Hi I have received a letter from a Private Certifier....one of my neighbouring block of land has been sold...and they are building a new house on it... The letter mentions we have to made contact with the new owner Ourselves if we want to "discuss" the plans...we have 14 days to do so...no contact number just a mailing address..no plans attached. (it is now day 4 by the time i receive the letter; by the time i write to the new owner..God knows how long that will take) Also the new owner is under no obligation to change the plans even after we raise any objections... Huh? Is this the new norm? What if they build a new monstrosity that overshadows my house?
Contact your local council and ask to look at the submitted plans, some councils have them online these days. I had a neighbour that was building and stepped down the block below us and submitted a retaining wall that blocked natural overland water flow. The owners above us developed (about 20 years ago), submitted to council that they had run storm water pipes through our property that a complicating officer signed off on that never existed. The local council even came out and confirmed, storm water pipes never existed. It's your best interest to understand what's been done, once the structure gets built it can become to too late to rectify and it becomes an expensive legal battle.
