Extending into back garden - neighbouring vent

NewApproach

Hi, I'm looking at this property and notice that the neighbouring extension has a vent which vents into the back yard of the property in question. There does not seen to be any evidence of a planning application for this extension, so presumably planning was not required given its size?

Would that vent have the potential to disrupt building a corresponding extension for this property? I'm not sure how it might work, given the existing vent would need to be rerouted?

https://ibb.co/tzd9tB0

Atlantic Dawn

Yes would be smaller than what is required to get planning permission for.

I'd not really be happy about the vent though, looks to be possible venting for kitchen hob, could mean back garden stinking up with whatever is being cooked each day.

Gumbo

The vent should not have been out there in the first place.
But, this has the potential to not only stop you building but also stop you buying the house as the current neighbors have allowed it for some time so the offending neighbor may not take lightly to the “new” neighbors demanding them to alter their house even though you are in the right.

I’d ask the vendor to confirm the legal position of the vent as it’s current position prevents you from extending in the future.

See will that kick start someone into doing something.

Realistically, you. We’d the neighbor to
Move the vent to the roof. It’s most likely an extractor fan if it’s a kitchen extension.

NewApproach

Thanks. That is exactly my concern, i.e. it would prevent a future extension...

dathi

judging by the distance between the two upstairs toilet windows the extension was built way over the party line

Padre_Pio

dathi wrote: »

judging by the distance between the two upstairs toilet windows the extension was built way over the party line

Looks like they took the downpipe as the property divide, where it should extend about 6 inches beyond the gutter.

Unknownability

The house to the right, hardly converted the attic!

chooseusername

dathi wrote: »

judging by the distance between the two upstairs toilet windows the extension was built way over the party line

Judging by the position of the fence, the wall of the extension straddles the boundary line.

purelike

That was not a smart place for the neighbour to put their vent, and if someone wants to extend the house in question it may cause problems. As Gumbo mentions, push the question back onto the vendor.

SC024

NewApproach wrote: »

Thanks. That is exactly my concern, i.e. it would prevent a future extension...

not necessarily.

Treppen

Be careful with that neighbors extension if you do decide to extend. That flat roof style looks familiar.

We extended (proper foundations and all that). While they were digging down they spotted the neighbors extension was practically built with no foundations. They said they had to work quick with putting cement or their side could cave in. The builder said this was very common in the area.
After 10 years their extension is now subsiding.

If we could do it all again (knowing we would be moving anyway) we wouldn't have bothered pumping tens of thousands into an extension that maybe only put about 30k into the value.

chooseusername

chooseusername wrote: »

Judging by the position of the fence, the wall of the extension straddles the boundary line.

Should be well inside that fence going by the windows.

chooseusername

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

Should be well inside that fence going by the windows.

Assuming a regular 300mm cavity wall, then it looks centred on the
boundary line to me.

Gumbo

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

Should be well inside that fence going by the windows.

Not necessarily.
Look at the house to the right. It’s next neighbor also has a smaller gap to their small window which would make it appear to be the norm and no oversailing occurred.

dathi

Gumbo wrote: »

Not necessarily.
Look at the house to the right. It’s next neighbor also has a smaller gap to their small window which would make it appear to be the norm and no oversailing occurred.

house on the right has clearly built inside the boundary as you can see the original concrete boundary wall that the small concrete shed is built into as a lean to this makes the window gap upstairs look smaller however the house on the left has built across the boundary which can be clearly seen in upstairs windows

mountai

It appears that the wall in question is built on the existing boundary line . This would have to have been done with the permission of the owners of the house you are interested in . It would be possible , that you could use this wall as a dividing wall and only have to build the rear and other side wall . It would require permission from owners as the parapet would have to be extended above the roof line to conform with building regs . The vent would have to be rerouted through the roof as previously stated , a simple job .
Usually , when a job like this has been done , using the boundary as the construction line , it would be agreed with the understanding that the wall is allowable by the other party to form part of their future construction . I personally had this arrangement with the next door neighbor , and things worked out fine .

Gumbo

dathi wrote: »

house on the right has clearly built inside the boundary as you can see the original concrete boundary wall that the small concrete shed is built into as a lean to this makes the window gap upstairs look smaller however the house on the left has built across the boundary which can be clearly seen in upstairs windows

You’ve clearly missed my point.
Look at the opposite side.

Look at the distance to the upstairs bathroom windows on the 2 properties that have the smaller window on the left hand side. They are smaller than the neighbouring properties and appear to match on 2 separate houses so boundary could be fine.

It’s not clear at all.

dathi

Gumbo wrote: »

You’ve clearly missed my point.
Look at the opposite side.

Look at the distance to the upstairs bathroom windows on the 2 properties that have the smaller window on the left hand side. They are smaller than the neighbouring properties and appear to match on 2 separate houses so boundary could be fine.

It’s not clear at all.
]

will agree to disagree as the downpipe for gutters are not the boundary they are wholly inside one property what i like is when they did up the bathroom they connected the sink to the gutter down pipe