Has my neighbour stolen my buggy?

[ILostItInTheEarlyNineties]

I mentioned to my neighbour that I was planning to sell my double buggy which I no longer use.

She has two small children and expressed an interest. I was surprised because she has a double buggy but I agreed she could look at it and test to see if it would fit in the boot of her car. I brought it out to her and left her to inspect it and try fitting it in to her boot.

When I looked out of the kitchen window, I noticed she'd driven off with the buggy!

I made sure I was outside (on the pretext of putting rubbish in the bins) when I saw her return later and asked how she got on with trying out the buggy? She informed me she loved it and would like a second buggy to keep in her car but didn't have the money (I was asking for £50), could she pay me a fiver a week? I agreed.

This was three weeks ago. I've seen her once and asked if she could give me the first instalment but she said her husband hadn't been paid. Since then I think she's been avoiding me

What would you do? I'm pathetic at confronting people.

Actually, I would go in and ask about asap before she has a chance to fill him in. Go I to the salon, and make the situation abundantly clear in front of all his colleagues and clients. "Hi Ian, your wife didn't have enough money to buy my buggy so said you'd sort my hair out. When can we book in for?"

After an awkward conversation with the receptionist who wanted to book me in with Sally, I managed to get Ian on the phone. He seemed a bit surprised but booked me in for Monday.

If he does a good job I might produce the rain cover from my handbag (as a tip.)

Thank you for all your replies. They gave me the kick up the bum to do something anyway.

Good for you!

What's the betting Ian and Mrs Ian have a blazing row about it tonight? I'd lay money he had no idea she was being such a cheekychops!

Am I the only one who is worried about what kind of haircut Ian might do?

I'm sorry OP but this thread is bloody brilliant! Please update if the hair cut is worth £40!

Ok, will let you know on Monday if he's effed up my hair and they're both strolling round the village with the buggy laughing at me.

I'll have to move out of the area.

Laughing at the thought of producing the rain cover as a tip.

Well done!

Good for you.

Oh yes please do come back with an update OP!

Update for anyone interested..

Things didn't go quite as planned but overall I'm fairly happy with the buggy/haircut exchange I didn't plan.

Mrs. neighbour knocked on Saturday to ask if her husband could cut my hair at home as it was easier than going into the shop? Like a mouse I said that was fine. He has just left.

We made the best of it, propping up my hall mirror with squash bottles in front of a kitchen chair . It wasn't quite a salon experience but he did a nice trim and a deep conditioning treatment because my hair is, in his words, porous ().

I gave him the buggy raincover but he also left with my garden hose (agreed loan) so it's probably good bye hose.
My husband returns later from working away so hope he likes my haircut and doesn't want to wash his van tonight .

Oh dear.
You sound lovely OP but please don't let these chancers take the piss too much

You're right. What I'm going to do is try and avoid them now.

Honestly OP this is just not normal. I think you need to do some serious work on your self esteem/confidence or something.

He now has the rain cover, a buggy and your hose, all for a tenner, and a trim in your living room.

Please, this is so wrong.

I'm not the most confident person. It's difficult to say no to someone who has begged to borrow your hose for a couple of days because theirs is broken. They're both very loud and persuasive and I couldn't be bothered arguing to be honest.
I'm a soft touch I know.
Dh said he'll go and get the hose back if it isn't returned.
Bloody neighbours.

I'm not sure that people continuing to tell the OP they think she's been a pushover is going to help her self esteem and confidence!!

OP, I know where you're coming from.

I hope you like your hair

What awful awful people!

I'm sorry op. This so would have happened to me too. Not everyone is comfortable being being assertive against people that are clearly either a bit mental or just plain twunty.

Oh thanks for your replies. I was starting to think I wasn't normal. It's not easy being a people pleaser all the time. but I've never met people quite like this.

I may have to start experimenting with saying No sometime in the future before the neighbours 'borrow' everything I own.

Thanks, lougle, the silver lining to the whole debacle is that I do quite like my haircut

but he also left with my garden hose (agreed loan)

Oh dear, you must learn to say "no"
Glad you like your hair but, in future, you should have a few excuses all ready for when they want to steal borrow anything else.

I am glad you like your haircut OP. you did not have it done in the salon though. (Most mobile hairdressers charge less?). Not sure a cut and conditioning would equate to forty quid but better than nothing. Do avoid these pisstakers love. You sound lovely though.

OP I'm pretty sure the same thing would happen to me

Your neighbours sound like the kind of people I'd find a nightmare to live next door to.

I'm taking these comments on board and have a rough strategy:

-Avoid the neighbours where possible,
-have some excuses to hand if they request anything outlandish,
-tell Ian I'm growing my hair,
-move house hope they move

OP -I read on MN that "no" is a complete sentence! I would suggest not worrying about what other ppl will think and be comfortable with just a "no" when needed.

You could also Google assertive phrases and have one or two that you have memorized for these situations.

You sound like a nice person OP!