AIBU to ask the neighbours to open the curtains?

[cocostrawberry]

A youngish couple with no children bought a house on our estate about a year ago. They don't get involved with any of the activities such as the summer bbq and basically seem to isolate themselves from the rest of us, their loss. However my main bug is that they NEVER have the living room curtains open and quite often leave the other ones shut also, today every single one of them are shut and I know they are home.

I've hinted a couple of times that it would be best for them to leave them open, the girl mumbled something about a projector and watching films, but they can't be watching films all the time.

AIBU to just point blank ask them to open the curtains during the day, it really depresses me to look across to their house with all the curtains closed, it doesn't look inviting and it looks odd compared to the rest of the estate, we all manage to open their curtains everyday, so why can't they? My DH thinks I'm BU and should just leave them to it but I think when it effects other people I have a right to say something?

we all manage to open their curtains everyday, so why can't they?

If the whole estate are going round and opening the curtains every day, perhaps they feel they don't need to do it themselves.

soup

There might be a bit of Ivy hanging off the bridge and stream running nicely under it, rather than curtains....

Oi Nancy, in 2 years time ill be 44 and will have an 11 and 13 yr old, I will never be like op

Livia Curtain Etiquette
Sounds like a GCSE subject, or an Adult Education module.
It could even be a Uni Degree course, combined with Barbecue Attendance.

goring no I will admit, they keep the garden ok-ish. Just plain grass though no flowers.

I do have a life, I'm not staring for hours at their house, but it's hard not to notice.

I don't care if this is a pisstake, I think it is going to become my favourite MN thread to date.

To think that people out there actually care about this shit makes me realise my own petty annoyances are totally normal and reasonable in comparison.

I feel absolved.

Ironically we used to live in an area like the OP's. Everyone would be out in their front gardens chatting away to each other, having shitty, annoying, smelly BBQ's in the summer and pretending they were all best friends.
They ALL gossiped about each other behind one another's backs and we used to keep our curtains closed so we didn't have to look at their ugly chavvy faces.

I wonder if the OP lives in the same area I used to?

Do you mean they might not know how curtains work?

This has cheered me up too.
Just what I needed on a dull Wednesday afternoon.

You need to post more stuff like this please!

What the actual fuck?! I keep my curtains closed because the TV is next to the window and I can't see it properly with the light blaring in from the window.
OP you've been given a plethora of reasons why you're unreasonable and why they might have reasons to keep them shut that are nothing to do with being lazy. Rather be lazy than a nosy mare

Hate The OP could teach it might give her something else to do instead of bothering her poor neighbours

Goring I was just coming back onto the thread to ask about pampas grass!

I love Mumsnet sometimes

sorry spadequeen! Perhaps it's more like:

Do you work? Yes, a probation officer
Have children? No, far too messy
How old are you? 30
What's your favourite biscuit? a dry Carr's Water Biscuit
Any pets? Exotic cats: hairless

AGGGGHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA This is brilliant.

The young couple with little kids opposite me don't open their curtains in the week. They leave the house around 7:30 ish with 2 preschoolers and get back after 6pm. I guess fart arsing around making sure the curtains are opened is way down on their list of priorities, and as I don't sit staring out of the window it doesn't bother me.

I keep my curtains shut at all times because it saves energy. My curtains are double lined for this reason; I made them all myself. I live alone, and have no neighbors to look in.

Come on Coco out with it, you think they're common don't you?
still think they don't like their neighbours

You need a hobby or something else to fill your day. Clearly there can't be much in your life if this warrants your thoughts let alone a thread on MN.

It's their house they can do what they want. It does not affect you in anyway. Whether they are young or old or if this is their first home or not it's none of your business.

I think it looks scruffy too but I would never ever say something to someone. How would you feel if they told you they were offended by the colour of your front door/size of garden gnome etc and suggested it was cause you hadn't been 'taught'. Fucking ridiculous. Get a life.

Poor youngish couple ... bet they didn't realise they had arrived in the English version of Stepford.

Yabu of course. This reminds me of repeat requests from ptfa, some people just don't want to be involved. They probably don't think its their loss.

On a more serious note, it does make it easier for burglars to work uninterrupted if the curtains are always closed.

Not sure why I'm putting a pro open curtain policy out here but that's the only reason for opening them that makes sense to my mind.

I imagine there is a reverse thread on another forum somewhere.....
AIBU to tell my neighbour to stop looking in my windows? Everytime I want to open my curtains she's there so I have to keep them shut!

Despite being taught correct curtain etiquette by my grandparents we keep most of our curtains shut at this time of years because we need new windows, but can't afford them yet so it helps keep the heat in. We have children though, not sure if that makes it better or worse.

I keep my curtains closed because I'm lazy. I leave the house in the dark and come home in the dark. Saves me a job

I never open our bedroom curtains and one has come off a couple of rings near the frame so it's hanging down.

I am the Scruffy Mcscruff of Scruffsville.

Idontseeanysontarans not common exactly... but maybe more suited to an apartment then a nice family estate.