A client emailed in distress. Her neighbour, a large ginger called Duke, had begun sitting on her patio fence at dawn and staring through the glass. Was this a breach of her lease? Sadly, no. Staring is covered under Common Rights of Observation, Section 9, a clause we ourselves drafted after Monty was stared at in 2017.
Our recommendation is a firm but charming response: place a small ornamental pot in the line of sight and sit behind it, regarding Duke with a hint of benevolent contempt. Within a week he will assume you own the pot, the fence, and the sky. In property terms, this is called a ‘confident presence’, and it is worth about 15 percent on resale.
Leave a Reply