Is this window even legal ?

MAXSMUM39

Hi everyone. We live in a listed Georgian House, dating to 1810. Our neighbors are a domestic family, and on our other side, a converted complex of Georgian buildings which belong to a housing association, and which are used as a halfway house by recovering offenders, homeless and drug addicts. Over the 20 years we’ve been here, we’ve had no issues, except for a period of 1 year , when a poorly medicated schizophrenic gentleman made everyone’s life misery for over a year, and again, when a flat in the complex was used as a county lines base for over a year, leading to a huge drugs bust , with 95 arrests.  Since that happened 2 years ago, the complex has been quiet. We’ve recently cut back some trees in our garden, and found a window in the side of the housing association building. The window is approx. 15ft from ground level and measures roughly 20 inches square. The window is made of clear glass, and belongs to an area of housing looking INTO our garden, and adjacent to our garden. The building adjacent to our garden is a two storey flat block, so obviously the window is related to an upper storey flat. We drew the window to the attention of the housing association buildings manager, who said that because the window is not bathroom window, they won’t replace it with frosted glass, and in their opinion that’s an end to the matter. We however remain concerned, as we actually have no idea what can be seen through the window, and are very concerned it infringes our property. Just to make it clear, there is absolutely no distance between the window and our garden, the window is non opening, and right next to our garden and clearly looks INTO it. The wall the window is in forms part of our walled garden. Given the two previous incidents of note at the property, we are not happy, that residents with either mental health concerns, criminal records , or otherwise questionable character could , if they were so minded, look straight into our garden, especially as we often have small visitors in the shape of grandchildren playing here.  It seems to us that there is a legal issue here, and bathroom or not, a window next to, and looking into our garden should either be replaced with frosted or opaque glass. I might add that the window is visibly rotten , and has certainly not in the 20 years of our residence here, had any maintenance carried out on it. Does anyone have any suggestions about where we should go from here ?. Clearly, the housing association are not interested , and unwilling to address the issue, but we are concerned, especially given the nature and past history of some of the residents. 

Mojisola

Offer to buy some film that will obscure the glass?

Let the trees grow up to cover it again?

Get a garden sail and place it so that the view of your garden from the window is blocked?

Doozergirl

Post a picture? 

Eldi_Dos

Write to the building managers boss with your concerns.
There is probably public money used to fund property, speak to your local councillor who may have influence over issue.

Edit.
You mention window is rotten and has not been maintained for many years, do you feel that it constitutes a danger? if so mention when contacting above.

FreeBear

New windows inserted in to a wall overlooking another property would need to be obscured (or frosted) glass. Replacement windows just need to be like for like. So if the original is clear glass, the replacement windows can be the same - I had a landing window replaced recently, originally clear glass, and still is.

On the legal front, I doubt there is much, if anything, you can do. Appealing to the property owners would be your best option. If the window is in dire need of replacing, access from your garden would facilitate fitting. So you have a (small) bargaining chip on that score.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

if only window on that wall, and the small dimensions then maybe only a broom cupboard for a cleaner.

plumb1_2

Who owns the wall, as you say if forms part of your walled garden, brick it up.or cover it with a mirror 

jonnydeppiwish!

MAXSMUM39 said:

Hi everyone. We live in a listed Georgian House, dating to 1810. Our neighbors are a domestic family, and on our other side, a converted complex of Georgian buildings which belong to a housing association, and which are used as a halfway house by recovering offenders, homeless and drug addicts. Over the 20 years we’ve been here, we’ve had no issues, except for a period of 1 year , when a poorly medicated schizophrenic gentleman made everyone’s life misery for over a year, and again, when a flat in the complex was used as a county lines base for over a year, leading to a huge drugs bust , with 95 arrests.  Since that happened 2 years ago, the complex has been quiet. We’ve recently cut back some trees in our garden, and found a window in the side of the housing association building. The window is approx. 15ft from ground level and measures roughly 20 inches square. The window is made of clear glass, and belongs to an area of housing looking INTO our garden, and adjacent to our garden. The building adjacent to our garden is a two storey flat block, so obviously the window is related to an upper storey flat. We drew the window to the attention of the housing association buildings manager, who said that because the window is not bathroom window, they won’t replace it with frosted glass, and in their opinion that’s an end to the matter. We however remain concerned, as we actually have no idea what can be seen through the window, and are very concerned it infringes our property. Just to make it clear, there is absolutely no distance between the window and our garden, the window is non opening, and right next to our garden and clearly looks INTO it. The wall the window is in forms part of our walled garden. Given the two previous incidents of note at the property, we are not happy, that residents with either mental health concerns, criminal records , or otherwise questionable character could , if they were so minded, look straight into our garden, especially as we often have small visitors in the shape of grandchildren playing here.  It seems to us that there is a legal issue here, and bathroom or not, a window next to, and looking into our garden should either be replaced with frosted or opaque glass. I might add that the window is visibly rotten , and has certainly not in the 20 years of our residence here, had any maintenance carried out on it. Does anyone have any suggestions about where we should go from here ?. Clearly, the housing association are not interested , and unwilling to address the issue, but we are concerned, especially given the nature and past history of some of the residents. 

Assuming it’s wooden, it’s probably 30+ years old. Whether it looks into your garden or not, it’s not illegal imo. Had they just put it in, then yes PP may have been required.
was that why the trees where planted in the first place?

Doozergirl

FreeBear said:

New windows inserted in to a wall overlooking another property would need to be obscured (or frosted) glass. Replacement windows just need to be like for like. So if the original is clear glass, the replacement windows can be the same - I had a landing window replaced recently, originally clear glass, and still is.

On the legal front, I doubt there is much, if anything, you can do. Appealing to the property owners would be your best option. If the window is in dire need of replacing, access from your garden would facilitate fitting. So you have a (small) bargaining chip on that score.

...or over 1.7 from the floor

...or just been there for more than 4 years (with the usual caveats - listing may apply here if the neighbouring property is listed...)

Doozergirl

Eldi_Dos said:

Write to the building managers boss with your concerns.
There is probably public money used to fund property, speak to your local councillor who may have influence over issue.

Edit.
You mention window is rotten and has not been maintained for many years, do you feel that it constitutes a danger? if so mention when contacting above.

Local councillor?  Might as well just go directly to the planning office and ask them straight out.  The councillor isn't going to do anything than talk to them.  

Where the money comes from is irrelevant.  

ian1246

If its your wall, get a ladder, go up the wall and put a board over it on your side of the wall. Problem solved.