Navigating Neighbourhood Boundaries: How to Deal With Nosy Neighbours

Is there anything more annoying than nosy neighbours?

Whether they're constantly knocking at your front door, eavesdropping from the other side of the fence, feeling someone encroaching on your personal life is no fun at all.

Having neighbours who are friendly and available is a sign of a great local community, and that type of relationship is in abundance in South Wales. But there's a line between friendly and nosy. Sometimes, neighbours can cross that line.

If your neighbours are more nosy than you'd like them to be, it's best to shut it down as quickly and politely as you can.

In this article, we'll provide our tips on how to deal with nosy neighbours and regain your privacy.

How to Deal With Nosy Neighbours

Talk it out

First things first, it's good to have a chat with your neighbours about how their behaviour is impacting you and your family.

Communication is key, after all, and should always be the first attempt.

A nosy neighbour can easily make you angry. But before you explode, consider that they may not realise how their behaviour is affecting you and your family, and a simple conversation may make them see the error of their ways without more drastic measures.

Maintaining positive relationships with your neighbours is important (especially when it comes to selling your home), so try politely speaking to your neighbours in the first instance.

Invest in higher fences

If the communication route doesn't make a difference, then it might be time to take action.

In new-builds and modern homes, high fences are the norm to allow homeowners more privacy in the back garden. However, many older properties still have low fences that were designed to be sociable.

If you don't like this aspect of your property, consider investing in higher fences (around 5-6ft) that your neighbours can't peer over anymore.

Plant privacy hedges

Unfortunately, you may find yourself in a situation where high fences are not possible, or the fence could actually be under the control of said neighbour.

If your nosy neighbour owns the fence and doesn't want you to change it, a great solution can be to plant privacy hedges.

Shrubbery like conifers or laurels often grow quickly and are reasonably priced. Plus, since they intertwine over time, they can sometimes provide even more privacy than a fence can!

Fit privacy blinds

If the issue isn't garden-related and instead involves your neighbours peering into your home, privacy blinds or curtains could be the ideal solution.

To keep a good amount of natural light entering your home, consider opting for day & night blinds, magic screens or white linen curtains.

Install a security system

Depending on how severe the issues are with your nosy neighbours, installing high-quality security cameras can help deter nosiness – and provide you with more security overall.

This is particularly helpful if your neighbours are particularly intrusive and continuously enter the boundaries of your property to look inside your home or garden.

At the least, it shows your neighbours that you are taking their unwanted attention very seriously, which may cause them to back down.

Report it

If you struggle to handle nosy neighbours on your own, it might be worth seeing if the authorities can help.

If you have severe concerns about your nosy neighbours or if they continue to be a nuisance even after taking steps to prevent it, consider reporting your neighbours and speaking to your local Citizen's Advice.

While it's usually best to see if you can manage the situation yourself, your safety is important, so seek professional help if you need it.

Move house

This is quite a drastic solution, but if you're really unhappy with the community you live in, moving house could be the best thing for you.

Just remember that if there have been severe issues between you and your neighbours in the past, you'll need to declare this to your estate agent.

Even though it may seem troubling to share this information, there's a buyer for everything, and the right agent can sell your home no matter the circumstance. 

Selling Up in Cardiff?

If selling your home is the right solution for you, Fortis (our sister company) are your local property experts in Cardiff. With our help, we can sell your home to the right buyer and make the process as smooth as possible.

Get in touch today to book a valuation with one of our friendly team by calling us on 02920561111 or emailing us at hello@fortis.homes.