Lockdown! Nuisance neighbours and how to handle them
It looks as if we will still be under “restricted movement” orders for a while – even when we finally get down to Alert Level 2 and who knows when that will be. Tensions between neighbours are no doubt at an all-time high, and whether you are working from home or just trying to stay […]
Running a business in a residential area – Check your zoning first!
You decide to open a home business, or perhaps you are about to buy a house in order to run a business from it. You apply for rezoning but the council is taking forever to decide (although it has happily started charging you rates and taxes on the business tariff), your immediate neighbours are supportive, […]
Neighbours building? Know your rights re plan approval
“You can be a good neighbour only if you have good neighbours” (Howard Koch, “Invasion from Mars” author) Your neighbours apply to the municipality for approval of building plans. You object strongly – if allowed, you say, the new building/addition/alteration will seriously impact on your property’s appeal and value. It will be unsightly and objectionable. […]
NEIGHBOURS BEHAVING BADLY: NIP ILLEGAL BUILDING IN THE BUD!
Bad neighbours don’t just impinge on your enjoyment of your property; they can also cause serious harm to its value. So if you notice illegal building activity next door, move quickly to nip the problem in the bud. Your hand in this regard has just been strengthened. An important new decision by the Supreme Court […]
BODY CORPORATE v NIGHTMARE NEIGHBOUR: COURT TO THE RESCUE
“His demeanour at this time was highly aggressive, flying his arms about and it was clear to me that he had to prevent himself from lashing out at me physically” (Trustee quoted in judgment below) The irrational, aggressive and disruptive “Nightmare Next Door” owner is regrettably a well-known and much-disliked feature of all too many […]