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Original poster

Bench press on balcony beside ours, view from my dining table and seating area!

41 replies

bubblesforlife · 12/04/2019 15:32

So our neighbors just erected a 2-meter high bench press just over the fence of our balcony, it's the view from our dining table and balcony seating area. Tell me there is something in balcony rules that should protect us from neighbors doing this? Pleeeeease!!

He asked during the week could he erect a 2-meter high privacy screen but we said no higher than 1.5 meters because it blocks our sunlight. So he puts this absolute eye sore up instead!

Here is a pic for demonstration.

OP posts:
Loopytiles · 12/04/2019 15:34

Doubt there will be a rule about it. What does your lease say?

almondykess · 12/04/2019 15:35

This might be an unpopular opinion, but that looks alright to me. His bench press probably means a lot more to him than the very minor obstruction of your side view of some flats means to you. It's not blocking out the light or anything, and he did offer to put up a privacy screen so the sight of it didn't offend you.

BackforGood · 12/04/2019 15:44

I'm with almondykess.
Can't really see a problem with that. It isn't blocking your light, and, lets be honest isn't likely to be used much.
I'd much prefer that to having neighbour sitting out there smoking several times a day, for example - as that would impact upon me sitting out there.

Original poster
bubblesforlife · 12/04/2019 15:53

But imagine, I'm sitting at the dining table entertaining friends and my neighbor decides to work out... so we need to sit there and watch him? And listen to it squeak?
Maybe there is no specific rule, but from the perspective of being good neighbors and reasonable, he should not have put that up there. It is an eye sore!

OP posts:
LazyFace · 12/04/2019 15:54

You said no to the privacy fence.

HundredMilesAnHour · 12/04/2019 16:02

I'm sitting at the dining table entertaining friends and my neighbor decides to work out... so we need to sit there and watch him? And listen to it squeak?

So now you're being unreasonable OP. He can't use his balcony because you're having a dinner party on your balcony? Why would you be watching him? Do you usually stare at your neighbours when they're on their balconies?

Somewhere in a parallel universe your neighbour is writing on a gym forum about how he wants to work out on his balcony in peace and quiet but his neighbour keeps having noisy dinner parties and staring at him.

ILoveMaxiBondi · 12/04/2019 16:06

I imagine he doesn’t want to have to hear you and your friends scraping cutlery and clinking glasses and gossiping while he enjoys his balcony, but he has to tolerate it. As do you his bench press. (Is he fit? Grin)

BackforGood · 12/04/2019 16:07

You can't complain about an eyesore, when he offered to put up a fence and you refused. Hmm

Not having met your neighbour, it might not be an eyesore either Wink

However, presuming you don't have dinner parties on your balcony all day, every day, he might well avoid using it on the rare occasion that happens, and use it at any one of the other hours in the day or days in the week.

almondykess · 12/04/2019 16:08

Maybe you could get a curtain or something to hang across the divide when you're having dinner parties? It might make the atmosphere more intimate anyway.

EggplantVestibule · 12/04/2019 16:38

In the kindest possible way, I think you need to buy a house in the middle of a field OP. When you live in close proximity to others, in apartments/terraces etc, you will see and hear other people in their own properties, you just have to live and let live. After all, your neighbour may not wish to see/hear the things you do.

Original poster
bubblesforlife · 12/04/2019 16:56

I mean the view is from my living room dining table, not my balcony (well that too)! It is in full view, so we will see and hear his workouts while having our breakfast, dinner, and tea!

I really don't think I'm being unreasonable about being annoyed at it. His balcony is quite large, it's not lost for space either. If he moved it slightly we wouldn't see it from inside.

Of course, we declined the 2-meter privacy screen, it would block my sunlight coming into my living room.

OP posts:
Titsywoo · 12/04/2019 16:59

Have a glass screen made that is frosted? You can't see him and you still get light? Or ask him to move it? The view isn't nice anyway so if try and cover it if I were you!

PCohle · 12/04/2019 17:01

Your living room looks out directly onto his balcony. Of course anything he does there will be totally visible to you (especially as you refused a privacy screen.) That doesn't mean you get to control how and when he's allowed to use his own balcony.

He's not depriving you of light or of a particularly stunning view.

Mapril · 12/04/2019 17:04

Well it's not like it's a brilliant view anyway, but I do understand how it might be a bit awkward. Ask him to budge it back a bit?

Maybe make a bit of a joke about making up a set of score cards and having the family give him marks as they eat dinner.

SoHotADragonRetired · 12/04/2019 17:04

It's a couple of poles? And all it's "blocking" your view of is some other flats. It's his balcony and he can put what he likes on it. Do you also complain about when he blocks your light by standing/sitting out there?

If your view is over his balcony then yeah, you are going to see what he is doing on his balcony. If you want privacy for your dinner parties, move to a different property or put up a screen of your own.

Processedpea · 12/04/2019 17:06

That's an ugly thing to look at

ILoveMaxiBondi · 12/04/2019 17:10

You could always pull a blind down on your window when he is using it.

Singlenotsingle · 12/04/2019 17:10

Why don't you just ask him if he wouldn't mind not using it on a particular day if you give him enough notice?

Loopytiles · 13/04/2019 09:06

“Good neighbour” is subjective. The lease sets out the rules: if he’s complying with them that’s fair enough.

OhMyGodTheyKilledKenny · 13/04/2019 09:11

so we will see and hear his workouts while having our breakfast, dinner, and tea!

Blimey, how often does he work out?! Every waking hour?

Or might you have exaggerated a little?

CapeDaisy5 · 13/04/2019 09:14

You look like you are standing at the doorway to your balcony, and his is to the left of yours. So how is it right on front of your view when you have a meal?

NicoAndTheNiners · 13/04/2019 09:21

I don't think you can buy a property where the balconies are so close together and be so visible from inside your house and then complain that you can see your neighbour on his balcony.

Nobody does push ups for an extensive length of time. He could be doing far worse things such as sitting out there with a radio on full blast, etc.

Doghorsechicken · 13/04/2019 09:26

Could you just wave/stare at him whilst he’s working out to make him feel uncomfortable? Grin it might put him off using it!

PineapplePatty · 13/04/2019 09:27

AIBU? Everyone yes

OP No I'm not.

And repeat...

insancerre · 13/04/2019 09:30

So was the balcony there when you went to view the flat?
Of course yabu