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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

House Number

59 replies

User02 · 15/05/2019 16:12

AIBU to worry about the number of a house that I like? It is the well known unlucky number and I know why it was thought to be unlucky. I will never have that many people to a meal!

There has been a lot of unhappiness and upset in my life and I am scared to take on what seems to be a portent of bad luck.

What would the wisdom of MN think?

OP posts:
DiseasesOfTheSheep · 15/05/2019 16:39

I fancy a house number 666. And finding 665 friends to invite for dinner...

Expressedways · 15/05/2019 16:41

It’s my birthday. And our close family group is 13 people so we’ve often had 13 for dinner, book a table for 13 at restaurants etc. but now I’m worried. Do you think it’s better to invite a random to dinner so that we’re 14 or tell my nephews they can take turns coming inside?!

OP, don’t let it put you off an otherwise nice house Grin

howwudufeel · 15/05/2019 16:42

The Chinese are pretty serious about house numbers. I don’t believe that 13 (or rather 4, as that’s what the numbers add to) is unlucky. I think 8 and 9 are supposed to be lucky. For some reason 7 is supposed to be a house where you struggle with money (I think). Of course, most people don’t believe these things. If the previous occupants are nice and have had decent luck in their home that also is supposed to be ‘auspicious.’

Asdfghjklll · 15/05/2019 16:42

You could change it to a house name once you own it?!

JudgeRindersMinder · 15/05/2019 16:44

I live on a development built within the last 40 years. Every single street goes from number 11 to 15! Not one single street has a number 13

MustardScreams · 15/05/2019 16:46

Dd was born on Friday 13th, so that has now become my lucky day. There’s too much other horrendous things in the world to worry about door numbers.

StCharlotte · 15/05/2019 16:48

It's all tosh but if you really want to avoid 13 at dinner, follow the example of the Savoy Hotel...

www.thesavoylondon.com/kaspar-the-famous-savoy-cat/

StillCoughingandLaughing · 15/05/2019 16:52

I used to work for a big Chinese company and they had no Floor 7, as 7 is an unlucky number in Chinese culture. The irony is that 8 is a very lucky number - but by skipping 7, the lucky ‘8th’ floor was actually the 7th.

Ravenesque · 15/05/2019 16:55

I live at that house number and really, it's just a number.

As for thirteen guests at a dinner table. I think that you only have to worry about dying if you're Jesus and if not, you'll be fine. Unless you're Judas of course, but other than that you're safe. Or if you're having the dinner under a ladder. Or you smash the window that you're all looking at while you're eating dinner. But other than that. Fine. Grin

Purplehammer · 15/05/2019 16:55

It’s unlucky to be superstitious.
Only superstitious people are unlucky.

TooManyPaws · 15/05/2019 16:59

My first flat was No 13 in the street (all individually numbered). I lived there for around 20 fairly normal years and sold it for a ginormous sum, something around 40K on a 14K mortgage... Not exactly unlucky for me.

swimlyn · 15/05/2019 17:02

Monarch Airlines had no row 13 on their planes. They went spectacularly broke by overextending. But… someone would be sitting in row 13, just with a 14 above their head.

We have a house 13 near to us. It is on its fourth couple in six years, all the last three had screaming arguments followed by an eventual split/sell/leave. The latest occupants seem miserable sods, so who knows? Hmm

CocoLoco87 · 15/05/2019 17:03

As a child, I lived in a new build estate where none of the roads / cul-de-sacs had a no13 Confused. I now live in a no.13 and we're very happy Grin had one of the DC since living here, no one has lost their job or had a serious illness... let me just find some wood to touch

DeRigueurMortis · 15/05/2019 17:07

It's just a number the same as any other.

The only way you'd be adversely impacted is because you choose to pass on the perfect house - it's a self fulfilling demonstration of "bad luck".

If it gets to you that much, rename/ number it (12A for example).

I persoally associate the number 13 with a bakers dozen - ie getting something extra.

RomanyQueen1 · 15/05/2019 17:07

We had an old house where the numbers included 13, it took us ages to sell it.
They don't build houses with no 13 anymore.

MilkTrayLimeBarrel · 15/05/2019 17:12

It is considered unlucky to have 13 people SIT DOWN at a table to eat (shades of the Last Supper), but it used to be the custom to set an extra place in this event, and place a stuffed toy or something similar in the chair!

Bubblysqueak · 15/05/2019 17:13

Loved living at number 13, some of my happiest memories there, was very sad when we moved.

ForTheLoveOfDoughnuts · 15/05/2019 17:14

@User02 you could always change the number to a house name.

NannyRed · 15/05/2019 17:15

I think you’re being pathetic.

“A portent of bad luck” ffs, get a grip, its a number

SilverySurfer · 15/05/2019 17:18

NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace
Well, mine's 69 but ..... it doesn't mean anything, honest blush

Yeah, right and I bet you've got a nice pampas grass growing in the front garden. We all know what that means Wink

FrowningFlamingo · 15/05/2019 17:18

I was married in 2013 and suppliers told me they had reduced prices as trade was really down due to superstition. Madness!

boobirdblue · 15/05/2019 22:14

We had an old house where the numbers included 13, it took us ages to sell it.
They don't build houses with no 13 anymore.

Really?

NormHonal · 15/05/2019 22:18

I had a very happy childhood living at Number 13. Enjoy!

NormHonal · 15/05/2019 22:19

I had a very happy childhood living at Number 13. Enjoy!

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 15/05/2019 22:22

It’s my birthday. And our close family group is 13 people so we’ve often had 13 for dinner, book a table for 13 at restaurants etc. but now I’m worried. Do you think it’s better to invite a random to dinner so that we’re 14 or tell my nephews they can take turns coming inside?!

It is considered unlucky to have 13 people SIT DOWN at a table to eat (shades of the Last Supper), but it used to be the custom to set an extra place in this event, and place a stuffed toy or something similar in the chair!

www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/apr/30/kaspar-cat-immortalised-savoy-hotel - I hope they don't charge you for his meal, though, as I hear they aren't big on early-bird two-for-a-tenner deals there....