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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that if I want to keep my curtains closed all day I can!

111 replies

NancyCaroline · 01/10/2015 13:50

Landlord had to pop in today with the Gas safety inspector. I happened to be at home as I'm not working today. Before leaving, he glanced down the corridor into my bedroom and said "oh, you've still got your curtains closed, I hope we've not disturbed you after a nighshift?" "No no" says I "I'm off till the weekend"

Gas man then asks what I do and we have a little chat about it. They leave.

5 minutes later, knock on the door. Gas man has left his gas detector thingy on the kitchen side. Off I toddle to get it. Find Landlord coming out of my bedroom. I ask what he's doing and he says he was opening my curtains for me as I still hadn't Shock To which I said thank you, but I prefer to keep them closed and I'd rather he didn't randomly wander into my bedroom thank you very much!

He got very sniffy and informed me that in future he'd prefer me to keep the curtains open unless I'm asleep as it looks "unseemly"!

My face was ShockConfusedthen Angry

OP posts:
ThruUlikeAshortcut · 01/10/2015 13:53

Is it in the lease? If not he can fuck off!

2rebecca · 01/10/2015 13:53

I wouldn't want a tenant who kept the curtains closed all day. I'd worry they had a cannabis farm or something they wanted to hide in there.

GloGirl · 01/10/2015 13:54

YANBU! I have a habit of keeping my curtains closed. I agree 8t does look unseemly but tough tits. So do my clothes some days Grin

Scobberlotcher · 01/10/2015 13:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

2rebecca · 01/10/2015 13:55

Agree if its not in the lease his options are limited but I'd be adding "letting appropriate light and ventilation in to the property" to future leases and would look to change a tenant I thought was keeping a property dark and smelly.

TheLambShankRedemption · 01/10/2015 13:56

YANBU. You may want to walk around naked all day!

BobbyGentry · 01/10/2015 13:56

Where I'm originally from (countryside) you keep your curtains closed as a sign of respect due to a bereavement/funeral. Each to their own (half a dozen of one) & all that. Perhaps you can both be right/wrong?

Enkopkaffetak · 01/10/2015 13:56

We keep our front window curtains closed all the time. If we don't it is hard to use one half of our lounge due to the way the light comes in. Landlord has never said anything and frankly if he did I would tell him he was welcome to buy us some blinds for the windows.

YANBU Landlord is..

EponasWildDaughter · 01/10/2015 13:57

Is there a damp problem in the property? That would be the only excuse for him insisting you open the curtains during the day (to air the room).

'Unseemly' is something my mum would say, and if that's all it is then it's not his business. Is being 'seemly' at all times in your contract OP? Grin

BathshebaDarkstone · 01/10/2015 13:57

If DH gets up before me and then goes out I often forget to open the curtains as I'm used to him doing it. Unseemly? Hmm

Seriouslyffs · 01/10/2015 13:58

Wow!
I hate curtains shut in the day and even brave my teenagers
middens rooms to ensure the neighbours don't judge me on it.
But that's utterly unacceptable of your landlord. It practically defines not allowing you 'quiet enjoyment' of the flat.

lardyscouse · 01/10/2015 14:00

My curtains are closed as the sun fades the furniture otherwise.

Original poster
NancyCaroline · 01/10/2015 14:03

I was just a bit WTF that he took it upon himself to open them. The bed wasn't made either but he didn't mention that Blush

FWIW I do sometimes open them but my bedroom is very very overlooked by the flats next door and to be honest I sometimes forget that and just strip off! I also do shift work so I'm often asleep in the day.

2rebecca how rude, I'm not at all smelly! The window is actually open and it's not dark at all because there is a bloody annoying skylight in the bedroom ceiling. This is another reason I close the curtains, it's like a flippin' greenhouse when the sun's out!

OP posts:
Wishful80smontage · 01/10/2015 14:03

You're renting so you can do what you want but Im always nagging dh if he doesn't open the curtains or closing them when I leave the room my DM instilled in me from a young age that neighbours whose curtains were drawn looked like they lived in a doss houseGrin annoys dh greatly

WhyCantIuseTheNameIWant · 01/10/2015 14:04

My front room is full of toys and suitcases waiting to be put in the garage until they are needed again/grown in to...

I keep those curtains shut so nobody can see the mess!

Original poster
NancyCaroline · 01/10/2015 14:05

I shall check the tenancy agreement for all mentions of seemyness!

OP posts:
RonniePickering · 01/10/2015 14:07

Laughing at the cannabis farm Grin

Yeah I'd tell him to fuck off walking into the bedroom.

WorktoLive · 01/10/2015 14:08

We never open our bedroom curtains. Seems a pointless task.

This is balanced by the fact that we never close the curtains on the back window of the living room unless it is mid winter to keep the heat in (goes all way from front to back of house - technical term may be 'dual aspect') due to not being overlooked.

I'd ignore him. It's not like he is going to hang around your house watching your curtains and deciding whether or not you may be asleep is it.

parrotsummer · 01/10/2015 14:13

I hate curtains.

So I don't have any.

I can do what I want in my own home.

So can anyone.

YANBU

Original poster
NancyCaroline · 01/10/2015 14:13

I grow my cannabis in the loft Grin
Actually, thinking about it, I never close the living room curtains as I've got candles on the windowsils and I like to have a good nosey outside of an evening

OP posts:
JessePinkman3 · 01/10/2015 14:13

I always thought people who keep their curtains closed are grieving. I open my teens curtains because something about sunlight kills off bugs...apparently. & I'm taking all the advice I can get re their bedrooms!
Rude of the landlord to do that though

wasonthelist · 01/10/2015 14:17

I shared a flat with a work colleague for a while - we were weekday only residents. She had hung some of her washing on coat hangers on the curtain rail (and made the mistake of opening the curtains (!).

We got (I am not shitting you) a letter from the letting agents saying the residents association for the block had been in touch and complained and she wasn't to do it again.

Some people really are short of things to worry about.

Naoko · 01/10/2015 14:22

I keep my curtains closed all day in winter (apart from half an hour in the morning when I air the room) because my house is really poorly insulated and it helps keep the heat in. If my landlord has a problem with that he can pay to replace the double glazing with some that actually works.

kissmethere · 01/10/2015 14:24

Omg!! What a cheeky fucker!!
No way should he be going into your bedroom!
I had 2 gas safety guys this morning and they pissed me off too. I really don't have time to listen to their shite.

ppeatfruit · 01/10/2015 14:27

Exdil lives in a posh nth london downstairs flat. The upstairs neighbour knocked on her door and told her that the last tenant always had her bedroom curtains closed and she didn't want to see into her bedroom as she walked to her front door, so she had to close her curtains all the time !!! The bleedin' cheek of it.

Your landlord has no right to go into your place without permission btw.

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