To tell nosy CFs to stop peeking over the fence!

[WhatToDoAboutTheNosys]

So we live in a small cul-de-sac and have a good neighbourhood situation.

But one of the families are such nosy CFs! They've said they like where their house is so they can see everything going on, and they barely try to hide their peeking.

Our gardens are next to each other, The fence is high but if they go right up to it or to the back of their garden then can "sneak" a look into ours.

Usually we just laugh or shake our heads at their nosyness but I'm starting to think do we need a word? We don't have anything to hide but it's not on us it! And how to say it?!

Recently we had work done in the garden and one of the other houses saw Mr Nosy on tip toes on his driveway trying to get a better look at what was going on.

This evening we've had people round in the garden and I saw him right up at the fence peeking over. This isn't unusual but just made me think ffs what does he get out of knowing who we have round.

What would you all do? It will awkward to say anything and undoubtedly he'll go in a huff with us too.

I'd imagine as with most MN posts, there's a parallel universe one with an OP asking if there's anything to be done about the neighbours who first ruined everyone's peace and quiet with their renovation work ("kept looking over the fence in the hope they'd finished") and then sat in the garden with friends doing the same.

@Atishoos the OP hasn't mentioned the age of her neighbour and you clearly are ignorant as fuck about mental health issues including dementia.

We have a running joke about why our neighbour wants to spend so much time in the garden all weekend. (Sorry neighbours).

We have an electric mower. The neighbour has a super smelly awful mower. It's quite obnoxious. DH was talking about getting a new one soon. I told him I want him to get the most smelly and offensive mower he can, and mow when the neighbours are having quiet time outside. All a joke of course, we wouldn't actually do that. I guess we deal with it with humour.

Thank you. I looked after my mother who had vascular dementia, and the things she got up to are unrepeatable! Most involved bashing me black and blue, and doing and saying inappropriate things in public. I learned to stay at least 1 metre away from her to avoid injury.

Some information on Mr Nosy, he's around retirement age and no dementia or any issues like that.

They are all a very nosy family! He doesn't peer all the time but just when something/someone is different. But they just keep tabs on everything, some nosy info on the family:
👃They have had a tour around our house and been in the garden, so no curiosity there!
👃A couple of years ago a few houses were having drinks in our garden with us. We popped into the kitchen and Mr Nosy opened up our dishwasher to have a look inside?!?!
👃They have a grown up daughter, I have been pregnant in this house and so has another neighbour. When we told her BOTH times she said "yes I know I saw you get home with your midwife book".
👃Their neighbour on the other side caught him squatted behind the fence to listen to a conversation!!
👃A workman we all use was doing work and found Mr Nosy having a good nose round the back of his van

The weird thing is they are also very caring. They often offer to help if we might need anything and they have happily driven DH to A&E before. So there are good hearts there, just bloody big nosy noses too

Well at least you can have the added assurance that anyone nosing around looking to scope properties for breaking in will be spotted. I’d look on the bright side - you’ve got your own local security team! You never know when you might need it. Have a chat with them - get to know them and they might be a bit less nosy!!. Good neighbours are a godsend.

Just seen your last update - it sounds like they’re a bit bored!!

@Wildspace yeah absolutely we totally feel safe because of their nosyness literally nothing would get past them!
We have a close neighbour relationship, chats on the drive, have been to the local pub for meals etc but the nosyness is still very annoying!
That are most definitely bored but they have plenty of resources and things in their life to make themselves unbored if they wanted to!!

As you have a close relationship why not tell him to his face that you are getting pissed off with his constant nosiness and eavesdropping? Ask him to rein it in?