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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Neighbour's glass extension

68 replies

Blueredemption · 29/01/2020 15:33

My home backs onto several other houses including a detached house which is at almost right angles, so I have a clear view into their garden from my rear upstairs bedroom window, as do the rest of the houses in my terraced row.

The owners of this house have spent the best part of last year building a large extension which was eventually to become their kitchen/living area.

This meant a lot of disruption, removal of rear garden panels into a shared car park, our car being blocked in by tradesmen's vehicles etc and noise, lots of it, even at weekends. Plus lots of mess. Not so much as a 'sorry' note through the door or a 'thanks for being patient with all the disruption'.

I didn't say a word, just politely asked the tradesmen to move their vans so I could go to work.

However, once they had completed the works I just happened to be glancing out of my bedroom window to check what the cats were up in the garden to when I saw the father in this extension. It is fully glass-walled with no blinds/curtains at all, so basically like a giant gold fish bowl. He saw me looking and stared then gestured in an aggressive manner with his whole body and arms as if to say "yes??" so I quickly looked away.

Now I am a busy person with a full-time job and am not in the habit of staring out of my bedroom window, but I feel intimidated by this tw*t to not even look out. The only time I go near the window is to hang washing on the radiator underneath or to open and close curtains, perish the thought that the family there might think I'm some sort of voyeur and even mildly interested in their daily lives!

Why build something so transparent and have TV, living area etc and then not put up any sort of privacy?

Am I being unreasonable to think that people who build such extensions compromise their privacy to a degree?

OP posts:
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 29/01/2020 15:36

He is being u reasonable - he chose to build a glass box onto his house, knowing that it is overlooked by other properties, so it shouldn’t be any great surprise to him that people might look at him! What a muppet.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 29/01/2020 15:37

Unreasonable not u reasonable - sorry.

OverUnderSidewaysDown · 29/01/2020 15:38

Let’s hope he doesn’t try to throw any stones.

Aloe6 · 29/01/2020 15:44

Yanbu. He can’t expect privacy in a glass box. Although if someone was staring at me for a prolonged period (not saying you were OP) I would shrug my shoulders at them and mouth ‘what?’ like this 🤷🏼‍♀️

Maybe other people have been staring in and you bore the brunt of it. Or maybe he’s just an aggressive arsehole.

Seeline · 29/01/2020 15:44

Ooh I would give a cheery smile and a big wave if it happens again. He built the extension.

TopOftheNaughtyList · 29/01/2020 15:44

I'd ignore him OP. You have a right to look out of any of the windows in your home. It was unfortunate that he looked up at the exact moment you were looking towards him, but as you say, if he hasn't added any privacy screening then he's taking a chance that any one of the overlooking neighbours will see him.

I was actually pleased to hear that he just gesticulated. I had an awful moment when I thought you were going to say you looked over and he was parading around naked Shock.

Brokenlightfitting · 29/01/2020 16:16

He could have paid for 1 way glass- his issue

heath48 · 29/01/2020 16:19

Wave at him,I would.

TwoHeadedYellowBelliedHoleDig · 29/01/2020 16:19

We had an extension - brick but with lots of glass and our neighbour commented 'how very middle class' we looked gathered around our dining table. I got blinds Grin

Don't let the fact he's an arse change how you use your house.

Convict225 · 29/01/2020 16:52

I used to live in a reverse plan house and did the washing up looking out of the front window.
Next doors daughter was having a row with her boyfriend right in front of my house. The boyfriend, mid row, stared at me and asked what the fuck was I looking at. I pointed at him and shouted YOU.

ThebishopofBanterbury · 29/01/2020 17:03

Yanbu op, they need to get a grip. What did they think would happen when they built the extension?!

CadburysTastesVileNow · 29/01/2020 17:06

Look, and wave cheerfully

swashbucklecheer · 29/01/2020 17:06

I'd get a massive telescope like the kind astronomers use and set it up by the window in your back bedroom Grin

JuanSheetIsPlenty · 29/01/2020 17:09

Ooh I would give a cheery smile and a big wave if it happens again. He built the extension.

Yep. This^ Grin

He’s an idiot.

thistimelastweek · 29/01/2020 17:15

Another vote for cheery waving. You are perfectly entitled to look out of your own window

BelieveInPeople · 29/01/2020 17:18

Get a life size cut out of someone grinning and place it at the window

RougeVinEtFromage · 29/01/2020 17:24

@believeinpeople 😁😁😁 yes!

Jaxhog · 29/01/2020 17:24

I'd get a large children's telescope (one that looks real from a distance) and set it up in my bedroom window.

If you build a large glass extension then you shouldn't be annoyed when people start looking in. If he doesn't like it, he needs to get some net curtains.

Jaxhog · 29/01/2020 17:25

X-post!

bridgetreilly · 29/01/2020 17:26

I think it might be worth checking the planning permission if you're suddenly being overlooked.

Scarydinosaurs · 29/01/2020 17:27

He’s the tool, not you.

Horrid man.

Whynosnowyet · 29/01/2020 17:28

Ring the planning dept. Surely he should have privacy glass?

Whynosnowyet · 29/01/2020 17:29

Hopefully it was just his arms and legs waggling about op....
Envy
Most def not envy...

BlueJava · 29/01/2020 17:32

I'd wave! Our living room has one wall floor to ceiling glass - several people can see in. We only have thin curtains and I don't usually close them, it doesn't bother me. If it did I'd close it off.

Herocomplex · 29/01/2020 17:34

Not at all funny for you, but quite hilarious thinking about building a glass room then realising a whole row of houses can see you picking your nose.

There’ll be something obscuring them before you know it, I bet.

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