Posh Neighbours at War

Posh Neighbours at War

2016, Society  -   8 Comments
7.71
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Ratings: 7.71/10 from 7 users.

This documentary gives a look into one woman's experience trying to build her ideal home in one of Britain's most expensive neighborhoods. Zipporah Lisle Mainwaring bought her Kensington property for above market value because she could afford it, and also because she had a vision of how she could use the space. However, it became very clear to her that she would not have an easy go of it, not if her neighbor had anything to say about it.

After all, in her neighborhood the authorities are contacted for all kinds of noise complaints ranging from the common leaf blower to loud back garden operas. If your property happens to be one of the sources of the noisy disturbances, it is not just neighborhood ostracization one is subjected to in these cases, but for Zipporah in particular it turned into a multi-million dollar legal battle.

It all started with a legal argument about whether or not she could convert the property into her dream home with a basement pool and cinema. It all came to a head when she painted the exterior of the property in bright red and white stripes.

We get to hear both sides of the issue. Her vision for her space and her neighbor's concerns about what her renovation intentions may mean for their community. The feature also highlights other cases, underscoring the lengths people are willing to go to just to either get their dream home or even just to preserve the quiet of the one they already have built.

We get to see interviews from other neighbors and community members and the interesting steps they usually take to informally deal with complaints like this one. Members of the local government and those involved in the legal aspect of the dispute also share their views on how things started, unfolded and escalated.

It may sound like nothing short of a frivolous dispute for anyone unfamiliar with that particular type of lifestyle but it does make for a fascinating watch. The personalities involved spark humor, but knowing the cost of this dispute it looks like a serious issue, at least for the parties directly involved.

Directed by: Tom Pearson

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Leigh Atkins
Leigh Atkins
2 years ago

🤣🤣🤣 I love this bitch!!! 🤣🤣🤣
Givem hell 'mam... 😁
So funny when I live on the other side of the planet and MY neighbours look JUST like hers!!! Lol...

GemCityDad
GemCityDad
2 years ago

Her actions where brought about by actions of others. That house wouldn't have had stripes on it if people would have kept to themselves. I don't think I'd do well in Britain.

It's obvious that the stripes were painted to annoy. But you'd be pretty pissed to if you bought a house and then told you can't do what you want with it when. Your neighbor is living happy in his home. Mad because she wanted something bigger and better than his house. Why allow approval by peer. There's always at least 1 neighbor that doesn't agree. Very what's the word. Passive aggressive on all parties. Just taking swipes at each other and forcing the ridiculousness. That last line though. ...

You can tell she has had a lot of people have stepped on her in the past. The fact that they are forcing the color plain white is the most basic of all colors. But she is stubborn from abuse. It would have been best to just sell the house. And move to a neighborhood not full of asshats.

Middle ground with mediation could have been made. A long time before lengthy court battles.

User-1
User-1
2 years ago

Too bad they never asked the owner of the stripped home how that unfinished section, at the top right corner, evolved. I got a feeling it was the painters that did that. I see sometimes work done around the city I'm at, that work is not really finished. I'm betting the workers got paid without finishing the work. Then they hold out for more pay. Could be wrong, but that's my 2¢.

Glen Hale
Glen Hale
2 years ago

If we did not have ugly women,millionaires would have no one to marry

Iain Sanders
Iain Sanders
2 years ago

This is clearly a woman who wanted to create trouble & gave not a damn for anyone but herself. I'm not even going to bother to watch it!