I'm posting after being inspired by the terraced neighbours thread.
I moved into a mid-terrace house in Oct last year (no. 53) and both houses either side were lying empty. When I viewed mine, next door (no. 51) had been sold and I was told a family had bought it.
I thoroughly enjoyed the peace and quiet for a couple of months until a family of 5, including 3 children, I'd guess aged 5 and under, moved in a couple of days before Christmas. They put baubles and tinsel on the bush in their garden and a snowman toy in their window. I didn't notice them move in until I heard them through the wall. When going past the house the sparse furniture was the same as the house listing photos when it was for sale.
The guy was a big man with a loud booming voice and seemed to be constantly shouting. I never heard the woman but often heard the kids crying. I don't know what he was saying as it wasn't in English, it sounded possibly Eastern European.
Just before New Year what appeared to be 2 couples arrived and also stayed in the house. These are tiny 3 bed terraces so it would have been a tight squeeze! I just presumed they had family visiting.
Then a few days later they all disappeared and the car my neighbours used didn't move for weeks and weeks. They were here for maybe 2 weeks in total.
About a month ago, a completely different man started living in the house on his own and using the family's car. The blinds were always shut and he disappeared about a couple of weeks ago. He also had an Eastern European accent as came running out the house and shouted at DH once when DH thought the neighbour was out and was helping a telecomms engineer round the back which meant going through nextdoor's garden.
I was thinking maybe it's an air bnb type thing but not sure because of the "communal" car.
Anyone want to hazard a guess as to what it's all about?? I'll probably never find out but I'm intrigued!