Do I have a right to privacy in my garden?

Kids love trampolines, but if your neighbours' kids can peer into your garden with every bounce, it can make you feel somewhat spied upon. The good news is, you don't necessarily have to put up with it – you do have a right to your privacy. If all else fails, your local authority should be able to help.

How can I stop my Neighbours overlooking my garden?

Add screening trees or hedging

Trees are one of the best ways to add privacy to an overlooked garden – but they can become unruly and block out light, too. Regular pruning is the key to keeping your screening trees under control and maximising the light that floods into your garden while also maintaining privacy.

What is invasion of privacy by Neighbours?

Neighbour Invasion of Privacy

These can include trampolines positioned in such a way that they can see into your garden or property, scaffolding up around their property, which gives a view into your property. They may also have put up CCTV to survey their property, which encroaches the privacy of your property.

Can I complain about my Neighbours garden?

If excessive weeds or rubbish in a neighbour's garden are causing problems on your property, it can amount to a nuisance which you can report to the Environmental Health Department of your local council who can pursue legal action.

Can a Neighbour come into my garden without permission?

Entering your neighbour's property without their permission is trespassing, and so you must obtain their consent before trying to gain access. The most sensible first step in this situation is therefore to speak to your neighbour and try to obtain their consent.

Garden privacy - how to make your garden feel more private

Can a Neighbour block access to my property?

If you feel that your right of way is being blocked you can only take action against a neighbour if the blockage is causing substantial interference. Whether an interference meets the definition of “substantial interference” will depend on the specific circumstances of your case.

Is going into someone's garden trespassing?

Generally, if you go onto your neighbour's land without their permission, you are trespassing. However, if you need to repair your home and to do so need access via your neighbour's land, you may go onto your neighbour's land without getting their permission.

How do you deal with toxic neighbors?

Can I report my Neighbour for a messy garden?

We have a range of powers to deal with untidy gardens or land if there is material that is likely to rot (such as discarded foodstuffs, faeces, nappies, dead animals) and it is causing a nuisance to neighbours or attracting vermin such as rats or mice.

Can a Neighbour film you in your garden?

While the thought of you neighbour recording you might be distressing, it's important to understand that it is not illegal and therefore would not be a police matter unless your neighbour has broken the law in other ways.

Do Neighbours have a right to a view?

You have enjoyed the view for many years. It adds greatly to the value of your house. But if your neighbour chooses to despoil it, by building up and blocking it, you have no redress. There is no such right known to the law as a right to a prospect or view".

What is classed as overlooking in planning?

If the planners consider that your design could seriously compromise your neighbours' privacy, it may well be sent back to the drawing board. It is for this reason that balconies, roof gardens, upstairs conservatories and side facing windows are often resisted.

What is the legal definition of overlooking?

to fail to notice or fail to do something.

Can you put a window in overlooking Neighbours garden?

Ideally side windows that overlook adjacent homes or gardens should be avoided. However, in some instances a side window to a secondary room, (e.g. hall, bathroom, store room), may be acceptable if there is more than 2m between the properties and obscure glazing is used.

Can my Neighbour have a camera pointing at my garden?

If the camera was aimed directly at your garden or another part of your property, you could be able to take action against your nosy neighbour under the Human Rights Act.

Is overlooking a garden a planning consideration?

3.4 Loss of privacy and overlooking

This is an important area that planners consider when weighing up planning applications. They aim to ensure that developments are designed in such a way as to minimise overlooking of neighbouring properties and avoid invasion of privacy of neighbours.

What is the legal height of a Neighbour's tree?

You must try to settle a dispute about a high hedge informally before the council can intervene. Ask your council for a complaint form if the hedge is all of these: 2 or more mostly evergreen or semi-evergreen trees or shrubs. over 2 metres tall.

What is the legal height of a hedge between Neighbours?

Although the law states that a high hedge is more than 2m (approx 6½ft) tall, this is not necessarily the height to which a hedge is reduced. The final height will be decided by your local council based on the requirements and information provided by the complainant and hedge owner.

Can the council make you clean your garden?

Residents with untidy gardens will initially be issued with a warning letter that will require them to clear and tidy their garden within a specific period of time. Failure to comply with the letter will result in us issuing a community protection notice under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

How do I protect myself from evil neighbors?

How do you deal with a vindictive neighbor?

What can I do when a Neighbours spreading Rumours about you?

If your neighbour is spreading rumours

If you want to take action, you could approach your neighbour if you feel comfortable and explain how the rumours are affecting you. A mediator might be able to help you both reach an agreement. If speaking to your neighbour doesn't work, you could apply to court for an interdict.

Can my Neighbour take photos of my garden without my permission?

If you are taking photographs from private land, you need to have the land owner's permission.

What to do if Neighbour has encroached on your property?

The first thing to do is to talk to your neighbour about it and try and resolve the problem between yourselves. However, there are some situations in which this simply won't be effective and you may need to consider taking legal advice.

Is entering someone's garden illegal?

It is illegal to enter your neighbour's property without their permission except in some limited circumstances. Entering a neighbouring property to retrieve a ball is still considered trespassing, according to Nuisance Neighbours. This is a civil wrong and could lead to legal consequences such as liability for damages.