Bright LED Streetlight Outside Flat Purchase

nkarma

AdrianC wrote: »

"Because I don't want to close the curtains on the flat I've just bought."

Yeh, good luck.

Why? I am buying a flat that I want to be best suited to my needs. Why would anyone buy anything that doesn't? And spend 5% on stamp duty, thousands on solicitors and moving, and mortgage interest over a 30 year period for the privilege of liking where I live.

I haven't closed the curtains on my two rentals in the same neighborhood over a 7 year period.

hazyjo

Can you change the position of the bed if you can't change use of the room? Can the head/top of the bed be under the window? You won't notice it so much then. Or put it on an alternative wall so you're not directly facing it?


Would have thought first floor would be affected far more than ground floor! Surely it's just coming through at the top of the window if it's a ground floor flat? In which case, just a blind or frosted windows along the top would solve that.

AdrianC

nkarma wrote: »

In reality, when you view homes in London you get 10-20 minutes.

You don't need to be inside the flat to see that there's a streetlight outside it.

There is one every 50 m everywhere I go.

Then this one's irrelevant, isn't it?

Black out blinds are NOT an option for all windows

Yes, they are.

They may not be options you like, but that's a different question entirely.

I want the natural light.

This is not what natural light looks like:


I'm not in London. There is natural light here - because the nearest streetlight is five miles away. On the edge of a "dark sky area", ironically. "Natural light", at night, varies. It can be really quite light, and it can be VERY dark. Because... it's natural.

Just checking whether I need to find a way to get used to the ambient light or pull out of the purchase. Those appear to be best options.

They're the only options. It's entirely your call.

nkarma wrote: »

Why? I am buying a flat that I want to be best suited to my needs.

Because you live in the middle of ten million other people squished into a very small space, and it's all about compromise.

Why would anyone buy anything that doesn't?

You have the option of buying a flat that meets your preferences better than this one does.

I haven't closed the curtains on my two rentals in the same neighborhood over a 7 year period.

Well, lucky you. That just proves this is the wrong flat for you, doesn't it?

I couldn't personally live with that much artificial light at night. But that's one (of the many) reason I choose not to live in or near London any more.

oystercatcher

Only you know how much you can or cannot cope with. I would have thought most people could adapt to the changes after a few days .

Do you really want to sleep with open curtains on the ground floor? You leave yourself open to people peering in !!

How about black out curtains or blinds half closed so they block out the worst of the street light light but still allow in some natural light in the morning .

OmegaAlpha

Have you thought about electric blinds? Assuming you want the natural light for mornings you could setup a timer for them to open at sunrise.

IKEA do a range of smart blinds along with others.

hazyjo

oystercatcher wrote: »

Do you really want to sleep with open curtains on the ground floor? You leave yourself open to people peering in !! .

God, that is such a good point :eek: OP - how busy is the street? Sounds horrendous and creepy!


What about shutters that are left partly tilted so nobody can see in and the streetlight will be blocked? That's your best option.

jimbog

Could you not use a narrow blind that partially obscures the streetlight?

ReadingTim

nkarma wrote: »

Just checking whether I need to find a way to get used to the ambient light or pull out of the purchase. Those appear to be best options.

Unfortunately they're your only options, so you're just going to have to weigh up the extent to which your desire to keep the curtains open outweighs all the other positives of the property.

nkarma

Adrian, you are totally right and the smartest person I ever did meet. I don't know what I would have done without you.

I never really considered there is a lot of ambient light in London. Wow! Mind blown.

nkarma

Thanks for all the helpful options on types of blinds and timers. I did think of that one.

We are going to access flat again at night and I am going to bring different types of curtains and just be there seeing if I can deal with it.

I guess just wanted a sense check and was more looking for people who have lived like this. Just walking down my road, I can count about 5-10 flats that have this issue, but a lot of people sleep with their blinds closed whether there is a streetlight outside or not.