Why are Kelly Hoppen's neighbours angry? (Hint: basement battles)

Former Dragons’ Den star Kelly Hoppen has upset her neighbours.

How? “Noisy” building works to renovate her West London home have made her neighbour’s property “unrentable”.

Hoppen’s building a basement under her property which involves drilling through solid concrete. This has led to cracks appearing on the entire building.

Now her neighbour is demanding a £14,500 compensation. However, Hoppen is offering only a quarter of this.

Peter Knight, an environment consultant and Hoppen’s neighbour, told the Daily Telegraph: “When the last lease came for renewal, the tenants left because they couldn’t take the noise anymore.

“Since then we have been unable to let it. We have had streams of people through but no one has wanted it. One man even said he would have to be paid to live there. I was hoping we could settle this as neighbours but [Hoppen] has refused to sit down and talk about it amicably.

“It has been hugely stressful and very costly. My partner and I have lost an income. The other neighbours are very distressed and upset by this. It has impacted people’s lives severely.”

Hoppen’s response? She’s trying to be “as neighbourly as possible”.

She told the paper: “The building contractors, I believe, have worked within all the guidelines set out by the local authority and I made sure the builders undertook the work over as short period of time as possible.

“I really do sympathise with the neighbours as there are several other developments going on within this building, the large development behind my space is noisy to this date.”