Police round would you think it was the new neighbours?

[quicklybeingdrivenmad]

Live on a small lane in a small village, where most people know everyone's business and who you are if not your name. Moved here 10 years ago as our family business is in the next village, so made home work life balance easier. Get one with all our neighbours and are one really good terms with them all (a lot are elderly so the 3 younger households - laugh at that we all turned 50 in the last couple of years have been helping out shopping etc putting bins out since lock down started)
We had a new neighbour move in across the road mid October never really spoke to anyone, we would wave, say hi and get no response (not just me everyone)
Well today I have had the police round I have been accused of flouting lock down because there has been so many different cars on my drive (police had a list of registration numbers) I must be having people round!!
We have not been and these vehicles belong to our business (which is shut due to covid) so when going up to check on our premises I keep alternating vehicles, to keep them running and charged (as I cannot just abandon our business) all our original neighbours know what we do and joke about different vehicles on the drive all the time, would you think it was the new neighbours?

[Kettledodger]

OMG why did they not just come over and get you to explain yourselves. You say you have repeatedly try to say hello and engage so it's not like they were snitching on antisocial neighbours. if anything they were being completely antisocial IMO

[Kazzyhoward]

Surely the police would have checked who the registered keepers were for the cars if they had the registration numbers, and they'd have all come back to the same person/business? Not sure why they'd send someone out when it could very easily have been checked by office based civilian staff.

[GreySkyClouds]

@quicklybeingdrivenmad

I have absolutely no problem with new neighbours, we are a close knit group I shop for a few every friday at local shops and I have no reason to dislike them, I like all my neighbours , but being copied in on this facebook post from 10 years ago whereby I was accused of having stolen their dream home ( I did not know that) and made it so they could not move here, my close neighbours have only just told me because of the police incident that happened when she assaulted previous owner of my house for backing out and selling it to me she was arrested ffs all I want is a quite life it was fine until the bungalow opposite came up for sale

Sounds like you really do have a problem with the neighbours, or you’re still grieving.

It’s not right to hunt down who reported you.

I can’t understand your comments about FB so can’t comment on that

[SnoozyLou]

I'd just stop making any effort with them now. There's a chance it wasn't them, but that does seem like the most likely explanation.

People do run their own businesses from their homes, or have tradespeople working, in which case they are allowed to have visitors. Unless my neighbour was blatantly having a party, I would mind my own business. Your neighbours don't sound great to be honest.

[Kettledodger]

Just read about you being in their dream house. Be careful very careful. Sounds like they may have a vendetta and try and hound you to get you to move so they can have the house, maybe...just a thought

[Livelovebehappy]

This is why I would hate living in a small village. All the forced friendliness. Not everyone wants to be best friends with their neighbours. They’re not bad people just because they don’t want to join the clique.

[CausingChaos2]

@Kettledodger

Just read about you being in their dream house. Be careful very careful. Sounds like they may have a vendetta and try and hound you to get you to move so they can have the house, maybe...just a thought

Yeah, just a ridiculous and completely paranoid thought

OP, it could have been anyone. Just because people you’ve known a while seem friendly doesn’t mean they haven’t got themselves het up and reported you. Some people are very curtain twitchy. If anything, I wouldn’t suspect the new people as they’re probably disinterested in what you’re up to if you’re a complete stranger.

[NoseinBook3]

I probably would yes. I’d ignore them if I’m honest and just put them out of your mind.

[WoolieLiberal]

Just bear in mind, it might not have been a report at all. Police have been driving by all over and “checking” that people are obeying the rules.

We’re not used to Gestapo tactics in this country but at the moment it’s necessary, sadly.

[LunaHeather]

OP I completely understand why you need to know

Would you consider asking people? I would think they'd be happy to defend their actions and you'd know to blank them forever.

[Robbybobtail]

I’d be fucked off too - nasty busybodies (whoever it was). Nothing you can do though, you’d done nothing wrong - put it out of your mind.

[WombatChocolate]

Just be aware that you don't know they have reported you. Someone else might have if it could be a routine Pokice check.

So it would be daft to follow some of the advice here about dropping notes through their door or confronting them...because all you have is a thought it might be them and zero evidence.

Really best to move on. You hadn't done anything wrong, and if anyone had let the Police know about all the cars, they weren't doing anything wrong either....in Covid times, I think we actually do want people to tell the Police about big parties etc and the Police to visit where there are reports of big parties etc. Fact is, you weren't doing anything wrong so no problem.

And peaceful neighbourly relations are worth so much and horrible ones can ruin the living experience and even lead to people feeling they need to move. These people haven't been friendly...you tried and they weren't interested so just ignore them, but certainly don't start accusing them directly or implicitly of something you have no evidence of, which will definitely cause bad feeling.

You have the moral high ground here over anyone who might have reported. Hold your head high and live your life feeling smug that you are squeaky clean, rather than bitter and angry....it will only hurt you if you react like this.

[Witchend]

On your other thread you said you had several strangers knocking at your home door about your non-essential business and were put out when you wouldn't serve them.
Isn't it far more likely it's one of them? They would be especially put out that you said you were closed and then seeing your work vans moving around might look particularly goading.

[WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants]

@user1493413286

My DH runs different cars for work and I’ve wondered if people might think this especially as we only moved in shortly before lockdown

No they probably think you've got a string of men,,,,

[WombatChocolate]

And why have so many posters on this thread jumped to the conclusion the neighbours did report. The Op has said she doesn't know and none of us can possibly know. All this hatred towards those people and suggestions for revenge....crazy behaviour based on no evidence.

I hope people do t respond like like this in real life.

[Viviennemary]

Sounds a bit of a likely story to me. It must be quite annoying for neighbours to have different cars coming and going all the time.

[BritWifeinUSA]

I can’t stand this attitude that some people have developed. If they can’t call or text you in a reasonable adult manner to discuss their concerns with you (and give you the opportunity to explain about your company vehicles, etc) then they shouldn’t be getting the police involved. They probably don’t know your number to call you or text you about it (unless the vehicles have the company phone number on the side like work vans often do?) but they are just being cowards who want the police to do the confronting for them.

We went from “we are in this together” to “call this number to report your neighbors” very quickly, didn’t we? It’s awful.

[GreySkyClouds]

@Witchend

On your other thread you said you had several strangers knocking at your home door about your non-essential business and were put out when you wouldn't serve them.
Isn't it far more likely it's one of them? They would be especially put out that you said you were closed and then seeing your work vans moving around might look particularly goading.

Ohhhhh, good context! Could have been anyone!

[Cocogreen]

Sorry about your Mum OP, I feel for you, it’s a very hard thing to go through.
It could have been anyone who reported you, so we shouldn’t point fingers. You’re not breaking the law so try to forget about the neighbours for the time being. They might warm up over time. If not, it sounds like everyone else is friendly so I’d try to let it go.

[AliceMcK]

Very rude, I’d automatically think it was them if your in a small village and everyone knows everyone.I get the system only works if people report breaches but all they have seen is different cars, not people. If I was new to the area I’d probably get chatting to the locals first to see what was happening, not that I’d report it anyway. If someone was throwing a big party that’s different.

I don’t think they are going to fit into village life if this is the way they act.

Sorry to hear about your DM OP.

[PurpleMustang]

Am so sorry for your loss. If your good honest neighbours know about the cars, whilst I can understand it I would forget about it. It likely was them by the sound of it but if it was them and what you have been told is right about their behaviour trying to buy your house I would just be polite and give them a wide birth.

[MarieIVanArkleStinks]

It doesn't matter, any more than the type of people matter who would turn 'informant' on their neighbours. Putting aggressive notes through their door as suggested by a PP is not a good idea, for three reasons. They're not necessarily guilty, you owe no one an explanation of anything, and it would make you of the same ilk.

As for neighbours being 'annoyed' by cars coming and going all the time, it has precisely f-all to do with them. I couldn't tell you what cars were parked on my neighbours' drives or their reg. numbers at gunpoint.

Guess this is what happens when people have too little to do. The devil makes work and all that ...

[MarieIVanArkleStinks]

We went from “we are in this together” to “call this number to report your neighbors” very quickly, didn’t we? It’s awful.

Isn't it?

And the idea of it being annoying or 'goading' to set foot outside your house, get into your own vehicle and drive it for reasons that are your own business. Fucking hell.

Welcome to Pandemic Britain, where use of language and physical movement are policed to within an inch of their lives. Even Burdekin, Orwell and Kafka would be horrified.

[MichelleScarn]

@Witchend

On your other thread you said you had several strangers knocking at your home door about your non-essential business and were put out when you wouldn't serve them.
Isn't it far more likely it's one of them? They would be especially put out that you said you were closed and then seeing your work vans moving around might look particularly goading.

This definitely sounds more likely than a neighbour harbouring a grievance for 10 years about a house!