That my neighbour’s paranoia is not my problem.

[Libertylawn]

I have lived in my house for 20 years and it’s got a loft conversion which was done originally as a granny flat, so little kitchen and bathroom, 2 bedrooms. We are semi rural but near a couple of major employers and a business park and so I started letting out the annex to contractors. They are all fully vetted and usually just down for a couple of weeks or so. The rooms overlook farmland and my garden and also my neighbour’s garden.

My neighbour when she found out about the lodgers went bananas and has tried to report me to anyone that will listen, because she firmly believes it isn’t safe and as a consequence she and her children won’t go in the garden AT ALL, in case my lodgers are watching her. Why the hell they would want to watch her or her kids is beyond me.

The neighbour has kids the same age as mine, and we have mutual friends. She has cried - tears crying - saying how worried she is and that I’m ruining her dream house. The houses are detached, there’s no shared drive etc so this is all on the basis of the chances of nutters watching her put her washing on the line. I’ve ignored her so far but this morning I got a card through the door from her begging that I stop letting out the annex to anyone “except maybe relatives.” I’ve tried talking to her but am getting nowhere. She’s crackers isn’t she?

Yes. Completely crackers..

Ignore her. Shes being absolutely ridiculous.

Batshit.
Report to 101 if she continues to harrass you over this.

Absolutely batshit.

Tell her (if you must) that you carefully vet lodgers, you know where they work and who they are and if you think they're safe to live IN your home with you then they're safe to accidentally catch a glimpse of her trundling round her garden.

Have you pointed out to her that you have every right in law to do what you are doing? And that you could, if you so wished, let out your entire house as an Air B&B, so the whole place could be full of absolute strangers?

I wonder if your neighbour has at some time had a problem with a stranger's behaviour and so she's jumping to conclusions that most people would never reach.

There is no rationale at all for the way she is behaving.
Your property so you can rent to whom you like.
If she won't speak with you directly then if you feel you want to explain to her your perfectly normal arrangement then you could put a letter through the door.

I don’t understand her problem - they will be at the office in the daytime anyway surely. She’s being ridiculous.

Tell her to get a grip, she is being absolutely ridiculous, and making an absolute fool of hersel.

Tell her you are going to convert the house to an HMO....

Not worried about your lodgers, but I'd keep an eye on the noighbour. She sounds batshit.

Tell her you're moving out due to her unreal expectations of what you should be doing with your house and will be turning your house into an air bnb unless she stops this ridiculous campaign.
Can you also put up nets on the windows just as some screening maybe just to keep the peace?

Yes, absolutely batshit. Ignore her, she’s ridiculous.

Loads of people's gardens (probably the vast majority) are overlooked by neighbours' windows. And people don't control who their neighbours are, or who might be visiting their neighbours.

Does she also refuse to walk down the street because she might be visible to other people?

How do you ‘fully vet’ lodgers. I don’t think you can even get a DBS on a lodger

She sounds just like Catherine Tate’s middle class mummy wailing to her children that they must ‘be brave’ because they had to have a nanny from ‘The North’ for a day!

Those poor children being banned from using the garden in this lovely weather…she does sound a bit batty and best avoided.

Yes, completely crackers. Tell her she's not in the least interesting to look at and neither are her kids.

I would stop answering the door. Make sure you have cameras and if she continues to chap the door I'd report her. Your house, your choice who comes and goes. Absolutely no need for tears over it.

That’s a good point. They’ll be at work when the children are likely to be in the garden. Plus you’ll have full information as to who they are, etc.

I can only assume she has some sort of trauma that is causing her to behave this way because it’s very paranoid and over the top. I’m not sure who she thinks she can report this to because it’s definitely not illegal for anybody to look out of a window. Can’t some of your mutual friends have a word with her?

Funny you should say that - no, I don’t get to see their DBS and DBS was mentioned to one of our mutual friends. But I barely say 10 words to anyone staying here, so unless they’re a secret axe murderer and simultaneously working for a company you’d have heard of, I’m not too worried.

One of the mutual friends says that she had tried to report me for “change of use” or something because I’m making a profit/running a business. But I live here too so that doesn’t stack. And I declare it all anyway.

She sounds mentally unwell. I’d send her a letter stating you are letting the annex in your home and are fully compliant with all rules and regulations. You are not willing to discuss further with her.

It's completely illogical, how does she know you or your partner are not watching her kids? If we want to go down that rabbit hole.

Do her children never go out in public?

Also a dbs is largely meaningless unless someone has convictions. Wayne couzens had an enhanced DBS and police vetting.

Tell her rental is 1k a month, to secure 1 month deposit and a month in advance. She can then have control of the annexe. Otherwise she gets no say.