..to think just a "thanks" might have been appropriate?

[Anonymousbird]

We recently moved into a rental property and I found out (after we moved in) that our property provided the electricity for the Village Christmas lights. My landlord said that they would probably offer a contribution but that no one in the past had ever taken one.

In the spirit of Christmas and on the basis it is only for one year (I won't be here for Christmas 2011) I thought, ok, I can live with that.

Two fairly surly blokes I had never met before turned up to set it all up and run the line from my garage. I was at home, so all fine and dandy. Not even a hint of a "oh thanks for this by the way" or anything.

Just been on holiday for ten days. I tried to contact the appropriate guy several times just before I went and whilst I was away to say "please leave the lights until I am back". I never got an answer. I managed to arrange for someone to access my garage to switch off at the mains on the twelfth night, and assumed someone would realise we weren't there (no cars or signs of activity) and come round once someone was home.

I got home last night to find that someone had been into my garage, which means going through my back gate and into my garden and taken it all away.

AIBU to think:
a) no one should have come onto my property without my permission, regardless of the fact I am renting; and

b) that someone from the village council could just say "thanks for giving us free electricity for four weeks".

I don't want to be given a bloody medal, just a common courtesy.

YANBU. Sometimes all you want is a thank you, it's not that hard. Mind you, I'd have charged them for my electricity.

The landlord should be paying for the electricity if it's offered to the town!!! People have absolutely no right to enter your property when you're not there. It's your right as it's your home. I'd be getting on to the parish council and telling them you're not going to fecking let them do it again. Your bill will be enormous!

No one should come onto your property without permission. Given that your home is rented, it seems inappropriate that you should provide the electricty. If it came from an owner/occupier it's likely that they'd be staying in the street longer.

I agree you should have been thanked - YANBU

Tell the police you have been burgled. You dont know definitely that the lights were taken by the same people who put them up.

Sounds like a weird set up to me .

YANBU!!!

that said Id never allow free elec for village lights!

I can live with the financial contribution - we have lived in this village a long long time, and I don't put much "in" to village life as it were. It's not a lot of lights, so the bill will be manageable (well, I suppose I should see the bill before I am so sure about that!).

But to come here, without permission, enter not just my garden but into my garage AND not so much as a by your leave, well, I'm pretty cross.

DH will think I am overreacting, maybe I am, but all seems a bit much to me.

I'm a bit confused as to why you're bothered about someone coming onto your property and taking the lights down but not about providing the free electricity. Seems a bit topsy turvy to me.

Because I agreed in advance, albeit a bit reluctantly, to pay the bill.
I was in when they set the lights up, I gave them access to the garage personally.

I was not in when they took them down, I knew I would not be, but the person I needed to contact to say "please wait until I am back" did not answer their phone for ten days.

They did not have any permission to enter my property. They had permission to use the electricity until twelfth night.

That is why I am bothered.

YANBU and I would complain

Wow the whole set up is really cheeky. There is no way I would be paying that electricity bill. If the landlord set up this arrangement he should be paying for it.
In fairness the men who set up the lights were probably just doing a job they were hired to do. It really isn't up to them to thank you. Maybe the village council think it is the landlord covering it and since they have an agreement with him they can enter without your permission? I would be taking this up with him.

YANBU - a thank you does not cost anything. Is there a local paper or leaflet that goes round? It may be that you are thanked publicly in the next one or after the next community meeting or similar. It takes a while for the wheels to churn sometimes.

I am still a bit miffed after giving someone our cot (something I found it very hard to do)and not receiving even a verbal thank you.

Personally if someone had done something like that I would have at least given them a thank you card and probably a small box of chocs or bottle of wine or small bunch of flowers, especially for something with such sentimental value attatched.

Instead she hounded me for a missing screw

WTF? You paid for it?

How much are we talking here?