We've all heard of the concept of a nosey neighbour, but some can take it too far with how much interest they might be paying to your property.
Having a brief look into a neighbour's garden shouldn't be an issue but continual peering over a fence will likely become an annoyance for many.
If a problem has arisen and talking to your neighbour hasn't changed their behaviour then there are further steps to take to try and resolve the matter.
Can my neighbour look over my fence?
Speaking to The Sun, Mary Rouse, head of property litigation at Wright Hassall, recommends bringing in a solicitor.
She shared: "I’d suggest that a first step, would be to ask a solicitor to write to the neighbour, setting out the behaviour and asking them to stop if they want to avoid legal action against them."
If this doesn't work the next thing to try would be mediation, where the two groups discuss their dispute with an impartial mediator.
Whilst this is not a free service, it will be cheaper than going to court if you want to try and sort the issue civilly.
Bodies that offer a mediation service include The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Property Litigation Association.
Recommended reading:
- Can a neighbour paint their side of my fence? The rule you need to know
- What side of the fence am I responsible for in the UK?
- Can my neighbour legally use my WiFi without permission?
Rouse says if the problem still isn't settled, you can take legal action in the form of a civil injunction to prohibit them from peering over the fence.
She said: "For a civil injunction, the court needs to be satisfied 'on the balance of probabilities' that your neighbour is causing a nuisance.
"Going down the injunction route can be expensive but, if you win, you should also get an order for your neighbour to pay your costs."
House Rules
We do not moderate comments, but we expect readers to adhere to certain rules in the interests of open and accountable debate.
Last Updated:
Report this comment Cancel