Nosey Neighbours

I'd give them a wave next time blue60 . Let them know you've seen them. What do you get up to in your garden that's so interesting?

I'd be tempted to shout up to them next time...can I help you?!

where you wearing any thing else or just the sunglasses Blue

I would be flattered that they find you so interesting, Blue!
I didn't realise my next doors neighbour was "spying" until he handed me photographs of our garden, which he had taken from an upstairs window!
All joking aside, it can be worrying and unnerving.
Another neighbour was telling me only yesterday that the same next door neighbour has been looking across the road from his bedroom into their front room. Some people must lead very unfulfilling lives.

downtoearth

I agree, let them know you've seen them. Cheeky watsits.

Yes, cheeky indeed. As others have said, give them a wave / say a 'loud' hello and hopefully that will make them sheepish enough to stop!

Some people have nothing better to do. One of our neighbours sits near her front window and watches from behind the net curtains. If she thinks you've noticed her she goes upstairs and watches from that window.

I'd give them a wave.

I often sit and look out my windows but it does not mean I'm being nosey ..it's the ones who are looking In my windows and see me looking out and THINK I am being nosey who are the nosey ones. Did not think it was a crime to look out of your own windows. I
Though it is a little nosey opening bathroom windows and probably having a twisted neck to see the neighbours.

How very odd! Why on earth would you want to watch someone sitting in their own garden. I would not even clean an upstairs window once because my neighbours were out and I would overlook them.
Just look straight at them, give them a friendly wave and say "Oh! hi there, lovely day isn't it".

Please let us know if you do anything, you have some great ideas here!

We have a nosey neighbour two doors down and she is so blunt and thick skinned but I think every road has one

Sorry Nanabilly. I didn't mean that anyone looking out of the window is nosey. This neighbour sits in her window up to 8 hours a day then she reports back to people she thinks should know. She tittle tattles to other neighbours about the things she's seen and causes trouble.

Yes, next time I may well wave or say hello . Not getting up to anything in my garden lol, and always fully clothed.

Just thought they're acting strangely...takes all sorts I suppose.

I look out of the window discreetly sometimes because there's been a lot of trouble with some of the neighbours in the past. I don't linger though as I'm not nosing at peoples business, just looking out for my property. Some look out of the window as they're lonely and don't have much going on.

How long do they stay looking out the windows for? Could be they are just looking out for their neighbours? You know wondering if all ok, no people wandering round garden without your knowledge ......that sort of thing.....

I could be considered a wee bit nosy too! Although can honestly say, my 'nosiness' is all with best intentions - just a kind of one woman neighbourhood watch!!!

If you feel they are going above and beyond the concern, and I do think it odd that they are BOTH apparently spying on you then suggest you wave rather than ask 'what they want'. If you have always got on I don't think there is any point in causing a feud just now as...you never know when their nosiness may be welcomed.

If it continues in such a bizarre way or they tittle tattle to other neighbours like vampirequeen's experience, then you may have to make your point clearer. Hopefully it is just them being concerned.

Many years ago, we lived in an area where everybody knew what everybody else was doing, or where they`d been, etc. Then we went on holiday, realised we`d forgotten the camera, so rang my husband`s friend and asked him to go to our next door but one neighbour to ask to borrow their key which also fit our door, get the camera and send it to us. Anyway, he still couldn`t get in because we forgot we`d bolted the back door, so he broke in by barging into the door and breaking the bolt, which he replaced. NOT ONE PERSON CHALLENGED HIM!

Bluegal, talking of "one woman neighbourhood watch".
Backfired on me one afternoon this Summer. I was idly preparing veg and glanced out when I saw a big 4x4 pull up outside my young neighbours, who I had just seen leave ten minutes earlier.
This young chap, then peered over their high fence, so I stopped peeling and next minute he jumped up over their gate, hung over it and bolted it. He then quickly grabbed a lawnmower and threw it in the back of his car.
By then I was scuttling across the kitchen trying to get out of the door, ran down our rear drive and very angrily questioned what he thought he was up to. I
He jumped out of his skin! As he saw this mad woman with slippers on accepting him.
Then explained to an apologetic and sheepish me that he knew they had just left as he was his brother and was just collecting his lawnmower that they had borrowed.
When I next bumped into the neighbours, they were laughing and said, thanks for looking out for them, the brother was actually a Police Officer and joked that their house would be safe from burglars with their terrifying Rottweiler neighbour.

Unbolted
Not accepting Him - ACCOSTING HIM

I would hate feeling that I was being spied upon, it's very unnerving. When we moved into our current house we had an elderly neighbour on one side who had a 'friend with benefits' who called on her every day; he was the father of her adult son. Gradually my young sons noticed that if they were playing in the garden this man would step out on to an upstairs balcony and watch them and they eventually told me that being watched was bothering them. Not wanting to think the worst, but taking my children's concerns seriously, I started to join them when I noticed the man come out. I would acknowledge his presence and he would then immediately go back indoors again - we were like the cuckoo clock couple, one in one out. Eventually I spoke to my neighbour and told her that my sons were bothered by being watched in this way and within the shortest possible time she sold up and moved away. I thought then and still think now that she shared my concerns.

How awful and worrying. It's a fine line between being a concerned neighbour and looking out for them and being intrusive.

That’s it, we have just had our house valued with a view to moving into town. We were in 2minds anyway. We have fabulous neighbours and a very private garden.
Maybe we’ve won the jackpot and should stay put.

Weigh the pros and cons?

Had a conversation this morning with the neighbour I mentioned in an earlier post.

She started by saying, "Don't you get up early?"

We agreed that we did but that DH was usually up before me because I tend to sleep until it stops being dark unless he wakes me up.

“Oh so it’s you that’s up early,” she said to my husband, “And you get up really early don’t you? Sometimes I see your lights on at 2 or 3 in the morning.”

She’s right about the lights but to see that they’re on she’d have to lean out of her bedroom window

One of Our neighbours used to peer very discreetly, not, out of his slightly opened bathroom window at us in our conservatory, we had venetian blinds fitted to spoil his fun.