AIBU to be annoyed with my neighbour

[AnnieVXR]

My neighbour has just rung my doorbell, asked to go through to the garden to finish banging in a few nails to the fence!! It's gone half past seven ffs!!! My youngest has been bed an hour and my eldest is now interested in what's happening and so won't go to bed!!!!!
I'm fuming!!! He has kids so should know, ok they're now 9 and 12 but come on!!! B

Say no.

"sorry, it's too late. My youngest is in bed. You'll have to do it another day, but earlier. S/he goes to bet at 6:30, so no later than 6. Or you can come at the weekend."

If you grit your teeth, sigh and say yes, then you have noone to blame but yourself

You can't say yes to someone and then be annoyed with them!

Probably a bit U. Maybe he can't do it earlier due to work?

Why does he need to be in your garden? What is he actually doing

Er... TBH i think YABabitU...

Your children aren't little and it's very early evening so 2 mins hammering shouldn't be a huge disruption like it would for babies.

It is, however, your garden so if you don't want to let him in then don't...

Fuming is rather extreme, either say, " you are welcome to go into our garden, but please come round tomorrow before 6" or " yes no problem"

Fuming is passive aggressive and will fester. I never got my young kids into bed before 7 and even though it was only 8 years ago, I'd forgotten until I read this thread

Also, perhaps his work comity wants means this is the only time he can do the work?

I would ask him to give you the nails and you can do it for him tomorrow. Half seven isn't that late to people who don't have small children.

is this really a big issue?

bed, not bet.

apologies for inadvertently giving your young child a gambling problem

Half seven isn't very late.

While I don't think half 7 is particularly late, I think your neighbour is being rather unthoughtful. A reasonable neighbour, knowing he'd have to come into your garden to finish off the work, would have asked you in advance. Of course you could have told not to come after half 6 and he could have planned the work around that.

Whenever I am doing DIY that will affect my neighbours, I always tell them in advance - that's just basic politeness.

Is he securing the fence? It's supposed to be a nice day tomorrow.... Best he finishes whatever job it is do your dc are safe in the garden tomorrow?

It sounds like you have agreed already OP, so not much point in fuming now. Just keep in mind that you can refuse in future, for the reasons you have given, and ask him to come at a time that suits you.

I suppose people sometimes forget what it's like to have very young children when theirs are a little older but at 7:30pm it's not totally unreasonable to think the neighbours might be eating or getting settled down with the bath and bed routine etc.

I was just wondering what you would do if they decided to have a bbq and eat in their garden after 6.30? They might have some friends round and chat/play music.

If he wants to "finish" banging nails in, I assume he has already started, and your youngest has slept through it?

It'll take him two minutes.