AIBU to think this is Cyber Stalking?

If it's making you feel uncomfortable (it would make me and I'm sure most people feel that way), gather your evidence and talk to someone, police or whoever. They seem to be taking an unhealthy interest. Perhaps they have nothing better to do, but that doesn't give them the right to invade your privacy in this way. Are you friendly with the neighbours on the other side? Ask them if they've had the same experience as that would strengthen your 'case' and make you feel that you're not alone. We had neighbours watching us once and getting up to all sorts of intimidating behaviour. Because of damage being done to our property we had to put up CCTV. It escalated into other things and, after we moved (because of all this) we found out he had mental health issues. I think we realised this while we were still living there and there was nothing we could do. Even had the police visit, but this was for damage to our property. Hopefully, the waving at them idea may stop their weird behaviour. You have a right to enjoy your home and garden.

They are looking out of their windows I look out of mine all the time especially during Covid times and shielding Linkedin profiles are there to be looked at They aren't actually doing you any harm

Very disconcerting and very creepy. It would make me feel very uncomfortable. Some years back our then teenage daughters wouldn't sunbathe in the garden because our next door neighbour would look down on them from an upstairs window - he turned out to be a paedophile. This is not normal behaviour. Yes, glance out of your window if you hear a noise but not prolonged or behind curtains. I would make it known that I know what they are doing.

Thanks everyone. You've put my mind at rest. I going to take your advice and keep a diary. They are not the sort of people you can talk to or have a laugh with. They are weird. The gazebo idea is a good one and I'll follow this up. I glad that looking me up on Linkedin is normal though but I've decided to leave my account deleted. My neighbours do make good neighbourhood guard dogs though and I hadn't thought of it that way. I don't really want to move as my house has so many memories of my lovely husband who recently passed away. It's comforting to know it isn't me and I needed independent advice to reassure me that I wasn't being over sensitive. When you are in such a situation sometimes you are not sure. Thanks again to you all. You are wonderful people. Thanks. I'll keep you all updated- watch this space!

Horrible ...I have to agree with Ellen Vannin .....when he's not looking (in the dark ha ha ) .....why not bury a plastic arm with the hand sticking out ....make sure he can see it ....stand back and see what happens .............or invite the local Naturist group for a BBQ ......hard to ignore him ..higher fencing a good idea but it may blow down in the wind (on his side perhaps !) and would be expensive. Trees also, but they take many years to grow .....sit in the garden with binoculars trained on him (but check with authorities this might be illegal ...but you could say you were birdwatching ....have a list beside you with birds on it, some marked with a tick....ask for advice from a community police officer as to what legally you can do...or what about a pergola in the garden (you can get those that you can 'pop up' when you need ...so you can sit out there without him gazing at you (get one with the 'curtains; on it ....you can then place it wherever you want, to sit in peace in the sun ............make sure you have a video at the front and back of the house so if he ever creeps onto your property you have evidence .................must be horrible ! good luck

I think the binoculars idea was rather good. I expect these two people are just a bit odd. I wouldn't like being watched but I think I would try to ignore it.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

This is seriously weird. He's interfering with your life. What about your other neighbours - do they have this problem too? British laws are woefully inadequate in this area. This is not just normal interest but really creepy. I would definitely try waving at him next time to let him know you're aware of this behaviour. You expect this when you're young and good to look at but want a bit of decorum when you're older! When I was young I shared a lot of different flats with other girls and I remember one where the man next door used to expose himself when we sunbathed outside. One of my flatmates was an Aussie girl who used to take a whistle in the garden with her and every time he appeared at the window and did his thing she'd give a good blast on it until he disappeared!

I don't think you are being over sensitive..their weard.

Maybe they have mental health problems. I would just ignore them.

I think I would seriously consider moving home. I know your home may have strong loving memories for you but speaking from experience it could become a prison for you due to these people.

Try waving in a cheery way. We had a neighbour who watched me and my daughters when we moved here. It creeped us out but we waved at them when they watched us in the front garden and they scuttled in. He also did it to other residents and was warned off by the police after poisoning a dog and threatening a young woman. You are not unreasonable. Your neighbour is weird verging on unstable.

2 suggestions, Years ago we had a neighbour to our rear who was totally nosy to the point where when we had a barbecue for friends she brought her ironing board out and stood ironing and watching. As she continued to do so I held up the next course and said in quite a loud voice , sausages now, lamb chops now . She said nothing but did eventually go inside when she had finished her ironing and had no other excuse. The thing that could be very nice for you, would be to get some trellis and you could either just have it above the fence level, or you could make a sort of trellis tunnel, as wide as you chose. Then you could grow a variety of things, for example early and late clematis, honeysuckle , roses and a whole variety of whatever you fancied. If the soil is not very good use large pots and then you can give each plant exactly the type of soil and water it would like and then thread the branches carefully through the trellis. Result a lovely perfumed little arbor to enjoy and perhaps keep out of the sun but also gives you some actual privacy but also can feel private without the sense of being walled in.Gardening is a great hobby and you can go in many different directions. I would join your local gardening club or Hardy Plant society. You will make lots of gardening friends and be so interested in your plants and their gardens that these neighbours become less important in your life. Of course slightly naughty but if they continue to behave like that I would invite all my new gardening friends (once we are allowed to mix) to come to your garden and bring plants and swap and sell plants to each other for charity and then you could all just line up and just look, say nothing but if a whole row of you just stood for 5 minutes watching them in silence they will be aware of how it is to be on the receiving end of unwanted staring. Good luck with what ever you do but if this encourages you to join in with a great gardening group you may find they have done you a favour.

Embrace gardening in the buff and give them something to look at ?

I’d move house.

My neighbours do make good neighbourhood guard dogs though and I hadn't thought of it that way.

They've set themselves up as the Neighbourhood Watch!
Useful sometimes but they sound very odd.

Whilst I understand your unease, it's not stalking to look at someone's LinkedIn profile, otherwise why bother having one? As for them watching you from their windows, it's not illegal to look out of our own windows either. I'd be inclined to wave to them when you spot them watching you and perhaps just stand there looking back

Do take this seriously and I suggest that you keep a diary of his activity (re watching you). Then if something more creepy happens you can prove that it was not just a one off event (apologies for if I am making it more than it is).

I think a lot of old people spend their day watching the world around them go by. I feel so sad for my elderly neighbours who spend most of their (due to covid restrictions) day staring out from their window. This means they always seem to be watching me garden or clean the windows. Try giving a friendly wave, they may be just bored or lonely. If they're not elderly that might feel creepy!

Years ago I was at home with young children during the day. I had a phone call and a man (don't know who) asked me, by name, if I would be going out in my garden that afternoon and if I would be wearing my bikini.
I was very shaken as you can imagine and hung up.
I put a whistle by the phone and next time he called, I blasted it as loudly and for as long as I could.
I never had any more calls.

I'd had no idea anyone had been watching me.

I doubt if they mean any harm but don’t realise they can be seen watching you, so if you just smile and wave they will at least realise you can see them and that may be enough to deter them in future.

When my daughter was sunbathing in our garden she saw an eye at a small hole in the fence and realised the man next door was spying on her, so she shouted (hoping his wife was around) & threw something in the direction of the offending eye. Now that was creepy!

How do you know they are watching? You must look at them often to notice what they are doing. Do they ever have visitors? Do they stop watching then? For both of them to take up different spots to watch you is weird though. Are there any other houses near you? If so, don't they stake out them too. Doubt if they are committing any offence watching you when outside. Looking in your windows or accosting you when you were outside would be different.

We always feel intimidated if someone stands over us watching us work but this feels creepy. I would turn and look up at the window and smile and wave and the same when you are out the front at the wife. Do this regularly and they might get the message.