Net curtains are not a legal requirement!!??

[NetcurtainProblem]

Have had a visit from the person whose house backs onto ours. We have small gardens so it’s very close (new build estate).

She asked me to get net curtains! Apparently it’s a legal requirement for privacy and modesty reasons when houses are so close together ?
That they can see me eating in my kitchen and can see directly into my bedroom.

If I’m getting dressed / changed I shut the actual curtains??

In the morning I do like to open them and have tea / breakfast in bed. I’m not doing naked pilates or anything!
My kitchen table faces out towards the garden but I fail to see how them being able to see me eating is a modesty issue ?

I explained I don’t like nets. Also I can see that they have nets????!!!!!

She told me she will take it further as it could be seen as a nuisance issue ?

When I don’t want to see my neighbours, I close my eyes or my curtains.

She is off her head. You can do what you like, within reason of course but are doing nothing wrong. Maybe if she didn’t want to be overlooked or seeing their neighbour eating breakfast in bed, she could have avoided a new build estate. Said as someone who has reserved a plot on a new build. Tell her to plant some conifer trees or similar.

Enjoying the thread. How old do you think she was op?

I believe, if memory serves, that I’m not allowed to keep a pig. Nowt about net curtains though and I’d burn the house down before I hung those abominations about the place.

I lived here for several months before I had any curtains or blinds and no-one suffered lasting PTSD, and I still keep the blinds open in summer. Mind you, I’d like the people over the back to maybe think about some for the bathroom - despite their frosted glass, if the light is on I can see the husband sitting on the loo, having a shower or, erm, enjoying a bit of personal time. It’s a bit much at 6am, I must say.

Please just stick up some pieces of paper with the words net curtain in the window for a laugh. You've put a net curtain in your window that way right?

Tell her not to bloody look. Personally I'd be mooning my fat and elderly arse at her as often as possible.........

Id defiantly be naked even more, and start doing some really weird shit, like just standing staring at a wall, or stand with 1 arm up turning round for like 2 minutes..

Annette is beautiful!!

Does your bathroom back onto her as well? It's contrived but I just wonder if it might be a very convoluted hint to put some blinds up there if you don't use them. Though it does sound far fetched even to me.

Sorry but I think you are being completely unreasonable and it’s unfair on your neighbours to have to watch you lounging and eating your breakfast leisurely.

It must be annoying for them to see you relaxing when they are having to put so much effort into spying on you through their own nets - they don’t make the rules and obviously feel strongly about people ignoring them.

I think you should at least do something more interesting so they aren’t wasting the effort they are putting in watching you, I agree with the suggestions about eating bananas and hotdogs but perhaps you could also go outside in the middle of the night and start digging a big hole then drag a rolled up carpet out and dump it in the hole?
That way when she reports you to the police for your blatant disregard of the law she can give the police something else to investigate so they might actually pay you a visit and make her feel she’s made a verified complaint.

I’d hate to have a selfish neighbour like you when I’d made the effort to follow the 1965 net curtain law myself.

@NetcurtainProblem @DestinedToBeOutlived

Of course there aren't!

True. I knew that. I remember the IRA bombs well. The curtains were extra long with folds on the floor to catch debris.

Or “Nutter” just because it would suit her Nutty Nettie ways. 😂

How low are their bathroom windows?!

Ohhh this is an excellent idea!

I have a neighbour who is insistent that I “spy” on him and is completely batshit. He got so obsessed over it and kept banging on my door complaining that I had to get a ring doorbell as I was becoming scared of him.

Of course that convinced him further that I devote my life to watching him and he tried to involve the police but they agreed I need to keep it as he’s coming across as unstable and paranoid.

I would love to put a cardboard Cliff at my window but at the same time it might tip him over the edge. He already keeps a log of whenever I happen to glance out of my window as he’s convinced I’m watching him. At least this would keep him busy constantly updating his diary 😂.

I know new houses are notorious for small
rooms and gardens erc but surely you have fences between houses?! How can she see your kitchen?

Maybe she should put something over her windows so she can’t see you.
My MIL had nets, blinds and curtains on every window. Just to make sure that no one could see anything inside. She wouldn’t use the shower at our house because from outside you can see a shadow, not actual shape.

Their bathroom is on the ground floor, it seems to be some sort of extension to the main house.

OMG that made me laugh & feel sick at the same time. 😂

I’d be planting a hedge asap. Shes obviously quite mad. You could also think about the window film which is see through from the inside but reflective from the outside..

of course you don’t HAVE to do anything!!

Apparently it’s a legal requirement for privacy and modesty reasons when houses are so close together ?

There's just one response to that:

"Link, please"

Once again I wish MN would bring back the laugh emoji. 😂

I would totally do questionable but outrageous stuff just to piss her off more. There’s always one nutcase on the block. How about she doesn’t look in your direction then she won’t see what she don’t wanna see. 😂

@Imlyingandthatsthetruth wrote the net curtains in Downing Street and Buck palace, and in fact all government buildings, are there to protect against bomb blast

I did not know that. Is it normal net, there to be a barrier against flying glass etc being blown into the building, or is it some cunningly invented fabric which gives more protection?

At least you know he thoroughly washes his arse crack

I'd hate to have houses so on top of each other that you can clearly see into rooms. Can you plant something tall against the fence for downstairs privacy at least?