I'm being forced to tear down my tiny home after a neighbour reported me… it's going to cost me thousands | The Sun
A GRANDMA has told how she will have to tear down her daughter's tiny home after a neighbour reported her to the council.
Linda Hazelgrove, 62, was found guilty after she failed to remove the "mobile home" in the garden of her home in Chiddingly, East Sussex.
She claims she has paid thousands in solicitor fees since a neighbour reported her for constructing the temporary building in 2017.
Linda told Sun Online: "We thought it fit with the requirements of a mobile home but the courts found it didn't.
"It's been devastating. I've been so stressed and it's all because one neighbour reported me to the council."
She will now have to remove the 40×20 mobile home at the bottom of her garden after she was found guilty of breaching planning laws.
Read More On Tiny Homes
I live in a tiny house and I love it – it might be small but I’m debt free
We built tiny house in 7 days and can live on just £160 a month
But she says it will leave her daughter Lucy Hewitt, 35, and granddaughter Chloe, eight, without anywhere to live.
In 2018 Wealden District Council ordered her to tear down the home because it broke planning rules.
Her appeal was dismissed at Hastings county court.
Linda was then convicted at Brighton Magistrates Court because she didn't remove the mobile home quickly enough following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Most read in The Sun
'Human remains' found in Titanic sub wreckage that was brought ashore
Madonna rushed to intensive care as star's world tour is postponed
Brilliant moment hotel worker gets revenge on sunbed hoggers in Majorca
DJ dies at Glasto as tributes paid to 'ultra-talented' radio presenter
She added: "I have a criminal record for having a wooden box in my garden.
"The whole situation is ridiculous. There are better things for the council and courts to focus on."
Linda was convicted of not doing everything in her power to comply with the order to remove the mobile home.
The structure has two bedrooms, a kitchen and lounge, a bathroom and an en-suite shower,
She claimed it unbolts, splits into two halves and can be moved – so doesn't break any rules.
But a government inspector said the property was a large and permanent building.
Linda was fined £1,000 for the breach, as well as a victim surcharge of £100.
Brighton Magistrates Court also awarded costs of £7,169.50 to the council.
Linda, who has been unable to work while caring for her dementia-stricken dad, admitted the family should have got a static caravan.
She said they wanted to be more comfortable while they renovated an old barn into their new home.
They spent £70,000 on the luxury mobile home, but will now lose most of their investment.
They're hoping to sell it to a potential buyer for just £18,000 because it will cost £50,000 to remove it from their garden.
But Lucy and Chloe will be homeless, she said, because there's not enough room for them in the house.
She said: "They won't have anywhere to go. It's so lovely and comfortable for them there.
"My daughter's working as a teacher part-time – she can't afford to rent around here because it's so expensive."
Linda said her relationship with her neighbour started strong when she moved onto the site of an old barn in 2017.
She said: "My neighbour came round with a bottle of wine. She was lovely.
"It all changed when she noticed we were building something at the bottom of the garden.
"She asked what we were doing and why we hadn't spoken to her about it.
"But we'd moved just after my mum died and my dad was showing signs of dementia and we'd taken on a huge project.
"I just didn't think to tell her."
Linda's former neighbour, who moved out last May, declined to comment when approached by Sun Online.
Read More On The Sun
Change to GP appointments could see you get a slot 10 times FASTER
Woman shares how she transformed her council house kitchen for £48 using Wilko buys
Councillor Ian Tysh said: "This court case shows we will escalate matters where there has been a serious contravention of planning laws."
Sun Online has contacted Wealden District Council for comment.
Source: Read Full Article