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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:
Eatingwormswithwine · 24/12/2017 12:57

Don’t listen to those who don’t believe you OP, there’s a whole flock of folk that think “I have never heard of this before nor have I experienced it, therefore you must be lying”
Hope you manage to enjoy Christmas with your family and I’m a few weeks you will have moved and this will all be a distant memory. Flowers

Eatingwormswithwine · 24/12/2017 12:58

In*

Motoko · 24/12/2017 13:05

No, this is all designed to make your buyer back out and for you to be unable to sell your house so you have to sell it to the 'local' who will get it for a very reduced price.

Exactly what I was thinking. If you tell your solicitor or buyers, the sale might fall through. In house buying/selling, you shouldn't count your chickens before they hatch, i.e, until you've exchanged contracts, the buyers can still pull out, even on the day you're meant to be exchanging.
If a sale falls through, buyers start wondering why and might be put off making an offer. You could end up having to lower the price to get it to sell again.

Traffig · 24/12/2017 13:10

Have had similar happen to me OP. Years ago now, and have since moved. You think you are going a bit mad, but you aren't.

Don't tell people anything locally whom you don't really know. ( Unless you want to drip feed something in deliberately).There is nothing to do in some places except wind up the incomers about some perceived grudge.

Do tell the police what has happened, and what was said in pub, and who made the low offer etc. If they are any good, they will decide if it is relevant or not, also, let them speak to estate agent if needs be, do not do it yourself.

If it's rural policing then the police will know the type of stuff that can go on. CCTV infrared up and film anyone dodgy on your phone. You might not see their faces, but build, gait, clothing and types of shoes, etc are a bit of a give away. Photograph baubles etc. Everything on it's own sounds daft, but when put together it makes a pattern

Don't believe all that is said in the pub either. Ultimately, these people are a bunch of cowardly bums who can be brave in a group, but not so on their own.

Hope it sorts. On your side here. Flowers

Mystripeywellies · 24/12/2017 13:20

OP I apologies for my earlier troll hunting. Thanks Having rtft now I don't think this is a well told tale anymore although you do write very nicely. What a unsettling situation, I hope you can move house soon and the dodgy villagers leave the new owners well alone.

I am seeing the countryside in a different light now. It's a sort of mob attitude and families there probably go back several generations and everyone is a second or third cousin.

Happy Christmas [santa]

Mystripeywellies · 24/12/2017 13:23

For me it wasn't the strange events but how beautifully and engaging the whole narrative was depicted. I believe you OP but also think that if you have ever considered creative writing you have a talent for creating a suspense and fascinating narrative, a true story as seems in this case.

DesertSky · 24/12/2017 13:58

The baubles are just part of their twisted game. Every tactic has been used as intimidation from banging on your door, setting your car alarm off, leaving dead flowers (prob from a gravestone), random note left for you, and trying to frighten you with hooded men and loud jeering. I think Obscured is right and they are hoping the house sale will fall through. Some people are deranged and get very bitter about things. Try to rise above it. Hopefully they back down especially with Xmas tomo, what saddos!

gingergenius · 24/12/2017 14:23

Bauble bastards

Tika77 · 24/12/2017 14:30

I wouldn’t put too much thought in the baubles maybe they had some cheap ones left sonewhere and the drawing either... no meaning really. Pagans mwhah...

Tika77 · 24/12/2017 14:31

And no, I wouldn’t disclose as you didn’t have issues previously.

froshiechipandbrickie · 24/12/2017 14:35

And no, I wouldn’t disclose as you didn’t have issues previously.

Absolutely. And even then, wouldn’t it sound silly..?

‘Well, our neighbours had a bonfire and were a bit too loud. There were some Christmas decorations and someone knocked on our door and ran away.’

Fettuccinecarbonara · 24/12/2017 15:22

Next time someone follows you, could you stop at the side, get out your phone and film them?

You then have evidence if you ever need it, but it is also 'playing them at their own intimidating game'

If they question you, just reply in a blasé way 'oh, I keep being followed and I've decided to film those who do'

Brave face OP, if it is just the locals trying to ruin your sale, then hopefully you can stand this out.

heythereconniver · 24/12/2017 15:30

I would order a big 'Smile you're on CCTV' sign.

Littlehenrylee · 24/12/2017 16:16

And don’t even think about telling potential buyers. If whoever wanted your house really wanted it, they could have offered the asking price or look elsewhere for a house they can afford, like the rest of us have to do!

Lilliepixie · 24/12/2017 16:47

You should have already completed the form about neighbour disputes and it will be dated. There's no responsibility to update

Ceebs85 · 24/12/2017 17:22

Let's hope the buyer isn't here!

GardenGeek · 24/12/2017 17:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Itsallfuckery · 24/12/2017 17:51

How disgusting that people are behaving this way. I am so sorry to hear what you have been going through, you must be truly terrified. I have no advice other than please keep in regular contact with the police, surely there is enough evidence for them to have to investigate? What you think sounds insignificant when said out loud or written down is pretty scary to actually live through, I can feel your fear as you write. Please report and take care

ProseccoMamam · 24/12/2017 17:56

I cannot believe people can be so nasty in real life. How disgusting OP I am so sorry you have had to go through this! I'm hoping for a better 2018 for you and your family with plenty of new friends and kind neighbours nobody deserves to be forced out of their house because they don't 'fit in'! Have a happy Christmas and try not to acknowledge them.

Literal village fucking idiots!

gingergenius · 24/12/2017 20:08

Let's hope it calms down for Christmas at least?!

zonified · 24/12/2017 20:28

OP I hope you and your family have a merry Christmas and here is to your new beginnings in 2018!

Redguitar2 · 24/12/2017 20:33

OP absolutely do not say anything to solicitors or estate agents! You have no solid proof that this is neighbours causing problems. Ignore those telling you to, they're giving terrible 'advice'. Until you have a verbal conversation with a neighbour and hear it from the horses mouth, then you shouldn't report anything. It's not dishonest at all.

I really hope you manage to enjoy tmw OP. So sorry this is happening to you. Flowers

Motoko · 24/12/2017 21:40

I haven't seen anyone telling OP to tell the buyers. I and others have pointed out that you're meant to disclose neighbour disputes, but as the forms will have already been filled in, to keep quiet about it, incase it puts the buyers off.

Redguitar2 · 24/12/2017 22:48

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.

I wouldn't be saying anything regardless of forms being sent off Motoko. Nothing has been proven so why would OP tell the estate agent or solicitors anything? If it's the couple who were interested but offered too low, then they aren't neighbours. If OP finds proof that her neighbours are causing all this, then that's different.

InspMorse · 24/12/2017 23:34

Write down everything you have said here in chronological order OP & take it to the police again.

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