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AIBU?

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My neighbours have disappeared

108 replies

poppetandmog · 24/06/2025 17:35

This is really none of my business but it’s such an odd situation, I had to share. My garden backs on to two other houses. We don’t know these neighbours - they technically live around the corner from us on a different street but because of the way the houses are positioned and with our house being slightly elevated, we can see in to their gardens and to a lesser degree, in to their houses. One of the neighbours has 3 small boys (I’d guess ages 5-10) and we would often see them playing football all in the garden. We’d also see them coming and going to school/work etc as they tended to use their back door.

it suddenly occurred to me the other day that I hadn’t seen them in months. No cars on the driveway either. Being nosey, I checked to see if the house was for sale, thinking they’d moved somewhere else but it isn’t. I’m now kind of worried as it’s just really odd for a family to disappear, but as we don’t actually know them, i could be totally wrong. Should I report this to someone to check they’re okay? There’s probably a logical explanation but if something has happened to them, I’d feel terrible noticing and doing nothing. Thoughts?

OP posts:
Lmnop22 · 24/06/2025 17:46

I think if a whole family went missing months ago, someone would’ve noticed already and reported it!

Likely there’s an explanation which is none of your business so I would just leave it

StillWeRise · 24/06/2025 17:46

if the children attended school you can be sure any sudden unexplained disappearance would be looked into
but as PPs say, many v ordinary explanations

BCSurvivor · 24/06/2025 17:44

When my neighbour disappeared out of the blue a few years ago, it turned out that he'd gone to work in Thailand on a whim and just walked out of his old life, leaving all his belongings behind!
But obviously easier to do as a man with no family living with him.

roseymoira · 24/06/2025 17:43

Could be anything, staying with family? Maybe they were renting and evicted, house not yet sorted for new tenants? I wouldn’t be reporting it personally, but maybe knock on their immediate neighbours and ask if you’re concerned

HatsOffToThePigeons · 24/06/2025 17:42

Maybe, like us, they've lost their jobs in Britain and had to take jobs abroad during term time and don't want to sell the house or rent it out so they've somewhere to go for the summer to try and give their kids the normal life they wanted them to have? I really hope our neighbours don't stick their noses in when we disappear soon.

Starlight7080 · 24/06/2025 17:41

How did you know it wasn't rented ? And they moved and the landlord has not got new tenants.
Or they are planning to sell but it needs work.
Could be loads of reasons why its not for sale.
But seems like its very plausible that they moved out and you didnt notice .

Ilovecakey · 24/06/2025 17:40

Maybe they moved house?

pottylolly · 24/06/2025 17:37

Just let the police know: they have ways to check if someone’s safe. They won’t, however, tell you either way.