To think there is nothing that neighbour can do about this?

[spoonielife95]

I recently had a security light put up outside - because of the way the electrics are wired up it comes on at night and then stays on all night rather than being a motion sensor one. The housing association approved it and were the ones that actually came and fitted it after a safety inspection of the house by domestic abuse charity because I have an extremely abusive ex partner (neighbours don’t know him because I moved on my own).

My neighbour makes a comment every night it comes on, her bedroom is at the front however our houses are staggered so she would only see the light if she opened her curtains and actively looked for it or went outside for some reason - I have checked this myself.

AIBU to think that even though she might be irritated by this there is nothing she can actually do because the housing association agreed for me to have it?

she would only see the light if she opened her curtains and actively looked for it or went outside for some reason - I have checked this myself.
How could you have checked this? Unless you’ve tried to sleep in her room before and after then you don’t know how much light now filters in.

Get in touch with the people who fitted it. If they can’t help then tell your neighbour you’ve tried and if she wants to contact them she can.

Wtf @Anotherguy how is that helpful?

What, exactly, do you think a light does (Apart from cause light pollution 24/7) ? It doesn’t emit some some of shield, it’s literally a light.

Surely a security light would be much more of a déterrant and alert, than one that’s always on? Especially with a neighbour who’s a bit sensitive to it “ooh, @spoonielife95 I saw a man coming down your driveway last night when the security light picked him up and he pegged it, I got his car registration if that’s useful?”

Your poor neighbour probably doesn’t have blackout curtains and now you’ve turned up, why should she be out of pocket to have redo all her curtains? I’d be less-than-impressed with a new neighbour with your attitude, and significantly less likely to help that I would otherwise, as I imagine most would be, so it might be worth rethinking.

I can understand why you’ve got this, but I can also understand why your neighbour is complaining - a bright light coming into your bedroom and stopping you from sleeping is hell. Is the light reflecting off something and making it brighter for her than you? I’d be inclined to try and work with her to find a solution - or if she’s really just nit picking then ignore her.

Do you also have cameras and an alarm - or is it literally just a light?

I would lose my mind with a bright light coming in my window. Hard to have understanding for someone when it is affecting your quality of life.

If I were her, I'd personally just wear an ice mask or get out black out curtains. Dont see it as a major issue when there's resolutions.

I’m not asking how useful the light is - it has been assessed by professionals which I’m guessing you’re not?

Yes because nobody else in the world possibly knows how home security works.

none of us have alarms and cameras and light systems ourselves based on what actually deters people wanting to enter our houses.

How is that helpful?

😂😁😅

i made a completely valid point. Security lights don’t stop offenders in quiet enclosed spaces, they can actually do the very opposite and help them

There's probably nothing your neighbour can do but, in her shoes, I'd be contacting the housing association and getting them to change it to a motion sensor light.

A bright light shining into a bedroom is a massive nuisance. My neighbours security light used to beam straight into my bedroom. I politely asked them to angle it down a bit and they obliged. But they're nice neighbours...

Your attitude suggests that you think your need for security outweighs the nuisance the light is causing. Why not try to be a good neighbour and find a compromise instead of being so defensive..?

It sounds to me as though she wants attention and is picking holes in order to get it. If that's the case, as soon as you sort one thing, she'll find something else. Does her house belong to the same housing association? If it does, perhaps they would fit a blackout curtain for her?

@PinotPony I’ve turned it off plenty of times to keep the peace but it defeats the object - you can’t move the light down and she’s the only one it’s affecting - people opposite said it’s fine, people on the other side said it’s fine - I don’t have the time to sit on the phone for hours but if she wants to do that that’s fine I won’t object to them changing it

@INeverSawAPurpleCow i really do think that is the case because whenever she sees us outside or hears my door open she’s outside the front door inspecting what’s happening - it’s a case of I run to my car now because I know she’ll be outside watching and I don’t want to deal with it

Are you always this incapable of seeing things from other people’s point of view, OP?

Of course you need your light, but your neighbour is also entitled to a bedroom unpolluted by light.

You need the light, you sit on the phone to the company.

Being a victim of abuse doesn’t entitle you to be a twit.

It's the OP's attitude that's the issue I think rather than the light.

This would drive me insane OP, you need to change it.

I need total darkness to sleep so the period between December and January is a pain in the arse for me with everyone’s bloody Christmas lights. I couldn’t imagine that all year round.

YOU had the light installed on YOUR property, you can’t expect your neighbour to phone the council to get it changed, that’s your responsibility!

How does the light make you sleep better at night? It doesn't.

You're upsetting your neighbour and yes, there is little they can do about it. But there is a lot you can do about it.

You have the right to safety OP - but how exactly does a light do that?

Why should your neighbour have to start wearing eye masks just to sleep in her own home? Wildly unreasonable, a light like that would drive me mad, you are being very unfair.

I work for a HA, phone your HA they should be able to fix/amend the security light.

it isn’t acceptable that your disturbing your neighbours and also not good for your electricity bills/nightlife.