Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think my neighbour's Halloween decorations epitomise how abusurd their setup is? (Pic attached)

140 replies

Carla786 · 07/11/2025 21:59

My 'next-door neighbours' have still not moved in, 3 years after they claimed to be arriving in their forever home. There's been a recurrent pattern with the house next to me where it gets redone by the latest buyer, elaborately & noisily & then gets sold on. No one has ever lived there for much longer than a year. (We suspect there is some kind of property-trading ring going on : our house was bought by my grandmother's parents in the 30s when prices were lower, but obvs have skyrocketed since. It seems criminal when there are so many people waiting for homes. Several other houses on the street are the same, it feels a bit ghost-town & def not neighbourly)
It was the same with this neighbour. They did heavy building works for a new basement & granny flat, among other big changes -noisy & very dusty, which was bad for several of our family who have asthma. Not to mention that I was doing my A levels then . And these are still nowhere near complete 3 years after they started. They haven't moved in : OK, it's not finished yet, but I suspect they'll follow the same pattern as previous owners.
But ofc they wanted to put these lovely decorations up, at the house they've never yet lived in & probably won't- and they're still up today.
My mother sent the pic (I'm at uni)- she's a bit of a conspiracy theorist & thinks the gravestone messages are a threat. I definitely don't go that far, though it feels bad taste. I love Halloween but have never liked gravestone decor, esp as the local cemetery is round the corner & we often visit my grandfather's grave.
MN verdict? Are the neighbours CFs, with this as the icing on the cake? Or are we overreacting?

TLDR : Neighbours who have taken 3 years to move in due to noisy dusty building work for a supposed forever home have decided to put up gravestones on the front lawn of a house they've never lived in and probably never will. Gravestones went up before Halloween & are still here today.

To think my neighbour's Halloween decorations epitomise how abusurd their setup is?  (Pic attached)
OP posts:
sweeneytoddsrazor · 07/11/2025 23:48

I seem to remember watching a film years ago where someone ( possibly Kevin Bacon) kept seeing the ghost of a young girl and spent months digging up his basement

Carla786 · 07/11/2025 23:45

Ella31 · 07/11/2025 23:42

It's more the written detail and then you have the pic on top of it. but I'm probably over thinking.

Hmm...no I think it could potentially be outing with the subsequent detail. Will keep up a bit longer & then take down.

Most of the neighbours who are here haven't got kids, though ofc someone else could see it - & people without kids use MN too.

OP posts:
Carla786 · 07/11/2025 23:43

user1473878824 · 07/11/2025 23:42

There’s literally no context. Your neighbours put Halloween decorations up.

The whole OP gives the context, please don't be deliberately obtuse.

OP posts:
Flannelfeet · 07/11/2025 23:42

Carla786 · 07/11/2025 23:38

GC = Gender Critical (Gender steeotypes do not define who a woman is, biology does. So transwomen are not women)
FWR = the old name for the feminist boards, back when they were 1 board called Feminism And Women's Rights.

Ok. I get you. Im with you on that one. 👍

Ella31 · 07/11/2025 23:42

Carla786 · 07/11/2025 23:40

Good point. Perhaps I will take this down fairly soon & repost on property board without photo.
How common are grave & skull decorations? I've seen plenty of skeletons but rarely graves.

It's more the written detail and then you have the pic on top of it. but I'm probably over thinking.

user1473878824 · 07/11/2025 23:42

Carla786 · 07/11/2025 22:19

Also, as I've said I love Halloween decorations, though not keen on gravestones- skeleton's fine imo.
It's the context that's the issue, not just the decorations.

There’s literally no context. Your neighbours put Halloween decorations up.

To think my neighbour's Halloween decorations epitomise how abusurd their setup is?  (Pic attached)
Carla786 · 07/11/2025 23:40

Ella31 · 07/11/2025 23:37

A little off topic , Op, but is that photo identifying for you and your mother as well as the detail you have given, or do you mind. Just saying as this is a very traffic heavy well known site.

Edited

Good point. Perhaps I will take this down fairly soon & repost on property board without photo.
How common are grave & skull decorations? I've seen plenty of skeletons but rarely graves.

OP posts:
Carla786 · 07/11/2025 23:38

Flannelfeet · 07/11/2025 23:33

Can I please ask what gc is and fwr?

GC = Gender Critical (Gender steeotypes do not define who a woman is, biology does. So transwomen are not women)
FWR = the old name for the feminist boards, back when they were 1 board called Feminism And Women's Rights.

OP posts:
Ella31 · 07/11/2025 23:37

A little off topic , Op, but is that photo identifying for you and your mother as well as the detail you have given, or do you mind. Just saying as this is a very traffic heavy well known site.

HughGrantsfurrysquirrel · 07/11/2025 23:37

Owl55 · 07/11/2025 23:16

Money laundering , they’ll never move in!

Hmm.. I was thinking along the same lines.

Carla786 · 07/11/2025 23:37

Pinkearedcows · 07/11/2025 23:21

So you are saying that this house and others on the same street are in an endless loop of being bought, redeveloped and sold on again without anyone ever living in them?

Why would this happen? Do you have any theories?

Eta: is this in a very wealthy area?

Edited

Yes. I gave the info about my grandmother bc my family are not super-rich or anything. But it's relevant that NOW the area is quite different. Apparently my street has some of the highest house prices in the area, one recently set a local record when it sold for 5 .4 million.
It's a nice quiet, green area & has very low crime so this obviously attracts people. Which makes it even more of a shame that people are blocking good potential homes during a housing crisis.

OP posts:
Flannelfeet · 07/11/2025 23:33

Carla786 · 07/11/2025 23:26

Thank you! I think a lot of people are ignoring the weird property issues or just think it's a windup bc of my age (I originally came on here bc I'm GC and mainly read FWR) .

That's interesting: these neighbours aren't decorators (they seem to be French Canadians & are presumably in Canada rn) but they are probs similar in that they like to have second or third bases for investment maybe? A lot of people on the street seem to treat their houses here as investments/ second homes they live in very sporadically.

And yes, it is rather sad. Most of my friends live in a different area of London anyway, but it does seem a shame that my mum experienced a very different street with other kids, neighbours who actually lived there & were friendly etc

Can I please ask what gc is and fwr?

Carla786 · 07/11/2025 23:31

RogueFemale · 07/11/2025 23:19

Yes, but unfortunately AIBU tends to attract those who like to snipe and jeer. You'd be better off posting in the quieter property section.

Property section? That sounds much better, thank you. We did consider some kind of action when the building got really bad. We'd rather not & it seems to have calmed down now but info would be good.

OP posts:
Carla786 · 07/11/2025 23:29

Owl55 · 07/11/2025 23:16

Money laundering , they’ll never move in!

Yes! I think that's it, unluckily....or something weird.

We did have neighbours when I was very young who my mum suspected were into drugs. I'm not totally sure why & she is a bit over suspicious often but it does seem overall dodgy.

OP posts:
Carla786 · 07/11/2025 23:26

CrazyCatMam · 07/11/2025 23:15

I remember watching a TV programme about professional Christmas decorators. Lots of the houses were owned by clients who loved overseas, and rarely, if ever, lived in the UK properties. They were seen as investments. Yet they spent a fortune paying professionals to decorate them for Christmas. It would make me sad too OP if I had to live in a street of empty houses.

My DH rented an apartment in London while he was working there (we’re in Scotland). It was a newish development and the whole block was deserted! Baffled us that anyone would buy an apartment, furnish it and leave it sitting empty.

I think the responses on this thread are strange. Of course no one wants to live in a street of empty houses with Halloween decorations up a week after Halloween.

Thank you! I think a lot of people are ignoring the weird property issues or just think it's a windup bc of my age (I originally came on here bc I'm GC and mainly read FWR) .

That's interesting: these neighbours aren't decorators (they seem to be French Canadians & are presumably in Canada rn) but they are probs similar in that they like to have second or third bases for investment maybe? A lot of people on the street seem to treat their houses here as investments/ second homes they live in very sporadically.

And yes, it is rather sad. Most of my friends live in a different area of London anyway, but it does seem a shame that my mum experienced a very different street with other kids, neighbours who actually lived there & were friendly etc

OP posts:
IridiumSky · 07/11/2025 23:26

You’re all wrong.

That is not a Halloween decoration. It’s real.

That’s an owner who took too long to finish the renovations.

Flannelfeet · 07/11/2025 23:24

Carla786 · 07/11/2025 23:17

Ha, my mum watched that recently. I think she sees the gravestone messages to us as a threat like in the film where the couple are told to 'Get out!'

I think that's totally silly..though tbf she's a bit on edge I think as we did have a previous neighbour who was quite intimidating after we didn't want to sell up our house to make way for their planned huge extension.

Tell your mum to calm it , unless theres a bunch of flies buzzing about her bedroom 🤣😬. Start enjoying yourself, your at uni, why are you not out having fun? Its not like the skeleton next door is going to come alive and terrorize her.

Friendlygingercat · 07/11/2025 23:22

The house next door to me (a 4 bedroom detached) is owned by a widow with dementia who lives with her children. It has been effectively empty for the past 3 years and Im quite happy with that. Every 3 weeks of so someone appears to do the garden and check on the house. Otherwise its deserted. If I grassed them up to the LA they would get charged double council tax but Im not going to do that. I dont want it sold to someone who will redevelop it as a HMO or a noisy multi generational home.

Pinkearedcows · 07/11/2025 23:21

Carla786 · 07/11/2025 23:11

Come on, that's clearly not what I'm saying.

I KNOW housing is in crisis now, I know I'm very lucky to be in this position.

That's the issue here : I'd welcome neighbours who move in & stay.

The issue is that a reccurring thing has been people buying up, redeveloping, selling on s, & never living there, or at best sporadically.

That was what my mum meant by a property trading ring, as thus has happened with several houses adjacent to us. I think that's a jump, I don't believe that myself.

So you are saying that this house and others on the same street are in an endless loop of being bought, redeveloped and sold on again without anyone ever living in them?

Why would this happen? Do you have any theories?

Eta: is this in a very wealthy area?

RogueFemale · 07/11/2025 23:19

Carla786 · 07/11/2025 23:14

Thank you! It seems some are just laughing at the picture rather than reading the background.

I'm obviously not complaining about people buying the house, the issue is never moving in but doing huge renovations!

Yes, but unfortunately AIBU tends to attract those who like to snipe and jeer. You'd be better off posting in the quieter property section.

Carla786 · 07/11/2025 23:19

Flannelfeet · 07/11/2025 23:17

Will you moan about valentines stuff being in the shops before Christmas too and easter eggs in before the 1st of January? Christ, that actually could be bad for you if the neighbours decided to put a giant rabbit skeleton in place of the santa version 😬.

Rabbit skeleton could be funny at Halloween, there's a weird amount of books out recently about spooky 🐰.

OP posts:
Carla786 · 07/11/2025 23:17

Flannelfeet · 07/11/2025 23:10

Im beginning to think its Amityville they are buying 😬😬😬🤣

Ha, my mum watched that recently. I think she sees the gravestone messages to us as a threat like in the film where the couple are told to 'Get out!'

I think that's totally silly..though tbf she's a bit on edge I think as we did have a previous neighbour who was quite intimidating after we didn't want to sell up our house to make way for their planned huge extension.

OP posts:
Flannelfeet · 07/11/2025 23:17

Carla786 · 07/11/2025 23:13

I meant stuff like Xmas trees. I mean, it's only 7 Nov. I don't really mind, just feels a bit early.

Will you moan about valentines stuff being in the shops before Christmas too and easter eggs in before the 1st of January? Christ, that actually could be bad for you if the neighbours decided to put a giant rabbit skeleton in place of the santa version 😬.

Owl55 · 07/11/2025 23:16

Money laundering , they’ll never move in!

CrazyCatMam · 07/11/2025 23:15

I remember watching a TV programme about professional Christmas decorators. Lots of the houses were owned by clients who loved overseas, and rarely, if ever, lived in the UK properties. They were seen as investments. Yet they spent a fortune paying professionals to decorate them for Christmas. It would make me sad too OP if I had to live in a street of empty houses.

My DH rented an apartment in London while he was working there (we’re in Scotland). It was a newish development and the whole block was deserted! Baffled us that anyone would buy an apartment, furnish it and leave it sitting empty.

I think the responses on this thread are strange. Of course no one wants to live in a street of empty houses with Halloween decorations up a week after Halloween.