Friday, October 9, 2009

Help! Any Concrete Advice?

Yesterday S, an Indian lady who is residing in my former house called me up. Her voice sounded sad and I asked her what happened. She told me that her next door neighbour had sold their house and now the new owner is doing some renovation around the house. "Around" the house means one big slab of wall has been erected from the ground to the top of the roof, almost.... as can be seen in the picture.

S was very devastated by the new owner's renovation. This big slab of wall has practically blocked out the scenery and sunlight to my former house which S is residing now. "Is this discrimination?", her husband asked me when I reached there. I don't know what to answer cos in my heart, I feel he might has got the point there. I feel furious too, how could the new neighbour do such an unethical move? It has practically darkened S's house.... very "un-civic-mindedness", I can say...


Great Wall of IPOH
picture taken from the new owner's side..


the one with grilles is my former house...


picture taken from my former house's side
see how "ugly" the slab of wall has come in between???

Now ... the reason of S calling me is to ask whether I know anyone working in town council or town planning, to check with them whether there are such rules that allows these single terrace house owners to build such a high slab of wall in between?? If these can be approved, then I rest my case... Can anyone help us ?

29 comments:

  1. ai yo...,really blocked the fung shui already.probably the owner built this "Berlin Wall" for privacy..? i think got no local restriction for this,furthermore still can see a bit of the sun.

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  2. oh .. so they cannot be demolished? this is a terrace single house.. how can like that... it darkens the whole compound.. sigh..

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  3. claire i'm so sorry, i have no idea bout this sorts..

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  4. Merryn: u r forgiven cos i also know nuts about this.. :( i hope it is against the law...

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  5. Hey.. WHY on earth they do that??????? I think cannot lah... Did the neighbour got a 'warrant' or 'letter' approval from the majilis bandaran for doing that.

    If the neighbour don't have any letter.. they will got summon!! Even adding pergola at our house need a warrant!! some people been summon for 2k just because adding pergola without permission...

    Ayooo... I think they need to find the majilis bandaran Ipoh...Will ask my father in law who should we ask about this..

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  6. Additional!!! My father in law been summon for 1k for doing a concrete pagar(on their old house)without asking for letter.. But..Sigh... This cannot be la...

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  7. i am sorry, i have no idea too..
    but maybe can ask S to confront the neighbour directly?
    tell them honestly?

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  8. CathJ: that was why S said discriminating them.. it is not ethical to put up the wall like that.. it really darkens the whole area...


    dolly: its ok... i hv to ask the authorities concerned..

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  9. mu mum's house in tpg also experience something like that..the neighbour just pulled a shade and nailed on our side o..

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  10. I guess for privacy or maybe they think this is they property so they can do anything they want. But u know, the neighbor should talk to the S first before doing this ugly wall. Anyway, good luck.

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  11. Wenn: some people r really selfish.. i mean they dont bother what the neighbours' feelings.. sigh.. neighbours can play an important part,...right?


    SJB: that is the ugly side of some neighbours... privacy or not.. respect each other.. since the closest is the neighbour.. and it is always mentioned.. love your neighbour as u love yourself...

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  12. I suggest you go to the website of the local council and write the complaint and with proper hp so that they can either call you or S to double confirm such.

    But I am afraid the council may not be in your favour always. You know this world is Msia Boleh one.

    I will post my problems in my blog soon about my former home in Sibu, Sarawak. Even the so called so many authorities came, they all said it was wrong to build something here and there, but nothing they could help you. Just believe this. The rich and the powerful are the ones who bullies another!

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  13. Tu dia Claire, really dahsyat lah!

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  14. Building anything in addition to the original design is illegal. Even adding additional partition or room to your own house is illegal without permit.
    Just to relate a story to you. I stayed in PJ back in 1973. My landlady was very nasty. When she found out that we were not student from UM, she asked my friend and myself to move out immediately!! We have final exam going on and of course I was very upset.
    I wrote to the town council to complain about all her illegal partition in her house as a price for her to chase me out! With 2 months, she has to pull everything down! Hehehe...
    I suggest you complain to the town council in writing. If it is really legal, I suggest you paint the wall on your side white. Perhaps, even removing your grill.

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  15. I think Bandaraya has a ruling for the height of wall outside the house especially the fence, it must not be more than certain feet in height.Go to their website and drop them an email.
    Or alternatively.....can get 'Ah Long' to splash red paint on the wall, just joking!.....ha ha ha!

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  16. ya i think it is best to ask the town council bcs i think they have got rules for renovation but i dont think they restrict the height of walls as long as it is in the owner's compound..but best to ask..i think the wall is a bit too high lar...sorry but i couldnt help stereotyping...chinese ar? HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH....sorry lar i think in malaysia, we stereotype right?! ahahhaaaaha....

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  17. housewife9888: will add u in my blog soon too.. thanks for coming by...


    amy: apa pun boleh jadi...


    William: i love the "pullingdown" bit mentioned.. hope it happens here too..


    Pete: yeah, i guess local council will be able to advise me... any local council ppl reading my blog???


    IMC: nokia? it connects people too.. hahaa.. ok i look into it..


    Manglish: u cakap betul.. chinese new owner.. sigh..

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  18. Aiyo! so ugly. I think you try to write to the Bandaraya see if they got any approval on the structure or not. Such a pity for the new owners to have start of with a wrong foot with the neighbours.

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  19. Any extension or renovation to a building without the submission of plan and proposal to the city/town council is deemed illegal. You can lodge a complaint and they will have to demolish the wall...or/and be fined.

    People do it quietly and the town council would usually close one eye. Once, there was a clamp down on this here...and everyone started applying for approval or face the possibility of being find and/or have their extensions demolished. That was my understanding of the sutuation at that point in time.

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  20. Small Kuching: yeah.. starting off like that is no good,.. this is like a life span kind of thingy.. right..


    STP: latest news, I went to speak to the new owner himself just now, a sundry shop owner.. on behalf... and coincidently, the contractor also came.. so we kind of compromised.. he will demolish the wall to six feet.. as in specs.. i hope he will do it.. by monday i should know.. phew.. before i went, i kind of say a short prayer.. all praise to God!

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  21. For a moment thought new owner is operating some illegal "cannot see light" biz. Glad things improved..

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  22. I thought that every renovation must have an approved drawing and that it must be approved by the city council? I believe that victimised family can lodge a complaint to the city council saying that the wall is unnecessary and that it has affected the view that the family has always enjoyed and also caused the compound to be darker due to the wall.

    I don't think that this wall can be approved like that. It's very unreasonable and inconsiderate. If they want privacy then go stay in an island lah!

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  23. cheah: hahaha.. cannot see light, yeah.. now at people's expense, they can see but the neigbours cannot...


    Henry: good idea, go to maldives.. i heard in 2050, the whole island is "disappearing?" Henry, can i apply for a password to go into your blog?

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  24. Oppps, I dont have any idea about legalities hehehe, sowi..

    I am trying to generate some support for our daughter. I entered her into a Smile Contest, so if you could please cast a vote for her every day until October 31st it would be so much appreciated. To cast your vote, please go to this link. Thank you very much for all your help!

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  25. Hmm...I thing she can do something about it! :( Perhaps you guys can try asking some lawyer friends?

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  26. hi chubs..done with it already. hope yr girl wins..


    Tekkaus: he promised to demolish it lower by 2 feet or so on monday.. see how it goes.. otherwise seek legal council..

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  27. oh my...the wall really looks ugly from your side of the view. You know what? Even it's illegal, there are ways to legalize it..if you know what i mean ;)

    One of your loe-yaus - B ;)

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  28. anonymous: siapa ah? *scratching head... whisper to me who r u please?*

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  29. Thats really awful! Should check with the local council to see if that reno is illegal.

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