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upsetting the neighbours

(22 Posts)
Soniah Sun 30-Apr-17 11:30:20

I consider myself a good neighbour, but then I suppose most of us do, and have lived in my present house for a couple of years. The neighbours one side are lovely and those the other side are quiet and usually no trouble, (well the dog barks late sometimes but nothing I can't live with). I'm putting a small shed up at the side of my house to keep the mower, pots and tools in and she is complaining and saying she doesn't want it where she can see it. From my point of view it is the only sensible place to put it as it is on a hard area, is more secure there, anywhere else would cause major problems in digging up established shrubs etc, putting down a concrete base etc. I am a bit hurt that she would think I hadn't thought of her view (at the moment it is just my wall) and had intended to put up a trellis fence and plant with evergreen climbers which are of no benefit to me as I won't be able to see them but will shield the shed and improve her view as it is now, I have told her this. The shed will be about 20' from her house and the bit between her and me is her parking area and where her clothes line is. I really don't want to upset her but it is the most suitable place. Am I being unreasonable?

rosesarered Sun 30-Apr-17 11:46:11

No, you are being very reasonable and are considering her view.The shed is in your own garden.Go ahead and do it.

Elegran Sun 30-Apr-17 11:48:46

No, you are not being unreasonable, she is. You are doing the best you can, and she is lucky it isn't a double garage made of concrete slabs.
Point out that when you have finished the planting that you have planned her view will be enhanced, not spoilt.

Can you see her washing from your house? If so, that is no more aesthetic than a new shed with trellis and climbers in front of it.

rosesarered Sun 30-Apr-17 11:50:09

We once put a three foot high fencing along a long low wall in our garden( wall was ours) the neighbours didn't want it and complained ( we were friendly with them) we assured them it would look fine ( it did) and later they said they liked it, it gave them privacy! Always tell a neighbour what you plan to do, but stick firmly to your own agenda and be reasonable.Which it sounds as if you are.

merlotgran Sun 30-Apr-17 11:51:07

You've done everything you can to keep her onside, Soniah so go ahead with erecting your shed. She's the one who is being unreasonable.

Do you have to look at her parking area and clothes line?

MotherHubbard Sun 30-Apr-17 11:52:49

No, it's your land so you can put your shed where you want and you are being reasonable in putting up the trellis to block the view of the shed. Many people wouldn't bother.

Nandalot Sun 30-Apr-17 12:21:29

Agree with what the others have said. It seems to me that you are a very considerate neighbour and your trellis will only improve her view beyond her washing line and her garage!

jusnoneed Sun 30-Apr-17 12:26:03

20 feet away and she's moaning about seeing it! If it was next to her window then fair enough but being away from her parking area and your ideas to screen it, carry on.

ninathenana Sun 30-Apr-17 12:28:09

she is the one being unreasonable. I wouldn't have the cheek to tell my neighbours where to put their shed.

DanniRae Sun 30-Apr-17 13:06:34

Paint the shed with lime green and yellow striped then she's really got something to complain about! grin

Greyduster Sun 30-Apr-17 13:39:56

As long as it's inside your boundary, I wouldn't give it another thought. You have been entirely reasonable in softening the effect with climbers which, as you say, will have no aesthetic benefit to you. We had a two and eight without our previous neighbour, who was a bloody nuiscance anyway, about a single skin wall they built between the two houses. The problem was that they refused to point it properly on our side and we were left looking at a dog's breakfast. The council said they didn't need planning consent for it, because although it was higher than permitted on our side, it wasn't on theirs, and that, basically there wasn't a lot we could do, as they refused to either point it, let us point it, render it or do anything else with it. In the end we erected trellising that wasn't actually attached to the wall and grew screening plants. Get on and put up your shed. You can get some lovely colours in shed paint these days too that will make it easier on the eye.

Soniah Sun 30-Apr-17 15:02:10

Thanks for that everyone, I did't want to be unreasonable and want to be a good neighbour but there are limits. The shed is pale wood against a light coloured wall and I would prefer not to paint it as it is not a cheap shed, the wood is quite nice and it has been pressure treated so it doesn't need any upkeep for 15 years so I don't want to have to repaint it every two or three, I will paint or stain it if it will make her happier but I think she has decided not to like it whatever I do, I just feel I have other things to worry about and life is too short, didn't stop me thinking about it when I went to bed and when I woke up though!

Greyduster Sun 30-Apr-17 15:39:42

Illegitimi non carborundum, soniah ?.

Soniah Sun 30-Apr-17 15:45:57

just as well I did Latin at school Greyduster!

cornergran Sun 30-Apr-17 15:46:07

I'm sure your neighbour will get used to it soniah. As others have said you have done nothing wrong. It sounds a lovely shed, please don't feel you have to paint it to suit your neighbour. You will soon stop thinking about it and the issue will fade, please don't let it get you down.

Jalima1108 Sun 30-Apr-17 16:33:13

No you are not being unreasonable, you are being very considerate. Besides that, sheds can be painted many different colours these days, they are not just brown wood (although I do like natural wood).

Be careful which climbers you plant nearby, a friend had to replace her shed recently and the climbers had established themselves on the roof of her old shed about two feet deep and were very difficult to remove.

Jalima1108 Sun 30-Apr-17 16:36:05

an idea from Pinterest (there are plenty more!)

Jalima1108 Sun 30-Apr-17 16:37:12

ps Our new shed is plain brown wood and very nice.

DanniRae Sun 30-Apr-17 19:13:40

I LOVE that shed Jalima! smile

Menopaws Sun 30-Apr-17 19:44:34

That just sours relationships doesn't it esp when you have tried hard to please her. Why do people do this when we all have to live side by side. Hang a load of wind chimes off it, that will give her something to moan at, or loads of bird feeders to attract some bid fat crapping pigeons!! Sorry people like this brings out the worst in me!

Eloethan Sun 30-Apr-17 19:51:49

As far as I am aware, it is quite in order to construct a shed in your back garden and there is no need to get permission from neighbours. It was thoughtful of you to mention it to her and to plan to put up trellis and climbing plants. I think she is being unreasonable.

One of our indirect neighbours whose garden we can see from our front bedroom window, is having built what looks like a small bungalow in his back garden with pitched roof, french doors, etc. - he has said it is a shed!

Jalima1108 Sun 30-Apr-17 19:53:55

I don't think DH would let me paint his shed like that DanniRae

Hope he doesn't start letting it out as a holiday home Eloethan! shock