To ask for advice about right to privacy from our neighbours

Morally and legally they’re perfectly entitled to do with their garden whatever they want so long as it’s within the law.

I would discuss any specific issues that you have proof of - eg, staring in to the window etc. BUT - the chances are they don’t find your daughter the least bit interesting and you’re being paranoid. If you’re that worried buy some privacy film.

They cannot put a window facing straight into a habitable room in your property.
YOU NEED TO REPORT THIS TO THE PLANNERS.

Permitted development does not void your rights.

You can object to the council if they have put in a new window that was not there before that looks directly onto your property. I cannot see how they would have approved that on inspection

I suspect they have no permission for this. When we had our garage converted, we wanted a window at the front. We had to write to the landowner of the (empty) field opposite! Because we would have a window onto his land that wasn’t there before. I don’t think an extension with windows overlooking your windows would be allowed. You should have got a letter of notification seeking your approval.

Just report them to the council, it's not hard.

It's not legal to have a window or door on the side (of anything newly built) where it looks directly onto neighbouring property. It has to be privacy glass or a wall!

Only if building regs were required. We didn't need them for converting our garage because we didn't do anything that required them . I did check and they emailed.

I've been told that nowadays, they only come out at the end of the build for a one-storey extension. (That's what happened with us.) Might be the same for a garden room?

Plus, we don't know that they actually applied for permission. ETA I mean they wouldn't put a stop to a build that they were unaware of.

That's how it should work, but in reality, most planning departments are so short staffed, they don't have the ability to check the applications for Building Regs to see if they need PP.

OP just report it to the planning enforcement team - they will investigate.

just speak to your council i really suspect this has not been approved - our neighbour tried to have a window which looked into our bedroom window on a 90 degree angle - planning office came into our bedroom and it took him literally one second to say that's not getting approved.

Any kind of build would require building regs to come and see the build at particular points to be okayed and signed off before the next stage of the build. If anything was built without the correct planning permission/permitted development in place, the council would have put a stop to it before the build had begun. You can check on your local portal online for permitted development as well as planning permission.

Have you asked the council?

I'm in a bungalow and I've just put mirror film on my bedroom window as everyone who walks to the front door walks directly toward the bedroom and is just naturally staring in the whole time they're walking up the path. I was keeping the curtains closed as I hated that it was basically 'on display' to everyone, the mirror film is just fab, can see out perfectly and no one looking in. It obviously only works if it's brighter outside than inside, so if you do use it make sure DD shuts the curtains if she has the light on!

It also sticks on with just water, so will just peel off if/when we want to, with no glue or anything left behind.

I fitted it myself in an hour with a spray bottle of water, a credit card for a squeegee and a craft knife.

It was this one https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09KZYN93V?ref_=cm_sw_r_apan_dp_JHZY8C5H6A2AZF5J3904&starsLeft=1

I didn’t get from the OPs post they were gaping.

Then check with the council

If they're staring in the window and they're close enough to see the sign, then hopefully it should remind them to avert their gaze to bloody elsewhere and leave this girl in her bedroom in peace.

Sometimes I walk past people's houses and I can glance in their front windows. Guess what, I don't stand there gaping in and making the inhabitants feel awkward.

Privacy film that covers the window at the bottom should do it.

Even if the room wasn't there wouldn't they be able to sit in the same spot and see in? Why don't you get some net curtains or blinds?

What!! You think they built the extension to be able to see into a 12 year olds bedroom.

I'd be tempted to put a sign covering your DD's window saying "Fuck off, you nosy arseholes".

Is this not easy to resolve by making minor adjustments to your daughters window. Any of slat blinds, gauze, the one way film, net curtains. All cheap and easy to install

You beat me to it. (I've worked in secondary schools for 40 yrs.)

Can't you contact your council's planning dept? My friend had a problem with their neighbour building raised decking which meant the neighbours could see into her garden. She sent a pic to the local Building Inspectors. (We're in Scotland.)

The decking had to come down.

We have a log cabin on our land which we run our business out of - we have lots of space and we’re in the middle of nowhere so it’s not upsetting anyone. We had to get planning.

I know for an absolute factoid that garden structures are subject to the same rules as extensions re: distance to boundary / amount of space on the plot they occupy. Lots of people think they are not, because they are “temporary structures”.

I also support PP’s ideas of privacy screening on windows etc. I put one on one of our external doors and it was a DIY job from Amazon. Really good and easy.

It may be worth asking the planning department if such a large structure is allowed. Even under permitted there are limits about how large it can be. I would take photos of it from your daughter's bedroom and go down to the planning department.

This.