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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To play cf neighbours at their own game

210 replies

Raspberryberetthekindyoufind · 27/08/2018 12:10

Nest door moved in about a year ago, an older couple and asked DH very nicely if he would mind mowing their lawn when he does ours as they really struggle. DH agreed and said no problem at all
Anyway fast forward to now DH has a bad back and has done for three weeks so our grass and their grass has got really long. I have physical disability so can’t do it myself.
I told neighbours when he did his back in and said hopefully he would be able to do it in a few weeks. The women seemed really put out but but I put it down to catching her at a bad moment.
Three weeks on DH is getting better but wants to leave the mowing for another week until he is properly better
Knock on the door last night and it was the man next door demanding to know when he lawn would be cut, I explained it would hopefully be in a week or so and he stormed off.
This morning I was in the garden and so were next door and she said loudly to her husband that we should pay for someone to do both lawns as they look awful and it’s down to us to sort them. Just then their son who is in his thirty’s arrives with his wife and son and comes in the back garden.
I pop my head over and say “Hi, can I ask you a favour since both lawns are looking awful and DH is laid up with his back could you give both of them a run over for us. Especially as DH has done your parents lawn for over a year, Thankyou soooooo much. I then went back inside with them stareing at me open mouthed.
The son is now mowing our lawn Grin

OP posts:
charlestonchaplin · 27/08/2018 13:52

I can't believe my post was deleted. There is such a culture of dumbing down in this country. Such a lack of critical thinking. Enjoy!

tillytrotter1 · 27/08/2018 13:52

Send them a link to Judge Rinder, he'd love a good laugh!

Tiredtomybones · 27/08/2018 13:52

Yanbu

MissConductUS · 27/08/2018 13:53

I answered and he said we have broken a contract and we will be hearing from their solicitor over the lawn

Nope. No contract without a consideration (usually money) or exchange of value.

RebootYourEngine · 27/08/2018 13:54

I wouldn't mow their lawn any more.

Allergictoironing · 27/08/2018 13:58

And even this spectacularly unhinged CF presumably wouldn't imagine that the contract to mow their lawn transfers to the new owners... though the thread would get even better if he did..

This actually (sort of) happened to my NDN years ago (long before I moved in). Houses are now a mix of private & council owned, but was all council back then. The old lady who used to live in their house let the guy who lived in what's now my house use her garden. When she moved out, and my NDN moved in, he was raging at them because they had the audacity to want to use their own garden. Yelling, threats etc, even tried complaining to the council about it!

sprinklesandsauce · 27/08/2018 14:02

How bizarre. They have now shot themselves in the foot haven't they, because your DH won't do it any more, when he is better will he?! Silly silly people.

Why on earth didn't their son mow their lawn if he did yours, that is bizarre. (unless he ran out of petrol).

PirateWeasel · 27/08/2018 14:03

Aaahh, they sound crackers! You and your DH are flipping awesome and major respect to you 👍 Would love to be a fly on the wall if they do approach a solicitor! They'll be laughed out of the joint! 😂

ciderhouserules · 27/08/2018 14:13

My dp offered to give new NDN's lawn the 'first cut' in the spring. NDN turned into Nightmare NDNfrom Hell - turning his TV up at 10pm, shouting and throwing things at his alcoholic gf at all hours, swearing and threatening behaviour in the street - and dp unsurprisingly didn't do his lawn at all.

NNDNfrom Hell complained to the council. Grin

whiteroseredrose · 27/08/2018 14:14

I've got to watch this now just to see if a solicitor's letter turns up.

HermioneWeasley · 27/08/2018 14:15

I hope they waste hundreds on a so,licitors letter. Amazing

ChromeWaves · 27/08/2018 14:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ninabean17 · 27/08/2018 14:18

This thread is brilliant.

PositivelyPERF · 27/08/2018 14:18

I can well believe this happening. We spent @ £3000 on beautiful fencing between us and neighbours, on one side. Gave both of us more privacy. Got a letter from neighbours on the other side demanding to know why we hadn’t replaced their fence yet and could we hurry up as they wanted it done before barbecue season. We can’t actually see each other, because of the garden/house layout. 😲🤔🤬

Strangely enough, we don’t speak now, however we do have a chuckle when outdoors with guests and they comment on the fence, within earshot of the arses next door. 😊

LagunaBubbles · 27/08/2018 14:19

Loving the fact your lawn is cut now.

Atalune · 27/08/2018 14:21

What? The son did yours but not his mum and dads??? Priceless!

Antigon · 27/08/2018 14:22

All very bizarre. How did they get your lawnmower?

GrapesAreMyJam · 27/08/2018 14:23

This reply has been deleted

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

crosstalk · 27/08/2018 14:23

the only way there might have been a consideration would be if your DP had used their mower and petrol to cut both lawns.

earliest solicitor's letter might arrive is Wednesday. I'm booked on Mumsnet all day.

Did you have any prior indication they were CFs, OP?

PrimalLass · 27/08/2018 14:25

Well done OP. It's brilliant that the son did yours first.

SalemBlackCat · 27/08/2018 14:29

@charlestonchaplin The moderation on here is unbelievably stupid and over-bearing. I have seen posts deleted for no reason other than they hurt someone's feelings, but nothing in the post would have remotely breached TOS. I've seen posts that are extremely nasty and below the belt remain. It seems it depends on how many spiteful and vindictive and manipulative people report a post as to what ones are left. I rarely report anything, simply because I don't believe in shutting down discussion EVEN IF I find what someone said offensive. I never saw your post, but it can't have been that bad. On here, mods delete at the drop of a hat and give in to manipulative and spiteful people who attempt to shut out opinions they don't like. Mods should be disciplining these posters who report, not caving in to them.

amusedbush · 27/08/2018 14:29

I was happy enough reading that you got the son to cut the lawns but the twist about contracts and solicitors is just a glorious, batshit cherry on the sundae Grin

Talkingfrog · 27/08/2018 14:30

Great post. It would be interesting to speak to the son
to find out why he did your lawn not theirs. Maybe it it is because he thinks that his parents are being unreasonable too!
If they can't or don't want to so it , and the son can't they should pay someone.

Would love to be a fly on the wall when they speak to the solicitor Smile

timeisnotaline · 27/08/2018 14:33

Wonderful plot development op! Maybe the son has been transferring them money to pay for the lawnsbeing done Grin hence has deliberately left theirs. Either that or the neighbors told him to stop and that their solicitor would sort it!

QueenDoria · 27/08/2018 14:34

Maybe they have some level of dementia which might explain their CF tendencies?
Or maybe they still think it's the 70s when Old Folk could hit you with their walking cane for riding your bike on the pavement and just generally be miserable for no reason?