A 74-year-old woman says she feels "trapped in her home" because of nosy and noisy workmen at a construction site nearby.
Carole Frith, who lives in Walthamstow, east London, said she could not open her kitchen windows as there were many flies over summer.
She told MyLondon that the last few months have been "hell" for her as she claims workers look into her gardens.
She also said the generator at the back of her house creates constant noise and diesel fumes blow into her home.
Her 76-year-old husband, who had a knee replacement, is now "housebound" as her cannot go into the garden, Ms Frith added.
The woman initially complained about the workmen three weeks ago and is now thinking to report the ongoing issue to the ombudsman.
Ms Frith says the noise usually starts at 7am and the generator on the work site is always loud, meaning her family cannot use the garden.
She also claims she approached the workers, but says they do not understand the impact the work site is having on her life.
She said: "We can't use the garden with the generator running. It's so noisy. We have lorries continually delivering stuff, the workman banging around in the cabins waking us up at 7am, it's hell.
"During the summer, we had the windows open because it was so hot and the noise would constantly wake us up."
She added: "I've been fighting like mad but it feels like the people [the workers] are laughing at me.
"I went up there last Wednesday as I was so sick of the smell and the noise and told them, they turned around and said to me 'I'm making a fuss out of nothing'.
"They don't understand how it's impacting my life. No matter where I am in my house, it feels like I am trapped because I constantly see them. I feel really closed in.
"I send emails three times a day to the council and hear nothing. Sending a letter a week in advance is not advising us when this is our communal area."
Ms Frith has put in an application to get funding for a communal garden to be implemented on the site but as of yet has heard nothing back.
She said: "The workers will sometimes come out from their top cabin and look into our garden. We have no privacy anymore. I've continually complained to the council but they keep saying there's nothing they can do and they keep dragging it out.
"They've delivered toilets now so they clearly have no plans to find an alternative - it feels like they are laughing at me.
"My husband only has our garden and pond to be able to go outside and enjoy due to his knee replacement. He's basically housebound because of this generator. I'm 75, he's 76 and they're taking another year out of the years we have left."
Another resident, Rob Jenkins, thinks the introduction of the site has made it harder for children to play.
Before the site was erected, his daughter played with other kids in the area on the tarmac but for the last three months, she hasn't been able to.
He said: "I've seen several HGV and vans speeding through here, it's so dangerous. I emailed the council and they basically fobbed me off. I think the council needs to apologise to us. Either they weren't aware of how damaging this would be to us or they simply don't care.
"My daughter has to play on the road now. I don't think they would have put this industrial site in a posher bit of Walthamstow. There are areas like these over there [Walthamstow Village] so why have they chosen here?"
Andrea Blade, 39, and her five-month-old Ava are directly opposite the site.
She said: "We got woken up at half 6 in the morning because the workers were talking. For them it's nothing, but for us it's huge. The workers use the car park and I've had stuff stolen from my car due to the increase of cars in the area. Both our sleep are affected, it's tough.
"During lockdown, all the neighbours and their kids would play in the area and it was lovely. This site coming in has ruined the community vibe completely. It's such a shame."
A Waltham Forest Council spokesperson said: "An area of council-owned land on Arkley Road is being temporarily used for 12 months to store materials for planned works to improve hundreds of council tenants’ kitchens and bathrooms across the borough. The generator runs for four hours between 9am to 1pm Monday to Friday and is not turned on at the weekends.
"We understand this has caused residents some inconvenience. Letters were sent in advance informing them of this project. Using this patch of concrete allows the council to conduct the important task of improving residents’ homes, as we have not been able to identify any suitable alternatives."
