Neighbouring windows

[YourCheekyDenimOtter]

We have just moved into our home. We have not really ventured into the rear garden due to the weather. Two days in and i have only just realised that the neighbouring house, which backs on to our property has changed their windows from frosted glass to clear. The reason I write this is because the neighbouring property backs directly onto our garden. It has no rear garden. The back wall of the house, with the now clear glass windows, is on the border between the two properties. There is a low fence which is more there for decoration. We were informed that the neighbours were aware that they could not open their windows as effectively this would mean the open windows will be on our property. I hope this gives a clear picture of how close their property borders our small rear garden. I am aware, and have photographs, of the opaque glass. I took these pictures in September and October. They must have changed the glass after that, I think they are trying to capture more light as their house is North facing but the windows in question are South facing. We can see directly into all 3 windows (ground and first floor) but what I am more concerned about is they can see us when we use our garden. I am shocked that this change appears to be a sneaky move as they must have been aware that our house was for sale before we moved in. They have spent the money and I am sure they will be reluctant to change the windows back to opaque. The sellers said nothing to us. Do I have any grounds to ask them to return their windows to the original state? Nothing is stated in our deeds. Any advice?

Put up a screen of some kind fairly close to it - a sail? A green screen? Grow plants up a trellis along bottom (but not right up against window?)

It the house is that close couldn’t they always see into your garden from the upstairs windows anyway? Agree it’s unsettling but not actually sure how much of an argument you’d have.

our neighbours just added a side window into their house that looked straight into our side window (our houses are the same and have a window on the left but none on the right). We argued about it for a while and I just gave up. Then they apparently looked out at the wrong time and found my shirtless husband lifting weights in the hallway (as hes always done). Amusingly they put a privacy thing up the next day.

They could only see into our garden if they opened the windows. According to the sellers they were prohibited from doing so. They added the windows about 20 years ago - how they got away with it is beyond me! However, with the frosted glass it didn't bother me. Now it does. All of the windows, ground and first floor were frosted so they would not have been able to look into our garden. Now they can. Not that we are that interesting 😁but it feels intrusive somehow. Perhaps I could get my husband to lift weights in the garden...could prove very effecitve 😂.

I was thinking about putting my childrens trampoline close to the windows - so tempting but I honestly don't want the drama. Yes, will think about some kind of screening. Good idea, thank you.

Can I just ask (having read other similar threads!) why people don’t consider this before buying a property???
I’d never buy anything so overlooked!

Check to see if the planning permission for their property stipulates opaque glass. If so it's a clear breach and you can request enforcement.

Windows with frosted glass can be installed under permitted development (ie don't require planning permission). Planning permission is required for 'normal' windows. Check to see if they have planning permission. I suspect they are just trying to sneak the change in and hope you didn't realise they used to be frosted.

We fell in love with the house and its location allows our children to walk to school. But I won't deny the neighbours windows did alarm me at first. I have never seen this situation in any property I have visited in my life! But as the glass was opaque it felt fine. There was no way they could see into our garden. I just focussed on everything I loved about the house and let the window situation slip into a non issue. I would agree with you that I should have put more consideration into the matter.

You can put windows with frosted glass anywhere you like but they would need permission for transparent windows. Check if it has been applied for / granted. You would have received a letter about it if there was an application (as their neighbour).

To be fair most people can look into other peoples gardens from their upstairs windows. I guess it is the fact it is so close makes it feel a bit more intrusive.

I would consider putting up some sort of screen, maybe a fence and then trees, as well as looking at enforcement options.

It really depends how big the garden is. If it is a big garden it shouldn't be much effort to lose a couple of metres to a fence and trees and this will probably add value to the house.

The idea that it has been build right up to the border seems a bit crazy. I can kind of understand this being done with side windows/small windows but not with main ones.

This is my neighbour’s new window - totally clear until last week and stares straight into our hall. Ridiculous right?

@YourCheekyDenimOtterwhen you say ‘according to the sellers’ next door was prohibited from opening their windows (sounds like upstairs as well as down) - have you got this in any legal documentation? It sounds a strange thing to me. If they added these windows into the property after it was built, just to get more light, and there was a stipulation about not opening them, why on earth would opening windows have been put in? Surely just a non opening fixed window would have been used?

Yes, the timing of the glass change does indicate that they might have done this knowingly. But i feel the previous owners of our house must have known. I will look into the matter further.

You can check your local council planning portal to see if there was an application although if there had been one, you would have received a letter and it would hace been pinned to local telegraph poles / lamp posts etc. so people had a chance to comment and object.

Sadly it is main windows. Their kitchen window, which is enormous, and two bedroom windows upstairs. Our garden is small so it does feel very overlooked. If we had a long garden this probably wouldn't bother me so much. Adding screens and trees etc will eat into our garden quite a bit. I will need to be clever about planting.

It sounds like the classic "wait until the neighbours move out, then we'll take the opportunity to do something they won't like in the hope the new ones won't realise" manoeuvre.

Ah yes I see what you mean. Love your arch window btw! I think our situation is worse though as they have a view of our entire garden and we will need to spend quite a bit to screen ourselves off. Ive just looked at the cost of mature trees!!

What they have effectively done is built up to the border.

Now they have effectively grabbed some of your land, in the respect that if you build a fence in front, you will have lost that land to them. If you do block off their view they will also then be free to open their windows and encroach on your land without you seeing.

I would check with a professional, as they may also have some claims re light to light. Whatever you choose to do it's probably not going to go down well.

I'd check out the position with an expert if I was you. When I had my conservatory built around 15 years ago I was informed I had to have privacy glass (frosted) to one side as it was next to the boundary with my neighbour, even though we have a six food fence on the boundary. So I think your neighbour may have breached planning regs

We were told by the agent that the windows must open for fire escape purposes but that they cannot open the windows in any other instance. I don't know the layout of their house but they have windows on all four sides. Smaller windows over look their side neighbours house. I have been told we cannot increase the fence height because of fire escape purposes.

Their house was built first, its about 200 years old. Ours is about 120 years old. Perhaps this gives them the right. However I do know that there were no windows to begin with on the wall that faces us. They were only put in about 20 years or so ago. I can understand why as the house must benefit from the light.
I will tread carefully and seek professional advice. Thanks for your help.

the estate agent? Did you check this with the solicitors?

Our once neighbours built an extension with windiws along the side and they could see right into our dining room. We built a conservatory a foit away with opaque glass facing their windows. They boarded the windows up and plastered the inside. Result!

Our solicitors were unable to confirm this and nothing came up in any searches about fire regulations. They did raise the concern with us but at the time the windows were frosted and we didn't really think there would be a problem.

I obviously don't mind that our garden is their fire escape route.

Nothing is mentioned in the searches about when the windows were added. I think that when this happened it was more of a friendly agreement between the neighbours at that time. My new next door neighbour remembers the windows being installed because she was quite angry about it at the time.

That is indeed a result!! I'm just baffled that your neighbours thought that was acceptable in the first place.