To ask about new neighbours

[hotstepper4]

I found out yesterday that the house next to me has been let.

I've had a history of bad neighbours including a lady whose dogs barked 16 hours a day and I nearly had a breakdown.

Since lockdown, I like everyone else is spending every day at home and I'm horribly anxious about who might move in.

WIBU to call the letting agent (same as my letting agent) and ask them a bit about the new neighbour? Whether it's a couple/family etc?

Please be kind I appreciate I sound a little batshit but I feel really on edge right now

[hotstepper4]

I'm not unhinged, honestly. I'm a nice person!

In 2013 I had a downstairs neighbour who objected to my then 3yo ds running in my flat. She retaliated by blasting rap music at top volume all day while she was working and often at 3am too just to wake me up.
She tortured me.

I have had a deep fear of new neighbours since then as it almost gave me a nervous breakdown.

This is the only reason, I'm aware it's not normal to have this level of anxiety but I have reasons.

Still quiet so far 😊

[Grumpylockeddownwoman]

Am starting to think that the person with a problem neighbour isn’t OP.

Op - just stop - you’re making up entire scenarios in your head.

[Tabithha]

Having her blinds closed gives fuck off vibes? You sound unhinged

[Winederlust]

1. Do you think the letting agents will know enough about them to give you a good enough idea about them?
2. Even if they did, and they knew they were PITAs, do you really think they'd tell you? Even if they were allowed to.
3. What difference would it make knowing? What would/could you actually do about it?

I know it's easier said than done, especially at this heightened time, but you need to let go of the things you can't control.

[MrsOfBebbanburg]

Jesus Christ Op! If you think blinds drawn means fuck off (it doesnt) then why on earth would you knock? Could you maybe find a hobby? Something to peel you off the garden fence. You really need to back off and leave your new neighbours alone.

[hotstepper4]

Moved in today. All I know is it's 'girls' don't know if this means 2 women or a woman and her dd, haven't heard anything yet. Her blinds are drawn which gives off some fuck off vibes.

Should I knock at the weekend and introduce myself?

[Tedgy]

Sounds like he's doing an inventory

[hotstepper4]

Yes, not the first time I've been called bonkers. In the nicest of ways though... I hope

[Thescrewinthetuna]

@MrsOfBebbanburg

Sounds like maybe he should have been asking the questions about you! You’re bonkers!

Yep

[MrsOfBebbanburg]

Sounds like maybe he should have been asking the questions about you! You’re bonkers!

[hotstepper4]

Gave in an freakishly peered over the fence into their kitchen window.

Not the neighbour. Man has a large camera and is taking many photos of the kitchen. Either he has a kitchen fetish or he is taking photos of things that need fixing.

Saga continues... shame cos he looked quite nice 😂

[hotstepper4]

There's movement next door. It's a man. I didn't peer over the fence in case he thought I'm a freak (which I am) ...

I'm meerkatting every now and again. I'm not sure if he's the neighbour or someone doing handiwork..

I've had a couple of vodkas maybe I'll lurch over and introduce myself 😂

[agonyauntie2020]

Sorry OP I think in lockdown most people are getting annoyed a little bit with neighbours who usually don't bother them at all.

I feel your anxiety. I am sending you -flowers-

I'm the type who probably would ring the letting agents on the basis of well if they don't tell me anything, nothing's lost, I don't care if they do think I am batshit, but maybe they will tell me something and I will be mentally prepared. I would be very nice and polite to them. I'd ask when they are moving in and what they know.

But like PPs have said, you'll find out soon enough. Update us here if you feel like it. Fingers crossed for a little old lady (quiet, nice).

[Hassled]

We have a student house next door - the first couple of years was hell on earth and I was a wreck. Flinching at every noise in case it was the start of another party night, no sleep, a level of hatred for them I didn't know I was capable of.

Anyway, since then, they've all been lovely. Quiet, nice, polite kids - they're the dream neighbours. So it may well all be fine - these people could be your new best friends. I hope so.

[hotstepper4]

Thank you !! Really appreciate your comments.

I hope they will be ok. Will definitely introduce myself when they move in.

I'll keep you all updated!

[Glendaruel]

I moved home a couple years ago (the week of beast from the east). Having driven a van back and forward across the country for 4 days, I found a bottle of wine and a welcome card on the doorstep from new neighbour. It was great start to living in street.

[Grumpylockeddownwoman]

I’ve never had a bad neighbour and often lived next to tenants - so hopefully your new one will be great!

[QuantamBaby]

I'm not sure 'I've had an awful neighbour' stories are particularly helpful!

OP, I've had lots of neighbours and the vast majority have been absolutely fine and some have been lovely.

Try not to worry, plaster on a big smile when they move in, be friendly and I'm sure things will be fine,

[TimeWastingButFun]

Wingedharpy maybe he had headphones but occasionally they weren't in properly? Your post did make me laugh though!

[TimeWastingButFun]

Phoning them won't change the outcome so I wouldn't bother. Maybe the new people are equally nervous about what sort of neighbours they will have. Most people are nice, should be OK :-)

[Fluffybutter]

I feel for you , I’d want to know after having a few bad neighbours and having one now but sadly I don’t think they can tell you

[beabitnicer]

I completely understand your anxiety around the whole situation. However you really can't ring the agent. Firstly I'm pretty sure they can't tell you anything because of GDPR and secondly because, and I say this as kindly as I can, I'm not judging you at all, you will sound a little unhinged to them.

Whether they are a couple or a big family won't really change how much noise they make ultimately. Some people who live alone can be the noisiest because they try to fill the silence and on the flip side some families can be the quietest because the parents are super aware that their kids make noise and thus stay on top of it. There's really no way of knowing.

Just wait until they move in and when they do pop over for a (socially distanced) chat time say hi, welcome them and introduce yourself. Then if there is a problem with noise you've already presented yourself as a nice friendly person and they may take more kindly to a request to be a little quieter.

[Wingedharpy]

Easier said than done, OP, but try not to build this up into a huge thing in your own mind.
The more focussed you are on something, the more you notice - and none of us are perfect.

Shortly after we moved here into our Victorian terraced house , one peaceful, quiet Sunday I suddenly heard this God awful mega loud screeching noise.
It was our next door neighbour on his electric guitar - which he clearly had no idea how to play.
My heart sank and, in my mind, the vendors had sold to us just to get away from him and his noise.

5 minutes later (maybe even less) the noise stopped and I didn't hear it again for several months.

It did become a regular feature and was quite funny.
We decided that he found the noise of his attempted guitar playing, even less tolerable than we did which is probably why it never went on for very long.

He was an odd body, no doubt.
We discovered that he'd been prosecuted, in the past, for stealing ladies knickers off their washing lines!
Funnily enough, that never bothered me as I suspected my sensible pants would hold no allure for him.

He didn't bother me at all as a neighbour, because, other than the random guitar riffs, I didn't give him head space so was oblivious to what he may be getting up to in his house.

My ramble is to say that, on paper my guitar man neighbour wasn't someone you would choose to live next door to but, in reality, he was fine. He didn't trouble us, nor we him.

Good luck.
I hope you get someone truly lovely moving in next door.

[AndwhenyougetthereFoffsomemore]

As everyone has said, sadly the lettings agency won't be able to tell you anything and - even if you knew - there would be no guarantees of what those individuals would be like. I totally understand your desire to know though: good neighbours are worth so much, and help you feel so much more at home in your home. Bad ones can really impact your ability to enjoy your own space and feel settled, however much you should be able to ignore.
I hope you get some good luck and some lovely neighbours soon!

[Footywife]

I hope to god its not the psycho who's just moved from the rented house next to me. I've never known anything like her and her feral brat in my life