Property litigation lawyer Laura Albon has identified home renovations as the leading cause of neighbour disputes, overtaking traditional issues like trees or boundaries. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, millions of Britons have built loft conversions, kitchen extensions and garden rooms, fuelling a sharp rise in disagreements.
Renovation boom fuels neighbour conflicts
Laura Albon, a property litigation partner at Helix Law, said: "The renovation boom has been brilliant for homeowners wanting more space, but it has also created enormous friction. People invest emotionally and financially in their homes, and when a neighbour's building works start affecting their light, their privacy, their garden, or their boundary line, it feels very personal very quickly."
According to Albon, the issue is not about trees or fences but about the impact of new structures on neighbouring properties. Extensions can reduce natural light, compromise privacy, and raise boundary disputes.
Why new builds cause arguments
When homes are close together, they often share walls and overlook each other's gardens. Adding structures can affect the neighbour's enjoyment of their property. During construction, noise is a common complaint; after completion, loss of light or overlooked windows become issues.
Albon noted: "Extensions and renovations affect neighbours in ways that planning permission alone does not resolve. Planning is about whether you are allowed to build. It does not settle whether you are building on the right side of the boundary, whether your works comply with party wall legislation, or whether your new window looks directly into someone's bedroom."
Party wall disputes under the 1996 Act
The Party Wall Act 1996 requires homeowners to notify neighbours before building work near a shared wall or boundary. Many proceed without serving the correct notices, either deliberately or through ignorance.
"Party wall disputes frequently occur. The law is actually quite clear, but so many homeowners either do not serve the correct notices before starting work or do not respond properly when they receive a notice from a neighbour. By the time they come to us, the situation is often already inflamed, and the costs are climbing," Albon said.
Rights of light claims
A right of light claim arises when a new development blocks natural light that has reached a window for at least 20 years. Successful claims can lead to a court injunction forcing partial demolition of the building.
"Rights of light cases are often underestimated until they become serious. Homeowners assume that because they have planning permission, they are protected. They are not. And boundary disputes can drag on for years, consuming legal costs that dwarf the value of the strip of land in question. The emotional toll on families is often just as significant as the financial one," Albon added.
