New house - new neighbours

[bullywee]

Just venting really. Moved into a new house literally a week before lockdown. We are in a semi and the neighbours to both sides are nice enough (through wall and next door but not through wall) but one of the neighbours is starting to annoy me a little...

It appears that the couple we bought from and one set of neighbours were unbelievably friendly and over the last couple of weeks since lockdown in my area has been loosened I have had a few tradesmen in making the changes to my house. This seems to have really put out the neighbour who was friendly with the previous owners.

Example 1 - got house painted. Neighbour tells me that Tom and Louise (not real names) had their house done only 24 months ago and house was lovely and didn't need decorating. The house was nicely decorated, yes, but not to our taste.

Example 2 - got electrician in to change sockets/light fittings from white to another colour to match our new decor. Also got some external lights, motion sensors etc. Neighbour proclaims "Oh, Tom and Louise didn't think the house needed external lights and why change sockets etc if they are working"

Example 3 - removed carpets and replaced with wooden flooring. Neighbour tells me "Oh, Tom and Louise had lovely carpets, why would you lift them?"

Example 4 - am in the middle of getting the front and back garden's landscaped. Neighbour says "why did you lift the artificial grass, Tom and Louise paid £25m-sq for it only 4 years ago".

There are more examples but you get my drift. It is just becoming so bloomin tedious now.

@Ireolu sorry to hear that

Just tell the neighbor that Tom and Louise do not live here anymore and you do so you will be making the changes that suit your family

...because it's my house now and so I am changing it to suit me...

“I heard Tom & Louise moves because of the neighbours.....”

I'd just say yes, it (whatever it is) was very nice but doesn't work for us as we have different taste. Agree with pp saying that although it's tempting to be very rude, probably worth keeping cordial relations with your neighbours.

Luckily, all our neighbours agree that the previous owners of our house had terrible taste and didn't maintain it properly. We've had pointed (friendly ) questions about when we're replacing the net curtains with blinds, repainting windows and putting in a new garden gate. Meant to be on it before now but lockdown has made us lazy 😚... We're definitely dragging their property prices down at the moment!

It's not till I read a neighbour thread or hear about how awful some people are , it makes me realize how lucky we have been with our ones and I like to think they feel the same about us too ( we are quite and we tell them if there will be any building work going on or whatever and generally try to be reasonable and so on)
It's just common curtesy isn't it to not be nosy or make too much noise or comment on what they are doing all the time!)
I think some people don't have enough to do apart from poke their noses in !

Rip up the patio. Then relay it using the same materials. When they ask why you did that point down towards the centre and say "Tom and Louise......"

@Thehop

Nod and smile. Stop telling them what you do inside. Nosey sods.

“Ah really? Oh well”

Our annoying neighbour makes it her duty to buttonhole any workmen she sees here to find out what we are doing.

Fank feck for detached houses!

Bet Tom and whatshername moved into one;!..

Some people are just strange and overly invested in others' lives.

Tom, Louise and your neighbours ABU (the former for artificial grass, whut).

YANBU.

Reply with something like "it wasn't to my taste so we changed it" or "we wanted to make it our own" and then ignore.

Maybe try ‘
Wow well I’m glad I stripped the walls given the PICTURES under the paper. Did you know about those? No? Well I’m not one to gossip’

Just say "it was a right old shithole when we moved in so we've go to gut it. Shite on the carpets, every stank to high heaven, all round pretty gross".

Maybe mention the sticky Sex swing they left behind!

I confess I’d do the whole ‘But it’s not up to you, is it?’ Or ‘But it’s not your business, is it?’ Smile winningly and walk away. If they persist, tell them you don’t give a shot what Tom and Louise did, this is YOUR house now and changes are being made, plus you don’t need or want their opinion.