A firm of developers has started building houses about five feet from our boundary wall. According to the plans the closest house will have windows looking into three of our bedrooms and will destroy the privacy of our garden. Is there anything we can do?
House owners have no special right to privacy or indeed to a view, although the planning authorities may have taken this on board if you had raised the issue with them. Your only hope (although it’s very slim at this stage) is if you can find a covenant governing neighbouring property in your title deeds, or if you can show that the new houses will significantly affect a right to light. Ask a solicitor to look at your title deeds immediately.