To think there might be something dodgy going on?

[1Pinkfluffyelephant]

A family living opposite us sold their house almost a year ago, the new neighbours have still not moved in.
They mentioned back before Xmas they would be hoping to move after Xmas, then they blamed Covid for not being able to get a removal company (despite other families having moved recently both on our street and surrounding).

They come and go randomly, turn up for half hour then leave again then don’t come back for a day or two. It’s a quiet dead end road so really obvious when cars come and go.

All the curtains and blinds the old neighbours left are still up and have remained shut. The windows also never opened even during the heat wave etc - we were out in the garden most the day with DC’s so it was very obvious they were the only house with everything shut.
Something tells me something odd is going on but maybe I’m over thinking 🤷‍♀️

Mind your own business

@Mollyboom not it don’t and never said it did. I was curious to see if other people would think anything of it? Interesting to see that most people don’t look out their windows ever just incase anyone thinks they are nosey or busy bodies. Id much rather have neighbours that were slightly aware of what was going on. I bet if any of these peoples houses were burgled they would be the first to knock on their neighbours doors asking if they had seen or heard anything.

@foreverandalways likewise if you have nothing helpful to say.

Once again...

Define “odd times”.

Otherwise this behaviour is incredibly normal, as pointed out by those in this position, for people who have not yet been able to move in.

You are the one who has assumed it is “dodgy”, and putting your children at risk. And those aren’t really normal attitudes. They just haven’t moved in yet and surely are just keeping an eye on the home they own.

@NekoShiro yes definitely that’s always been a potential. Just being curious as to if anyone else seems it to be odd especially being the time frame.

@1Pinkfluffyelephant

Crikey, you’re very wound up about this! Your op said nothing about anyone parking outside your kitchen window. You said it was really obvious when cars come and go. I questioned how hard someone would have to watch their street to notice every single car coming and going no matter how quiet it supposedly was. I think if they are growing, you need to get round there and buy some and chill out a bit!

And I still stand by the fact that only obsessive and/or very nosy people notice what curtains or blinds their neighbours have to the point where they spot when they’ve changed 😂

Well my first thought was cannabis factory

My first thought was "shit happens, they had to change their plans, and are in no rush (and/or no capacity) to move"
Maybe because I've lived a busy enough life to see the odd house move go spectacularly wrong for a variety of reason. Sounds more likely than any other scenario. Jumping straight to a criminal explanation sounds rather bizarre. Glad I don't live in your neighbourhood.

@NameChange84 when I say odd time’s I just mean random time’s of the day/evening. Not that I am actually aware of the specific time’s. I asked if it could be dodgy and not that my children are currently at risk. I mean in the small chance it did turn out to be anything dodgy that it would then be a concern.

There’s lots of reasons they might not have moved in. And the random visits are to collect post etc

Perhaps one of them had an unexpected change in job. Or a family member fell ill. Or they inherited another house. Or their house sale fell through. Or they have divorced and don’t want the house. And they are sorting it out to put on the rental market.

Maybe a complete refurb inside.

Or maybe they have heard the street is full of nosey neighbours so they are reluctant to move in

[quote 1Pinkfluffyelephant]@NameChange84 when I say odd time’s I just mean random time’s of the day/evening. Not that I am actually aware of the specific time’s. I asked if it could be dodgy and not that my children are currently at risk. I mean in the small chance it did turn out to be anything dodgy that it would then be a concern.[/quote]
Right. So not 3am or anything.

Just whenever they can make it, to pop in and make sure their property is ok, pick up mail etc.

You are honestly being completely ridiculous. No. It doesn’t sound “dodgy”. It sounds very, very normal for homeowners who haven’t yet moved in.

If YOU had been through what some of the people on here or their relatives have experienced with house sales going wrong and moves being delayed due to health or personal reasons, what would you have done? Never checked the property. Got new curtains and left them open all the time? Drive over just to open and close the windows and curtains at the exact same day so the neighbours wouldn’t think you were “dodgy”?

Why have you ignored the posters in those situations? They’ve given good reasons. It’s almost like you what want there to be a scandal and assume the worst in people.

Maybe because I've lived a busy enough life to see the odd house move go spectacularly wrong for a variety of reason

Maybe because I’ve been in enough cannabis factories in nice suburban houses I think of the criminal option. But hey! You’ve obviously really lived!

OP. There’s nothing wrong with noticing things. People lie dead in houses for weeks because no one gives a toss to wonder why there are a swarm of bluebottles at the window and a weird smell.

[quote 1Pinkfluffyelephant]@Mollyboom not it don’t and never said it did. I was curious to see if other people would think anything of it? Interesting to see that most people don’t look out their windows ever just incase anyone thinks they are nosey or busy bodies. Id much rather have neighbours that were slightly aware of what was going on. I bet if any of these peoples houses were burgled they would be the first to knock on their neighbours doors asking if they had seen or heard anything.[/quote]
Most people have better things to do then watch what happens at a neighbors house. I just wouldn't care. Not my business

This happened to me and it turned out it was drug users using the neighbour's house as a base. Felt a bit bad I hadn't noticed but luckily no harm done.

But more likely they are working full time and coming over when they can to sort stuff before they move.

Also I can't be alone in thinking getting wildly worked up about an innocuous op is the digital equivalent of curtain twitching!

HollowTalk

"There's been a lockdown - of course people have had the time to notice what their neighbours are doing!"

You might have time -- I'm working 13 hours a day.

Honestly even if I wasn't I think life would be too short to pay attention to what people are doing with their curtains or blinds.

Life's too short.

Quite possibly waiting for builders/architects to be available to redevelop the house. Not everyone has to move in straight away. When the building noise starts you'll be wishing it WAS a drug factory.

@Marisishidinginmyattic not wound up at all 😊 fair enough I didn’t say that in my first post. It was more that is was less questioning it and more accusing me and being nosey and having nothing better to do that sitting at my window all day which actually isn’t the case. It’s purely just being curious at something i has noticed that was different.

Could be a thousand reasons their move is delayed, or they might have decided to sell straight on, or to rent it out.

They might be popping in every few days to check on the place, measure up to get quotes for work they want done such as decorators, stuff like that.

It would make sense to keep the curtains shut so that at night, when break ins are more likely to happen, it isn't apparent that there is nobody home. If they're only popping in for half an hour to do odd tasks, I can't see them bothering to open the curtains just to shut them all again.

You’re clearly not Irish or you would have been straight round when anyone turned up, to quizz them on the why’s and wherefore’s of the situation by now.

Honestly, where I live, everyone knows everything about you before you even move in. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Maybe they have air conditioning and that is why the windows and doors are never opened

They are using it as an address for benefits.

I would definitely suspect a cannabis farm. Does it smell of weed? If so I would report it to 101

OP you need to leave an Amazon box addressed to you (just reseal one with something small inside ive thought this through ) on their doorstep and therefore forcing them into knocking at your door with it. Then you can just start making nice neighbourly chat....oh how strange they left it there, what with your curtains being always drawn...and so on! Just drag the information out if them super politely

You'll be able to suss them out this way I guarantee

Does it really matter? I know you have young children but if something 'dodgy' is going on, it obviously isn't something that is going to affect them. I very much doubt it is a bomb factory.

There could be a myriad of reasons why these people haven't yet moved in so try not to think about it.

Some posters like to find ways to insult OPs. It's a Mumsnet thing. Of course OP would notice if someone wasn't actually living there .

We have a similar situation opposite us. The house isn't actually lived in, but a couple come back about every 4-6 months, for one night or two nights maximum, then go again. And I notice, because they always block our drive when they return! The house looks a state - hardly any gardening is being done and the front of the building covered in ivy.

This was going on well before lockdown. We heard that the owners actually live abroad. Why don't they rent it out? Because there must be some pension or tax advantage to having a UK address. They arrive just to look at the mail and fill in any forms they need to to give the impression they do actually live in the UK. There is also a timeframe on how long you are allowed to be absent from a property before it could be considered vacant (not your address). Hence the regular visits.

This is only one possible explanation for your situation of course.

• Or for benefits, as someone mentioned above.