To ask neighbours to take their flag down

[Amatteroftime]

I live in a small estate. The garden that backs on to mine has a fort type thing in a tree, the kids made it in the summer with a big flag on it, I think it is a paw patrol one so I assume they are young. I don't want to upset them.

In the summer there were no issues but we now have winter weather so the wind has picked up. On bad nights it sets off my security light which can wake me up but normally always wakes the dog who seems to think somebody's in the garden.

I know it's my issue (the light/dog) but they haven't been out playing there since August. Wibu to ask them to take the flag down during windier months?

I would rather not unplug the light as last year somebody down the road was burgled.

Just cut the flag on a windy night. They won’t know

Yeah, far better to ruin the children’s flag, than simply speak to the neighbours

🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

Just sneak in when they are out and rip the flag down.

Just burn their fucking house down.

Sense that, fucko.

just have a nice open conversation about it.dont go in "your flag is setting my light off!" no confrontational talk.just be nice,warm and ask the question.
if they say no nothing in your life will alter.if they do win for you.dont be worried about politely talking to someone.

In the time it took the OP to start this thread she could have had the conversation needed with the neigghbours 5 times.

Why are the British so reluctatn to talk to one another? What can really go so wrong if you just mention this non-issue to your neighbours? Who knows, you may even strike a friendship with them. But hey, then you may have to say hello to them everyday and that would be "awkward". Sigh.

If you tell them their flag is setting of the motion sensor they may just tell you to adjust the sensor.

Is it an Arlo System? Motion sets my recording off too. I have recently subscribed to their plan (it's free for a few weeks to try) and in the filters option, you can tick for a handful of reasons such as a person, car, movement, animal etc. I selected a person and car.

If your alerts are coming up on your mobile phone which you take to bed as I now do after a robbery, I turn off the sound and reduce volume. It has a soft vibrate when a person or car is caught on camera but doesn't when the neighbours' cat keeps setting the cameras off, although will record. Its interesting to see the cats wandering through our property whose owners previously grizzled on FB community page about their cats going missing.

Anyhow moving on. Whatever programme you are using if its not Arlo should have some sort of back up plan that gives you these choices. Failing that, turn the monitoring device off after setting the armed function and just check recordings in the morning. I know its a waste of battery if you are not hard-wired or solar-powered. But it's an option if you feel you cannot discuss this with your neighbours.

good luc.

Did they have planning permission for the fort? I know it sounds laughable but there was a case near us where a play house was deemed too big and the Council forced the owners to take it down.

Maybe just explain the issue and ask if it could be secured or taken down. I’m sure they’d be okay about it once they realise the issue.

@Amatteroftime

Someone near by me has a St George's flag in their garden which is not common in the UK but I know the americans have flags up in their gardens. I personal think they are an eyesore but everyone is different. There is a new Barratts site nearby and they have large flags up for advertising and have wondered if once people start moving into the site whether these flags will be noisy flapping about. I would tell them your problem with the flag and see what their response is.

One of our neighbours became annoyed with another neighbour because they had wind chimes in their garden and it became a bit violent because they were getting no sleep because of the noise.

In principle I'm with aurynne. In relation to this specific case I think YABU, sorry. The neighbours don't have to accommodate your over-sensitive lights that you choose to have. Our neighbours have these along their path and they go off at the slightest or no provocation - indeed just from the wind alone (it seems) sometimes. And tbph your barking dog would annoy me.

The neighbours don't have to accommodate your over-sensitive lights that you choose to have.

They don't have to accommodate your light setup, no, but they probably put the flag up and forgot about it and my best guess is that they'd have no problem taking it down. Paw patrol? They put it up to amuse the kids, and the kids have long since forgotten about it.

Where there are two parties being sensible, you can work things out.

And tbph your barking dog would annoy me.

Literally every house in the neighbourhood has dogs and he isn't the worst barker so people don't mind.

I bet lots of now really dissapointed Daily Mail readers opened this thread

Ha I did wonder

Thanks for your replies. I will see if I can catch them and ask if they could take it down or secure it, maybe even just whilst it it is windy at night.

At a slight tangent, but our neighbours built a tree house. Turns out you need planning permission ... so maybe check that out with the council before approaching them. Could be they’ll have to remove the whole thing, especially if it’s over a certain height from the ground.

Why would they do that @MrsExpo? Only the flag is impacting them, not the treehouse

YABVU if your sensor is picking up movement in your neighbour's garden. Presumably the illumination strays over the boundary too.

You should have the sensor low enough or angled enough that it only detects movement, and shines a light, in your own garden.

You could ask them to roll it round the flagpole and secure with a rubber band when not in use. That would stop the flapping.

Your light is pretty anti social from the sounds of it if it's got such a wide range it picking up movement from their property and it's so bright it's waking you up. You need to sort your own light out.

I would wait till I saw them in real life and ask them then. Tell them it’s making your dog think someone is climbing over the fence.

I lived in a flat opposite a small hotel. I swear their security light used to pop on when I got up from my settee!

Ask politely and say you think it might be the flag setting off the light. I dont think its an unreasobable thing to ask and I wouldnt be offended providing you approached it in a friendly way.

@ThanosSavedMe ... because a quiet word from a friendly neighbour is better than having the full force of the planning authorities bearing down on you. Also, regardless of whether it's bothering them or not, if you need pp for something, then you do. Best to check to avoid the hassle I would have thought.

Are you sure there isn't a cat setting it off? One that been bought over summer and is now old enough to wander.

I voted YANBU, but I'd look for other causes. Rats go further, looking for food at this time of year.