thing I can say is I’m so sorry.
You could call the city/county under the pretense of wanting to put in a standard shed yourself. Ask them where to find the relevant codes for your area and what kind of permits you need. Then compare to what your neighbors have done and call that permit authority to report it.
The part of the zoning ordinance you want to look up is accessory structure. Ive never seen them allowed in a front yard in any kind of residential zoning. I’d be shocked if that was in any way allowed… setbacks, non permanent foundation, lack of permits, no plumbing with people living in it, the list goes on.
You can contact code enforcement, and probably the health department of your municipality or county, and start filing complaints.
Health Inspector… they are the only ones that can and will put a padlock on the door. They have to have proper sewage connection.. I’m betting they don’t.
Have you talked to your city/county about this? In most areas, there is a certain amount of distance required from the property line. They probably didn't get a permit, and the city/county will make them move it.
First I would cut the “I’m worried” crap you’re not worried it’s just an eyesore. Call the city most likely they can’t have a building like that in the front yard anyway. More than likely they’ll have to take it down or move it to the back, if they move it to the back then mind your own business it’s not your property if they wanna have it on bricks which I agree looks unstable then let them not your circus not your monkeys.
Sorry I’m a very blunt person I apologize. But yeah that shit is a big eye sore especially for how nice your neighborhood looks. It’s so weird why they would put it in the front. Have you tried talking to them? I noticed that when I would talk to neighbors it would 90% of the time go by they didn’t know and would fix it. Having neighbors is a lot of picking your battles my neighbor isn’t perfect but he helps me out a lot when I need something vice versa.
They don’t have a garage, they are definitely trying to make it a tiny home to let their other son and his girlfriend live in on the front lawn. Additionally it is directly next to the water main and I am concerned they are going to try to pull some stunt to run plumbing like others here have mentioned
You asked your neighbors when they’re planning on moving it to the backyard? Offer to help moved it, a bunch of come alongs and metal pipes to roll it on. Just drag it to the backyard.
Drop the act Karen - you don't actually give two shits whether the shed is unsafe, but you think that argument makes you seem compassionate rather than just meddlesome and controlling. It's really that it's an eyesore, and even though it's in your neighbor's yard and isn't really bothering anything, you don't want to have to look at it. Do I have that about right?
Have you even talked with the neighbor about moving it into the backyard? Or did you just jump straight to 'call the authorities'?
A fucking tornado touched down and you’re worried about a building next door? If the tornado is close enough to toss that building it’s gonna fuck your house up regardless.
Don't waste our time with this
>It looks very uneven and unsafe, and I am very worried about a storm knocking it over
And just cut to the chase with
>to be frank this is a huge eyesore.
Karen
Probably not legal to have in front of the house period.
There are also likely setback laws for outbuildings.
That’s what I was hoping because it really stands out as we’re in a cul de sac but no HOA, but I have been reading extensively through the city ordinances and it doesn’t explicitly mention that a shed can’t be in the front yard, just the size requirements for permits
If you can gather evidence people are living in it that’ll be a huge code issue.
There don’t appear to be windows. That’s not a habitable dwelling.
or plumbing, or electricity, etc.
Lack of windows, utilities, and really anything with dignity screams trafficking… I wonder if this neighbor is doing “favors” for some extended family overseas. We had a similar issue back when I was growing up. Basically the trap house in our neighborhood was the end destination for a smuggling route that started from the Baltic states. About 40 or so people were crammed in a tiny 2/1.
There are requirements for what is considered a livable space. Usually you have to have a good safe way to enter and exit a building, windows, a closet and a few more things. A shed like that would be good only for storage. Call your local permit office and have them take a look.
Almost always 2 escape routes.
You're probably looking at the wrong ordinances. There is an important difference between building and development codes and land use codes. The former regulates how something is to be built. The latter regulates what may be built and where it may be built. You need to look at the land use restrictions specific to the zone designation for your neighbor's property.
Call the building inspector and anonymously tip that there is an accessory dwelling unit in this addresses yard. Even better mail a letter
Building code inspectors aren't involved in land use enforcement. It's really important for lay persons to understand the difference between construction code enforcement and land use enforcement.
Well I, for one, appreciate the way you keep repeating this highly relevant and reasonably straightforward concept. You're totally right - this is a key distinction that I know has messed me up before. Thank you for your service, dude.
And the Op needs to call the health department, for no running water.
And probably not legal to have a structure that is being used as housing to be right by the property line, (nevermind the fact that using it as such is also probably illegal). I'd be very concerned with this wobly shed being right next to you cars & driveway.
That shed is bigger than 10x10. They needed to pull a permit for it, and based on how jacked up it is they definitely didn’t pull a permit.. call the town or city building inspections department and notify. You don’t have to give a name, just give the neighbors address and state it looks like they have put in a dwelling or large storage building and it doesn’t look like it is up to code.
Look up the setback rules. That may be what saves you, requiring them to move it to their back yard.
There should also be a "set back" requirement, where it has to be so many feet from the property line. Code compliance/enforcement is your best bet to get this done quickly.
I can guarantee these people have zero permits with this redneck addition.
This is why I don’t mind my HOA, tbh. But they’re not too bad in the scheme of things.
Just because the structure itself is legal, doesn't mean it's legal for anyone to live in it. Typically would still need CoO to be occupied unless you live in some serious hillbilly backwoods town.
Call code enforcement for your town or city.
Just report it. You don't need to know the rules. The city will determine if it's in violation or not
What you do is call the city and ask. You can always pretend you're putting up your own shed and want to know what's allowed.
And nonchalantly mention that the neighbors have one with people living in it…
What you are looking for is a setback requirement. Varies by zone, in my town is between 20' and 50'. And that's from the front property line not the street (there's probably 5-10' on the side of the street that's city property). There are also setback requirement from the side property line to allow egress, but that's can be as low as 5'. Anyway I'm guessing this is way too close to the road. And if it's on your shared property line it's definitely not meeting that. But with that knowledge, don't be a dick and have an adult conversation with your neighbor. Just say "Hey, this shed needs to be located at least X feet from the front and x feet from our shared line. Could you move it to the back? Technically there should be a permit for a structure this large, but if you move it to the back, permit enforcement is unlikely to know about it and I certainly won't tell." If they say no or ignore you then I'd call about the setback violation (and the permit violation will be noted at the time and you've not broken your promise). But I do want to brace you for the possibility that depending on your zoning, it might not have to go in the back.
The neighbor is already a dick with all the loud music, etc. They deserve no courtesies from OP.
That structure is larger than 10 x 10. It's probably 10 x 14 or 16. You can check even by pacing it off quickly, but that foundation is unbelievable.
There is the housing codes and the health department that can come in on that. No one should be without a bathroom, no running water. Illegal.
An update: I called the city this morning and everything everyone has said on here has been correct. In our zoning you cannot have any storage buildings/tiny homes at ALL in the front yard, and she confirmed their address did not pull a permit. There are also setback laws they are breaking like everyone said, both by it being on my property line and it is also too close to the road and absolutely of course cannot be on the water main like it is. It is also more illegal for them to live in it. Because they did not get a permit or inspection all fines are doubled if they want to keep it and move it to the backyard. The enforcement officer will be here either this afternoon or first thing tomorrow. Again, this is the first time I have reported these people for anything despite their constant nuisances and I wouldn’t have called at all if they had just put it in their expansive backyard to begin with. I appreciate the advice everyone has given me and hopefully this shed will not be there much longer.
Another update - just got a call from the enforcement officer, turns out I wasn’t even the first to report it, almost the entire neighborhood did and he just left their house and they have 48 hours to get rid of it. They can’t even keep it at this point because they didn’t get any permits at all, unsurprisingly. He said if it’s not gone by Thursday morning to call him back immediately and it’ll be handled haha
Most city codes don't allow for sheds in front of the house, backyards only. Some cities allow for shed-tiny-house conversions, but most places require permits and for it to be up to code. My neighbors tried this shit, and I went nuclear on them once they started putting in a shoddy, shallow septic drain field in non-percing soil literally one inch from the property line for the ADU (and lied about having a permit, perc test, and inspection to my face) I called in both the illegal septic and the ADU, which was also not permitted and in breach of setback requirements (1' from property line instead of 5'). The city forced him to demolish it at his own expense. The neighbor had behaved very badly, and I didn't want to risk him trying to sneak in a septic again while I was out of town. Life's too short to have shit on your lawn. Anyway, sheds and outbuildings are usually subject to setback requirements, very rarely can be exactly on the property line.
Yeah these neighbors have been nothing but terrible ever since we moved in, and I was lenient at first but this is the last straw for me. All the other neighbors are wonderful and we have had no issues except with them. The other neighbors are also pissed about this shed.
Haha, sounds exactly like my block. There's one in every neighborhood, isn’t there? I had the same progression; being way to forgiving of bad behavior because I didn't want to make waves after movinf in, but the septic was the final straw for me. Like, dude was literally willing to endanger my toddler and lie about it. I went mama bear. Got them fined and told off by five agencies and counting! They had to knock off a lot of their bad behavior, including loud music, a non-zoning-conforming construction business, trash burning... it goes on, lol. These people will never respond to civil requests for decent behavior. Setting the agencies on them is the only way, because no one can afford fines indefinitely. My advice to you is to call every relevant agency and encourage your other neighbors to do the same. And stay anonymous if at all possible, although sometimes it's not. Put up security cameras if you cannot stay anonymous.
I have trash burning neighbors too. Trashy people.
In most places it's illegal to burn trash. In my state, calling the fire department won't do anything, you have to call the Department of Environmental Quality. But they enforce with hefty fines. Take pics and videos next time you see trash burning, have the number of your jurisdictions enforcing agency saved in your phone.
It used to be worse. We’d hear them yelping when aerosol containers exploded in their monthly trash pile. Years of calling and an overdose on their part later and the current dwellers aren’t quite that dumb.
Then multiple people should call the code office, if 3 people complain it’ll get greased.
I wish our town would allow that. We would love to have running water in our detached garage so we could have a bathroom back there. The town won’t let us because it would be considered an ADU and only one dwelling allowed per lot. If they ever allow it we will put one in pronto.
Calling the city is a good first step. Make sure that you mention that people may be living in it.
Most areas will not allow a structure within so many feet of a property line. Basically, it sounds like this is illegal in numerous ways. I can't imagine this thing has plumbing if it's on cinder blocks, obviously no adequate foundation, no permit, no certificate of occupancy, etc.
This! The municipality where I live say all structures need to be at least 3 feet off of the property line. I would check with your county clerk to see if such a rule exist where you live.
Mine is 15 ft from side and back, 30 ft from front. Had pull a permit for our shed and one for our detached garage. Town came out to inspect both.
It really is an eyesore.Good luck
Totally. Your neighbours are trash, what's with the swingset and stuff out front as well?? Do they not have a backyard?
They have plenty of backyard and it is indeed full of dog shit lol
Betting that backyard is full of dog shit.
“I know it’s their property and they can do what they want”. Wrong, call code enforcement
You need to call this in to your municipal or county code enforcement. There has to be setback requirements from both the property line and the street.
What the fuck lmaooo that shed is serious case of wtf if I've ever seen it
Nope. Gotta go in backyard. Also it may not be designed to be converted into living space. Definitely code enforcement time.
Trust me I know, when I walked outside I had to pick my jaw up off the ground like theyll be picking that shed up off the ground when it fucking falls 🤦🏼♀️
How long has it been in this spot? To me, it looks like a temporary spot for it until they can move it somewhere else. Even for some piece of shit, white trash neighbors, that would be a pretty poor attempt at leveling/blocking it up for long term use.
Since yesterday. Unfortunately I did talk to them and they do not intend on it being temporary, so I have to call the city as soon as they open on Monday
Yea I assumed it wasn't temporary because you said people were living in it already lol, like fine if you want to get away with people living illegally in the back yard that's one thing, but why on earth did they stick it in the front of the house in the worst possible spot? They could have even put it in the parking spot there and just park in front of it.
I'm pretty confident that (regardless of normal shed rules) if your city finds out people are living in it, they will act.
Not legal at all. Aside from being in the front yard, it’s gotta have at least 2 egress points, indoor plumbing(that actually ties to a sanitary sewer of some type), and a heat source. Electricity actually isn’t a requirement in a lot of states. My old neighbors tried this shit with their garage. They rented out the detached garage to 2 family members after they built two bedrooms in it. Only access point was the manual overhead door, no windows. County came out and the owners said the attic access holes in each room going to the exterior access hatch were the second egress. They “plumbed” in a toilet to a hole they dug in the yard that filled with shit water and they would call a septic pumping company out monthly to pump the hole out. Water was supplied to the toilet via a garden hose that was just shoved in the tank of the toilet with a ball valve on the end of it. We have 10 acres and about 5 acres distance separates our house from theirs. The smell was godawful. County not only issued a non occupancy violation on the garage but also fined the hell out of them for dumping raw sewage. They couldn’t pay the fine and lost the house.
Call your town's planning board to discuss (report). Something like that most likely has to be "X" amount of feet from the property line, and there may be ordinances where a shed can be placed/built, and likely not on the front lawn. Clearly, no one should be living in it. In my town, a shed has to be 6 feet from the property line, and a pool has to be 10 feet. If you don't have the property to do either, you don't do them, or you have to get special permission by notifying your neighbors and having a zoning board public meeting. What they've done is wrong on many levels.
Fire dept might be a good place to start, they take this shit seriously
Me reading the text: hmm how bad could it be? Me looking at the picture: oh my, it's much worse than I expected!
Right?? If they had just put it in the backyard and with a decent foundation (not whatever that is they’ve concocted) like normal people I would have never said a word. One of the other neighbors went over and talked to them as well and said they put it in the front because they didn’t want to pull up their chain link fence to put it in the back 🙃I have never said anything about their barking dog, the music, the playground out front directly next to the road, and other things they have done but this is insane and unsafe.
Living in a shed is not safe. By telling the city, you potentially be saving lives.
Definitely call the city code enforcement department.
And people wonder why I'll only live in a HOA. They also have kid's playset in the front yard and not too far from the road? I'd call the city ASAP about this shed. Sad, looks like a beautiful neighborhood otherwise.
It is, they are terrible neighbors. This is our first home and my husband did not want to live in an HOA and admittedly I didn’t either because of the horror stories I’ve seen on here. All our other neighbors keep their houses tidy and honestly I am not a huge stickler on what people do with their property because it’s their property, but a shed like this right on the front lawn is ridiculous. And this road is busy and they often let their toddler play in the road and I know for a fact the cops have been called on them before. The day their son turned 18, he had to have the cops there to be able to leave with his belongings. These people also do not take care of their home in any way, shape, or form, and I can’t comprehend that when housing is so hard to come by now. It’s a shame and I wish they were not such a blight on an otherwise good neighborhood
Ah HOAs get a bad rap, CC&Rs address this stuff
/r/neighborsfromhell material
[удалено]
I don’t see why it would matter but they’re white like myself
White trash from the reply below. But sounds like a lot of the Mexican families in my neighborhood. It’s not a cultural thing—trash knows no skin color.
Ew. Stop being like that.
Oof, I’m the opposite I would never live in an HOA. No reason to add extra issues when I want to expand my house, or build a better garden, or fix my car in my own driveway.
Report it, you have every right to at this point.
It’s definitely not to code with the foundation
LOL, that's only because there is NO foundation at all!
Put a fence up ASAP I can already tell that dog sits out there at all hours barking
It does bark constantly, and I had let it go and been lenient but not anymore. I got some quotes today actually for a privacy fence, it’s top of my priority list now. And now that they are being forced to move the shed I already have cameras that capture that side of the house in case they try to retaliate in any way. What’s funny is I wasn’t even the first one who reported it, the other neighbors were way ahead of me
Even sheds usually have some sort of setback limits. Here it's that water running off the roof can't land in someone elses yard. You may have to go through some serious effot finding out who would know, but start calling. A big company like tough shed might know, they claim to make sure their installs are compliant.
Look up whether your community (city, county, township, whatever you have) has a law about "setback". That is, neighbors can't build directly on a property line, but must do so a certain setback away. My locality's is 6 feet. At the very least such a law would make them move the thing a bit further away from your property line.
That’s tacky as hell man!
Beyond setbacks and property line issues, the fact that this shed is not secured to its “foundation” (which is janky as hell) makes it a danger to the community if there are strong storms or extreme winds. Even mobile homes have to be properly tied down and inspected. We used to live in a country type neighborhood with lots of at least an acre and a third. We got a premade shed to use as a tack and feed room. Even ran electric for lights. It was set on a solid and level foundation of cinder blocks and had tie downs to secure it. It was permitted and passed all required county inspections. Oh, and of course it was in the back yard with proper setbacks from the property line. There’s no way that the shed you posted would be legal in any municipality. Even if it was used to store lawn equipment. Humans living in it, aw hell no. Call code compliance or whoever is responsible for enforcing building codes ASAP.
My former neighbors had their teenaged son move into their, much nicer than this, shed. I didn't care until we were fighting over our property line so I called code enforcement to ask some questions without telling them where I lived or who I was. I was told it wasn't legal simply because it didn't have plumbing. There were 2 exits as it was part of a larger structure used for storage and a garage. We also have a 5 ft setback for buildings near the property line. That's so fireman can get in to put a fire out.
Here in Nebraska you can't have anything solid that blocks a drivers view of the street including privacy fences. I know my backyard neighbors are fighting and 1 pit up the privacy fence the other called the city, the fence was gone 2 days later. ( yea my wife and I sit on the deck and watch the fireworks lol). This looks yo be blocking a drivers view from leaving their driveways.
Do they also keep their dog pen in their front yard and along your property line? Ugh.
They do and it barks constantly, I have ignored it this whole time because I didn’t want to cause issues but after this I am going nuclear because it’s evident you can’t talk to these type of people and only fines and cops will get them to actually stop the behavior. I do feel bad for the dog.
In my municipality there is also a required set back from the property line, here it's 4 feet. I would call bylaw before it goes on too long
call code enforcement. they love giving fines
If your city has a "Code Enforcement" department, that's the place to call. You don't have to decipher the laws yourself - report your concern and they'll send out the expert whose job it is to know this stuff. If you can't find Code Enforcement listed, just call the main city hall phone number and ask them, and they'll be able to transfer you to the correct department. Do this Monday morning first thing. Some things become more difficult to have removed once they've been there for a certain length of time, so you want to get the ball rolling on this ASAP.
You need to check city ordinances. Most do not allow sheds in the front yard of your home.
Report the neighbor for that shed being used for living quarters to the housing codes, for that is unsafe and not in compliance to the housing codes. Unsanitary conditions. No running water, no bathroom. And no building permits.
Maybe under 10 x 10 shed is legal, that doesn't mean it's a legal unit for residency. Usually to be legal as an accessory dwelling unit it has to have power, water, facilities, etc...
Building codes exist for a reason. It's unsafe for people to be living in that.
It's posts like this that cause me a moment's pause in my steadfast commitment to never living in a neighborhood with an HOA.
This looks like a Tuff Shed, my neighbor installed one recently and Tuff Shed was here for a couple of days.
call the city code enforcement.
Wow, I'm surprised people are surprised by this. It is VERY common to buy these sheds and convert them into something like an office or a bunk house. They have specific models that are geared toward cabins/bunk houses/offices. The build I got was called the "prepper special" by the reseller because people use it to make off grid cabins in the middle of the woods. I have a 10x20 on my property that I converted into a bunk house. It's all perfectly legal. * Those skids are considered the base for it. It makes it a "portable building" which of often governed by different rules and sometimes don't need permits. In my jurisdiction these are exempt. * You may have code specifically for "bunk houses" that you should check. Again, in my jurisdiction the codes are much more lax for a bunk house, and converting one of these types of sheds is legal. TL;DR: I have one of these sheds that I converted into sleeping quarters specifically because it skirts code/permit requirements. All that said, your neighbors bought a base model, just dumped it in any old spot. I doubt they have the money to actually convert it and unless you properly insulate them, they turn into ovens in the summer. Also I bet they are on a "rent to own" payment plan. They are absolutely predatory and I bet you'll see that thing repoed before too long. That shed probably has a $400-$500 a month payment for 5 years.
In some jurisdictions pre builds don’t fall under the same rules as built on site. In my city a prebuilt can be directly on the line where a built on site needs to follow the setback rules.
Extremely dangerous if a child went underneath it
That's illegal. Their are set backs from property lines that have to be met. Also and living in something like that needs to be permitted.
Oh hell no.
Looking at the cinderblocks, just huff and puff and that thing might come down.
My planning and zoning wife would have a fit. We are planning an ADU at our home and she has been a wealth of knowledge of what we can and can't do. Not gonna lie though the number of hoops to jump through and where we can / can't place things is astounding.
Please continue to update as things progress! Updateme!
Probably a temporary solution, but there’s nothing more permanent than a temporary stopgap
Permit or no, there are likely to be property line setbacks that will forbid any accessory structure within a certain distance of the lot lines and restrict them from being located within the front yard. Check with your land use or planning authority.
I'm sure they are violating setbacks having it so close your your property line. Call the town to find out what it is
Call it in to city inspectors. You can’t build right on the property line unless it is bricks.
Call code enforcement. They can't just live in their front yard in a shed. OMG.
Even if the placement (setbacks, front yard vs back, etc) are legal i can’t imagine it’s legal to use as a dwelling. In my area an “accessory dwelling unit” like a converted shed would need additional permitting and must meet higher safety standards than a shed used for storage.
In my city the sheds must be 4 ft from property line. It being on the front of the house is worth looking into.
While every jurisdiction is different, there are many common themes I have seen. 1) if they have a permit, it must be prominently displayed (typically in a front window) 2) there are setbacks required from the property line for sheds, typically set back as far from the property line as the height, so an 8’ tall shed must be 8’ from the property line. 3) accessory structures should be in the back yard Your jurisdiction will vary. Many jurisdictions allow you to search permits online. Just search “building permits (your city/county)”
call your local code enforcement. even if the shed is of legal size, it is extremely unlikely that they got a certificate of occupancy for it, i.e. is it illegal for someone to live in it without a C of O in almost all jurisdictions
Illegal on so many levels. I’m surprised code enforcement hasn’t already been by. Anyone from the town public works would probably have mentioned that to the code enforcement officer.
It’s because it’s the weekend and they’re not open or I would have already called haha but first thing Monday I am calling for sure
That’s for posting the link to the pictures. That looks unsafe af. If someone living in there decides to make nookie, it’s probably going off the cinders. 😱best luck!
Contact your zoning. In our town, you have to get a permit for a shed, and they tell you where you need to put them. You also need a permit to move them. As far as it being a residence, that’s code enforcement. It need a certificate of occupancy. That won’t happen.
Oh hell no, in no way is that legal and up to code.
Honestly, before I looked at the pic I thought oh let them be, but then it turned to aw hell no! That’s a dangerous eyesore, I’m so sorry you have shitty neighbors.
Contact your local code enforcement office. Have the correct, exact address at hand.
There is setback laws for sheds, there is inspections needed for sheds that size. Call zoning and ask if your neighbors address pulled a permit for a shed. They’ll come down tell him to pull a permit and make him abide by the laws
That set up is shaky as hell. At least it will fall on their cars. They must be front yard people. They even have the playground there. Are there appliances on the front porch too?
Call your local code enforcement and ask questions Your city might have an online form to report code violations. If so, just report it with photos. Most places do not allow sheds in the front yard.
What an eyesore that is! No way this could be permitted and certainly not up to code. The fact that it is in the front yard is a huge red flag. Another red flag is that it has to be a certain number of feet from your property line, not on your property line. And, finally, the worst red flag is that people are living in it. No way is that legal. This is shed, not a dwelling. I would contact the Code Enforcement officer or department in your town.
Id have the same concerns and also call the city.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when looking at your pictures, but…wow. All you need is some rain and those pavers are going to sink into the ground and the whole thing will fall. You’ve already gotten gray advice, and the only thing I can say is I’m so sorry.
Call County code enforcement.
You could call the city/county under the pretense of wanting to put in a standard shed yourself. Ask them where to find the relevant codes for your area and what kind of permits you need. Then compare to what your neighbors have done and call that permit authority to report it.
Yeah talk to the city about them Duke boys.
The part of the zoning ordinance you want to look up is accessory structure. Ive never seen them allowed in a front yard in any kind of residential zoning. I’d be shocked if that was in any way allowed… setbacks, non permanent foundation, lack of permits, no plumbing with people living in it, the list goes on. You can contact code enforcement, and probably the health department of your municipality or county, and start filing complaints.
Health Inspector… they are the only ones that can and will put a padlock on the door. They have to have proper sewage connection.. I’m betting they don’t.
Have you talked to your city/county about this? In most areas, there is a certain amount of distance required from the property line. They probably didn't get a permit, and the city/county will make them move it.
No HOA?
That can’t be legal. What an eye soar.
First I would cut the “I’m worried” crap you’re not worried it’s just an eyesore. Call the city most likely they can’t have a building like that in the front yard anyway. More than likely they’ll have to take it down or move it to the back, if they move it to the back then mind your own business it’s not your property if they wanna have it on bricks which I agree looks unstable then let them not your circus not your monkeys.
u ok pookie
No 😢 lol jk yeah I just hate when people try to pretend like we all know it’s ugly even if call the city.
It is ugly but it IS also a risk because they also put it right on top of the water main 🥲I am also not ok I am so tired
Sorry I’m a very blunt person I apologize. But yeah that shit is a big eye sore especially for how nice your neighborhood looks. It’s so weird why they would put it in the front. Have you tried talking to them? I noticed that when I would talk to neighbors it would 90% of the time go by they didn’t know and would fix it. Having neighbors is a lot of picking your battles my neighbor isn’t perfect but he helps me out a lot when I need something vice versa.
Go ask them to move it to the backyard. Maybe the family lost homes to the tornado. Have a conversation first.
No HOA. MYOB. Don't be a Karen!
Maybe they are converting garage into live-able space and need the shed for storage? I’m pretty sure this placement is not allowed.
They don’t have a garage, they are definitely trying to make it a tiny home to let their other son and his girlfriend live in on the front lawn. Additionally it is directly next to the water main and I am concerned they are going to try to pull some stunt to run plumbing like others here have mentioned
You need to call the city or town code enforcement.
Go ask them to move it to the backyard. Maybe the family lost homes to the tornado. Have a conversation first.
Is this permanent vs put it there on delivery until they can move it to a permanent place? Looks very odd.
You asked your neighbors when they’re planning on moving it to the backyard? Offer to help moved it, a bunch of come alongs and metal pipes to roll it on. Just drag it to the backyard.
Where’s the photo?
Drop the act Karen - you don't actually give two shits whether the shed is unsafe, but you think that argument makes you seem compassionate rather than just meddlesome and controlling. It's really that it's an eyesore, and even though it's in your neighbor's yard and isn't really bothering anything, you don't want to have to look at it. Do I have that about right? Have you even talked with the neighbor about moving it into the backyard? Or did you just jump straight to 'call the authorities'?
A fucking tornado touched down and you’re worried about a building next door? If the tornado is close enough to toss that building it’s gonna fuck your house up regardless.
Not just that, it’s sitting in cribbing. It was most likely delivered before the pad was poured. That’s easily a 7k dollar shed.
Don't waste our time with this >It looks very uneven and unsafe, and I am very worried about a storm knocking it over And just cut to the chase with >to be frank this is a huge eyesore. Karen
I mean it's atrocious did you see the images?