Illegal home addition

What is the name of your state? PA

We just found out that our neighbor has built an illegal addition to their property. It was made wider and over doubled in size. There was no permit or varience granted to do this work. Part of the addition is on our property. This neighbor has nailed plant hangers in our fence without our permission, along with another peice of fencing nailed to our fence.
We would have never looked at this, however, we put up a small snap together non-perminent, plastic utility shed and she keeps complaining to zoning that it is not 5 feet away from her property. Now we are being hounded by zoning.
We are getting a surveyor in 2 weeks.
Would this be a civil suit or is zoning responsible for the illegal addition? Can we remove the items she nailed into our fence?

Thanks,
lamar56

lamar56 said:

What is the name of your state? PA

We just found out that our neighbor has built an illegal addition to their property. It was made wider and over doubled in size. There was no permit or varience granted to do this work. Part of the addition is on our property. This neighbor has nailed plant hangers in our fence without our permission, along with another peice of fencing nailed to our fence.
We would have never looked at this, however, we put up a small snap together non-perminent, plastic utility shed and she keeps complaining to zoning that it is not 5 feet away from her property. Now we are being hounded by zoning.
We are getting a surveyor in 2 weeks.
Would this be a civil suit or is zoning responsible for the illegal addition? Can we remove the items she nailed into our fence?

Thanks,
lamar56

Click to expand...

**A: and when you called the zoning and building departments about her illegal additions, what did they tell you?

Illegal addition

They told us it is a civil matter and we have to get a lawyer, they said we should have called zoning right away, however, the addition was built while my husband and I were working double shifts. We were sleeping during the day. The addition was completed as far as cinder blocks. I asked the worker if he had a permit, and he said yes. I know he did not by calling zoning. It get more complicated, because they quickly sold the home to the other person, who is now living in it, however, they called personally called her to soliicit the home because they knew she really wanted due to the two of them battling a price war, to buy it in the first place. This all happened in less than a year. The previous buyer was bragging about it. We could not afford a lawyer. I should have explained more clearly. What can we do? We were an innocent party caught in the middle of illegal doings. I guess we shouldn't mind our own business.
Thanks
lamar56and Liz

lamar56 said:

They told us it is a civil matter and we have to get a lawyer, they said we should have called zoning right away, however, the addition was built while my husband and I were working double shifts. We were sleeping during the day. The addition was completed as far as cinder blocks. I asked the worker if he had a permit, and he said yes. I know he did not by calling zoning. It get more complicated, because they quickly sold the home to the other person, who is now living in it, however, they called personally called her to soliicit the home because they knew she really wanted due to the two of them battling a price war, to buy it in the first place. This all happened in less than a year. The previous buyer was bragging about it. We could not afford a lawyer. I should have explained more clearly. What can we do? We were an innocent party caught in the middle of illegal doings. I guess we shouldn't mind our own business.
Thanks
lamar56and Liz

Click to expand...

**A: I disagree that the building and zoning vode violations are only a civil matter.
Those agencies have a duty to investigate and issue citations.

I agree with HomeGuru. It is their responsibility to enforce municipal code. It is only a civil matter if it is a private/or homeowners association deed restriction that needs enforcement.

And the encroachments of the neighbors improvements are a civil matter.

Lamar56 and Liz

State: PA

Thanks for all of the advice and help. I let the zoning officer know that it was his problem, not mine.
He came out to our property today and realized there are a lot of code violations. I am not sure what is going to happen, however it does not sound good. I will keep you posted.

Thanks,
Liz and Lamar

lamar56 said:

State: PA

Thanks for all of the advice and help. I let the zoning officer know that it was his problem, not mine.
He came out to our property today and realized there are a lot of code violations. I am not sure what is going to happen, however it does not sound good. I will keep you posted.

Thanks,
Liz and Lamar

Click to expand...

**A: follow up and writing and request a written response from the zoning office.