To ask my neighbours to switch their lights off

[Butttons]

We live in a mid-terrace house and our immediate neighbours on one side have a glass-roof on their side return extension. DC1's room is also on that side of the house. I have noticed recently that they leave their kitchen lights on almost all night long and due to the glass roof this is really bright. In fact it's so bright I don't need to switch on the landing light when going to feed 6m old DC2 in the night because there's enough light coming in from next door. DC1 has a roller-type blackout blind and at nightime there is loads of light coming in from the sides - not sure if this disturbs DC1 but her sleep has been more broken lately too (although this could be due to the heat or who knows what) AIBU to ask them to switch their lights off at night after they've gone to bed (I'm assuming they are all in bed at 3am bit that is an assumption) or should I just suck it up, buy another gro anywhere blind and enjoy the fact that I can wander round at night without having to switch on my own lights? I just think it's an incredible waste of energy (my own energy that is getting wound up at this)

[Mum2Pea]

We have a blinds on the windows and then black out curtains that block out the light from the edges.
Personally i wouldn't think it's fair to raise to the neighbours when you haven't tried anything first from your side

[Floggingmolly]

Not really, I think it's up to you to use window coverings to block it out. Why do you assume they're not actually in the room (kitchen?) that has the light on?

[ShatnersBassoon]

The onus is on you to block light from entering your house if that's what you prefer. I imagine this is what your neighbour will tell you if you ask them to change their behaviour.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

I think you need heavy black out curtains as well as the blinds,i don't think you can complain about a light indoors, an outside light on all night is different IMO.

[Butttons]

We can see right into their kitchen from DC1's room so can see they're not there (at least at 3:30am). I feel like I am being a bit U but it just bugs me!!

[Chocoholicmonster]

As annoying as it is I'd say ybu to ask them to turn their indoor lights off. Just buy some curtains. Job done 👍

[Wolfiefan]

You could say "I wondered if you knew your lights were on last night? DC1 woke up last night and I noticed it was very bright when I went in his room!"
I would just get blackout blinds. Your neighbours could have loud parties, raucous hot tub orgies or barking dogs. I wouldn't complain about a light!

[Sammysquiz]

What's your general relationship like with them? If you get on well I would mention it.

[MatildaTheCat]

Yep, mention it casually. I'm always getting into trouble with dh for leaving lights on when I go to bed. Chances are it's an oversight. If they are doing it for a reason then you have to suck it up and block it from your side.

[RandomMess]

Just add a pair of curtains as well as having the blind, it must be costing them £££ leaving the lights on all night every night though

[SarahAnderson]

I seem to be in a minority but I don't think it's rude to ask, as long as you make it clear that they can say no with no hard feelings

[Didyoumeantobesorude1]

I wish I could ask my neighbour to switch her dog off.

[OnceThereWasThisGirlWho]

Print off a fake environment agency leaflet about saving electiricity, detailing that you could save up to £3189 a year by switching off lights when not in use.
Put it through their letterbox.

[facepalming]

I can see why it's a nuisance but I think you would be unreasonable to complain.

There are some things we just have to put up with as neighbours and I think this is one.

We have a neighour who comes home at 1am every morning from work and wakes ds2 up getting our of the car and into her house. It drives me mental but she isn't being unreasonable to open and close her doors - it's just unfortunate we are in close proximity!

[minatiae]

I keep a light on at night every night. I don't like a pitch black house and like to have a small amount of light upstairs without the hall light on so I keep a downstairs light on that lights up everything enough to see but not enough to disturb sleep iyswim

I would be happy to switch a different light on if the one I have on bothered a neighbour.

[ATrumpIsAFartCalledDonald]

You'd be very unreasonable to ask someone to put their lights off. It must be costing them a small fortune though.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

£3189? Where, Buckingham Palace?

[SaucyJack]

YWBU to tell them to turn them off or complain.

But I don't see the harm in asking them nicely if they'd consider turning their lights off at night assuming they have no reason (dog, small child) for keeping them on.

Who knows? They might be in the 1% of humans who are capable of responding reasonably to a reasonable request.

[gillybeanz]

just get a better blackout blind, they shouldn't let light in that's their job.

I fall over in the night in the rooms we have them because they blackout any light from outside.

[minatiae]

just get a better blackout blind

or you could put blackout curtains up that cover the sides where light is coming in

[sall74]

It would surely be just as disturbing (possibly even more so) if they were switching it on and off several times all through the evening?
Defo up to you to use blackout blinds or whatever other solution you can come up with.

[RortyCrankle]

YABU. They obviously want that light on all night or they would turn it off. I can't sleep in darkness and can't leave my bedroom curtains open all night because I live on the ground floor and my rear garden is not secure, so I leave my bathroom door ajar with the light on and would say no if asked to turn it off. It's irrelevant if it bugs you or not.

You need to buy black out curtains or blinds.

[Salmotrutta]

Maybe your neighbour is Mitmoo