redfrock Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 I'll put my head above the parapet here! I am a housing officer so it is something I have a bit of knowledge about. I'm also a house owner with a law degree so maybe I can help out there to - although please bear in mind this is just general advice (disclaimer in place!) When you purchase a house now the bank or building society do not hold the deeds, but even so your solicitor generally provides you with a photocopy of them at completion - you need this so you know which are your boundaries to maintain at the very least. I did check mine and I'm not allowed pigs or cattle - no worries there then. My house is 47 years old, in theory the deeds are still enforceable on any property as there maybe some distance living relative of the person who put the deeds in place. Most neighbours won't even think about checking their deeds unless something about you gets up their nose, and then they would have to go to a solicitor etc - all very costly. As a housing officer, I can advise that certainly all tenancy agreements that I have ever dealt with state about no pets without permission, however we will not unreasonable refuse permission providing that the pets are in keeping with the size of the garden - i.e. no horses, as I once found living in a back garden (they had had to walk it through the house to get it there). If there is concern about cleanliness / vermin I would automatically involve environmental health who are independent and trained in such matters and they would make an true judgement of the matter that we would then support. This is also true of noise concerns. I certainly would not refuse a couple of chickens in an eglu providing they were kept clean. We always have a clause in the agreement though stating that permission can be withdrawn with a weeks notice if nuisance is being caused. Unless you have a cockerel or are allowing your animals to live in filth and squalor (in which case you shouldn't be allowed animals at all) then it shouldn't be a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 Thats really useful to know, thanks Redfrock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted May 5, 2007 Author Share Posted May 5, 2007 Yes, thanks for that Redfrock. Firstly, I doubt the hens will makes as much noise as my kids, my dog, my neighbours dogs or my new neighbours who have nightly arguments which involve door slamming, shouting, swearing etc from about 10 o'clk every night- so noise should not be an issue. As for keeping the hens clean, well that goes without saying and you're right when you say that allowing animals to live in filth and squalor should take away you're rights to keep any animal at all, so all things considered-there shouldn't be a problem. I may well e-mail the council with a spare hotmail account and ask them just in case. That way if anyone did moan (Just for the sake of moaning) at least I could feel reassured that I am not on the wrong side of the law. If it turned out that I am not allowed to keep hens-never mind, I'll just plead ignorant if ever a problem does arise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basset Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 My house is 80 yrs old and the deeds state that I can only keep two horses in the 120ft garden!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 My house is 80 yrs old and the deeds state that I can only keep two horses in the 120ft garden!!!!!!!! And I know how you so wanted 3 in there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Jay, Hope you have an exciting first day with your new arrivals tomorrow. Keep us posted. I'm a complete convert and only had mine 3 weeks. Keep them in the run for 5 days (which seems ages at the time and wrecks your grass) and enjoy them when they come out to play. Be prepared for finger/toe pecking at first (they just think everything is food). But 1 week on they won't do that. Enjoy tomorrow....Best wishes.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted May 7, 2007 Author Share Posted May 7, 2007 Aaah, thanks Hen watch. I am so excited I think I'll be up at the crack of dawn. They are supposed to be arriving at around 1pm. I will let you know how it all goes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
