Help - unexpectedly illuminated !

They need to change the angle of their sensors.
Suggest you post a note through their door and explain the problems you are having by just moving around inside your own house as they are probably unaware.
We don't need security lights over our front door as the neighbour's lights up as soon as we step out of ours!
Neighbour on the other side has lights in their back garden that light up everytime they go out in the garden for a fag - which is several times throughout the night as the woman chain smokes and they don't smoke inside the house unless it's raining!
Had to chuckle at your description - could just imagine you being pinned up against the opposite wall, saying "It wasn't me Guv!!!"

The security light in our garden used to light up when a neighbours cat took a stroll. Eventually it stopped working and I never got it repaired. I did regret that slightly when I had an attempted burglary at the back of the house. Burglars tried to lever my french doors open with a shovel. Fortunately I heard a noise, went to investigate and saw the door handle going up and down. I was absolutely terrified and hid out of site but they scarpered leaving the shovel behind. I found it next day when it was light! They obviously thought I was out as it happened during the week I had no car outside as it had gone to the great scrapyard in the sky and was replaced a week later! The most un-nerving thing was realising they had planned on the basis of me being out. I always leave lights on when I'm out and I guess they knew that. I wonder if they were as shocked as me. I've recently had a new alarm system fitted and think that is far more useful than security lights.

Simples an air pistol

You shouldn't have to install blinds to prevent someone elses light blinding you..
Print out what you wrote in your original post and go and give it to them.

You should not have to pay to prevent a nuisance light. Ask them nicely to either reangle or turn off. Environmental Agency if no joy.

There are restrictions concerning security lights. I suggest you contact your local councillor and request an investigation.

Your post is hilarious, how about printing it off and possibly the responses too and putting a copy in an envelope with their name on it if you know it. One of your funny quips as an introduction and a gentle " I will wait for three days for you to adjust your lights before taking this further."" Then maybe we will be good friends and you might like to come over for a drink with us?"
That should be sufficiently confusing for them to want you off their backs, just in case you might be 'nutters'. It will keep it funny.
Many years ago we had a client in our building business who let the power of employing people go to his head. We received a strange letter from him accusing us of buggering him about.
My husband could not resist sending a reply stating that the client had accused him of unnatural sexual practices and was very hurt and upset at this allegation.
A few days later we received a response from the client profuse with apology, begging forgiveness and hoping that we could overlook his offensive behavior.
We laughed so much as we had not expected him to take it seriously. It all ended well. The job was completed , the client was happy with it and we suspected that he was careful with his phraseology after that.

Put the mirror reflector film on the windows it lights up. ‘Right back at ya mate’. Only if the polite word doesn’t work of course

Talk with the neighbour! It's so straightforward. When people install security lights they rarely consider the range of these and how they will affect other people and once this is pointed out it's easy for them to adjust the angle of their lights so that they tilt downwards and encompass just their property which is their legal entitlement. I witnessed such a conversation between two neighbours at a party in the garden of the 'affected' neighbour a couple of years ago. The neighbour on my (the opposite side of the road) adjusted the angle immediately, but said to me privately that the lights had been up for two months and there'd been no complaint, so I think this is something you need to nip in the bud rather than allowing the beaming into your kitchen window to become an accepted norm, which may make it harder for you to reverse. And although it's not your business whether your neighbour is feeding stray animals in his/her garden which is causing the light to come on and off frequently, you could make the point that if there are regular 'visitors' to the garden, the lights should definitely be trained on that garden and not onto yours. Good luck.

Are security lights really necessary?

Lynn1959 - what on earth is that ?

M0nica

I do not quite 'get' the idea of security lights.

Why floodlight the back of the house so any intruder can see clearly what they are doing and where they are going.? I would rather they stumbled around in the dark, making a heck of a racket as they tripped over planters, stumbled over garden chairs and stubbed their toes on the rockery.

Most police forces recommend low-level constant lighting (if it's necessary at all). 'Security' lighting also has the added advantage to the burglar that they can't be seen if they just stand outside of it without even hiding

Lynn1959

We have our neighbours Hollywood walk of fame lighting up our house at the rear.
It’s just so unnecessary!

That looks like an alien spaceship to be fair

Ask them nicely if they could change the angle. Also get back out blinds fitted. Most importantly don't let it upset you.

I have a sensor security light front and back and both lights are angled towards the wall of my house so that nobody including myself is disturbed. I think a light shining would hopefully tell would-be burglars they will be seen. Have a word with the owners, I would be mortified. The very last resort is the council.

Across the road did complain about our security light, so we changed the angle and it was fine for them (unfortunately it did not light our drive which was the purpose). We have since installed solar light to illuminate the drive.

I have no idea what advice to give other than have you thought of floodlighting a stage in your garden for impromptu and hilarious stand up ?

M0nica

I do not quite 'get' the idea of security lights.

Why floodlight the back of the house so any intruder can see clearly what they are doing and where they are going.? I would rather they stumbled around in the dark, making a heck of a racket as they tripped over planters, stumbled over garden chairs and stubbed their toes on the rockery.

But they can also be clearly seen and they don't like that either. Also means security cameras can also get a clear picture of them!

My daughter has this at her house. The light is angled so it lights up her garden , kitchen and bedrooms as well as his garden. Blackout blinds are an answer for the bedrooms, but who wants those up in the kitchen and lounge? She has some discrete lighting on her patio and wants to be able to enjoy it without being blinded by an industrial arc light.

I think her husband is going to have “a word”

We have our neighbours Hollywood walk of fame lighting up our house at the rear.
It’s just so unnecessary!

Could you have a chat with the invisible man?

We had a similar issue with our neighbours a few years ago. The light was shining into our bedroom window. We had a pleasant chat with them and it was sorted the same day. People don’t always realise until they are told. Speak to them. With any luck they will be cooperative. If not blackout blinds are the next step.

Light pollution contact Environment Health at your local council. Obviously agree go round and have a polite chat first. Good luck

I agree with PPs. A polite word first of all to suggest they adjust them. If they don’t agree, your local council should be able to help as it’s classed as light pollution.

Yes, as others say, approach them first, politely of course, as they might not realise the angle of the lights is wrong. If that doesn't work then advice from your local council will have to be the next step. Not sure why they need three big lights all pointing in your direction for a small garden, though! I also agree that it shouldn't be you having to go to the expense if special light blocking blinds or curtains, either.