Frosted film on neighbour's window

Abbafan1972

Your neighbours sound like a nightmare!  Why are they taking photos of you?  Surely they're breaking the law by doing that, as it's an invasion of your privacy?

Mojisola

arciere said:

I don't know what he knows exactly, but we have already decided to put the bamboos there, let's see what happens 

Is it an opening window?  If so, fit a camera that will show if they open it and damage the plants. 

Jeepers_Creepers

arciere said:

Yes I agree, but unfortunately I can't change it now. As I said, I wasn't bothered by it, until she started to dictate what we can and cannot do or put in our own garden.
By the way, the only reason why I mentioned it (I didn't ask, I just wanted them to know) is because I didn't want to spend money on something that she could ruin in 5 minutes. She basically said that she would come and remove anything we will put in front of their window (plus throw a few eggs to our windows, as a bonus).
We are doing some works (replacing a shed) and at the moment there is no door/gate from pathway to garden.
EDIT: I do realise how childish and stupid this whole thing sounds (and probably is), but it is really stressful.

Of course it's stressful - it always is to normal empathetic people.

I don't suppose you have any of your conversations recorded? If you don't, then write down everything that was said - on both sides - to the best of your recollection. All dated and timed as accurately as possible. Start to build up an evidence folder just in case this does escalate. If they do call the police/council/anybody with scurrilous accusations, it'll soon become clear that you are the rational one here, and can cite all that's been said by her.

If you do get asked by this by an authority, then be clear and unemotive when describing the incidents; just relate the facts, what was said and in what manner. Almost certainly the lady's delivery, in contrast, will be 'highly charged', and they will soon realise they are dealing with a somewhat hysterical person.

And absolutely try and record any future conversation.

Planters are a great idea - instant screening. You could even place this on a low rustic trestle table if you needed to gain instant height. And the reverse mirror idea is inspired! What a hoot! Perhaps hold off on that one for the time being...

If the lady again threatens to cause damage or trespass into your garden, then do call the local police immediately - whilst recording her actions. It needs nipping in the bud, and there's a good chance this will sober her up. (By all means explain to the police how bad you feel about having to call them out for what will appear to be a trivial incident, but explain it's been going on for some time now, that all your attempts to reason with her has failed, and she has replied with threats - including accusations of racism. You just want to stop it escalating for everyone's sakes.)

Good luck - and keep us posted :-)

arciere

Abbafan1972 said:

Your neighbours sound like a nightmare!  Why are they taking photos of you?  Surely they're breaking the law by doing that, as it's an invasion of your privacy?

They claim they are taking pictures in case they need to 'prove' that our builders damaged their window (which didn't happen). The builders had to temporarily leave a grid of some sort (I believe for the foundations of an extension we are doing) leaning on the wall (in our garden), the wall where their window is. The grid was in front of it, but it wasn't anywhere close enough to be touching it (it was around one-metre from it). Also, it's one of those large grids that cannot block any light in any possible way.
They simply wanted to exercise their right to 'have a clear view'.

arciere

Mojisola said:

arciere said:

I don't know what he knows exactly, but we have already decided to put the bamboos there, let's see what happens 

Is it an opening window?  If so, fit a camera that will show if they open it and damage the plants. 

Yes, the top section does open.
Having said that, they never opened it since they moved in (around 3 years ago), same as all the other windows. They basically live in an air-tight flat, including when it's 30 degrees outside (and both flats become ovens) because she's scared of pretty much everything.

arciere

Jeepers_Creepers said:

arciere said:

Yes I agree, but unfortunately I can't change it now. As I said, I wasn't bothered by it, until she started to dictate what we can and cannot do or put in our own garden.
By the way, the only reason why I mentioned it (I didn't ask, I just wanted them to know) is because I didn't want to spend money on something that she could ruin in 5 minutes. She basically said that she would come and remove anything we will put in front of their window (plus throw a few eggs to our windows, as a bonus).
We are doing some works (replacing a shed) and at the moment there is no door/gate from pathway to garden.
EDIT: I do realise how childish and stupid this whole thing sounds (and probably is), but it is really stressful.

Of course it's stressful - it always is to normal empathetic people.

I don't suppose you have any of your conversations recorded? If you don't, then write down everything that was said - on both sides - to the best of your recollection. All dated and timed as accurately as possible. Start to build up an evidence folder just in case this does escalate. If they do call the police/council/anybody with scurrilous accusations, it'll soon become clear that you are the rational one here, and can cite all that's been said by her.

Funnily enough, when we both moved in to our respective flats around 3 years ago, we started to get random complaints from her/them (once she accused us of wanting them to 'break their backs' because a courier left a parcel that had been sent us with them because we were not at home). For the first few months, I regularly 'pushed' for a meeting in person (I'm Italian so I'll never say no to an espresso with a neighbour) to discuss any issues they might have with us. They always refused, the only 'approved' way to communicate was via email. We never got the luxury to speak to her in person.
In a way, I'm glad that that happened because now I've got all the f*ck offs, insults and threats in my Gmail account. Including when she said the other day that she 'thought about knocking on our door to discuss in person but we are already a lost cause'. That made me laugh way more it should have.
For now, as soon as I get my garden back from the builders, the first trip will be to a garden centre.

Mojisola

arciere said:

Mojisola said:

Is it an opening window?  If so, fit a camera that will show if they open it and damage the plants. 

Yes, the top section does open.

You might find that they will open it to pour weedkiller on your plants!

Jeepers_Creepers

arciere said:

Funnily enough, when we both moved in to our respective flats around 3 years ago, we started to get random complaints from her/them (once she accused us of wanting them to 'break their backs' because a courier left a parcel that had been sent us with them because we were not at home). For the first few months, I regularly 'pushed' for a meeting in person (I'm Italian so I'll never say no to an espresso with a neighbour) to discuss any issues they might have with us. They always refused, the only 'approved' way to communicate was via email. We never got the luxury to speak to her in person.
In a way, I'm glad that that happened because now I've got all the f*ck offs, insults and threats in my Gmail account. Including when she said the other day that she 'thought about knocking on our door to discuss in person but we are already a lost cause'. That made me laugh way more it should have.
For now, as soon as I get my garden back from the builders, the first trip will be to a garden centre.

Cool - so you do have evidence of unreasonable behaviour.

Sounds like a confused and unhappy person.

If you can be bothered to fit a camera somewhere it can monitor the plant in front of the window, I think that would be a good move in case she does take retaliatory action. It could even be positioned on the tabletop/ground looking upwards - obviously not aimed through her window in any way - to monitor any vandalism. If she threatens to do something to the plants, then I think this is enough to report it to the police as a pre-emptive move. Should she then act, it'll make it move clear that it was her.

As I said, it might seem a trivial situation for the police, but we are talking your 'local Bobby', and no-one should have to put up with such unpleasantness. You are making it clear you simply want to stop the unpleasant behaviour so you can all just go back to normal living. End of.

arciere

Jeepers_Creepers said:

arciere said:

Funnily enough, when we both moved in to our respective flats around 3 years ago, we started to get random complaints from her/them (once she accused us of wanting them to 'break their backs' because a courier left a parcel that had been sent us with them because we were not at home). For the first few months, I regularly 'pushed' for a meeting in person (I'm Italian so I'll never say no to an espresso with a neighbour) to discuss any issues they might have with us. They always refused, the only 'approved' way to communicate was via email. We never got the luxury to speak to her in person.
In a way, I'm glad that that happened because now I've got all the f*ck offs, insults and threats in my Gmail account. Including when she said the other day that she 'thought about knocking on our door to discuss in person but we are already a lost cause'. That made me laugh way more it should have.
For now, as soon as I get my garden back from the builders, the first trip will be to a garden centre.

Cool - so you do have evidence of unreasonable behaviour.

Sounds like a confused and unhappy person.

If you can be bothered to fit a camera somewhere it can monitor the plant in front of the window, I think that would be a good move in case she does take retaliatory action. It could even be positioned on the tabletop/ground looking upwards - obviously not aimed through her window in any way - to monitor any vandalism. If she threatens to do something to the plants, then I think this is enough to report it to the police as a pre-emptive move. Should she then act, it'll make it move clear that it was her.

As I said, it might seem a trivial situation for the police, but we are talking your 'local Bobby', and no-one should have to put up with such unpleasantness. You are making it clear you simply want to stop the unpleasant behaviour so you can all just go back to normal living. End of.

She did that already, she said that she would come in to our garden and remove/push off whatever we decide to put in front of her window. Plus she will throw eggs at our windows too (eggs? why eggs of all things?).
I do have a camera in the garden, although at the moment with the works going on it's not at an ideal angle. But I should get it sorted by the time the bamboos are in place.

Rosa_Damascena

arciere said:

Norman_Castle said:

arciere said:

Without continuing on this topic for longer than necessary, do they have the right to have nothing at all in front of their window?

What do the deeds say? Its common courtesy not to block the window completely. Its also common courtesy not to watch your neighbours.

Got an old mirror? Write "Take a look at yourself" on it and put it in front of the window.

Start dictating what they do in their garden.

It's always been a one-way conversation. Every time we tried to (politely) ask her to stop screaming (like she was in pain and about to die) at 2am in the morning, we got told that they have the right to argue and we can't tell them what they can and cannot do in their home.
When she started to accuse us of being racist out of nowhere, I just left the conversation, nothing more (rational) I could have said.

I think this could come back to bite if you make a complaint.