Neighbours should not look into my home?

[Happygonotlucky]

We have huge glass doors in our back extension. We got them to allow us to enjoy the view. My husband thinks we should have curtains as our neighbours can see into our kitchen/diner/family room, especially when lights are on in the evening, when they are outside in their gardens. He feels exposed/vulnerable to being watched.

I feel our neighbours should do the right thing and not stare into our home. Am I being unreasonable to not buy curtains for privacy and expect neighbours to do the right thing. One of our neighbours is a bit unfriendly and from time to time we have seen her staring and analysing our house.

Do you have curtain treatment for your glass doors? Do you care if your neighbours can see you living your life in your home? Do you think they should just do the right and polite thing and not stare and analyse what you have and are doing?

Well they shouldn’t stare, but I HATE having the lights in and curtains open.

Well if I don't want people to look in i would have curtains or not a massive window, sure if you want to go down the 'well other people should do what I have decided for them' route that is of course up to you

I'd have curtains for when it's dark, mainly to keep the heat in during winter (and conversely the sun out if it's a really hot day!)

Whether they should or not, you can't stop them. Get some light voile curtains so you can let light in and also obstruct the view when needed.

I think it’s natural to have a look if you can see in somewhere. Not sitting staring but natural curiosity and your eye would be drawn to the light.

Curtains are the obvious solution and keep heat in as well.

i think most people won’t stare but obviously they’ll catch sight of you from time to time. Probably wouldn’t bother me but I can see why some people might not like it. Some kind of a discrete blind might suit the aesthetic better if it’s a modern vibe.

It’s quite normal to look, not stare, I’m with your husband too, no way I’d be living in a fish bowl with the neighbours able to see in.

YABU
if you don’t want to be looked at, get curtains/blinds, you cant control the actions/decisions of the people around you who have eyes.

Just put some of they film over the glass, that way you can see out and neighbours can't see in. Simple

I had big patio doors years ago and never thought to close the curtains once dark as they faced onto my garden and nobody could see in. One night I spotted something out of the corner of my eye, so I continued to look at the same spot and a head appeared at the patio door. Some creepy bloke had gone into my garden and was watching me through the window. I always keep my curtains closed now when it's dark.

I wouldn't have got massive glass doors in my new extension if I was overlooked by neighbours like this. No wonder they are fuming staring. Without curtains perhaps you're causing them loads of light pollution?

We have no blinds on our sets of glass doors as we're not overlooked there.

So you want your eyes to have free reign, looking at the neighbours houses, noticing where they are looking etc but you want your neighbours eyes to 'do the right thing' and not look at you?

If they weren't looking at you, how could they see you looking at them looking at you?

How can they see into your house from their garden? Don’t you have a fence?

I think maybe you should be considerate of your neighbours and not impose the inside view of your house on their eye line. Get some curtains!

*rein 🙄

If people want to look in your windows you can’t stop them. Get curtains if you’re bothered.

Windows and patio doors always look so cold and harsh at night when there are no curtains so I'd hang some for that reason alone.

I believe if you don’t want people to look in then you shouldn’t have the lights on and curtains open. It’s very easy to accidentally find yourself looking into someone’s home at night, humans are nosey creatures!

If you don't want curtains, why not grow plants / trees in the garden to block the view

I'd have a good nose in tbh.

Yabu

Not at night. My neighbours thought this too until another neighbour requested to join into their sessions ;)

I don't have curtains at the back, I don't really care if people look in or not. They would have to go upstairs and stare out an upstairs window. To watch me having a cup of tea or washing the dishes. So I just don't worry about it at all.

I want to know about this analysing you think they're doing, @Happygonotlucky . How do you know what's going on their heads?

Sorry to say but you are totally unreasonable. You install massive windows ( which can feel quite intrusive to neighbours, ) put yourselves and your house on display, and then complain about the neighbours seeing you?
My mum’s neighbours have done this, it means she feels uncomfortable sitting in her own garden.
Put up blinds so that your neighbours are not having to avoid seeing you and your lights!