Annoying neighbours (diagram)

[Sendhelppls]

Disclaimer - I know they’ve done nothing illegal and I can’t do anything about it. Just inconsiderate and annoying.

I live in terraced housing. The road that runs parallel is also terraced housing. I have included a diagram to show the layout.
All of the back gardens of the houses behind us as far as I can see have hedges running along the back fences. The gardens are staggered (so mine and my next door neighbours dividing fence is in the middle of the garden behinds back fence if that makes sense, shown in diagram).
I’ve seen three grown men and also a woman who doesn’t really go in the garden (not sure of any kids). The men are in the garden all day every day. In the last few days they’ve decided to remove the hedges on the half of their back fence that go across the fence that’s between my garden and theirs. Then put a bbq in this section. Their garden is huge as I can now see right into it. Mine is quite small. So the last few days they’ve been peering into my garden over the top of their rather short back fence while standing around their bbq for hours.
It’s so annoying as I feel that I can’t enjoy the sun without these men looking at me. DH jetwashed our patio yesterday which was obviously quite loud but took less than ten minutes and as soon as he turned it on the neighbours head was over our fence looking. I’m tempted to not even bother getting the paddling pool out for DD2 seeing as they’ll be able to see her.
Also my downstairs toilet is at the back of my house and for some reason was built with a clear window which they can see into now and even more so at night so I’ve been weeing in the dark.
Why couldn’t they have just had their bbq somewhere else in their garden without putting it right where it’s invading my privacy? Do they not want their own privacy? As now me and DH have full view of their garden.

Is it your fence or theirs? Or is there just a gap now the hedge has gone?

I think you’ll need to increase the height of your fence to cover the gap.

You could ask them to move it although it sounds like they have cleared that area so that they can put the BBQ there. In the long term I would be inclined to plant something there or put a pot with a tall plant it by the fence. For now, while on lockdown, is there something you could physically put there that would block their view? For example a cleverly angled parasol?

If you own the fence you can put trellis on it.
If they own it you will have to construct something on your side.

Trellis on top of the fence? Or tall plants or bamboo screening on your side. You will be able to get the screening inexpensively. You will probably able to get it delivered.

I would get a 6ft fence put up immediately

It’s so annoying feeling as though you’re being watched all the time, I feel self conscious trying to tan now. I Guess I will have to see if I can get a new fence put their or the bamboo like someone said.

Darling who owns that area? Did u contact the council to check?

There* tired!

@Hannah021 do you mean who owns the house?

First work out who owns the land. Then put a good smelling fertiliser in that corner to keep them away

No the hedge is on who's land?... That land may belong to the house, or belong to the council if it is there by design.

Get some bathroom window film, that will stop them seeing in.

Put your own bbq there almost opposite them and spend the weekend copying their exact moves in mime artist form. Even go so far as to mime “cleaning” the “window” between the gardens. Do not make eye contact or converse. Keep up the mime.

Do not plant bamboo. It spreads everywhere. Just put up a 6 foot fence along that boundary. Keep within your own land, no problems. As for your toilet get a window blind.

Get some frosted window film for your loo. It's easy to put on

Not bamboo. It's really intrusive and almost impossible to get rid of.
I would put a huge pile of smelly manure there and bear it to they move their bbq or put 6ft fencing there.

Good evening - a v annoying update for you all

My next door neighbours had a huge hedge at their back fence (on their side) for privacy. There’s a tree from behind neighbours garden leaning over my shed and my shed is near enough collapsing so DH asked him if the tree is still rooted or if it was cut down and could be moved. (It was still rooted but he has said he will cut it down. Non issue) however in conversation it came up that he was planning on “trimming down” next doors fence a bit so it doesn’t come into his garden.
Looked out my back door today to see that behind neighbour has leant over their fence and cut down the entire hedge to stumps.
Then spent the evening burning it all on a huge fire right next to my fence. He hasn’t even asked them so I assume they will go skits when they realise that their privacy has also been taken away by this man.

Also a point to make is that the government have said no fires at the moment as it isn’t good for people with compromised respiratory systems with the covid-19 situation going on at the moment. I can see from my upstairs window that there’s more in their garden to burn so as soon as they start tomorrow I think I will report to the council as my whole road stinks of smoke.

I know that next door privately rent so now they will probably have to tell their landlord who might not be happy. Also they’ll have to wait until the hedge grows back for any sort of privacy or spend ages trying to dig up the stumps and roots to make it look okay. Did this myself last week with a hedge I had along the side (below fence level) and it’s not an easy job!

Sorry but yabu. You are responsible for your own fencing/screening in your grounds. If I had limited space, I wouldn't care who could see I'm my garden, would prefer the space. I do understand a it being an issue though so if I were you, I'd plant something that screens sufficiently for your needs. Eucalyptus is fast growing

I think by practically putting the BBQ in your garden he is being monumentally selfish. I'd put up a big wooden fence right in front of it and then tell him he needs to move it because its a fire risk

They are being a bit selfish/thoughtless by putting their BBQ where they can see into your garden, and then having a good look. Some wouldn't see this as an issue but I bloody would!

The best option is going to be some sort of screen - something like this: www.sam-turner.co.uk/tenax-bamboo-screen-1m-x-4m.html?fo_c=602&fo_k=cc1cc47d569aa012844a25f7969b662f&fo_s=gplauk&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgZnGk8_26AIVA7TtCh2bSAk_EAQYAyABEgIT6PD_BwE

Have they cut down their own hedge or yours? If it is theirs they are well within their rights to do that, if it is yours that is not on.

@Howyiz last week they cut their own hedge down but so they could see into my garden. Yesterday they’ve cut my next door neighbours giant hedge down by leaning over their fence and without permission so now they can also see into NDN garden

Lord I'd be raging if I was your neighbors. Why do they want to see into everyone's gardens! You need to get a trellis.