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Original poster

Staring man in the house opposite me

53 replies

Cherryblossom200 · 09/12/2022 20:07

Hi everyone,

I've recently had an extension built on the back of my house and It's got huge bi-fold doors. Currently I've got no blinds on it as it's still being decorated.

The previous owners planted conifers which had grown out of control and were ugly. So I cut them down once I built my extension to give us more garden and light.

The downside is we're now overlooked by a house. Most of the time it's fine, but there is a flat on the top floor where a man who is approximately 60 lives. At first I didn't really pay much attention to him. Most of the time during the day I'm not home, but in the evening I come home with my young daughter and we're normally looking at what the builders have done that day.

With the lights on we're like a massive beacon and you can see everything we're doing. The problem is I've started noticing the man just standing at his window staring. I noticed a few days ago and once he caught me looking back he hid behind the curtain. Today we came home and he was again just blatantly staring at us through the window, for some reason he never seems to use his blinds. I waved back  mainly to show I knew he was looking and he backed away.

I know he has a right to look out of his window, but he is just staring which is freaking me out! It's just me and my little girl which I'm sure he will work out.

In a week or two I'll have my blinds up but I'm not sure if I should do something? I find his behaviour strange! I have no interest in this man, normally I'm just looking at my house and new kitchen!

Thanks x

OP posts:
Coldhouseflowers · 09/12/2022 20:10

Perhaps he’s wondering why you are staring at him 😂

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 09/12/2022 20:12

Copy Ross from Friends and do little shows for him.

AnchorWHAT · 09/12/2022 20:12

Well unless he is doing anything more than looking i would not be too worried, just continue the waving so he knows you see him. To be honest if you are all lit up it would be very hard not to look, i am very nosy and this would be me 😂 i guess it wont be long before you get blinds or curtains or something. If its really making you uncomfortable tack up a sheet or something until you get your proper bits put up.

Fleurdaisy · 09/12/2022 20:13

Did you have the trees removed or just lopped? If they’re still there hopefully they’ll grow and shield you again.
I’d get the blinds up asap and continue to wave to him so he knows you know he’s staring. Get friends to come round and they can wave too.

justthecat · 09/12/2022 20:13

Cover the windows in newspaper stuck on with masking tape

Pocketfullofdogtreats · 09/12/2022 20:19

You're looking out of your window at your view (his flat, now that you've cut the trees down) and he's looking out of his window at his view (your house). Not having blinds up is temporary and once they're up he won't be able to see in, so you can forget him.

FOJN · 09/12/2022 20:21

You can buy privacy window film to stop him looking in. There are various designs, unfortunately the only one I'm aware of which does not block your light or view appears mirrored from the outside but it does mean that he won't be able to stare at you during the day. Obviously this film does not work when it's dark and you have the lights on.

You may need something like this anyway if your bi-folds get a lot of sun or your extension could become an unusable oven in the summer.

Original poster
Cherryblossom200 · 09/12/2022 20:24

😂 I might to the Ross from friends thing!

I got them cut down, they were a mess. And it looks so much better without them. A few weeks ago I planted some Laurels and a red robin tree/shrub which are quite well established. In a few years they will provide some good screening but for the time being I have stating man.

I'm honestly not staring at home at all, I'm just wondering about the house looking at the work. But he is just straight up staring directly out of his window at us!

You're right in a week or two I'll have my blinds up and he will have nothing to look at again.

OP posts:
MichelleScarn · 09/12/2022 20:27

So he just stands and stares or.do you just keep catching eyes?

Babysharkdoodoodood · 09/12/2022 20:33

Get some puppets.

Batcountry8 · 09/12/2022 20:35

Could be a ghost tho.

Original poster
Cherryblossom200 · 09/12/2022 20:38

He just stands and stares at his window for ages. But I'm normally washing up, doing house stuff and will look in the direction of the garden and catch him staring.

OP posts:
SouperNoodle · 09/12/2022 20:39

Get multiple pieces of A2 paper, write in HUGE letters 'WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT?' and stick them to your windows

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 09/12/2022 21:09

Are you sure he’s real?

There’s a house near my work with a Danny DeVito cutout in the window and I often think it’s a real man.

Take a photo and zoom in. Might be James Bond or Gandalf or someone.

Original poster
Cherryblossom200 · 09/12/2022 21:13

🤣🤣 no he definitely is real! He moves about like a human. Loving the conspiracy theories! Keep them coming 🤣

OP posts:
TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 09/12/2022 21:15

Just because he moves like a human doesn’t mean he is one.

Aquamarine1029 · 09/12/2022 21:15

Step outside and take a picture of him, flash on to make it really obvious you're doing it. Perhaps that will make him stop.

Speedywallpaper · 09/12/2022 21:15

New neighbours behind us did exactly what you have OP. But they appear to have no plans to put up blinds.

I'm not stopping using my phone by our overlooking window (it's one of the few places where there's a good signal) nor looking at the view/sunrise/garden birds as I've always done and DH does too. The fact we can also see neighbours in various types of nightwear wandering into their extension is their issue, not mine.

leithreas · 09/12/2022 21:21

I'm not stopping using my phone by our overlooking window (it's one of the few places where there's a good signal) nor looking at the view/sunrise/garden birds as I've always done and DH does too. The fact we can also see neighbours in various types of nightwear wandering into their extension is their issue, not mine.

I feel like this sums it up really. You built an extension with 'huge' glass doors, you cut down the trees. For all you know the bloke has always looked out of his windows. You created the situation where he can't look out of his window without seeing into your house so can hardly complain never mind 'do something' about the fact that a bloke is looking out of his window.

XanaduKira · 09/12/2022 21:25

I agree @leithreas

PollyPeePants · 09/12/2022 21:28

Agree with above two posters - you caused this and can hardly complain!

Pieministers · 09/12/2022 21:29

leithreas · 09/12/2022 21:21

I'm not stopping using my phone by our overlooking window (it's one of the few places where there's a good signal) nor looking at the view/sunrise/garden birds as I've always done and DH does too. The fact we can also see neighbours in various types of nightwear wandering into their extension is their issue, not mine.

I feel like this sums it up really. You built an extension with 'huge' glass doors, you cut down the trees. For all you know the bloke has always looked out of his windows. You created the situation where he can't look out of his window without seeing into your house so can hardly complain never mind 'do something' about the fact that a bloke is looking out of his window.

Very much this. You’ve effectively removed your own privacy and are now complaining that someone can see in your house.

LemonSwan · 09/12/2022 21:35

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 09/12/2022 21:15

Just because he moves like a human doesn’t mean he is one.

Slenderman?

CherryLongIsland · 09/12/2022 21:40

I habitually stare out of the window at nothing or at a bird or a cloud or a leaf, sometimes I see movement or a light switch on and realise there's a neighbour in my line of vision who probably thinks I'm a starey wierdo neighbour.

Monoprix · 09/12/2022 21:41

Stay out of the extension and spend time in another part of the house.
Why do you have to be in the extension?

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