Neighbours trampoline AIBU?

[Hidinginshameofthememory]

Our neighbours have put up a trampoline this week, no issue with kids playing in the garden as I think it's nice to hear and my own child and family children are out in our garden most days weather permitting (just mine now!). They are the last house on the row so share a fence with us but the other side of their garden is onto woodland. The trampoline is right up against the shared fence. When it went up I didn't think too much of it to be honest but then on Monday we were sat in the conservatory having breakfast and noticed their older child (early teens maybe?) was stood on the trampoline looking into our house. I felt a bit uncomfortable as we were all in our pjs (not indecent but still I felt a bit 😳). Anyway this has happened a few times since, she can also see into our living room so when I'm sat playing with my baby on the floor/ watching tv etc I've looked up a few times to see her peering in. I know she's not really doing any harm per se but im finding it very intrusive. Dh usually does a workout in the garden every morning in just his shorts, the last two mornings he has come inside as the girl was there at the fence and he didn't feel comfortable.

Because of all this I went round to next door and knocked (then stood at the gate before I get flamed!). I've always got on fine with these neighbours but we haven't really had much interaction. I asked politely if there was any chance they could move the trampoline as their daughter could see into our house/garden and we were finding it a bit intrusive. I think I kept it quite friendly, wasn't rude or anything. Long story short neighbour said she would speak to her daughter but she won't move the trampoline as they like the garden setup as it is now. Their garden is huge, they could easily move it to the other side and it would affect no one. But I thought okay she will speak to her daughter and issue will be over.

Unfortunately either she hasn't spoken to her or the daughter has ignored her completely. It's happened a few times since and I've just been sat expressing and looked up to see a pair of eyes at the fence again. I've had to get up and come upstairs. AIBU ?? I know it's their garden but I just would like to be able to walk round and use my own house without having to watch what I'm doing or feel like I'm being watched.

I have never heard “Trunky want a bun?” Before @opticaldelusion and @Devlesko !

Had to Google!

I haven’t read the full thread but I fucking hate these trampolines that all kids seem to have.

I don’t normally swear but I really, really, fucking hate the fucking things.

Long gone are the days where you can enjoy relaxing in your garden in peace without having to listen to squeaky springs over and over and over again alongside kids screaming and screaming and screaming.

I just fucking hate them.

My mom is always buying garden toys for my children and I have told her that if she ever turns up with a bloody massive trampoline then our relationship will be over

@Hidinginshameofthememory the child is a cheeky little article. Answering back to a neighbour’s legitimate request like that would have earned me, as they say in Belfast, a good skelp from my parents.

@QueenofmyPrinces I agree with you actually.

I have read several threads where the OP has complained about neighbours placing said trampolines right at the bottom of their own garden, but right next to the boundary with the neighbour, so the neighbour has to suffer the noise, but not them.

So selfish.

Large rectangular garden parasol, preferably one of those with a tilt function. Placed right on the boundary to screen her gaze.

Definitely screening, but has to look really ugly from their side to encourage them to move it.

Surely signs in the floor etc are going to encourage the kid to look over to see what they say today.

Personally I’d ignore, she’ll get bored. If you have to do anything then when you know she’s watching whisper to DH, both look at her then laugh. Cruel but probably effective.

I would order trellis today. Screwfix are delivering it.

I would order trellis today

Op can’t fix trellis to the fence if, as she suspects, it belongs to next door. Legally she can’t even knock a nail in it without permission.

Squirt her with a water gun. Every. Single. Time.

If she or her mother complain about it say you’re “just playing”.

I would challenge each and every time, very loudly is open the window and shout stop looking into our garden please. Then each and every time knock on the door and ask the parents to have a word, move the trampoline.

And keep on doing it. You should no5 have to move within your own house

In all fairness you’ve handled this better than I could hope to.
I’d have given her a cheeky middle finger or flashed my arse a dozen times by now.
The fact her mum just writes it off as “playing” and slams the door when you refuse to accept it as “playing” speaks volumes. She seems the type to actively encourage Sally to stare in.
As someone else suggested I’d tell the pair of them that there’s no issue with her playing on the trampoline, but you’d rather live your limited life and nurse your baby without Sally intruding. Ask what can be done, suggest a different fence or her adding trellis or simply moving the trampoline to prevent the earache.

I accidentally looked into my neighbours house and was mortified when I saw he was looking back at me. Kids are getting brave these days!

Iv been on the opposite side of this. Our neighbours fence was broken and they Refused to fix it or replace it. I think they were hoping that we would get fed up and do it ourself. Our little boy took to shouting them and chatting to them every time they were in the garden.... We didn't stop him (which made me feel really uncomfortable but knew it would get them motorvated to sort the fence.) The fence was very quickly replaced, which of course left him unable to disturb them. I really feel for you. It must feel Awful to not have privacy in your own home and garden. I would be very loudly shouting, stop staring, it rude. Everytime she stares. Her mum will soon feel Embarrassed enough to stop her. Maybe next time you have a bbq set it up right next to the fence 😂 so all the inital smoke prevents her from being on trampoline. After all it's your garden and you like it set out that way 😉 good luck OP

She's one of these neighbours who is pleasant as long as she does what she wants, but shows her true colours when asked to have a thought for others. There seem to be quite a few of them about.

I wouldn't get involved with them any more as she's clearly not going to move that trampoline or stop her daughter staring.

Just screen the area with one of the many suggestions on here and enjoy your own house and garden.

GloriousGoosebumps's suggestion of the Sail Shade is a good one. From my rear windows I can see two of these; one is obviously mainly for shade, covering a south-facing balcony (and the room it juts from) which I think would become insufferably hot without it. The other I suspect is mainly for privacy as it's a garden largely in shadow, those shadows being cast by tall townhouses with lots of overlooking windows.

Move a chair or a table by the fence and stand on it looking back at het. If asked say you’re suntanning.

Smoky BBQ next to fence, keep it lit all the time

I wonder if their next-door neighbours have a trampoline?

I’d be giving my husband a blow job next time she looks in.
Dressing up in dominatrix outfits in the daytime.
Smearing chocolate sauce or marmite all over each other.
Wearing hooded robes, carrying candles and chanting.
Look right back at her and licking my lips. Don’t break that stare, let her be the one to look away!
Flicking the V’s.

Or seriously, take photos of her. Every. Time.

Early teens would suggest the girl is aged 13 to 15? Isn't that a bit old to be spending her days bouncing on a child's trampoline?

Also, I think your neighbour is on mn. There was certainly a message within the last few days from a mum asking if she was being unreasonable because her neighbour had asked her to move the trampoline she had recently installed.

You’ve done the polite thing and spoken to the parents. If she’s a teenager she can probably take you going and telling her in no uncertain terms to stop looking into your house. Tell it’s rude.

I’d start rating her trampoline skills, with score cards.

If she is at the fence then there must be a focal point towards the house where a single object could ruin her view enough to stop her bothering.

Potted tree, hatrack with a sheet over it, open umbrella. It will drive her mad!

Well, you’ve tried with the (twatty) mother so time to tackle the daughter direct. “Stop staring into our house, Lucy. It is rude and intrusive”. Very firm, verging on cross.

All the suggestions of things to do when she looks might make her look more to see what you’re up to now!!