Just bought a new house - now people looking through my windows !

bobwilson

We just found out who it was!

It was a gardener who we were expecting to turn up to quote at 5pm, he arrived 5 hours early with no word or warning (when I wasn't prepared to answer the door), and then after peering through the windows, he went away and never came back at the agreed time nor left us a message to cancel.

This is happening all too often lately. I think I'm going to have to start leaving some negative reviews on checkatrade. I don't understand how all these tradesmen behave like this in this day and age, how they all get away with it,.

He says he's now in bed ill but I don't understand how that means he couldn't leave a message before turning up early - why he needs to peer thru windows, or how it prevents him from sending a text message to say he can't turn up at all!

agrinnall

Punji sticks, word will soon get around.

new_home_owner_3

bobwilson wrote: »

We just found out who it was!

It was a gardener who we were expecting to turn up to quote at 5pm, he arrived 5 hours early with no word or warning (when I wasn't prepared to answer the door), and then after peering through the windows, he went away and never came back at the agreed time nor left us a message to cancel.

This is happening all too often lately. I think I'm going to have to start leaving some negative reviews on checkatrade. I don't understand how all these tradesmen behave like this in this day and age, how they all get away with it,.

He says he's now in bed ill but I don't understand how that means he couldn't leave a message before turning up early - why he needs to peer thru windows, or how it prevents him from sending a text message to say he can't turn up at all!

I know what I would do, if you dont believe he his ill, I would pop round and take a peep through his window.

saterkey

I was ironing in the lounge (middle not by window) the once and next door neighbours visitor got out his car about a foot from our window and we just looked up and stared at one another for what seemed a long time (probably only about a minutes though). Felt really strange, I got net curtains very quickly after!!!!

olly300

bobwilson wrote: »

We just found out who it was!

It was a gardener who we were expecting to turn up to quote at 5pm, he arrived 5 hours early with no word or warning (when I wasn't prepared to answer the door), and then after peering through the windows, he went away and never came back at the agreed time nor left us a message to cancel.

This is happening all too often lately. I think I'm going to have to start leaving some negative reviews on checkatrade. I don't understand how all these tradesmen behave like this in this day and age, how they all get away with it,.

Because they can.

When you get net curtains the minimum recommended is 2x the width however you can buy them 2.5x or even 3x the width so you have more folds and it's harder to see in.

Oddly the only people who have attempted to look into my living room window are the Jehovahs Witnesses. Couriers etc have manners.

xylophone

Ok so I'll try buying net curtains

Or you could try voile - examples here http://www.netcurtainsdirect.com/

Torry_Quine

I don't think it strange if someone doesn't get a reply to then look in the window. The person could have hearing problems for instance or some other reason for not hearing you.

Interestingly yesterday I was at someone's home and was expected but no answer when the bell rung or door knocked so it was automatic to look to see if we could see them. It turned out the bell was broken although working before.

cayennepepper

One of my pet peeves! Exactly the same thing happens to me all the time, I had to put sticky window films on which means I can't look outside grrr.
I also have a small glass panel on the door and guess what, the guy from Parcel Force, who delivers parcels to me regularly, always peeks through it after ringing the bell to see if I am on my way (can't he wait a few seconds?). Drives me nuts!
I am selling up (for other reasons), hope the next house won't have this problem.

bobwilson

Torry_Quine wrote: »

I don't think it strange if someone doesn't get a reply to then look in the window. The person could have hearing problems for instance or some other reason for not hearing you.

Interestingly yesterday I was at someone's home and was expected but no answer when the bell rung or door knocked so it was automatic to look to see if we could see them. It turned out the bell was broken although working before.

So you are one of these rude people. According to the responses here, thankfully people like you seem to be in the minority.

With respect, it's a different story if you're a close family friend but if someone can't hear their bell, why would they keep it? They'd fix it, or put a note on the door, and if not, that's their responsibility, not yours. If their bell has just broken, again that's their responsibility not yours. Call their phone and let them know you're there, but don't walk alongside the house looking through windows. It's rude, they could be indecent, mourning, naked, or having lunch or not want to answer the door for any multitude of reasons- it's their house and their decision and most importantly their right to privacy.

(apparently, it's also illegal. You can't stand on someone's property and press your face against their windows looking through, as it's considered a breach of the person's right to privacy in their own home)

What are you going to do next, get a ladder and look into the upstairs windows as well?

Torry_Quine

bobwilson wrote: »

So you are one of these rude people. According to the responses here, thankfully people like you seem to be in the minority.

With respect, it's a different story if you're a close family friend but if someone can't hear their bell, why would they keep it? They'd fix it, or put a note on the door, and if not, that's their responsibility, not yours. If their bell has just broken, again that's their responsibility not yours. Call their phone and let them know you're there, but don't walk alongside the house looking through windows. It's rude, they could be indecent, mourning, naked, or having lunch or not want to answer the door for any multitude of reasons- it's their house and their decision and most importantly their right to privacy.

(apparently, it's also illegal. You can't stand on someone's property and press your face against their windows looking through, as it's considered a breach of the person's right to privacy in their own home)

What are you going to do next, get a ladder and look into the upstairs windows as well?

My door is right beside my living-room window as was the house I visited last night and as I said I was expected. Why would I spend the cost of a phone call when a quick look in the window confirms whether they are there or not. As I said the door-bell had been working earlier that day so they had no expectation that it had stopped working.

The reasons given are not relevant in any way to my comments as someone who is expecting you would surely be more annoyed if you just went away again.

The comment about ladders is just silly, I'm talking about a quick look not being a nosy-parker.