WHAT THE FUCK???!!!!

[Importland]

Had a hell of a day, a quick fill in on details, I (probably foolishly) allowed my previous disabled neighbor to widen her drive to allow easier access into her car using my land, she never owned it and we drew up a document to support this. When my current neighbor and her partner moved in all the details were passed to her and I drew up a peppercorn rent agreement which she signed and left things as it was. Her partner collapsed and died in the garage (he was a great bloke) and she came round to our house at 2am and we sat with her, sorted out the police and ambulance and finally left at 6am when her friend arrived. Roll on three years (she has lived there 5 years now), she now has a new partner, in the last year they have cut down all the trees in her garden and it is now a grass desert. She then started on my trees complaining about leaves, bird muck and any thing else she could think of, one Beech tree in particular which is as old as the house (120 years) she said was damaging the drains etc. After shelling out over £1200 for tree surgeons, arborist reports which show the tree is blameless I have had enough. I gave her notice to reinstate the boundary, she claimed squatters rights and denies all knowledge of any paperwork she signed. ( have copies of all). I was advised to put the fence up on the correct boundary so as her notice was up I started today. After her father and partner turned up and she came back from work she called the police. I had all the paperwork to show them and they agreed I had every right to erect the fence as it was on my property, this was after her father kicked out at the cone next to my head and she tried to run the car not quite into me and then nearly reversed into my wife. The police report now shows me as the victim and they told me to go ahead with the fence and made her move her car. She has one car parked over the boundary line and she proceeded to park her own car as close to the fence post I was putting in while the police was there. Numerous photos taken to show no car damage and to cover me, one concrete post at the top of the drive and 3 IBCs linked with chains on the boundary until she moves the supposedly "not running" fiat 500 so I can continue with the fence, it looks a right mess but it won't bother me. Rant over I need a beer.

Yes, nightmare mate.
I've always said when people look smug at how they love an area, their house, etc is you can't future proof your neighbours. Someone near me a few years back talking of how they 'future proofed' their 'forever home' etc. I commented you can't future proof your neighbours, and they looked at me like I was a loon, and a few years on, one of their neighbours died, another couple moved in and complained to the council about their dog within weeks.
Your opening line about widening the drive is a lovely act on your path, but obviously you can't see the future. In essence neighbours are acquaintances, not often deep friends or family members with deep historical friendship roots. I do favours, but I look at it that if the s**t hit the fan, they are acquaintances and wouldn't have my back. Without deep roots, one is really only one argument for an irreparable relationship with an acquaintance neighbour. Worse thing is as it has gone offical, if you ever wanted to move you'd have to delcaire it, but hopefully they will move themselves in time so that wouldn't be an issue.
Hope this works out for you. Very stressful.

 

[Importland]

I suppose I'm lucky, first one ever and all the others are great, a nice community apart from next door, moved from Hull into the country and don't like trees, wildlife etc, she should have stayed in the city.

She probably didn't think of it in fairness, before she moved. I'd imagine lots of people move to a different type of location and suddenly realise they don't like certain things, as much as things they DO like. There were probably things in the city she didn't like, and liked. No place is perfect etc.
Maybe she's a car girl and dislikes bird poo and pollen/leave bits over her car lol

I've moved from a city to more the country and felt like I was waiting to die, the pace of life was so comatose lol, so that move didn't last too long

 

[BrianH]

She probably didn't think of it in fairness, before she moved. I'd imagine lots of people move to a different type of location and suddenly realise they don't like certain things, as much as things they DO like. There were probably things in the city she didn't like, and liked. No place is perfect etc.
Maybe she's a car girl and dislikes bird poo and pollen/leave bits over her car lol

I've moved from a city to more the country and felt like I was waiting to die, the pace of life was so comatose lol, so that move didn't last too long

She has stated previously that the only reason she bought the house was it was cheaper than the equivalent in Hull, hopefully her move won't be long. We have been here 30 plus years and are here to stay, end terrace but large garden, perfect for us.

 

[Importland]

She has stated previously that the only reason she bought the house was it was cheaper than the equivalent in Hull, hopefully her move won't be long. We have been here 30 plus years and are here to stay, end terrace but large garden, perfect for us.

lol, that's maybe one of the main reasons why 'city people' move outwards. Not the only reason of course. I did the same. I know of shed loads of others who have done the same, too. Could get a lot more for your money further out. Same country wide I'd imagine.
You might be happy for 30 years in a perfect location/house for you (which is great actually, to feel like that, comfortable in home and surroundings), but not everyone feels the same about the same area. However, everyone who pays council tax in an area has the right to an opinion on said area. Of course, if she don't like it she can move. Or not. Her choice of course. But she's entitled to say she don't like a place if she don't. But that situation you're in sounds a nightmare. Fingers crossed it all works out. Total stress no one would want.
When I didn't like it further out, I think a nearby neighbour found it hard to handle that I didn't like 'her street' and 'her area'. I paid my council tax I said so I was entitled to an opinion as much as her.
As one generic example, the lure of say a 3 bed detached house 25 miles outside a city for the same price as a terrace in a reasonable area of a city is a powerful one, especially if one don't need to commute everyday. But once there they might find negatives, just like there are everywhere.

Hope if all works out for you.

 

[BrianH]

I'm sure it will work out, I've no problem if people move and then don't like the area. One of my other neighbours is from Plymouth and he is great. It takes a while to settle in to a smaller village and you need to put yourself out a little to "fit" in, but its not for everyone. I'm not from around here, originally from a mining village in West Yorkshire, circumstances were at play for my move here but it's great. I think we should have the same laws as France, if you move from the City to the country you cannot then sue the farmer etc next door because his sheep make too much noise, you chose to move there. Live and let live. Unfortunately I have now found my neighbour is one of the "entitled" people you often now come across and thinks she can dictate to all and sundry because she is better than everyone else. I believe you should always have consideration for the people around you, then the world will be a better place.

 

[Importland]

I'm sure it will work out, I've no problem if people move and then don't like the area. One of my other neighbours is from Plymouth and he is great. It takes a while to settle in to a smaller village and you need to put yourself out a little to "fit" in, but its not for everyone. I'm not from around here, originally from a mining village in West Yorkshire, circumstances were at play for my move here but it's great. I think we should have the same laws as France, if you move from the City to the country you cannot then sue the farmer etc next door because his sheep make too much noise, you chose to move there. Live and let live. Unfortunately I have now found my neighbour is one of the "entitled" people you often now come across and thinks she can dictate to all and sundry because she is better than everyone else. I believe you should always have consideration for the people around you, then the world will be a better place.

Good post.

 

[ElCurio]

A friend of mine has a place in France, he normally takes two dogs with him who have passports, rabies shots etc. Last year when coming home he had to have the dogs checked out to travel back, the French vet found the elderly dog had a heart problem and prescribed heart medication, he sorted out three months supply and charged ----- wait for it, eighty, yes 80 euros! for two check ups, a scan and three months prescription, when my friend asked if he could pay for 6 month heart pills the vet gave them another 3 months at no extra charge. Talk about rip off Britain, forget Turkey teeth take your dog to France for cheaper healthcare.

Most of the vet practices are now owned by one or two companies despite the name on the door. Since they essentially have a monopoly, they can charge what they like.

 

[Importland]

moved from Hull into the country and don't like trees, wildlife etc, she should have stayed in the city.

Your remarks regarding your situation etc turned out to be a good topic of conversation with some mates. It was interesting people's viewpoints on moving from area A to area B if they are significantly different in terms of surroundings. All sorts of viewpoints. Thanks for the story etc, as it made a few people think of things in ways they may not have previously.
I can remember thinking, ref wildlife, that I'd probably think, on paper, moving to a green fields, lush trees, wildflife rich location would be great, but I guess watching trees swishing and birds tweeting would get old if they covered my cars with acidic bird c**p all the time, or trees dumping orange pollen, or rained down leaves blocking my house gutters every November, or a million acorns etc! Stuff I wouldn't have even thought of before reading your story.

 

[BrianH]

She's complained of all the above and more, complained about the bird muck on the car, claims she can sue me for damages but has a carport and then parks under the tree where the birds obviously roost! living in the country has extra work involved with leaves etc, but cutting all the trees down is not the answer as she thinks it is. At the end of the day she won't get her way and life will return to normal when she moves.

 

[Richard Fox]

Wow don't you just love moving!!!
Thank god for removing all the rear seats, the Elgrands been an absolute life saver with the towbar!!!

 

[Importland]

If I ever were in a position in the world where what I said is entirely what goes, I would ban house extensions.
I'd stand out on the lectern, the whole press corps there with their cameras filming, and I'd say 'From this day, house extensions are over. If you want a bigger property, get on Right Move.'

 

[Magnu]

If I ever were in a position in the world where what I said is entirely what goes, I would ban house extensions.
I'd stand out on the lectern, the whole press corps there with their cameras filming, and I'd say 'From this day, house extensions are over. If you want a bigger property, get on Right Move.'

If I were ever in that position you wouldn't need to make such a ban and Right Move would be out of work. My housing policy would seek to provide housing according to need through public ownership and allocation, plus an abolishment of private housing ownership.
Imagine a blend of concepts and ideals from The Queen and I, Doctor Zhivago, The Passivhaus Trust and Star Trek - for the cashless society and replicator technology.

Note to Admins. I don't believe this contravenes the no politics rule as it does not describe the beliefs or goals of any political party I am aware of. If you disagree let me know and I will delete the post.

 

[ElCurio]

I was out in the car, stopped at some traffic lights. The car beside me was playing.... Something....
Imagine The Weather Girls 'It's Raining Men' but it's sung by Shania Twain with a Drum and Bass backing track.

 

[Importland]

If I were ever in that position you wouldn't need to make such a ban and Right Move would be out of work. My housing policy would seek to provide housing according to need through public ownership and allocation, plus an abolishment of private housing ownership.
Imagine a blend of concepts and ideals from The Queen and I, Doctor Zhivago, The Passivhaus Trust and Star Trek - for the cashless society and replicator technology.

Note to Admins. I don't believe this contravenes the no politics rule as it does not describe the beliefs or goals of any political party I am aware of. If you disagree let me know and I will delete the post.

lol don't worry about politics, your policy is no more 'extreme' than mine, and its interesting to read people's viewpoints on things. I guess my beef is a total frustration at extensions, all the mess, disk cutters with no water attachments/dust suppressors, the 'project' going on and on and on and on, and people buying a house, and extending the living daylights out of it. The neighbour typically didn't sign up for their house they bought suddenly closer to next door, or big things pocking out the back or front. I laugh to when people often say they don't move, but extend instead, as they love the area and neighbours....yet you never see them talking to anyone Anyway, there;s my rant!

 

[WhatsThisFor]

I think building Regs require a massive revamp - if it was down to me I would allow home owners to extend above and below ground to a Max limit determined by a board of control headed by me, obviously the limits will be flexible according to the thickness of the plain brown envelope- a bit like how local councils and politicians operate.

 

[LeStempy]

If I were in such a position all black Elgrands would be recalled for white paintwork.

 

[Lpgc]

I was out in the car, stopped at some traffic lights. The car beside me was playing.... Something....
Imagine The Weather Girls 'It's Raining Men' but it's sung by Shania Twain with a Drum and Bass backing track.

I can easily imagine that and it doesn't surprise me lol, probably a 'bounce' or dnb remix of which there'll be hundreds.

Stepdaughter's bloke ran a pub but ran like a nightclub and played bounce music all the time. Usually not even a DJ, he just set a computer up to play random bounce all night. If someone hired the room for a kids party and asked for kids party music he'd set the computer up to play a few kids tunes like Black Lace type stuff then revert back to bounce. If someone hired the room for a 70 birthday party he'd set the computer up to play a few older tunes then revert back to bounce lol. He reckoned bounce brought the younger end in, they didn't go in until all the other local pubs had shut and by that time they were already pissed. A few of the younger end probably did tell him they liked bounce but he didn't realise that even the younger end don't want to be in a fairly empty place with no atmosphere and he'd probably have done more business if he'd done other things with the place rather than run it like a bounce club. Talked about 'real nightclubs' and wanting it to be one but had probably only ever been in a couple of real nightclubs in his life.

 

[Importland]

I think building Regs require a massive revamp - if it was down to me I would allow home owners to extend above and below ground to a Max limit determined by a board of control headed by me, obviously the limits will be flexible according to the thickness of the plain brown envelope- a bit like how local councils and politicians operate.

What is the brown envelope was thin, but contained a hand written note and photograph of the owner, stating that they were in love with you?

 

[Lpgc]

above and below ground to a Max limit determined by a board of control headed by me

Hehe there are some eccentrics that dig down to get extra space or build nuclear bunkers etc but there are some that seem to do a good job of it and end up with extra rooms under their garden. Imagine taking it to the extreme, digging down further and going further sideways... you could have as much space as you wanted and nobody need know unless you tell them (if you don't cause subsidence).

I know there'll be answers I could Google, I haven't done that but I have wondered before how far below and above ground level anyone owns the space. The mines never needed permission from householders to tunnel under houses and aircraft don't need permission to fly over it.

When you're head of the board, make it so everyone owns the complete area above their land, buy a house at the end of a main runway and start charging airlines a heavy toll fee for flying over

 

[dognero]

If I were in such a position all black Elgrands would be recalled for white paintwork.

To slow them down?