A woman was left in disbelief after her neighbors complained to the council about her pink front door.
Ormskirk business owner Michelle Whitney said she received a letter from Lancashire County Council warning inspectors would be sent to her home after receiving a “complaint” about the door.
She posted a photo online of her pink PVC door, which was decorated with a baby pink flower wreath and matching garland over the entrance.
However, the council has since issued a statement saying the letter is “not genuine” and that they actually think the door is “pretty fabulous”.
Posting on her TikTok account @bubblebearsboutique, where Michelle runs a personalized gift business, she said the letter alleged that some residents had found her choice of door color “offensive”.
Michelle Whitney, from Ormskirk, was left in disbelief when she received a letter from the council saying her neighbors found her pink door “offensive”.
The alleged letter said the inspection would take place on March 4 and that Michelle did not need to be present.
Post a TikTok video Upon reading the letter, Michelle exclaimed: ‘Apparently my front door is offensive!’
The letter appeared to read in full: “This letter is being sent to inform you of a routine inspection of your property at number (redacted), Ormskirk, after a complaint has been made regarding your front door, we have been informed which is offensive to residents.
“The inspection will take place on March 4, 2024. You do not need to be present for the inspection.”
Michelle said the council has since contacted her to assure her there are no restrictions on her property and they do not inspect the front gates.
And he added: “My instinct tells me that someone has a real vendetta against the pink door!”
TikTok users were outraged by what happened and many said that they would also love to have a pink door in their house.
One commented: ‘As someone who lives in Ormskirk I LOVE your door!’ while another said: ‘I think it’s offensive that there aren’t many pink doors!’
A third said: ‘Honestly. Some people need to get a life! Your door is beautiful!’
Michelle uploaded a copy of the letter she said she received from the council, which said inspectors would be coming on March 4.
One user was even more dubious, saying: “Admittedly, I’ve never seen a pink door before, but I certainly wouldn’t consider it offensive.” I would call it unique.
Experts say councils can impose a fine on residents if color choices fall outside an “accepted” palette, especially in a listed building or conservation area, but rules can vary for each council.
Refusing to change the color of the door could even result in a Criminal Behavior Order (CBO).
Andy Simms, trade expert at MyBuilder.com, said: “While we as homeowners may like an extravagant door color, if they offend neighbors or don’t comply with local regulations, you could get into trouble.”
‘Always consider your community, and if you are asked to make changes to any improvements you have made or repeated behaviors that cause you annoyance, be sure to do so.
“Getting slapped by a CBO or ASBO is no joke and can even affect property prices on your street.”
TikTok users were outraged by what happened and many said that they would also love to have a pink door in their house.
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred, as in a long-running dispute a Scottish mother was forced to repeatedly repaint her front door.
Miranda Dickson was threatened with a £20,000 fine by Edinburgh City Council when she painted her front door white to make it pink in Drummond Place.
Council officers claimed she had breached regulations and that the new door color was “not in keeping with the historic character” of the listed building.
He then painted it green and off-white after repeated complaints. Then she received a complaint about the off-white color.
A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council said: “We are aware that a letter claiming to be from Lancashire County Council has been spread on social media following an alleged complaint about a front door from an Ormskirk resident.
‘We can confirm that this letter is not genuine and we will not be carrying out an inspection at this property on March 4 or any other date.
‘This type of activity is not the responsibility of the county council and the old branding that has been used to create the charter is a clear indication.
‘For the record, we do not agree that the door in question is offensive.
“In fact, we think it’s pretty fabulous.”