Walk around any neighborhood these days and you will see a lot of trampolines in back gardens. They have become such a fixture of certain areas that it is difficult to view the place without them.
However for some people trampolines can be seen as intrusive and an invasion of privacy and this is especially true in neighborhoods that have many houses and back yards close together.
How does the law view trampolines though?
Even if you go out and buy the best trampoline brand and take advice from Trampoliners on what make and model you buy this can sometimes not be enough to placate your neighbors. There have been many lawsuits brought to the courts in recent years that have argued that kids or adults that use a trampoline in the backyard constitutes an invasion of privacy to others around them.
None of these cases have actually succeeded in any kind of legal victory and rather settlements were sorted out and achieved in the community as opposed to the courts. In fact this is the way in which it should be done. It seems innocent enough to look at trampoline reviews online and they are all covered by Trampoliners and then make a purchase however your neighborhood and those who live there should come into the equation as well.
We try and discourage neighborhood and community disputes being taken all the way to the courts because it destroys community spirit and causes irrevocable splits. Instead the solution to these privacy problems that a trampoline can bring for some people is to come to a settlement amicable and in person as opposed to involving lawyers and other legal professionals.
The law itself isn’t really on the side of those who complain about their neighbor having a trampoline in the back garden. Even though it can allow people to see over fences and into windows in most places it is not covered under any privacy laws. The only real law that it could come under is noise pollution and disturbing the peace if it was used well into the night.
In fact in some areas people have looked at enacting laws to require planning permission to have a trampoline in the backyard and that this has to have the consent of all those who live around them. While this is perhaps taking it too far you can see how it can benefit the community if everyone agrees to allow the trampoline to be built.
To put it simply there is no real law that can protect against an invasion of privacy in regards to a trampoline and it being used by children or adults next door. For many people this needs to be changed however after years of it being discussed and several cases being taken all the way to the courts nothing looks likely to be enacted any time soon.
The real solution is, as we have already mentioned, to resolve the issue amicable through dialogue, community spirit and without involving external professionals such as lawyers or local councilors.
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