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?

Because people believe that pedophiles are never relatives

The neighbour could take control of her own issues and put some up!

Plenty of people live in places that are overlooked by flats and have various people they have never met and who may regularly change overlooking their homes. And it has absolutely zero impact on their lives.

She sounds like one of those lobotomised hotel yellers

I guess the clue was in the opening msg - semi rural, overlooking farmland. No flats, where you'd expect lots of coming and going.

Still not a reasonable position from the neighbour...

This.

I hope she gets past it soon and lets her children out to play.

Don’t engage with her about it anymore either. End of.

You should stop being jealous.

There is a world of difference between a HMO full of students and 2 professions letting rooms for 4 nights so they can work nearby.

The professionals are not noisy (apart from one once) or messy (in my experience of living next door to students). The OP has done an amazing job of keeping her DCs home.

When my DS was travelling with work he used Airbnb for a room in people's homes and all he did was work, go back with a takeaway or after dinner out, sleep and shower.

I don't see how stopping people taking in lodgers will help the housing crisis. It might help BnBs I suppose.
Then again, I don't think crushing the small landlords (but not the big ones) has helped the housing crisis either.
You crack on OP. You're doing a good thing and your neighbour will just have to live with it as we all have to live with our (sometimes batshit) neighbours.

Would you really like a succession of random people over looking your garden?

I live in a mid terrace - I've no idea at all, who lives next door one side of me, and no idea who is in and out of either neighbouring property on a regular basis, both can look into my back garden from back bedrooms/bathroom windows.

Couldn't give a shit. Not my business, not my problem, does not affect me in the slightest. Why would it?

True. I was working on the premise that if I had a criminal record it would show up on the DBS whereas anything that happens after (as long as it remains undiscovered) would make the DBS worthless - not that they're worth very much to start with.

Tell her you’re related to all of them! 😂

I would probably write her a note and pop it through her door. But then I’m a self confessed people pleaser !

something like

Dear NIMBY
Thank you for your card expressing your concerns about me renting out the annex.
I wanted to let you know that I am going to continue renting to contractors but although I don’t know what your concerns are, I wanted to reassure you that they are all professional working people, so are not home during the day, therefore there is no reason for you not to be able to still enjoy your outdoor space. I also wanted to reassure you that the view from the annex is limited to only the very bottom of your garden (amend to say what can be seen), and the view of the farms is much nicer and appealing.
I hope this goes some way in reassuring you but also is informative about the current agreement with contractors not changing anytime soon.
MYour sincerely
@Libertylawn

Tell her they are checked vetted none of her business .

I assume the people wittering on about DBS checks on your lodgers have always demanded full DBS checks on anyone they've sold a home to, on the off-chance that they too might be paedos intent on molesting the kids next-door.

Yes, your neighbour is nuts and no, you should not 'compromise' with privacy films on the windows or any of that nonsense. You are completely entitled to have people staying on your property and your neighbour has zero grounds for complaint. She doesn't like strangers - so fucking what? Not your problem and it would be ridiculous to pander to her when her problem is in her own head.

It's no different to living next door to a bed and breakfast, they aren't all DBS checked🤷 ignore, if she doesn't like it she needs to move to a remote detached house!

I think the majority of people wouldn’t care. Why would you ? Not your circus, not your monkeys.

If OP advertised on a rental/lodging website, they have facilities to pre vet applicants and ask for renters references. Many also have facilities for those looking for somewhere to rent/lodge to supply these details when they register to be pre checked so they are quickly and easily available to the prospective landlord - it’s called renter ready.

I agree, we have a HMO at the back of us, constantly changing tenants, I really don’t care. We have lived here for a few years now and I don’t notice them.

Why on earth would you have random men in your home when you have children? Vetted or not. Vetting only shows those who’ve been caught….

Talk me through the risks…

I agree. That would be stupid.

However that is not what the OP is doing. I suggest you read the OP's post again, only properly.

If she were having random men in her home, you may have a point.

Yes! I like this one!