I don't know if this is the correct place to post my experience but here goes: we moved into our lovely double storey home two months ago with our four children. Our side boundary neighbours have been talking to other people in our street about how inconsiderate we are to build a double storey home and are clearly angry as they believe our house overlooks their garden. The house has passed all building regulations and inspections and in fact we have done several things at our expense (such as cutting into our land so that the house does not sit high on the block; moving several windows so that there are no overlooking issues even though these windows were legally able to remain there) in an attempt to consider our neighbours privacy. We have even offered to pay for a fence extension. These neighbours are not happy and have recently installed floodlights which they shine into our living area downstairs (it is blinding to eat at our dining table at night)and straight into our upstairs hall window into our sons' bedrooms. They are also demanding that we construct and pay for a 3.5m bounday fence which will compromise light into our house and make it look like a prison!
Not only that last night they rang our door. As I was home alone with the kids I refused to open it and they shouted and swore at the top of their voice (couple in mid 40s). They stated that our son (9 years of age) was looking at them through passage window. (We asked him later and he said he was looking at their bright light for 5 seconds tops and did not even see them.) I thought they would wake the children asleep upstairs so I opened to door a little and said that I did not want to talk to them and to go away. The woman attempted to push her way into our house! Luckily I was able to lean on the door to close it and lock it. They continued to swear very loudly (other neighbours witnessed their abuse) and eventually left. Our oldest girl was woken up and is terrified and I did not stop shaking till late in the night.
I rang the police and they said they could not do anything as it is a civil matter. They suggested we obtain an Intervention Order however the neighbours seem quite disturbed and I really do not want to inflame things. They are trying to bully us into putting privacy screens in and frosted glass into upstairs passageway window. I am really scared and am concerned how this will effect the children as they are terrified also. We have written them a letter requesting that they do not contact us or enter our property and if they do then we will apply for an Intervention Order. Tonight spotlights are pointed more into our house and children have said they have noticed neighbours staring up at them as they walk past.
Does anyone have any ideas on what we can do? We live in Melbourne. Council refuses to become invovled in "neighbour-disputes". All we want is to be left alone!
Thanks for listening. I think I am still in shock that this happened and it is tainting our new house experience. We are nearly ready to just give up and comply with all their demands