neighbours have just put a window in their new garage that totally overlooks my garden

[nettlewine]

I assumed when they were rebuilding the guarage they were just doing as before but further back. However they have plonked a triple window in. As its now further back our garages don't align and as they are much higher up it totally overlooks my garden. It is right on the property border.

Aibu to ask them to make it bricked? And if they don't is it wrong that they have done this?

Why would they need a big window in a garage?

That's well dodgy.
It won't be a garage much longer.

Maybe they could 'frost' the window so the ought get in but your privacy is not affected. Try to approach them in a friendly manner rather than accusatory, as you want to encourage them to cooperate.

I think they have been unreasonable in doing this without seeking your views first, a triple window in a garage seems unusual and would make me think that they are planning to use it as a workshop or gym. I don't think you will have much luck with asking for it to be bricked up though unless they have broken planning regs, frosting may be your best bet.

Sadly you will probably find its allowed under permitted development so doesnt need planning permission. Being overlooked isnt a good enough reason for planning to be declined either, its a joke really. The people who live in the house behind us were allowed to add a huge white dormer to their roof under permitted development rules, it completely overlooks the back of our house, its a monster and the council couldnt have cared less. The permitted development rules havent really been thought through and allow all sorts of nonsense that a reasonable person wouldnt think was acceptable. I found this link really interesting at the time

planningjungle.com/wp-content/uploads/Part-1-of-the-GPDO-The-10-Worst-Permitted-Development-Loopholes.pdf

I'm not quite clear what you mean.

Are these garages at the bottom of your gardens in a terraced row of houses? And they have put windows on the boundary side facing on to your garden?

I would not like this at all!
They are absolutely banking on you being too shocked and too polite to DO anything about it.
No doubt they will act all innocent and offended, or go into full-on bully mode if you challenge them.
I would definitely contact the local council planning dept for advice.

All those mocking the OP, do you already live where your garden is overlooked? many people do and choose their house knowing this is the case. This is different. OPs garden was previously private/secluded and the neighbours new garage would have been a high brick wall, but is now basically a viewing platform straight into her garden! It is the same as them replacing the boundary fence for one with a massive window in it!

When we had our house extended we were not allowed a window in the gable end where there had previously not been one, and all we could have seen was the neighbours gable end, not even into their garden!

As far as I know, none of us has a "right to privacy", and as far as I know you don't need PP to put windows in a garage. It's likely going to be part-used as a utility-room, so the neighbours will possibly be spending less than five minutes at a time in there. I doubt you're so interesting that it would compel your neighbours to be leering through the window at you day and night.

Beware of being seen to be causing a fuss or trying to making it official, or it could escalate into a formal dispute. A dispute you'd have to declare if and when you want to sell up. Them, too. "Oh, yeah. We've got a crack-pot neighbour who erected that fifteen-foot fence right on the boundary because she imagined we wanted to spy on her from the garage. Quite honestly, the back-bedroom is much more comfy for doing that".

Just raise the height of the fence. Or plant a tall bush. Job done.

I agree with worra, don't you have upstairs windows.

Something's similar happened to me a few years ago. I live near the corner of a main road and a small building used as an office backs onto the end of the garden wall (extending it further along) while a garage next door along to the office extends beyond it creating a back wall to my garden.

I came home from a weekend away to find that the office had acquired a window overlooking my back garden, albeit at 90 degrees to the back of my house. As my garden was completely private, my bedroom was uncurtained and I was both horrified and furious.
To add insult to injury, on the Monday morning I caught a builder climbing into my garden via the wall to make good the outside of the new window!
I may have roared as he scarpered

I rang the planning department before storming round there. I don't think the lone lady there was able to get a word in- I think the phrase '...you didn't just fucking wake up and decide 'oh I'll put a window in today' so why didn't you speak to me first?!' may have been part of my diatribe.

Anyway, the planning officer duly turned up to inspect. As the road was on a slope, the window was above head height and had apparently been installed purely for light purposes. He climbed up and told me afterwards how much/little of my garden he could see and passed retrospective planning permission.
I suspect you have a far stronger case for objecting than I did and I'd be onto the council planning department first thing. Good luck

I can see why this would be irritating, but YABU to expect that someone should have asked your permission to do what they want with their own property. You have no right to ask them to brick it up, and you should probably try and remember that it's highly unlikely that your neighbours have any interest at all in what you do in your garden, so they aren't going to be stood at their new window all day spying on you.

I don't think permitted development applies if within a certain distance of the boundary, so if this is right up to your boundary you have a case. The above post shows it may be given retro permission but they should have gone down the proper channels.

Our neighbours did this with their naff sunroom thing...it totally overlooked us so I got a piece of "Garden Art" which I put up and which totally blocked their view. Ha.

maryz yes, it was just thinking where's MrsDv when you need her.

Another one doubting they are going to use as a garage. Ask them to put in obscure glass.

If the window is on the boundry but you would need a 12 foot fence to cover it does that mean the window is on their garage roof?

If they start living in it or renting it out for living in do ask the council. It may not be permitted as a change of use and it may even be illegal if it does not comply with certain regulations. On the other hand if they want to use it as a home office I suspect you will get nowhere.

My df's garage has two big windows in, and did from when it was built, in mid 70s one on the end and one on the side. My df loves it because he does a lot of woodwork and it's good for lighting in there. So assuming because there's a window in it, that it won't be used as a garage seems a little hasty.

But I think it could well need planning permission to put an extra window in. Df had to apply for that when they were putting an extra window in the side of the house even though it didn't overlook anything.

There is some sort of rule about ground floor windows and boundaries.

No harm in calling planning to find out :)

Our garage has 3 large windows in it and glass panels in the door, it huge.... And we just use it as a workshop /garage/ general dumping ground.
Ours are all obscured glass though to let light in but stop burglars seeing in.

That's shit MaryZ. Hate hate hate it when people put things in that aren't on the plans and then get retrospective permission.

Doesn't sound great OP but I suspect going round nicely and asking them to put film up so they get light but can't see into your garden would be the best bet.