To ask for advice about right to privacy from our neighbours

[Colourofspring]

I have posted about this before but the situation has got worse. We live in terraced housing with small back yards & our neighbour has built a massive garden room that fills the whole back yard pretty much and looks directly into my 12 year old daughters bedroom.

The neighbours have teenage boys and yesterday (and for the last few weekends) there have been large groups of teenage boys in the garden room looking straight into DD’s bedroom so she has to sit with her curtains drawn all the time. I feel like it’s not on on multiple accounts - it’s also really noisy and impossible to sit in our back yard quietly too but I am more bothered about how much of an invasion of privacy it is for my DD.

Aibu? Anyone got any advice? Am feeling pretty pissed off and resentful about it to be honest - I feel like our peace and privacy is being invaded. It’s really tricky in terraces anyway as it’s such a small space!’

I didn’t get from the OPs post they were gaping.

I'm in a bungalow and I've just put mirror film on my bedroom window as everyone who walks to the front door walks directly toward the bedroom and is just naturally staring in the whole time they're walking up the path. I was keeping the curtains closed as I hated that it was basically 'on display' to everyone, the mirror film is just fab, can see out perfectly and no one looking in. It obviously only works if it's brighter outside than inside, so if you do use it make sure DD shuts the curtains if she has the light on!

It also sticks on with just water, so will just peel off if/when we want to, with no glue or anything left behind.

I fitted it myself in an hour with a spray bottle of water, a credit card for a squeegee and a craft knife.

It was this one https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09KZYN93V?ref_=cm_sw_r_apan_dp_JHZY8C5H6A2AZF5J3904&starsLeft=1

Have you asked the council?

Any kind of build would require building regs to come and see the build at particular points to be okayed and signed off before the next stage of the build. If anything was built without the correct planning permission/permitted development in place, the council would have put a stop to it before the build had begun. You can check on your local portal online for permitted development as well as planning permission.

just speak to your council i really suspect this has not been approved - our neighbour tried to have a window which looked into our bedroom window on a 90 degree angle - planning office came into our bedroom and it took him literally one second to say that's not getting approved.

That's how it should work, but in reality, most planning departments are so short staffed, they don't have the ability to check the applications for Building Regs to see if they need PP.

OP just report it to the planning enforcement team - they will investigate.

I've been told that nowadays, they only come out at the end of the build for a one-storey extension. (That's what happened with us.) Might be the same for a garden room?

Plus, we don't know that they actually applied for permission. ETA I mean they wouldn't put a stop to a build that they were unaware of.

Only if building regs were required. We didn't need them for converting our garage because we didn't do anything that required them . I did check and they emailed.

Just report them to the council, it's not hard.

It's not legal to have a window or door on the side (of anything newly built) where it looks directly onto neighbouring property. It has to be privacy glass or a wall!

I suspect they have no permission for this. When we had our garage converted, we wanted a window at the front. We had to write to the landowner of the (empty) field opposite! Because we would have a window onto his land that wasn’t there before. I don’t think an extension with windows overlooking your windows would be allowed. You should have got a letter of notification seeking your approval.

You can object to the council if they have put in a new window that was not there before that looks directly onto your property. I cannot see how they would have approved that on inspection

They cannot put a window facing straight into a habitable room in your property.
YOU NEED TO REPORT THIS TO THE PLANNERS.

Permitted development does not void your rights.

Morally and legally they’re perfectly entitled to do with their garden whatever they want so long as it’s within the law.

I would discuss any specific issues that you have proof of - eg, staring in to the window etc. BUT - the chances are they don’t find your daughter the least bit interesting and you’re being paranoid. If you’re that worried buy some privacy film.

Contact the planning enforcement team at your local council. They should investigate whether it falls within the rules for permitted development, which sounds unlikely from what you have said.

This is what net/voile curtains are for. It's hardly an un-fixable problem.

Have you actually looked up the address on the council planning website?
It shows you things built under permitted development. Our extension was. But we still needed building control checks etc

If they can see into the window from the ground level garden room, am I right in thinking that if they were sitting in the garden in the same spot (with no garden room there) - they'd also be able to see into the window?

In our area, if if takes up more than 50% of the garden, it's not allowed.

I would take pics and send to planning dept at the council. From what you've described it very much would not be permitted.

You can buy privacy film cheaply online to install on windows so she can see.out but they cant see in.

My dc have got windows that come down low, so they have frosted film on the lower panes and blinds for night time. I've got voiles on the lower pane (and curtains for night time)

Google Japanese Privet Pleached Tree for Privacy Screening

Expensive but will block out your neighbours x

Taller fence?

It's not permitted development if it looks into a bedroom.

If you don't think it's permitted development you can complain to planning and they'll look into it.

You just need that reflective stuff on her windows. She can see out but they can't see in. Sorted.