Neighbours having chat over my garden making me feel uncomfortable

[Fitlarwa]

Hi,
I live in a terraced house.
On my left I've got neighbours who in past harassed my family and since reported to the police they ignore us which is good!
On my right I've got their best friends who pretend that they are being polite to us.
Before you will jump to conclusions why neighbours dont like us I want to make it clear that they have got problem with our race and that as immigrants we have better jobs etc.

So while I'm at my garden I'm in between of two friends having chat over my head.
I've recently installed a 2m fence but that doesnt help as houses are raised and there are steps on which they stand. Then they have got their heads over my fence!
My son who's 12 and literally scared of neighbours on our left and avoids our garden because the talks that they have over his head ignoring his presence and invading his private space.

I feel it's all done on purpose to make us feel that we wont hide from them despite of 2 m fence.

Is there anything I can do?
Cant plant anything as there is no space.

Is there any law that gives me protection over their silly behaviour?
Right to privacy perhaps?

Will appreciate your support

Unfortunately as explained there is no possibility to grow anything or have bamboo in a planter.
Gazebo or any construction would have to be at least 3.5 meters in height which isn't allowed without planning permission and if I apply they will both refuse to accept it.

Loud music wont work anymore as they've reported me for nuisance and I wait for someone from council to show up once officers will be allowed to visit houses.
I was as well reported for loud TV noise.

We aren't loud family and they just do this to us to annoy us and cause stress.

I thought that maybe their behaviour would count as invading our privacy and there is in law such thing like right to privacy at home and garden.
It's just that two families that are bad to us as otherwise we have plenty friends on our street, while they have none

I actually don't think you should try to make the boundaries higher. When they start to talk over your garden, just position your garden chair in the middle of the garden and sit and listen. They'll soon get pissed if with having their conversations listened to.

It really makes me feel horrible. I dont have the skills to confront people, I dont talk much, I dont argue, I dont know how to stand up for myself. Instead I am perfect in hiding:-(

Hire a jack hammer and get started on that patio project you have been meaning to do for years ..... that along with the lawnmower, strimmer, leaf blower - means you can kill two birds with one stone - garden makeover and erased the nasty neighbours.

I would say go out in your garden and pretend to be talking on the phone. Potter around and pretend you haven't seen them. Just you talking at the same time might be irritating and they might take their convo somewhere else.

Can you practice a genuine sounding loud persistent cough as you potter about or sit reading a book?

I don’t understand why a gazebo would have to be that high. You could get one with curtains to block them out You Could also attach some sail cloths using poles.

Sun bath topless. I like the mower and music idea. Make TicTok videos.

Sun shades. No planning required as they are not permanent. Just one angled in such a way as to block their view. Angled parasols. A gazebo doesn’t need to be high but you could get one the width of you garden with would give private space they couldn’t look directly over you. Perfectly legal etc.

Seriously OP, ignore it. they are wanting a reaction from you. Continue as normal and pretend they aren't there. if you start playing loud music they might do the same thing which would be unbearable for you living in the middle of them!! Put headphones in and listen to a nice audiobook and make a point of ignoring them. they WILL get bored.

I wouldn't be doing deliberately annoying noisy things like loud music etc as that's going to backfire if you've already been put onto the council's radar by having a loud tv!

Just ignore it would be my advice. Use your garden as you normally would and just grit your teeth and be thick skinned about it. You're entitled to be in your own space. It's clearly not a year round thing because they won't be doing it in the rain for example.

But it would be a foolish move to make deliberate noise if you're already known as a 'noise nuisance'

Join in the conversation every time, take it over, monopolise everything, turn the conversation around to boring stuff. They will get fed up and stop it hopefully

I LOVE this suggestion! Loud music can backfire and be retaliated, but cheerfully joining in the conversation is a great idea!
You say you dont' talk much - well now is your time to practice! Butt in, cut over them, tell them how much you enjoy these chat times.
Smile, maybe bring a platter of food to share! It will totally throw them. I once had someone start being nasty to me, every time she did it I overly enthusiastically praised things about her and told her how much I liked her. It totally pissed her off and put a stop to her nastiness!

Loud music definitely

This sounds awful, so intrusive. Do you have the confidence to go out and join in the chat? If you do it enough you will cramp their style. I can’t think of anything else other than something to obscure their sight line but that is also very difficult.

Sing as loud and proud every single time They might presume you're barking mad but who cares what they think.
Yanbu they're very rude talking over you.

Cant to lawn mover cos no grass just artificial, cant sprinkle water at them (accidentally) as they will swear at me
Cant do DIY work as they will swear at me as well and report for nuisance.
My hubby just finished off our garden and we were told that we aren't allowed to make such noises like DIY at the garden as those on the left got small kids and those on our right work from home even on weekends!

Is this a one off or a regular thing? Do they do it when your not in the garden?

As much as I'd love to get revenge with them, I actually agree with the poster who said to put headphones in & then use your garden as much as you like but at least you won't be able to hear them.

I can't join the conversation as those are the rude people who harassed my family in past by banging our door just because my kid could be heard playing at home with friends on Saturday at 4pm!

Then we went thru verbal abuse on several occasions.

I cant defend myself, I dont know how.
I wont join conversation with someone who makes me feel scared

Angle a sun umbrella if poss. Or run a washing line high down the the garden and hang sheets. Block their line of sight.
They sound awful.

I know how you feel OP. I used to live in a terraced and we had similar lack of privacy with both neighbours. I hated being out in the garden.

I appreciate it's a bit drastic, but moving house was the best thing we ever did.

water sprinkler
one that whirrs round and hits the in the face from timeto time

I just read your reply about being too timid to make a noise especially because they complained before. No one will visit your house unless the noise is unreasonable and sustained and at anti social hours. For genuine complaints if noise they gave to keep sound recordings and a diary for 12 weeks. Play the music as soon as they start chatting and turn it off or down when they start again.

I'm installing planters with trellising along both my fences.

1 to block the noise so my reactive dog calms down a bit. It's very difficult to train her when they are shouting but they don't see that because they are arses.

2 to block out their excessive noise which frankly with 3 boys allowed to scream (no additional needs) on one side and a brat with a drum kit encouraged to play it until 9pm on the other it's very loud.
3 because I'm pissed off with sitting in my garden while they shout over my head and
4 because I love climbing plants and will be planting tons of clematis, jasmine, Bamboo etc. Hopefully by next summer they will be fully covering the area and growing nice and tall!

June2007 its everyday! Takes from 5 to 10 mins and it's literally over my head