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

Buy your kids supersoakers 😉

Given they’ve complained re tv noise and a child playing-utterly ridiculous-complain re their talking across you. It’s intimidating, disruptive and prevents you from the quiet enjoyment of your home, to which you’re entitled. Wankers.

Just wanted to say how sorry I am that you have racist bullies as your NDN.

Please report them if they have made racist comments to you, don't let them think they can get away with intimidating you!

I hope you find a solution from some of the comments left above.

When Environmental Health turn up they won't come and see you they will get neighbours to record you so stay quiet.

Washing line blocking their line of sight sounds most feasible.

Morrisons supermarket had tall bamboo in pots think were £20. You could sit the pot on top of something to raise it up if not tall enough to screen the neighbour.

Absolutely bamboo in pots just by the side of your door. And a pot on each step. Neighbour on left will have to talk to the bamboo.

Start mowing the lawn every time they start chatting. They won’t be able to hear each other any more. If the lawn doesn’t need cutting that often, other options might include jet washing patio furniture, or power tools for some long-overdue DIY projects. Stop as soon as they go inside... they should get the message

This ^

NOT LOUD MUSIC! They will start to do the same in revenge and you will end up worse off - and so will every else in the street.

Do jobs involving mowers, saws etc, or, as someone else suggested, jin in the conversation, or play a noisy pump-action water pistol game with your son.

Plant something tall and quick growing (bamboo has been suggested) but buddleia will establish pretty quickly (not for this year, but for the future and will bring lots of bees and butterflies into your garden, which is always a bonus.

You can make large troughs and plant up bamboo either side of your steps, next to the fence.
Or a leaf blower is very noisy. It looks like you could use one in your garden to keep it pristine. Is that an errant leaf? Get the leaf blower out. A feather? Leaf blower. My neighbour has one and it drives me mad as it's just a droning loud noise for an indeterminate amount of time.

They don’t get to tell you when you can make noise, between 7am and 11pm you can make reasonable noise. That means having the TV on, doing DIY, playing and making family noise

As above. You are legally entitled to make a reasonable noise between 7.00 and 11.00. Thisincludes DIY, gardening, radio at moderate levels and children playing

Your neighbours young children trying to sleep aren't your problem (as long as you aren't blasting music etc out, or shrieking and screaming at each other, or revving a motorbike or anything like that - that IS anti-social), but if their children can't sell with ordinary street and garden noise, then they need to get thicker curtains, replace their windows etc.

Same for the ones who work from home - tough! they can't expect total silence because they want to do their accounts or whatever.

Bamboo on steps, so they can't talk across is a great idea. But also get a couple of angled parasols which means you can't see them when you're down in the garden, and sit out there with headphones on so you can't hear them. That also means no complaints about noise against you - you're so considerate you are listening to all your music through them... Your steps and decking look lovely btw.

It looks as though you have a nice large parasol umbrella next to your steps OP. Pin some voile or organza material to it. That should block their view of each other. A bit like this (but without the decorations).

Hanging baskets are perfect idea. Either side of your door on some quite sticky-out brackets. That way it blocks their view to each's other step. If you don't want old fashioned find something more modern.

And how could they complain about you having hanging baskets?

Or (if you can) extend your step and pop a couple of enormous pots down - again - just enough to block their view.

Two trellises or something similar to form sides to your patio doors then they are blocked from seeing across your back door. Like a porch but just with sides iyswim. You could easily attach something like this to sides of your steps. I'd report them though this is harassment, they are obv. planning when to come out probably texting each other or something.

Get the music on, get the kids out to bounce a ball, have a loud conversation on the phone to drown them out.

You need a really big Cantilever parasol, you can angle it so it’s almost horizontal and it would create a screen on one side.

A trellis arch over your back door/ top step. Big rectangular planters either side and some lovely climbers winter jasmine, ivy, clematis maybe a rose or two.

I'd also go for one of those old fashioned washing lines that you hoist up really high and air your bedding on nice days to help break the habbit of chatting over the fences.

Hanging baskets are a brilliant idea. Really big ones.

I'd put a shrub in a pot in the corner next to the door.

Or as app said start joining in on their conversation, that will really annoy them.

You are rejecting or ignoring a lot of decent suggestions

If you absolutely cannot handle any confrontation or ‘sticking up for yourself’ I would seriously consider moving. You can’t live your life like this and either can your son. Life is too short. They are disgraceful people and you deserve better than this.

To answer your question about the law - sadly the law in Britain isn’t clear on this kind of thing. I doubt you’d get far arguing it was an invasion of privacy etc. So I’d not hold out any hope for that avenue.

Racist comments can be reported to police as a hate crime. You might be better off trying that tactic.

But honestly, if it is that bad and you don’t want to face them down you might have to consider moving. I know a few adults who wish their parents had done that.

I have a retractable washing line positioned outside my window, just where your back door is. It extends diagonally across to a fence panel and attaches with a hook. We’ve lived here 15 years and have never wound it up.

This isn't the reason we got it, but where our (and neighbours) gardens slope down towards the houses, I used to feel quite exposed in the sitting room when they came into their garden (which they do a lot, as our parking is at the back). A line full of washing gives me complete privacy, which I like, even though I’m positive they weren’t interested in looking at me. For you it might stop people talking across your garden.

I hate the gazebo idea, as why should you and your family hide away. Your neighbours are atrocious.

By the way, your steps look gorgeous

I'd do a big trellis arch around your back door