Richard and Breda Gascoigne, are in the midst of a lengthy battle in regard to the privacy of their Clerkenwell home.
By Samantha Lutes
Richard and Breda Gascoigne, are in the midst of a lengthy battle in regard to the privacy of their Clerkenwell home.
The couple, both in their sixties, have lived on The Peabody Estate for thirty-two years. New tenants have moved into office blocks opposite with no privacy instalments in place, meaning workers can see directly into their bedrooms.
Richard tells us if their blinds are up, there is a constant stream of workers looking out into the estate: “I don’t think they’re deliberately looking into our windows but if you’re looking out the window – you can’t help it. If a light comes on or something moves, you’re going to look out. And I don’t think they would want me to look in their bedroom windows.”
The couple have reached out to their landlords to install privacy glass, blinds, or curtains to the office windows to limit the view of their house. Other office tenants in the past have done this. However, it is not included in the lease of the new landlords, so they do not have to legally do so.
Breda spends most of her time in her room due to ongoing health battles which means she needs natural sunlight and air, both of which she’s not receiving enough due to feeling forced to keep her windows and blinds closed. Richard says: “If my wife wasn’t ill, it probably wouldn’t bother me. But it bothers her because she sits in there, looks out the window, and there’s two blokes staring at her.”
They have been pursuing the issue for the past several months and have seen little progress in the case: “My point is, morally with the situation with my wife, they should do something. They’ve offered to put privacy film on my windows, which I don’t think is right, because again, she needs daylight.” Richard continues: “I have looked at a privacy film – I’ve got two rolls of it. It puts up a thick coat on the window. OK, they can’t see in, but we can’t see out.”
With Breda forced to have her blinds closed more frequently, the pair have resorted to keeping the lights on inside, which has seen a spike in their electricity bill.
Rt Hon Emily Thornberry MP for Islington South and Finsbury has been involved with the case and comments:
“Supporting Richard and Breda over the past few months, it’s been frustrating to see how they’ve been treated, and upsetting to see the toll it’s taken, especially on Breda, who is mostly bedbound and now spends her day feeling like she’s being watched.
“We’ve tried repeatedly to raise their concerns with the business in the office across from their window, but this has been ignored. Even an offer to help set up a meeting was rejected.
“Instead, the business suggested covering Richard and Breda’s window with blinds or privacy film. That’s simply not acceptable. Why should a couple who’ve lived here for 35 years, particularly Breda for who the window is one of the few connections to the outside, be the ones put out to spare potential discomfort for 9-to-5 workers?
“Surely the best solution would be for the business to install privacy film on their side, as has already been done on other floors in the same building. It’s disappointing they’ve refused.”
EC1 Echo have reached out to Newmark UK for comment and received no response at time for publication.
