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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Bit weird or not?

804 replies

Foxysoxy01 · 20/12/2017 18:10

I'm not sure if I'm being a bit ridiculous so could do with some advice or a good talking too!

Bit of background needed but this may be quite long, sorry Blush

Where I live it is quite rural. I have a dog I walk morning and night around the same time each day but not same time on the dot. I sometimes walk on my own (with dog) sometimes with someone else (more often than not in the evenings)

There are two walks both rural with no street lights and nothing other than the odd tractor, walker, horse rider etc etc. Just to add neither of these walks lead anywhere other than one to a house that then branches off to a longer walk.

So the track I went down today has a house at the top, one a bit further down then nothing till the big house at the end where it branches off.

The middle house (although closer to top of track than middle) goes garden, house, gateway, garden, shed, fence, big tree with the track running along side.

So that's the background now what happened.

I have walked past the middle house, down to big house and am on my way back. I see someone coming and get dog back on lead. The person notices me and moves quickly from right hand side of track to under the big tree (just off left hand side of track) just behind shed of house. Person lights a fag and turns around facing tree.

I find this bit odd but carry on as I get next to him he is still just off track under tree and facing the actual tree. I'm getting a bit on edge as this is clearly a bit strange behaviour.

I say good evening (admittedly I might have sounded a bit nervous) the person turns round while lifting their hood up so I cannot see their face.

I walk past quite briskly! (I'm not sure if IABU but something about the person did frighten me)

As I get nearer the middle house gates I see they are not in as car is not on drive (there is a mid 30's woman on her own living there) I stop and turn to look thinking I wouldn't actually hear if the person ran up behind me. They are still under tree looking straight ahead (not at me, but across the track into side with hedge)

I carry on and as I get to the next house I look again but can't see him and I was not about to walk back and see if he was still there.

Now the whole behaviour of this person was off. They very clearly did not want me to see their face. They were either an incredibly burly woman or a man, fairly thickset about 6ft obviously in black and just quite terrifying.

I am home alone tonight and just a bit worried I suppose that he was either waiting for a person walking (maybe not with good intentions!) or to break into the middle house? Or the thought did cross my mind if was he waiting for my but chicken'd out.

The woman that lived on her own is I suppose fairly vulnerable as her house is a bit away from any others and she is on her own (the house is quite large and obviously worth a fair bit of money so you would presume there could be antiques etc)

This all happened about an hour ago now so it was dark.

I'm not sure if I'm just being silly or should o go and check if he is still there? Phone someone? Or just ignore it all.

Writing it all down makes me think I am over reacting and the bloke maybe just wanted a walk but it really didn't feel like that at the time. His behaviour seemed odd and his body language was quite menacing tbh.

What do the collective of MN think?

Sorry it was so long!

OP posts:
ObscuredbyFog · 23/12/2017 23:06

I wouldn't let the new buyers know, simply because this has only just started AFTER the sale has gone through.

It's only someone idiotically expressing their sour grapes in a facile way.

It's not even the sort of neighbour dispute you'd have to declare on your seller's report.

Think about what you would say, they'd think you were cuckoo.

In all honesty, you have lived there undisturbed for however long then in the last few days you have no idea who has been

  1. Lurking in the lane
  2. Putting baubles here and there
  3. Very recently knocking/banging on your door and running away.
  4. Telling stories in the Pub
  5. Neighbour has a bonfire party after pub has closed, presumably drunken people making a noise.

There's really nothing in that lot you would need to divulge to a buyer.

Please don't let these idiots get to you, that's what they want, to rattle you and make you feel afraid.

newz2day · 23/12/2017 23:10

Wow OP has the house sale definitely gone through. I hope you are under no obligation to let the new owners know about these happenings but I am not sure.

Gosh I am so glad you are out of there soon and I feel sorry for your purchaser Shock

I also will never look at Christmas baubles in the same way.

Take care OP

newz2day · 23/12/2017 23:12

Sorry just seen your new update. Do ring the police re the fire.

Who the hell lights a fire on this day without asking their neighbours if it is ok?

How crazy? Surely worse case scenario is an out of control fire and best case if a stinky Christmas.

Figgygal · 23/12/2017 23:16

People are such assholes sometimes who has the time for such nonsense Angry for you

spinningpenguin · 23/12/2017 23:27

I really really hope all turns out well OP xx

Foxysoxy01 · 23/12/2017 23:30

We have had people going up and down the road shouting and screeching. It started off with just one and now is quite a few egging each other on I think.

Going through go out and tell them the noise is unacceptable and that we are calling the police unless they piss off home and leave us alone.

Will tell them we have recorded them (we haven't but have recorded the noise)

OP posts:
DueNov · 23/12/2017 23:33

JUST READ THE WHOLE THREAD. how scary for you OP. what in the hell is wrong with people?!

froshiechipandbrickie · 23/12/2017 23:33

Why not record them now? Or call the police first? Seems safer to me personally.

Stay safe, OP. (I don’t trust drunk people egging each other on, tbh. Especially not if there’s a bonfire...)

ObscuredbyFog · 23/12/2017 23:35

Don't confront them OP, just record them and ring the Police .

froshiechipandbrickie · 23/12/2017 23:36

Crowds like that are very unpredictable.

So yeah, take care.

AmysTiara · 23/12/2017 23:37

Im a bit surprised your DH and his mate just buggered off to the pub after you all got a scare.

There's no way I'd just stay in with my friend after banging on the door like that.

Msqueen33 · 23/12/2017 23:42

Oh god no wonder you’ve been freaked. Your village sounds odd and the people deranged. At least you know whose behind it. I’d notify the police to ask the agent for their details and give them a friendly warning off!

Littlehenrylee · 23/12/2017 23:45

I am surprised your DH went too tbh.

Was the fag man in the pub wearing a hoodie by any chance?

The neighbours sound ridiculous but to be fair, they are, in all likelihood, not actual criminals and it is unlikely they will want a criminal record. Marching past your house making noises is a form of intimidation and I would phone the police and ask them to come out to your house and I would record them while knowing the police were on their way.

You don't have to say anything to the new purchasers. Your neighbours are immature assholes goading each other on. As for trying to scare you with baubles. Seriously they sound unhinged. If you have a few other friends nearby, I'd ask them around too and be very tempted to whoop along with the best of them!

Littlechocola · 23/12/2017 23:48

We live in an isolated location and have never felt unsafe. This has scared me!
Stay safe op!

Redguitar2 · 23/12/2017 23:56

Could you make out anything they were saying OP?

Tour · 23/12/2017 23:57

Bloody hell this is terrifying and ridiculous. Hope you get some peace OP

bretonknickers · 24/12/2017 00:00

What complete and utter immature vindictive scumbags.
Completely batshit.

I’d mention to your solicitors and estate agents not to give your new address out to anyone following the move even under the pretence of forwarding mail, just in case.

Foxysoxy01 · 24/12/2017 00:01

TBH my DH and LFDH did make sure we were happy for them to go. It was literally one drink. The house has always been secure it's just been the crap going on outside. Also my friend is pretty capable at looking after herself and probably me if there was a problem. We had landline and mobile phones ready to call both DH and the police should we need to. Believe me we went through all these things first!

DH and LFDH went out as one lot was going past. They just ran off but so far the noise and messing about has stopped so fingers crosssed they will at least leave it over Christmas now. We have family coming so will have a full house. Can't imagine anyone would be silly enough to cause problems with so many witnesses here.

Thank you all again for your support and sensible words it has been very much appreciated.

OP posts:
64BooLane · 24/12/2017 00:35

What a load of toddlers.

I meant to type toasters - NO, ffs - I meant to type tossers, but autocorrect changed it. (And then changed it again to toasters.)

Anyway, they are actually behaving like toddlers so autocorrect was right.

Norethisterone · 24/12/2017 00:36

Bloody dickheads. Tell the police exactly what fag-man said to your dh

Norethisterone · 24/12/2017 00:39

The neighbours and the fire though....they might just be having a christmas party?

Motoko · 24/12/2017 00:40

So have you actually exchanged contracts? It's just that you said that dates keep changing, and as far as I'm aware, once you've exchanged, the completion date is set on that day.

If you haven't exchanged, the sale can fall through. Legally, you're supposed to tell the buyer if there have been any disputes with neighbours, especially if there has been council or police involvement, although in your shoes I wouldn't say anything to the buyers, as presumably you've already filled that form in and this started after.

The smoking bloke obviously knows something about what's going on, as he knew that you'd not accepted the too low offer, so he must know the people who made it.

Is it possible the neighbours with the fire are just having a Christmas party? It is a Saturday night.

ElsieMc · 24/12/2017 00:54

So sorry for you op. We live in a rural situation and have had similar goings on. One night, not long after my dd had her second child, we had returned home from a friends 50th. She sat outside having a smoke and came in spooked because she said she could hear someone outside, hiding in the hedge. Told her she had had too much to drink and come inside. She said her hair stood on end. She came in and then we heard the sound of stones falling outside. I thought it came from upstairs, but I was wrong.

The security lights went on and we crawled into the dining room until the noise stopped. My dd went to the front door and screamed. Someone had left a dead rabbit lying inour porch, a carrier bag nearby. Its body was still warm.

We called the police who to be fair came straight out. They had dogs with them who searched the garden but they had long gone. They had taken my gs's new sit on tractor. It was found thrown onto the main road nearby and it was recovered.

It was a targeted attack, we never found the culprit. There was disputed parentage over my new gs and we felt the truth lay there. Horrible episode.

Recently I felt there was something different about our garden when I returned from the school run. I thought my neighbours had cut back the ivy on the drystone wall. Not a problem for me so I left it. Few days later my neighbour called round looking upset. I asked if he was okay, he said not and asked me to follow him. Burglars had entered his garage through my garden, climbing the wall (ivy was flattened, not cut back) actually removed the tiles from the garage roof and stole £20,000 of vehicles walking calmly down the private road. Police told us they had staked the area out over some time watching my comings and goings.

I know how scared you must feel op, particularly as you believe it is a personal target. I am sorry you have such horrible neighbours. Our near neighbours are fine but some others are really horrible people and I understand how nothing should surprise you. I am glad you are moving but guess not as glad as you. I do hope you have a peaceful Christmas.

Rainbowmother · 24/12/2017 00:58

Wow elsieMc that sounds horrendous.

This thread has spooked me and I was gobsmacked to find my back door unlocked when I did a check tonight. I dont use that backdoor and I only checked because this thread scared me!

peachweach · 24/12/2017 02:45

This is so messed up, OP! What the hell is wrong with these people!?

So they all but admitted that basically all of this was all them to your DH and LFDH in the pub? Because of this one couple being pissed about the house offer?

The man in the hood in the woods, the baubles by the copse and the weird drawing and everything was all them?! Xmas Shock