Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To send notes to the neighbours?

79 replies

GhostsInSnow · 24/08/2018 13:14

Can't decide if this would make me a twat or not....

Two weeks ago we bought our dream home in a small cup de sac. It hadn't been for sale on the open market so no for sale sign.

The house has spent much of the last 10 years let continuously to short term tenants who haven't really looked after the place. The gardens especially have been left to grow a bit wild which is a shame as it's a bit of a feature in the street.

I suspect when the neighbours saw us moving in they have assumed we are another in the long line of tenants who aren't going to be here long and have left us to our own devices.

So to my point, WIBU to pop a note through the two or so houses to say 'Hi! We're ghosts and DH and we have just bought x house, we look forward to meeting you in person'

Good idea? Or twatty?

OP posts:
birthdaygirls · 24/08/2018 16:43

Ah right, thanks!

GoatWithACoat · 24/08/2018 16:50

Sorry OP, I maybe being a bit mean but the first thing that sprung to my mind was “hey don’t worry neighbours, we are better than renters”

purpleorchidwhite · 24/08/2018 21:11

Make cup cakes or biscuits, plate then up on nice paper plates and go and introduce yourselves.

If you don't do it soon you being new neighbours and your moving in moment it will forever lost.

kaytee87 · 24/08/2018 22:38

On this thread it’s ‘they’ll have seen the for sale sign’ when OP clearly states there wasn’t one...

Oops Blush in my defence I'm in hospital and had an operation today Blush

MrsFogi · 24/08/2018 22:56

OP I did this when we moved to our current house - worked very well to get to know the neighbours. Basically, I told them we'd moved in and that we'd love them to pop over for a coffee/drink (which most of them did at one point or another). I also always drop a note in to new neighbours in the area to welcome them, give them our contact details and ask them to pop over sometime.
I don't think I'd be great at just banging on doors Smile.

SlartiAardvark · 24/08/2018 22:59

Love the fact that two people haven’t even read the op

To be fair, I scanned the OP - if it was something important I'd have paid more attention I can assure you.....

Going back to the OP - I'd think you were a bit strange/needy if you popped a note through the door.

We have a nodding relationship with most people in the street - it's never been based on whether they're a renter or an owner TBH - it's irrelevant.....

SlartiAardvark · 24/08/2018 23:01

Make cup cakes or biscuits, plate then up on nice paper plates and go and introduce yourselves.

Please don't! Most people aren't sat around waiting for a bit of company - you're quite likely to be interrupting something! Say "hi" & stop for a chat when we're gardening, washing the car etc......

IfIWasABirdIdFlyIn2ACeilingFan · 24/08/2018 23:02

Oh well you certainly cannot let them go in thinking your renters! That would be horrendous! Imagine someone thinking you are a RENTER! Shock

PaddingtonBearHardStare · 24/08/2018 23:27

When we moved into our house we went out of our way to get to know our neighbours (we only had one set), we invited them to our housewarming BBQ and when they left we said please let us know if it gets too loud (we made sure it didn't). We used to chat regularly but after a while only acknowledged each other in passing but one day they started completely ignoring us. No idea why.

They sold up soon after and I went out of our way for the new owner (single guy lives alone). Even bought him a "first Christmas in your new Home card" when he moved in December 2016. Barely acknowledges us. We are not noisy (DS is 7 so no crying babies etc). The most communication we've had is when he saw me going to a neighbour across the road to collect a parcel and I said hello (which I always did) and when I returned he was lurking with some post which had been misdelivered to him. Some tickets which had been despatched 4 weeks previously and we'd reported as missing!! Who knows how long he'd had them for

Some people just don't want to communicate with their neighbours!!

SoupDragon · 25/08/2018 06:52

Oh well you certainly cannot let them go in thinking your renters! That would be horrendous! Imagine someone thinking you are a RENTER!

The OP has made it clear that’s not what she meant.

Original poster
GhostsInSnow · 25/08/2018 10:30

The OP has made it clear that’s not what she meant.

Thanks Soup, but where would we be without someone spectacularly missing the point.

Spoke to DH about this last night, we shall just go down the 'say hi when out gardening route'.

OP posts:
StorminaTCut · 25/08/2018 10:35

God no. If they knock and demand to know when you are going to;

sort the garden, paint the house, park properly, keep the noise down, keep windows clean, not have a bonfire, not stare at them, wash your drive....etc

You can say 'ring my landlord' to get out of any responsibilities Grin

FlibbertigibbetArmadillo · 25/08/2018 10:39

We moved in to our first house first week in December so I did every neighbor a Christmas card introducing our selves. Upside was every one sent a card back with their names and house number in brackets. Perfect, as I take ages to remember names Grin

CharlotteUnaNatalieThompson · 25/08/2018 10:40

Sounds good op.

Surely though I'm not the only one who wants to know what the garden feature is???

IgglePigglesAnnoyingGiggle · 25/08/2018 10:45

Prepare yourself for lots of "oh I didn't notice a 'for sale' sign go up" OP.

bluemoonchances · 25/08/2018 10:49

Congrats on the new house OP! I'd be ignoring my DH and cleaning that road sign under cover of darkness GrinGrin I'd end up obsessing over it until it was done! I think that's an ugly insight into my mind though lol! Grin

IfIWasABirdIdFlyIn2ACeilingFan · 25/08/2018 10:54

The OP has made it clear that’s not what she meant.

Sure. 😂

SleepFreeZone · 25/08/2018 10:57

I totally understood what the OP meant. She wants the neighbours to realise they were there for the long term and planned on looking after the rather neglected property and garden. Most neighbours would be delighted to know that and if sociable, would probably like to say hello.

Slartybartfast · 25/08/2018 11:03

I wouldnt

Slartybartfast · 25/08/2018 11:03

but you could if you want

Guienne · 25/08/2018 11:09

the garden has a feature thats very unique, its well known in the area and it's neglect has been a bit obvious

Classical nude statue? Shark?

HairyBaby · 25/08/2018 11:13

Maybe the entire road has always loathed the fishpond with gnomes/lifesize replica of Michelangelo’s David/mini-Trevi fountain on your front lawn, and are praying you will nuke it and replace it with a nice flowerbed...?

PositivelyPERF · 25/08/2018 11:16

Permaexhaustion

Looking forward to your note.. Do you suspect that you’re the OP’s neighbour? Smile

KERALA1 · 25/08/2018 11:18

Pretend you need to borrow something? Our cul de sac is fab always someone to lend you egg / tin foil / chocolate powder / sledge. We have drinks nights now every couple of months and dinner parties with some 2 couples now friends proper

viques · 25/08/2018 11:24

It might turn out that all your neighbours are renters as well, but their landlords were better at finding tenants than the previous landlord of your house!

Smile

I am a bit serious, it is becoming a bit of an issue in some areas, so many renters, who not from their own choice are often there short term which doesnt do much for social cohesion and community relations. Unless better terms for rented homes are worked out nationally so that good renters have more security of tenure , its an issue that could destroy many potentially supportive communities.