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AIBU?

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What’s going on in this situation?

137 replies

Thestormishere · 09/01/2026 06:43

Name change because of possibly very recognisable location.

Live just off one of the most expensive areas in London. Houses between £20 and £40mil.

Go for walks daily.

There’s always a car with someone inside, outside of a specific house. The house is not on the road with the very expensive ones, just off it, so not an ambassador/Middle Eastern royalty one, more like a £5/6mil one.

Lots of private security guards around with high viz jackets and marked cars patrolling by car or on foot.

‘They’, instead, have normal cars with always someone inside looking utterly bored, checking phones, listening to music. Never outside of the car, not even in summer. So cars and people inside change, but car with person inside there day and night, always in front of this house.

From the outside, you can see that inside the house there’s a tv showing cctv camera feeds. It feels like the tv was positioned so as to make it clear to outsiders that there are plenty of cameras in and around the house.

And a man often sitting by the window facing the road in an office/library room. Neither the man nor the room look fancy, but also not a guard.

What’s the deal?

(I know it sounds like the beginning of a badly-written short story, but it’s all real, I’ve been discussing this with my husband and I just can’t understand what’s going on but I pass in front of it every day so it’s hard to not think about it)

OP posts:
1clavdivs · 09/01/2026 15:15

333FionaG · 09/01/2026 12:09

What happens when he needs a pee? Is he allowed in the house? Or does he have to use a fabric conditioner bottle in the car?

If he’s in the house he uses their facilities (apparently very nice, heated seat etc). If he’s outside in the car he tries not to, but if he has to he’ll ask one of the team to watch the cameras while he goes to a cafe.

1clavdivs · 09/01/2026 15:13

Thestormishere · 09/01/2026 11:53

Ah there you go. Now, the real question, is it just monied/famous/important people he 'bodyguards' or could it be a bad one too? As in, drug lord or the sort?

Anyone who pays, basically. In this case it’s related to politics (not UK) and them being a possible retaliation target. The person is very rich. Doesn’t like the bodyguards in the home when the family are there so that’s when they sit outside. And just generally note any suspicious activity that could indicate bad things are being planned.

TiredTrainLady · 09/01/2026 14:52

socialdilemmawhattodo · 09/01/2026 10:19

If you find a good excuse to knock, please share. I am researching prior occupants of a very exclusive house, now an embassy. Am dying to get in for a nose.

Become an Avon rep and knock on their door(or ding dong ring the bell)

TemporarilyCantDoMyself · 09/01/2026 14:45

Thestormishere · 09/01/2026 14:25

Maybe, or maybe there is a difference, I guess in this case I will never know.
The story would be much more interesting though if it was a drug lord or an international spy spilling the secrets to the police force than a random person who was given or felt the need for security!

It could be a writer, but the sterile house still doesn't tell me home.

So he lives somewhere else but holes himself up here to get the writing done without the distraction of human discourse.

Will Self used to do that. Just as a for instance.

Thestormishere · 09/01/2026 14:25

JoshLymanSwagger · 09/01/2026 14:14

Is there a difference?

They have money to burn and are frightened of interacting with the great unwashed (you n me).

I wouldn't want their life or their money - whether it's clean or dirty.

Maybe, or maybe there is a difference, I guess in this case I will never know.
The story would be much more interesting though if it was a drug lord or an international spy spilling the secrets to the police force than a random person who was given or felt the need for security!

It could be a writer, but the sterile house still doesn't tell me home.

OP posts:
JoshLymanSwagger · 09/01/2026 14:14

Thestormishere · 09/01/2026 11:53

Ah there you go. Now, the real question, is it just monied/famous/important people he 'bodyguards' or could it be a bad one too? As in, drug lord or the sort?

Is there a difference?

They have money to burn and are frightened of interacting with the great unwashed (you n me).

I wouldn't want their life or their money - whether it's clean or dirty.

TemporarilyCantDoMyself · 09/01/2026 12:56

So the only person I have seen inside the house is a man around 60ish. Can't stare so it's an approximate age. Always sitting at the desk facing the road and with books at the back.
Writer then. Endless sitting at desk with books in the room staring out of the window, it's literally what writers do for much more time than they actually write.
So, who? If he wasn't dead I'd have said John le Carre, due to the spy connections and being famous enough to be rich. Would have been Graham Greene in a bygone age. not sure who now - Julian Fellowes springs to mind as possible.

Namechangeyname · 09/01/2026 12:56

Is it definitely a residential house and not connected in any way to the synagogue? I'm not in London, but my local synagogue buildings unfortunately need constant security :(

Thestormishere · 09/01/2026 12:50

What I mean to say is that the interior is very sterile, almost as if they lived there because they had to, not because it's their loved home. (Of course I have not seen the other rooms, however I have seen many of the rooms of the neighbours so the contrast is stark)

OP posts:
Thestormishere · 09/01/2026 12:48

Ah, it's bordering the Heath Extension so I guess they pee in the bushes. However I have never seen the car without someone inside (always one person) so I wonder if one of the job requirements is that they can't pee! :)

OP posts:
Thestormishere · 09/01/2026 12:47

So the only person I have seen inside the house is a man around 60ish. Can't stare so it's an approximate age. Always sitting at the desk facing the road and with books at the back.

If you walk around this area at 'night', when the lights are on, you can see plenty of how people live. Living rooms/kitchens/hallways/etc etc.. This house, the only thing you can see inside, apart from the man sitting at the window when he's there, is the tv with I'd say 9 camera feeds. (I'd like to take a photo to show you at least of that but it would be pretty obvious...) So I don't think sons of whomever is the answer.

I am a shy person so I would not have the right persona to go up to the guy and ask what's going on. I know of someone who could do that but I haven't spoken to her in months (for valid reasons!) so rekindling the friendship to do that is a bit much.

Anyone who can meet me here and is willing to do so?

OP posts:
Agapornis · 09/01/2026 12:46

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 09/01/2026 12:36

Dutch people put it all out there. There's no mystery so therefore no curiosity.

They don't even have curtains

Haha slight cross post, love how we're defined by the lack of (net) curtains.

Agapornis · 09/01/2026 12:44

MrsDutchie88 · 09/01/2026 09:38

I’m a bit taken aback. Is this a British culture? Snooping on people’s personal affairs?

Says someone from the country where they no longer have net curtains (vitrage) since the protestants took over to make it easier to keep an eye on people - got to love the sociale controle and the buurtwhatsapp (neighbourhood WhatsApp) Grin

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 09/01/2026 12:42

user2848502016 · 09/01/2026 12:07

I’d guess a famous person or foreign royalty/PM’s child renting the house

Ooh yes, could be one of the PM's kids. We don't know anything about them but they are teenage, aren't they? So one of them could have grown up and moved out?

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 09/01/2026 12:36

TemporarilyCantDoMyself · 09/01/2026 09:47

Is it Dutch culture to have no curiosity at all? No wonder poor Van Gogh went mad! 😂

Dutch people put it all out there. There's no mystery so therefore no curiosity.

They don't even have curtains

Ohhohoho · 09/01/2026 12:10

Thestormishere · 09/01/2026 11:57

No the zillionaires are behind the corner. This house says 'I've done really well for myself, but in this area I am just normal'

But surely that’s what you want? To not stand out. 5/6mil house is still insane amount of money to loads of people and surely means the person owning it is very wealthy.

You’ve said it yourself in this area I am very normal, so makes them less of a target. Could be a diplomat, someone very important or the child of someone very rich who is studying.

333FionaG · 09/01/2026 12:09

1clavdivs · 09/01/2026 09:50

My DH is a bodyguard and he does this. Yes it’s an affluent area of London and if the family is at home they don’t want the bodyguard in the house. He gets flipping freezing on night shifts.

What happens when he needs a pee? Is he allowed in the house? Or does he have to use a fabric conditioner bottle in the car?

user2848502016 · 09/01/2026 12:07

I’d guess a famous person or foreign royalty/PM’s child renting the house

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 09/01/2026 12:06

By the way the one millionaire our family knew who lived on Cheyne Walk, he was a bit dodgy in his younger years but branched out into property development hence where he made his millions. In theory they had enough for a security guard or needing high risk protection but didn’t bother and they were nowhere near enough high profile/prestige for people to target them. The wife was much younger, Japanese and they had 4 young sons. That house was eventually sold mostly for its internal parking space courtyard as parking is scare and v expensive round there.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 09/01/2026 12:00

My aunt and uncle used to live on Bishops Avenue but uncle was a caretaker for a Jewish old peoples home there and they lived in house. Once when younger I was speaking to I think someone at work who didn’t know me that well and assumed from my working class London accent that I was probably shock horror, poor (they were monied, wealthy, upper class). I casually dropped this information into the conversation and got a look of surprised but impressed shock horror. I don’t even recall if I told the actual truth! Just kept them guessing for eternity!

OP, it’s likely to be security or a small embassy. I thought quite a few of the houses on Bishops Avenue were actually empty, no idea why.

MedievalNun · 09/01/2026 11:59

Another one thinking bodyguard / security services. Although probably not MI5 / MI6 as if so, their tradecraft is crap, as they would be less noticeable in a high-end car in that neighbourhood.

You are probably correct in that they are guarding a person rather than the location tbh. If you’re concerned you could call into
the local nick and say you’re worried someone is casing the place 😉 although it won’t get you an answer as to why they’re there, unfortunately. (Which is a pity as I’m totally not here for that, nope, not me)

Noshadelamp · 09/01/2026 11:59

Thestormishere · 09/01/2026 11:53

Ah there you go. Now, the real question, is it just monied/famous/important people he 'bodyguards' or could it be a bad one too? As in, drug lord or the sort?

Not necessarily mutually exclusive

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 09/01/2026 11:58

Thestormishere · 09/01/2026 11:57

No the zillionaires are behind the corner. This house says 'I've done really well for myself, but in this area I am just normal'

Second home?

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 09/01/2026 11:58

Thestormishere · 09/01/2026 11:56

I know! Though no dog unfortunately. And it's starting to piss me off because I am second guessing myself and going out at different times of the day to make sure that they don't think I do it on purpose to pass in front always at the same time!

I told you!! I'm onto you!!!!

But seriously. Go up and ask the dude in the car. He's bored so he might tell you so he can have a conversation. Maybe take him a Costa.

Thestormishere · 09/01/2026 11:57

Thepeopleversuswork · 09/01/2026 10:44

I was going to say M15/MI6 but they would probably be somewhere more suburban and nondescript than this. Agree probably private security for some zillionaire.

No the zillionaires are behind the corner. This house says 'I've done really well for myself, but in this area I am just normal'

OP posts:
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