Neighbours have no blinds

[FaFoutis]

My neighbours at the back have built a huge glass extension, the size of a petrol station, and it is lit up with bright white light. They have no blinds (they said they can't put blinds in it) so I have watched them have their breakfast and dinner and had the white glare all winter.

At the moment the woman is putting away the dishes from dinner wearing a pink tracksuit. I can see this from 5 of my 6 windows. It used to be dark and private before this eyesore and I'm finding it so depressing. The woman who lives next door but one to me has the same view, she talked to me about it and she cried. So not just me.

What should I do?
Option 1. Aim to piss them off so much that they get blinds (I don't believe the blind thing). I don't know how though. Install faulty security lights in my back garden? Get a massive sign that says 'get some fucking blinds'?
Option 2. Somehow screen them off. Their house is raised above mine and the extension is huge so I can't think how.
Option 3. Get therapy to stop being bothered by it.

I do shut the curtains, but there the fucker is again when I open the curtains.

not really,

Well yeah really, if rhe op has her lights on, they can see her just as much as she can see them. Unless she's sitting like some weirdo in the darkness watching them.

I was in a street yesterday where a few houses still had fairy lights in front gardens / front bushes - couldn’t work out if they were left from Christmas but I fear not - looked really crap - some flashing in and off - is this now a thing people are doing ??? Apols to anyone who does have - just my view. (Fear it might be a common/loved mumsnet ‘feature’ or similar now)

I think the people telling me to move are people who would behave in a similar way to the eyesore neighbours. They may even be the eyesore neighbours.

How can they not see you? Your curtains are open

If you have curtains and they are closed, how can you see them op? If they are not closed, you can see them and they can see you. Unless as said you're sitting perving in thr dark.

just thought about another solution: become friends with them.
Then overly friendly, full of "helpful" and intrusive advice, engage conversations as much as you can and discuss everything you have witnessed.

It's one thing to ignore the neighbours, another to have to hear discussions about everything you do, cook, wear, celebrate.

Look up large garden sails.... it might be that these put up at an angle would give you some privacy back.

Our neighbours over the road are above us on the street we live on a hill their living room overlooks our living room. It's a bit odd.

On Saturday I noticed a lot of flashing outside (think strobe or lightning) so went out to look and thought initially it was a faulty street lamp. Until it happened again and I noticed it come from our neighbours front room.

I looked up and they were having a naked photo shoot with a professional light boom. Fully naked. No curtains closed and whilst it's dark outside so their living room lit up in nakedness.

I tried to pull the curtains but you could actually still see the light flash through the curtains (not the nakedness thank god)

Very weird

Bluntness100
just go for a walk and look at the difference of homes with normal size windows and full glass-extension with bright light.

No one should be forced to live in a cave to avoid the noise or the light from neighbours. In the summer especially people should be able to keep their windows open without intrusive lights!

People who don't want to be considerate for neighbours should move in the middle of nowhere.

Diagram? With light readings obvs and curtain situations m.
Agree cat after I suggested shade sail I did thin the likes would probably need planning permission themselves as so high.
Friend uses one at artful angle to maintain some privacy in back garden of side return terrace. Low unobtrusive and does the trick.

Poles not likes

I don't need to go for. Walk, because I'm all grown up and not an idiot. If the ops lights are on and her curtains open, they can see in.

If anyone needs to go for a walk it's you,

It’s coming into the summer, they won’t have lights on soon so you will have less annoyance for a few months.

If it is a big extension she must have got planning permission for it. We're you consulted? If so did you comment on it? Definitely check the planning permission. There may be a condition on it that could help. Contact your Local Planning Authourity/check online.

new Yoiker note that you ‘tried’ to pull the curtains.
What a shocker !

That looks like a possibility littleyellow, thanks. It would work for part of the garden.

The op has said she agreed to the planning permission.

‘Go for a walk’ inadvertent new form of ‘step outside’?

because I'm all grown up and not an idiot.

I am saying nothing.

Yes, lighter nights improve things Nick. Leaves on the trees will help a bit too. Hopefully by next winter I will have 40ft of bamboo and leylandii.

thedisirganisedmum yes, if anyone needs to say nothing, its you. 👀

That was 100% a joke alluding to previous post.

I got it Heron. You would make a good bouncer. Diffusing the situation and all that.

OP, I fear you have attracted some right bell-ends on this thread.
I totally get what you are saying and sympathise. Kevin and his Grand Designs have got a lot to answer for...
What to do? I saw a garden last year where a high hedge had been created really beautifully with pleached trees of some sort, which meant that the foliage was a good few feet higher that the fence but that the tree trunks allowed normal planting infront of the fence. I can see it, but not sure my explanation makes sense. I suspect you'd have to pay a bit, as the owners had clearly paid for this all to be landscaped. But it did screen the neighbouring eyesore very effectively.

I really sympathise op. I would hate this. Also constant light like this is terrible for wildlife. My ndns have built their house right up against our boundary, and their new garden is up above ours so they sit out and look over my garden all day in the Summer. Last year was the first, I had no idea it would be like this when the plot was first being built on. I don’t know how on earth to get any privacy back. Ndn the other side has a balcony and so also sits there overlooking us rather than in the actual garden ( their garden is level with ours, so our hedge gives some privacy). There is no way I can potter about in a bikini etc. I hate even normal gardening as I feel like the entertainment ! It is very hard when a quiet and private space suddenly changes. We want to move house.
In your place I honestly don’t know what I would do. Trees for starters, but they take some time to establish.