After reading your article in the October issue, titled Neighbour’s addition costs English homeowners, I had to make a comment.
Why brand the builders, Robert and Lynn, as the bad guys? It appears that they did everything in accordance with the local building bylaws. If there is anyone to blame, would it not be the local authority that made those bylaws? And besides, one has to think that the same setback rule is in effect for most of the properties in that area. It’s not likely that bylaw only applies to those two properties, is it? Does an owner not have a responsibility to make themselves aware of bylaws and building codes that could affect their own properties?
If you look at the picture, you will notice that the two homes almost touch. One can assume by this that Mrs. Pearce’s home is also built to the line. What we have here is just a typical case of a property owner thinking she owns the property next door. What does Mrs. Pearce think? The neighbours should not build so close to the line because she already did? If she wanted a buffer zone between herself and her neighbour, she should have bought a home where the buffer was on her own property and not the neighbours.
Poor thing.
Interesting to hear how it goes in England. Here is how it usually goes in British Columbia: “Those bastards next door, first they cut down every tree on the lot and then they built their house right where our view was. They even made us move our garden shed (which was on their property). Our house was totally private before they came along and look at us now, we stand out like a sore thumb. Children played on that lot and what are they going to do now, play on the street? There ought to be a law!”

Neil Sandy
Re/Max Top 20 Realty
Gibsons, B.C.