Neighbourly or intrusive?

[MintyCedric]

I’ve got new neighbours due to move in on Monday (assuming all’s gone to plan).

They knocked on a few weeks ago and introduced themselves and we had a chat and I’ve seen them briefly since as house is currently empty so they’ve been to check a few things.

I'm going to be wrestling my front garden into submission today and was wondering about mowing their lawn for them while I’m at it?

Nice gesture and saves them a job (plus it’s due to rain all next week) or mind my own?

Nice idea, but they may not thank you if they do ‘no mow May’…just a thought.

Personally I'd love it if someone moved my lawn for me :)

Don't do it, it's intrusive and not your property.

Don’t do it without asking first

I wouldn’t do it without asking, if you were longtime neighbours and knew their habits, then running the mower over their lawn while you have it out would be fine. With new neighbours it might be seen as a bit presumptuous or even passive aggressive.

Personally I’d love it. You’d be welcome to do it all the time 😂

Up till no mow may that would have been a really nice thing to do.
But I wouldn't do it now tbh .
You sound like a nice neighbour to be moving next to .

I agree

You.can see by the split of comments that some would love it but others wouldn't. You dont know these people so don't know which way they'd feel

I think the fact that I’m questioning the idea probably answers my own question!

I actually hate gardening so if I arrived to a mown front lawn I’d think ‘thank fuck that’s a job I don’t have to do’ but can totally see why others wouldn’t.

Can also imagine based on our two brief meetings that No Mow May might well be something they’d be onboard with.

I will stick to popping a nice card in the door with and ‘if you need anything give me a shout’ message and my mobile number.

If it was a grass verge type strip running into mine , I would probably but if its a separate lawn which means going right onto their property then no I wouldn't.

Also, whilst I’ll be mowing my back garden, my front is paved which would possibly mark me out a garden nutter wouldn’t it?

Actually feel a bit bad about mowing now, but it’s been untamed since last August and I’m going to be playing a wildflower patch elsewhere so I figure I’m doing my bit!

Do it once and you'll forever be doing it and they'll turn ashy when you don't.

Why not wait until they've move in and suggest an agreement that you take it in turns to mow both front lawns.

What the heck is no mow May??

It's definitely a kind thing to do . But I wouldn't do it. It could lead to expectations that you will always do it . Or they might not like you doing it.

Don’t do it. I’d feel that it was overly intrusive.

Don’t go it without asking first. Intrusive (and trespassing).

I'd be really worried at moving in to find a neighbour I had never met had taken it upon themselves to mow my lawn without asking.

It's all about boundaries @MintyCedric !

An offer to someone you know is nice, unlilaterally deciding to do something to a stranger's property is intrusive, overbearing and rude.

https://www.plantlife.org.uk/campaigns/nomowmay/

No because it might become an expectation every time you mow yours "could you just do ours "

My front garden doesn’t actually need mowing…I will be giving it a bloody good pressure wash though!

Even worse, then.

Neighbour’s adult children (he sadly passed away last year hence the sale) have just turned up to do a final clean and mow the lawn…

I am cheerfully cracking on with my own!

I completely agree. Asking someone if you'd like them to do a garden job for them is kind. Going ahead and doing it without asking definitely isn't.

Some people might welcome it. Others might find it intrusive.

Since you have no way of figuring out which, probably best to leave it.