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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

.....to think people are too bloody precious about being 'overlooked' when looking for a new house?

69 replies

deepheat · 10/02/2011 08:31

OK, this might just be me, but when you see people on those Property shows suddenly realise that they would have neighbours within 20 metres and start spouting about being "overlooked" and a lack of privacy, does anyone else get a little wound up?

I like chatting to my neighbours over the garden fence. In fact, I'm of the opinion that most people are generally quite nice actually. Why would being as far away from other humans as possible be a big selling point of a house to anyone other than an antisocial git? Or a naturist? Or a couple who just like to shag in the garden a lot?

OP posts:

lesley33 · 10/02/2011 08:32

Because you avoid the fear of neighbours from hell, or just noisy neighbours.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 10/02/2011 08:34

I am an antisocial git. Will talk to complete random strangers when out and about but when I'm in my garden I like peace and quiet. Which I don't get. I have to remind myself that actually in many other cultures I would be much more on top of people so I should count my blessings.

Grumpla · 10/02/2011 08:35

It's hardly as though much of the UK has the sort of climate that makes naturism an appealing prospect though is it?

I like living in a terrace and knowing my neighbours, makes me feel safe and cosy.

Why would you want to shag in your own garden?

LaurieFairyCake · 10/02/2011 08:36

Having neighbours beside you is fine. Having neighbours built in a quad behind you like in very modern estates is not. Some back gardens are then overlooked by about 6 houses/bedrooms/conservatories.

fluffles · 10/02/2011 08:36

whenever i see this i always imagine them dancing around the garden naked.. or doing weird rituals..

fair enough if the people want to live isolated in the countryside but if they've specifically asked for a town or village i think it's funny when they squint up and go all that if the neighbours looked out their spare room window on tippy toes they could see into the corner of their garden.

greedychops · 10/02/2011 08:38

Have you ever tried it Grumpla?

I've had the neighbours from hell for about 3 years and don't expect to not be overlooked at all when we are house hunting, but will definitely be considering neighbours much more carefully this time.

2rebecca · 10/02/2011 08:38

I've never had a back garden that wasn't overlooked, would either need to live in the middle of nowhere, have loads of money or have huge leylandii hedges shading the garden.
Quite happy to briefly chat to my neighbours. Still sit in the garden with a book and drink when it's sunny as most people have better things to do than stare at me in the garden.

fluffles · 10/02/2011 08:38

and to me being 'overlooked' is not the same as not getting peace and quiet.

i would hate to have my garden on a main path without a hedge, or have people on the main road look right into my windows without a garden or hedge but somebody two floors up being able to look down on me (if they even wanted to) is not going to disturb my peace.

oiwhatsoccuring · 10/02/2011 08:43

We have rejected many houses on the grounds of the garden being overlooked by neighbours.
Either on each side, or their back windows overlooking the garden.
I have no desire to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on a house, only to have people peering in when we have a bbq or put the kids in the paddling pool.
I come home for quiet time with the family and some privacy to go about our business without others gawping at us.

BitOfFun · 10/02/2011 08:43

I live in a terrace too, with houses at the back- it's like the movie Rear Window round here. I once saw a bloke standing on his windowsill having a ciggie out of the window with the footie on the tv in the background. Naked.

I like it.

NadiaWadia · 10/02/2011 08:45

Well you'd think I was being precious then. When we were looking at houses, OK I didn't expect to be in the middle of nowhere, but I HATE the way some houses are built so that there is a row of other houses at the back of yours and their back windows are staring straight into you, and yes I have turned houses down because of this. Most builders seem to manage to do streets at different angles, avoiding the problem.

The problem could be overcome by everyone having tall trees or hedges I suppose. Also hate low fences (they should be over head height) or worse - no fences. However nice your neighbours are, do you really want to be feel obliged to have a conversation everytime you pop out to hang out the washing? And what about the naked sunbathing? (No I don't do it, but the option should be there!)

What's so weird about valuing your privacy?

TheButterflyCollector · 10/02/2011 08:54

I;m an antisocial git. It works for me and I'm happy in my non-overlooked house.

kreecherlivesupstairs · 10/02/2011 08:58

Nadia, you sound a bit dictatorial TBH. Fences over head height would be fine for some, in our garden both walls are over head height and the garden is in shadow for most of the day.
It isn't just gardens that can be overlooked. We have an enormous plastic dome in our kitchen ceiling. The NDN can look in from four of their windows (they told us that just before they moved out). It is now up for sale and I've seen someone looking in which is a bit creepy.

traceybath · 10/02/2011 08:59

I hate being overlooked - wonders why its taken 3 years to find a house to buy

noddyholder · 10/02/2011 08:59

Me too I think a lot of what people 'demand' now has been fuelled by property shows.Joe bloggs doesn't want to be overlooked, wants to bake while kids do homework(?)in big open plan kitchen,set back from the road and no traffic noise,playroom and home office What did we all do before!

NadiaWadia · 10/02/2011 09:03

OK - I like fences to be over head height. Is that better?

fedupofnamechanging · 10/02/2011 09:03

What makes me laugh more about these programmes, is when the couple with one child look around a 3 or 4 bedroom house and then complain that it is too small. Often they are talking about places where my entire ground floor would fit into their kitchen.

Wrt being overlooked - given the choice I would prefer to not be overlooked, but I have nice neighbours so don't mind too much that we can all see into each others gardens. Am not one for shagging on the patio anyway

BitOfFun · 10/02/2011 09:03

I agree with noddy. I blame those programmes for everything. Well, almost everything. And Cash In The Attic for why car boot sales are so fecking expensive nowadays.

HecateQueenOfWitches · 10/02/2011 09:05

I don't like being overlooked because I don't like someone watching me when I'm in my garden.

I am overlooked at the moment. Very. And I hate it. My neighbour's dog has got into my garden a couple of times. grr. she just walks on to get it. The child is always "what you Dooooooo-in" and "can I come to yooooooooour house?" and just watches us. I feel like I can't be outside

I don't want to have an audience when I'm in my garden.

I would love to have the money to buy a place where my nearest neighbour is 10 minutes away by car!

GwendolineMaryLacey · 10/02/2011 09:06

YABU. We are overlooked on 5, yes 5 sides. It really is very inhibiting because there is always someone gawping at you. I can't hang the washing out without my neighbour wanting to chat, and sometimes I can't spare 30 minutes to talk to her. There are kids on two sides that are always accidentally chucking balls over the fence. It feels like Piccadilly Circus between April and September.

HecateQueenOfWitches · 10/02/2011 09:07

Oh, and I'm sure my neighbour thinks I like chatting over the fence. Because I am polite and chat back.

I don't.

Original poster

deepheat · 10/02/2011 09:07

OK then. I am being unreasonable but you're all clearly a bunch of anti-social gits

OP posts:

Quenelle · 10/02/2011 09:18

We have a new house and are overlooked from every angle, even the people in the house opposite us can see in our back garden.

It's not my ideal. I don't actually mind people seeing me in my garden, it's the noise of everyone else in their garden that bothers me.

noddyholder · 10/02/2011 09:21

Mind you although in a terrace we aren't overlooked and our neighbours are like us friendly but distant!

traceybath · 10/02/2011 09:22

Friendly but distant - the holy grail of neighbours.

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