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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Am I right to be suspicious of my neighbours?

91 replies

Curtaintwitcher2017 · 27/09/2017 22:10

NC for this one..

I live in a terraced house in a popular and friendly part of London. The sort of place that nothing bad happens (well actually that's not true based on recent news, but we all like to pretend otherwise). Our house backs onto all the other houses on our block, and from our first and second levels we can see into the kitchen of some houses where the neighbours don't use curtains or blinds.

A few months ago one of the houses was renovated by a family, who moved out. There is now about 4/5 young men living there, but the house is still for sale. I assume they are renting short term.

They have turned their fancy shiny new kitchen into some sort of computer den. There is a row of mac computers along the kitchen island, and I kid you not but they spend probably 9am in the morning until 5AM straight, on their computers. I see them there when I get up for the loo throughout the night.

Rubbish piles up around them throughout the week, but they do empty it on bin day.

I can't see what they're doing clearly but I don't think it's coding or gaming (I work in IT). They have bright colourful screens up all the time- kind of like cctv but not images of camera footage, just of colourful pictures.

AIBU to have a range of conspiracy theories about who they are and what they are doing? Maybe that they're hackers trying to bring down a major corporation? Or perhaps they're running an illegal website? Spying on their neighbour's internet usage (maybe that's why my internet is so slow)? Dodgy finance traders?

Or maybe they're just doing some sort of start up and trying to make the big time?

Or maybe there is something more sinister?

What would you think? And AIBU to wonder what they are up to during their epically long days?

OP posts:
OnionKnight · 28/09/2017 08:55

FFS some people need to go to Specsavers, they are doing whatever they are doing from 9am to 5am.

MargaretCavendish · 28/09/2017 08:56

How often are you going to the loo at night?! Is it genuinely that you see them multiple times every night, or that the couple of times you've been up at 3am you've seen them? Because it could just be coincidence.

For what it's worth I reckon they're probably working at home - quite possibly a start-up - in the day but that they're also gamers, hence never being off the computers.

leavesrfalling · 28/09/2017 08:58

If the house is up for sale, why don't you ask for a viewing? And then of course update us!

paxillin · 28/09/2017 08:59

Rename your Wifi WhatTheHellAreYouDoingReportAtNo34.

mogonfoxnight · 28/09/2017 09:00

If you can see them, they can see you... I think you should put a huge sign in your window saying "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?", and put your phone number on it, so that they can call you.

You could definitely take a photo with a digital camera and use zoom to find out more though.

Curtaintwitcher2017 · 28/09/2017 09:01

Yes it's definitely 9am to 5am.

I have tried zooming in on them using my phone camera previously but it doesn't help me to work it out. I won't post the pic as I am not 100% stalker level yet.

But update from this morning - THE MONITORS ARE GONE!!! THEY MUST BE ON MUMSNET AND KNOW THEY'VE BEEN SEEN!

Seriously! Months of non-stop gaming or coding or running an illegal betting website and the monitors are gone! There is still heaps of detritus around their lovely shiny new kitchen though.

OP posts:
OvariesBeforeBrovaries · 28/09/2017 09:02

If they're on Macs I'm guessing graphic design/film editing/music production rather than gaming.

MargaretCavendish · 28/09/2017 09:12

Well, either they've gone bust or they're doing well and have moved into an office space. Let's hope for their sakes' it's the latter!

Allthebestnamesareused · 28/09/2017 09:18

See told you it was the police - they saw me bust them and they are on their way over!

Huppopapa · 28/09/2017 09:29

OF COURSE you are right to be suspicious of your neighbours! I live in a demure, leafy close of mainly retired people in Surrair. You don't for an instant think I trust any of them?! What better cover could there possibly be for vice?

No.20 is particularly elegant: she must run a prostitution racket, obvs.
The couple at No.14 are always cheerful and coming back and forth in their late-model small cars. Those have got false floors, mark my words. I'd be cheerful with the proceeds of that caper!
As for No.4. Well to look at he's a delightful old boy who sits in his chair and distributes different preserves according to the season. suspicious or what?!

Being suspicious of ones neighbours is one of the natural urges. Doing anything about it may make you a twonk.

Grin
babybubblescomingsoon · 28/09/2017 11:21

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/28/worldwide-airport-chaos-check-in-computer-systems-crash/

Oh Jesus op. They're probably responsible for this you and you let them get away with to Grin

Curtaintwitcher2017 · 28/09/2017 11:35

Oh dear god babybubbles, no doubt they packed up and flew off just in time! Grin

OP posts:
Escapepeas · 28/09/2017 11:48

I reckon they were running the MN 101 report line.

IgnoreMeEveryOtherReindeerDoes · 28/09/2017 11:50

Omg you rumbled the real MNHQ office, of course all the equipment gone this morning they are now relocating to another secret location now.

BeautyQueenFromMars · 28/09/2017 13:46

Escapepeas

I reckon they were running the MN 101 report line.

*Snort 😂

StrangeLookingParasite · 28/09/2017 17:03

When my daughter was young I did an open uni degree and was up to all hours studying in the dining room, generally with the blinds open as I didn't think I had nosey neighbours. Until one day I got a knock on the door and it was an investigator from HMRC! I had been reported as working from home 'illegally'. The chap took one look at my desk groaning under a ton of textbooks and said he didn't need to even look at my computer. He had a coffee and went on his way.

Bloody hell, do people seriously have nothing better to do with their time? What a bunch of tattle-tales.

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