Do you think the garden is shared?

[Helpgarden]

So I’m moving into a ground floor flat council owned. There are two flats above me. It’s a house that’s split. One’s private and the top one is council owned too. Only way into the back garden is through the gate. When they put the property for bid it said privet garden. But when viewing the lady said she don’t know we’re waiting to hear back. I’ve attached pictures as you can see there no fence just a gate leading to the back garden. I don’t like the idea of someone peeping in my kitchen or bathroom. I am disabled. And suffer with anxiety and depression. And it make me scared and uncomfortable. As you can see the flat on the other side I would understand. There no fence in the garden so I don’t know. Any help I would be grateful.

My first place was the same type of set up. I owned the ground floor flat. The garden was completely mine and upstairs had no access to it. The neighbouring flats were all the same. Gardens belonged to the ground floor flats. You definitely need that in writing though and I'd check who owns the shed/cupboard things in that garden.

The only people who can tell you are the council.

Apparently there keys to the back gate but I don’t know who has the copies

There are two doors opening onto it with no fence would think it is highly unlikely to be private in that case. The council should know if shared by more than ground floor flats

When I've lived in similar before with a side access and gate all the flats shared and used the garden space.

Where there has been no side access, those gardens have been for the sole use of the ground floor flat.

It looks like a shared courtyard.
shared by all of the properties on the right and the left (the two flats that have doors that lead straight on to courtyard, also the flats above)

All we can do is speculate but as a PP said the only people who know for sure are the council.

If you're worried about anyone looking through your windows, make sure you keep the blinds closed.

It looks as if there should be a fence between the two gardens / yards.

Ask the council and ask them to put it in writing.

We can’t possibly know. But there’s no reason why your neighbours would bother to ‘peep’ in your kitchen or bathroom. Lots of people have windows overlooking the street etc. Put blinds or curtains up in the bathroom and relax about the kitchen.

If you’re lucky, your neighbours might become friends, or at least the sort of neighbours you can pass the time of day with and will do you small favours like take parcels in or help move your bins. Most people are decent.

Good luck in your new home.

If you’re a single person being offered council housing I would count yourself lucky, it sounds like it’s unusual! If you can’t afford private I don’t think you can be picky (in the nicest possible way, I don’t think you’ll be offered better)

I spoke to the person next door and the council told him that his side is technically a privet garden for him. And the stuff in the garden on our side is the top floor flat in our building. I saw him today from the bathroom window and he looked in the kitchen and stopped very quickly when he realised me and my partner were in the bathroom. He was putting up clothes to dry. But the clothes line is technically on the other garden. There is a small boundary line on the floor if you look.

You simply cannot conclude who has full ownership based on how something looks. You need to go back to the council for confirmation.