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Original poster

Weird thing happened in our garden

162 replies

TheFireflies · 18/04/2023 00:27

We live in a Victorian terrace with a roof terrace above a kitchen extension, accessed by steps from the garden. Three of the steps bolt on and off, we remove them to get to our external tap if we need to water the garden, as this is on the wall underneath the steps. Our roof terrace borders that of our neighbours, an elderly couple who we are friendly with. The terrace doesn’t directly connect to our other neighbours (converted flats) - there’s a few feet gap between our terrace and the external staircase to the upper flat. I should probably attempt a diagram.

Lived here 6 years, no neighbour issues at all. Generally quiet.

Yesterday we heard water running. Husband went out to investigate and found the external tap was turned on. When he went to unbolt the steps to get through to it, he found that someone had pushed a screw into the step which he had to remove before he could get through to turn the tap off.

Our garden is generally secure with tall fences and our back gate was bolted.

I am 🤔 about who has done this, how, and why.

We have put up a cheap camera on the terrace now (can’t currently afford a proper security system) and luckily we aren’t on metered water, but I think what really bothers me is why someone would go to this sort of trouble, and what other unpleasant surprises we might come across.

Help settle my mind!

OP posts:
TheYearOfSmallThings · 18/04/2023 11:20

Maybe someone found it so unsatisfactory that you have to take your stairs apart to access your garden tap that they just couldn't live with it, and did this to encourage you to find a better solution?

If I did it that would be why.

Alternatively if you have wooden fence panels in concrete posts between gardens, I would guess they are moveable and someone finds it convenient to use your tap, so I would look at which of your neighbours was tidying up their garden over the Easter holidays Grin. They probably thought they broke your steps and tried to "fix them".

watcherintherye · 18/04/2023 11:20

Not that it would justify anything, but when you remove the steps to access the tap, is it a noisy operation which would draw any attention? Could it be the upstairs neighbour’s son getting his own back for some perceived slight? I hate things like this with no obvious explanation!

NoEntry · 18/04/2023 11:24

We had a weirdo early 20s neighbour who used to do things like this. He harassed us for years and we ended up by moving due to the stress. Early 20s males sometimes have issues and will do odd things. Keep up with the camera.

SirVixofVixHall · 18/04/2023 12:01

landbeforegrime · 18/04/2023 05:23

that's incredibly weird. do the flats overlook so someone could see how you access the tap and remove the step? I'm ruling out the elderly neighbours, but someone in the flats may have noticed what you need to do to turn the tap on and thought they would be hilarious and play a practical joke. it sounds pre planned with the screw to make turning it off more difficult so I'm guessing there's an early teen next door who had a friend round and decided to show off. i hope it's that rather than something more sinister. i remember idiots who used to do this kind of thing because they thought it would be really funny to confuse someone in this way. i hope they just wanted to mildly irritate you rathet than actually wanted to cause financial problems given they presumably didn't know you were on a meter (but if they were a kid probably wouldn't think about this). I'd be tempted to go round to the flats as a friendly and concerned neighbour to warn them someone has been accessing and tampering with your back garden so they ought to be careful in case there are suspicious characters lurking. it might filter through to the perp and they will back off from doing it again. but this is all based on the wild speculation it was a neighbour. i can't see how it could be anyone else though as they wouldn't know the tap exists?

I agree with this. Maybe the twenty something ? Although a bit old for pranks.

MrsMitford3 · 18/04/2023 12:06

@TheFireflies I would def like a diagram...

RideACockHorseToSunburyCross · 18/04/2023 12:21

Window cleaner using your tap thought he'd broken the steps as they didn't go back on properly so shoved a screw in to hold them in place. Thinking he'd broken your steps he panicked and didn't realise the tap was still running.

Switchwitch · 18/04/2023 12:26

Here for the diagram.

ChocChipHandbag · 18/04/2023 12:28

Nottodayy · 18/04/2023 11:13

Can you draw a diagram, I just can’t imagine what you mean by bolts the steps etc..

Or just post a picture. Hardly identifying!

Original poster
TheFireflies · 18/04/2023 12:30

RideACockHorseToSunburyCross · 18/04/2023 12:21

Window cleaner using your tap thought he'd broken the steps as they didn't go back on properly so shoved a screw in to hold them in place. Thinking he'd broken your steps he panicked and didn't realise the tap was still running.

We haven’t had a window cleaner round the back (wash our own windows as easy to access them with the terrace) so it wouldn’t be that. Nobody can come in and out of our garden if our very tall and solid back gate is bolted, unless they climb a fence. The flats next door also have (horrible) blackberry bushes running the length of their garden along the fence so there’s no way of easily hopping over - they could clamber over between their steps and our terrace, but not particularly straightforward!

I will get on to a diagram right away!

OP posts:
Laiste · 18/04/2023 12:33

Nobody can come in and out of our garden if our very tall and solid back gate is bolted, unless they climb a fence.

So ... was the gate bolted when you found the tap running?
Sorry if i missed this info.

RideACockHorseToSunburyCross · 18/04/2023 12:34

Not a window cleaner then, someone at your neighbours who was doing work there and noticed your outside tap. Tending to their garden? Fitting windows, painting?

Laiste · 18/04/2023 12:35

''Our garden is generally secure with tall fences and our back gate was bolted.''

You did say. Sorry!

So, if your garden was locked who exactly could have got in?

Season0fTheWitch · 18/04/2023 12:38

I would mention it to all neighbours- there may be a strange but simple explanation. Or at least if it was one of them, they'll know you're aware and have a camera set up now.

Seeline · 18/04/2023 12:46

What do you back onto OP? Could someone have acesed the property from the rear?

Seeline · 18/04/2023 12:46

accessed!!

whatsyourpoison13 · 18/04/2023 12:53

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ as it was the work of a previously banned poster.

Original poster
TheFireflies · 18/04/2023 12:57

Laiste · 18/04/2023 12:35

''Our garden is generally secure with tall fences and our back gate was bolted.''

You did say. Sorry!

So, if your garden was locked who exactly could have got in?

That’s what’s puzzling me! Yes the gate was still bolted, so whoever climbed in must’ve also climbed back out the same way. We back onto a footpath which only leads to garden gates (no through route) with more houses the other side.

Diagram not done yet as I have just had to nip to vets, but these are the steps with tap at the back (yes it’s a ridiculous situation caused by the way the extension and terrace was built!)

Weird thing happened in our garden
OP posts:
RideACockHorseToSunburyCross · 18/04/2023 12:57

"you are being marked by burglars. they do little things like this at first to test the waters"

How the fuck is turning on a tap "testing the waters". Ridiculous 🤣

rileynexttime · 18/04/2023 13:04

Am I the only one that's more confused now they've seen the photo ?

Sorry OP ,I have very poor spatial awareness .

RideACockHorseToSunburyCross · 18/04/2023 13:06

I think the tap has either become faulty due to rust or been hit by something moving in the high winds we had a few days ago, or moved by the wind itself if that gap causes a wind tunnel.

The screw has probably just been dropped onto the step and you've stood on it pushing it in.

ImSoShiney · 18/04/2023 13:16

RideACockHorseToSunburyCross · 18/04/2023 12:57

"you are being marked by burglars. they do little things like this at first to test the waters"

How the fuck is turning on a tap "testing the waters". Ridiculous 🤣

Well it's quite literally testing for water 🤣🤣🤣

RideACockHorseToSunburyCross · 18/04/2023 13:20

True 🤣

SmirnoffIceIsNice · 18/04/2023 13:20

I've no explanation to offer as to how this happened, but I'd find it a palaver to have to unbolt steps every time I wanted to use the downstairs tap.

If you can't find a way to add a padlock to the steps then maybe invest in a tap lock so no-one else is able to turn it on in your absence?

SerendipityJane · 18/04/2023 13:38

Slightly OT, but personally I would ensure any external tap can be (and is by default) turned off from inside. Mainly to prevent freezing, but also stops people helping themselves to your water (and minimising the cost of a leak if you are on a meter).

Laiste · 18/04/2023 14:02

Wow - so someone has climbed over the fence with a screwdriver and a screw, unclipped your wooden steps, gone under and turned on your tap and then not only put the steps back but screwed their screw into your step to make it a ball ache to get back under and turn the water off. And climbed out again.

I know i'm just repeating what you've told us but i'm just having the whole thing sink in 😳

Well it's not the elderly neighbours ...

This feels like more than a kid messing about. Are any of the neighbours inconvenienced by anything you're doing/have had done?

It's obvs someone who knows exactly how you do your steps on and off thing. And someone who has the balls to climb over your fence and mess with your property.