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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I can't stand my new home

208 replies

WannabeWriter1988 · 03/08/2026 10:42

Hi all, my first post and looking for some clarity on if I am in the wrong here.
We lived for a long time in a small village that was a happy place to live with friendly neighbours, lovely community and beautiful surroundings but had to move due to landlord selling up.
We moved counties to be closer to family but from the moment I viewed this house I didn't feel like it could be a home. When we were accepted for it, I told my partner, my family and friends that I didn't like it and they all said I was being silly and precious and would get over it. But I haven't.
The house is nice, lots of light and space but it's very built up and both overlooked by and overlooking a large number of other flats and houses. There is no nature or nature noise (literally not a single spider), it's never really dark, the people are really loud and it feels like living in a fish bowl for people. I feel desperately unhappy, I can't sleep, I feel anxious all the time and everyone I tell just says I'm being stupid. Is this just me or do other people feel like this?

OP posts:
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Bananacrepewithnuts · 03/08/2026 12:31

You say accepted for this one - are you privately renting or council ?

If so I don't see the problem with admitting you have made a mistake and trying to move again.

X

DraigCymraeg · 03/08/2026 12:30

WannabeWriter1988 · 03/08/2026 11:01

I think we could look to move on but my partner doesn't want to and my family think I'm being silly so I don't think I'd have much support for it. Unfortunately, there is nowhere to plant trees as the garden is tiny and all concrete gravel. I could get some little plants for the garden which might look nice but, I know it sounds petty and selfish, but it feels so pointless as I can't hear any birds or see any proper sunshine or anything

You need to have a proper serious conversation with your partner. Make it clear how much living in this property is affecting you. As for your family, is there an individual you can speak to privately and get on your side. Surely if they realise how bad things are they would support you?
You may need to accept that in the meantime you will have to stay, but reach a compromise that the two of you can start looking for a new place.
Good luck.

Swiftie1878 · 03/08/2026 12:30

WannabeWriter1988 · 03/08/2026 12:17

It feels dystopian. I've lived here for a few months, through all the heatwaves and I haven't seen/heard any spiders, bees, birds, anything in or outside. There are no trees or plants for them and the people noise is loud and constant. The neighbour buildings on both sides block out most of the light. I came from a rural location with open space, all sorts of insects, spiders the size of housebricks and birds everywhere all the time so to me, yes, this is prison-like. I couldn't imagine it before this either.

Yes, that sounds bloody awful.
I think you need to chat to your DP and start planning to get out of there. Ignore what others say; if you’re miserable, you need to fix it.
Good luck! 🩵

Noshadelamp · 03/08/2026 12:28

Your family have conditioned you to not trust yourself and done you a great disservice.

Stop asking them as they are not supportive of you having your own feelings and thoughts.
Except your dad maybe who could see what you were seeing, but didn't stand up for you and encourage you to believe your own judgement.

Yanbu at all, you need to feel comfortable and safe (physically, emotionally and mentally) in your own home!

Pinkpunk2 · 03/08/2026 12:27

Maybe when the seasons change it won't feel as bad? You'll have to try and brighten it up with pots etc. But the noise would be a deal breaker for me, I would have to move. Are you locked in for any length of time?
Id concentrate on finding a house you like, realistically you can't change being overlooked and noisy neighbours. No point spending money on a garden if you have lots of other issues

WannabeWriter1988 · 03/08/2026 12:26

MyDarlingRose · 03/08/2026 12:22

Well I wouldn’t want to live there. I don’t understand why you couldn’t veto it when you didn’t like it at the start. Are your opinions often ignored in your marriage?

Honestly no, it's was 100% me. I thought I was being negative instead of having genuine concerns and wanted to see what other people I trusted thought.

OP posts:
MyDarlingRose · 03/08/2026 12:22

Well I wouldn’t want to live there. I don’t understand why you couldn’t veto it when you didn’t like it at the start. Are your opinions often ignored in your marriage?

Dorothyperky · 03/08/2026 12:20

Try the charity shops for pots.
I asked and they were out back.
Cancer research has some composite new ones.
You'll feel better with green out there.
If the house feels odd burn sage.

LibertyLily · 03/08/2026 12:20

I totally get how you feel @WannabeWriter1988. The only positive is that in your case it's just a rental. For now I'd be doing as others have suggested and buy some shade loving plants so that wildlife is encouraged to come into your garden. It will hopefully make it a more inviting space for you to spend time in too! Long term, though, I'd be planning to find somewhere in an environment more like the one you were in previously.

We sold our last house in a very rural location with virtually no neighbours to move back 'home' to the south coast of England. Both DH and I are originally from south coast cities, but haven't lived there since moving away in 2007. I always saw myself as a city girl, with DH the country lover, but having moved around the UK renovating houses, living mostly in villages or more rurally, I now realise city/town life isn't for me either.

In order to buy in a more expensive location than where we'd spent the past 6+ years, we knew we'd have to give up our detached house with 0.5 acre garden full of wildlife and plants we'd lovingly planted. I also had a dream of living close to the sea (and family!) again.

The reality is we're in a small town, two minutes walk from the beach, but have a paved garden and whilst our semi-detached cottage is gradually regaining its period charm, it's also surrounded by intrusive neighbours and buildings, but few trees, which I absolutely hate. Fortunately our garden isn't overlooked at all, but we've crammed it full of mature planting in huge pots anyway to try to recreate what we gave up. It's a project house and as soon as it's finished (doing it mostly ourselves, so taking ages!), we'll be selling and trying to find something more rural again, albeit this area, closer to family.

PoliteSquid · 03/08/2026 12:19

WannabeWriter1988 · 03/08/2026 11:01

I think we could look to move on but my partner doesn't want to and my family think I'm being silly so I don't think I'd have much support for it. Unfortunately, there is nowhere to plant trees as the garden is tiny and all concrete gravel. I could get some little plants for the garden which might look nice but, I know it sounds petty and selfish, but it feels so pointless as I can't hear any birds or see any proper sunshine or anything

We have a tiny gravel and concrete garden. We have filled it with pots of flowers and small trees! It is very overlooked and faces northeast.,, all the things that are ‘bad’ for a garden. But we have loads of insects and bees and birds and even a tiny little pond. It can be done!

WannabeWriter1988 · 03/08/2026 12:17

Swiftie1878 · 03/08/2026 12:04

A place where you can’t see the sun.
Where there is no wildlife; not even a single spider?

It’s dystopian.

It feels dystopian. I've lived here for a few months, through all the heatwaves and I haven't seen/heard any spiders, bees, birds, anything in or outside. There are no trees or plants for them and the people noise is loud and constant. The neighbour buildings on both sides block out most of the light. I came from a rural location with open space, all sorts of insects, spiders the size of housebricks and birds everywhere all the time so to me, yes, this is prison-like. I couldn't imagine it before this either.

OP posts:
EdithStourton · 03/08/2026 12:17

Just to say, @WannabeWriter1988, I 100% understand. I've lived in the middle of built-up areas in the past and never again...

Can you get blackout blinds so at least at night you can have a dark bedroom?

Gardenisablooming · 03/08/2026 12:08

Trellis amd climbers. Some outdoor mirrors? Pack fo 3 at B&M for a fiver right now!l all their outdoor stuff cheap there now. Even packs of outdoor lights. The flickering ones are fab. £7 a pack .

Swiftie1878 · 03/08/2026 12:04

CountessBinface · 03/08/2026 11:38

Your imagination is clearly very limited.

A place where you can’t see the sun.
Where there is no wildlife; not even a single spider?

It’s dystopian.

ChapmanFarm · 03/08/2026 12:03

Would it help to accept that you don't need to like it for it to be the right place for now?

It allows you to have your lives in a convenient place at this stage. Does it have the space etc you all need?

Sometimes we take the convenient option over what we really want and that's fine in houses too, especially when renting.

Try and make it greener. Get privacy film. Maybe gazebo or something for the garden that blocks out some of the being overlooked (especially from upper windows). Feel some achievement in encouraging nature.

I'm sure you are not wrong in your list of dislikes but if it fills a gap for now then it's okay and you can make the best of if it while knowing you want different at some point.

Dorothyperky · 03/08/2026 11:58

I bought a fabulous fern from Waitrose ( Boston fern) £6.50. it's about 12 inches. It's technically a house plant and not poisonous to pets.
I've been buying house plants due to putting our house up for sale. I bought nine for £40 on line.
Lidl does excellent plants
If the garden is tiny you can fill it quite quickly. Ask for plants for house warming gifts. Watch Instagram for ideas or gardeners world, 8pm fridays bbc2

thestudio · 03/08/2026 11:52

WannabeWriter1988 · 03/08/2026 11:39

Thank you, I am really grateful for the helpful suggestions on here about the garden and decorating. I've been so in my own head I've not really given it much thought at all. Will the plants be ok as there is only a little square of sun in the middle due to the neighbour buildings?

You can get gorgeous shade-loving plants OP, ferns and that sort of thing. It will be fun doing the research and planting up. I think if I were you, given the fact that there is not much sun anyway, I'd be getting the fences as high as I could within legal limits to block out as much as I could, and then trying to create a jungly vibe with the planting, so all you see when you look out is green-ness. Have a look online at houses with an inner courtyard in the centre of the (luxury!) house for inspo.

It will cost but as I said, it will be fun and it will solve part of your problem. Good luck!

Wheresthebeach · 03/08/2026 11:52

Do everything you can to make it nicer for you, lots of good suggestions. And start looking to move, nobody else has to agree with you. If you hate it, you hate it and that's enough. You both need to be happy.

Laurmolonlabe · 03/08/2026 11:51

Why did you move there on the say so of friends and family?
When it comes to somewhere to live always go with your gut.

Calliopespa · 03/08/2026 11:51

A kumquat tree can look really pretty and atmospheric in a pot OP, and they tend to do well in them.

user90756423298 · 03/08/2026 11:48

I’d hate that too - if you’re renting I’d move as soon as practicable.
If you’ve bought it, gardening in pots is an option. You can get trees to grow big-ish in a pot. But, obviously big pots. As big as you can carry! I have some trees that don’t like our soil type in old galvanised water tanks, the type people used to have in lofts as the water tanks. Or old fashioned metal dustbins, thats the sort of size you need to make it long term planting, the more soil potted trees and shrubs have the more they can look after themselves - if it dies in a pot its the gardeners fault! Don’t scrimp on your planting material as you’ll only make work for yourself. Plenty of trees/shrubs are fine in the shade - if the weathers like this summer, they're better for it! If you wait till the autumn you can get bare root trees and shrubs much cheaper and they establish better with winter planting.

IHateEmptyPockets · 03/08/2026 11:46

Hi @WannabeWriter1988 hop over to the gardening topic and post for advice there. It’s a lovely corner of MN.

you can get some shade loving plants if need be - lots of things do well in pots.

Calliopespa · 03/08/2026 11:46

WannabeWriter1988 · 03/08/2026 11:39

Thank you, I am really grateful for the helpful suggestions on here about the garden and decorating. I've been so in my own head I've not really given it much thought at all. Will the plants be ok as there is only a little square of sun in the middle due to the neighbour buildings?

Yes the pots are a great idea.

Lavender is brilliant for attracting bumblebees and butterflies, which will give you a lovely sense of a busy, moving insect cloud about them. I love the hum of bumblebees!

Wiseowl18 · 03/08/2026 11:46

The place does sound suffocating & it appears like me you like to be surrounded by nature. I would get to work. You say the garden is tiny. I've see the smallest of balconies transformed into a beautiful oasis of plants, flowers) a bird table to attract birds. The inside of a property can also be transformed by adding the most realistic fake greenery & flowers. Nowadays you can't tell the difference. I would also add white wooden slim slat venetian blinds. Mirrors can make a huge difference especially the long vertical mirrors strategically placed. I hope this helps

Happyjoe · 03/08/2026 11:45

Put some plants in the garden, some tall grasses in pots to block out some of the neighbours. Put bird food out too. Start making the garden a little nature haven and they should come.

But yeah, doesn't sound all that great and sounds like where I live now but throw in 3 pubs very close! Perhaps revisit it in a few years with the thought of moving?
We're doing up a house that's rural at the moment and have a 5 year plan. I've not seen the house my partner bought with his inheritance (I know!), but loads of videos etc. If I really don't like living there, we will sell up and move again. It's nice to have that safety net/plan and a partner willing to move if I hate the house.

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