To ask neighbour to move/secure flower pots from her windowsill...

[OnefinesunnydAy]

I don't want to be 'that' neighbour; we get on really well. But one fell off the other day and landed on our patio; it would have killed any of us had we been underneath. What do you think? It's only happened once in quite a few years, but I have young children who play on the patio a lot and we eat there too.

Hmm, you've got to say something really haven't you - imagine if you didn't and someone got hurt. Does your neighbour know that one fell off? You'd have to hope that they would prioritise your safety over the inconvenience/aesthetics of securing or moving a few plants as long as you explain it nicely and not aggressively

Very R to ask her! She would be very U not to do it.

"One fell off the other day" The OTHER day. And you haven't spoken to them yet?

Definitely ask her. She might not realise.

Years ago our downstairs neighbour alerted us tHat stuff was falling out of our sash kitchen window from the draining board into his garden.

apparently the wooden chopping board narrowly missed his daughter :-o

We were horrified and stopped opening the bottom of the sash immediately.

You need to speak to her, how many flats are above you? Wondering if you could put up a trellis structure or something over part of the patio to make eating and playing directly outside the back door safer.

It would be reasonable to ask her although she does not have to oblige and it sounds like it was an unlucky event if it has never happened before.

You are however unreasonable to say it would have killed you. This is an exaggeration and whilst the thought of it hitting your children is undoubtedly scary, saying this will likely make you look a little unhinged. I would approach it as you don't want her to loose any more plant pots as they look so lovely on her windowsill, rather than your pot would have killed us.

Yes definatley ask her to move them. Brick - just a normal house brick - fell off a 6ft high wall on a childs head on the way to school here last week - child spent day in hospital and came away with a fair few stiches and brusing - and told he was very lucky!!

Don't tell her it could have killed you as she might get defensive, but you are totally reasonable to ask her to secure them. Tell her you are worried about injury, she'd be an awful person if she didn't actually sort them out!

You are however unreasonable to say it would have killed you.

Not really. It depends on the flower pots. Little plastic ones - probably not lethal. Terracotta ones (even if small) - probably would kill you even if only fell one floor.

I don't think people necessarily realise the danger with falling objects. I know someone whose father has severe permanent brain damage from a shop sign falling on him. And there was that poor lady in York a few years back who died after being hit by a roof tile on a windy day.