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?

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.

What, by saying hello? They're not necessarily "bad people", no. Just ignorant shits.

I'd presume it was them and stop being friendly. They haven't been friendly with you so no great loss there.

It must be quite annoying for neighbours to have different cars coming and going all the time.

If someone gets upset about that they must have an awful lot of time on their hands.

So what if these people don't want to be friends with everyone? Some just like to keep to themselves. Places like this with everyone gossiping away and shitstiring are hellish.

Op has no proof other than the increasingly absurd assumptions of people on here it was the new people. Just forget about it.

So what if these people don't want to be friends with everyone? Some just like to keep to themselves. Places like this with everyone gossiping away and shitstiring are hellish.

I wouldn't say my neighbours were my friends, more acquaintances. Isn't it just good manners to acknowledge a greeting? No, you don't have to, but out of basic civility, I would.

Bit sad really, living like that. You might need help one day. Say your pet goes missing or your parcel is delivered to the wrong house. They'll feel a bit awkward knocking on OP's door now won't they? Or perhaps not.

Probably but why does it matter? They had a concern, you're not doing anything wrong. All sorted.

Not everyone likes to be friends with their neighbours and I'm often in my own world while I'm outside my house, thinking about where I'm going or what I need, so wouldn't often say hello to anyone, it's not personal.

Try not to worry to much.

From the sounds of it they won't find village life is the life they want with their attitude.

It sounds like it might be the new neighbours but try not to let it get to you. No need to send a note. Just carry on saying hello as you have. If they don’t want to join the clique, thats really ok. No-one should be offended. The police rightly responded to a report and found no wrong doing. Surely that is the end of it? The neighbours or whoever presumably had concerns you were entertaining during lockdown. They don’t know you. I might even consider it a positive that the neighbours care about the covid rules.

@AvoidingNextdoorNeighbour

I'd have fun with this. I'd bring as many vehicles as possible to fit on my drive and available road parking spaces. Then I'd whack the music on, stick on the disco lights and watch their curtains twitch from my upstairs window. Wind the nosy shits right up.

They'd be pissed at not seeing you and your "party goers" being dragged out in cuffs.

And I say this as someone who has taken the rules extremely seriously. There's plenty of folk (including a copper) on my street having weekly lockdown parties and a constant stream of visitors all day long.

Do I think they're dickheads that should get slapped with a massive fine? Of course.

Am I going to grass them up? Christ no!

Just thinking of the Home Alone scene with the cardboard cutouts moving around on a model railway track to make it look as if a party is going on.

@WiddlinDiddlin. Was your saluki perhaps running around very fast, and they thought it was 3 dogs? They are quite skinny too. I had a springer spaniel, and when we were in the woods I'd swear he sometimes appeared from 3 different directions at once!

You simply do not know how the police have become suspicious. Might be they were driving past, and were suspicious of the number of cars. Could have been a longstanding neighbour who has become paranoid through Covid (lots of people have). Just let it go, you will never know.

Firstly, I’m sorry for your loss.

Secondly, please ignore the ‘helpful’ advice to put notes through their door and similar nonsense. The situation is already resolved - you’ve spoken to the police, they’re satisfied you’ve done nothing wrong; there’s nothing more to do. These neighbours don’t want to be your friend, and if it was them, presumably you don’t want to be friends with them either. Why create unnecessary confrontation?

if they had bothered to talk to any of ours and their new neighbours would never have happened

To be honest, this sounds a bit like ‘If only they’d just fit in and be like us’. You made them saying they didn’t need a recommendation for a butcher’s sound like a major snub. They could be vegetarian for all you know!

They can’t turn back the clock and become more friendly from day one... so my question is, if they had come over and asked about the cars, would you have been glad the misunderstanding was cleared up and moved on? Or would you have been writing a different AIBU, asking if you’re justified in feeling pissed off because, having never spoken to you before, the first time they did was to complain about the cars?

They’re not your sort of people, which seems to be their main crime here. Forget it, move on and enjoy having the friendships you do have with your other neighbours.

@kittylion2

As they had the registration numbers I wonder why the police didn't check them before calling round - then it would have been obvious that they belong to the same business?

Everytime they do a PNC check on a registration there is paperwork to complete. Fine for 1 car but if there are quite a few on the list it would be easier to just knock on OPs door for a wee chat, 1 lot of paperwork, job done.

Thanks Frangipani - OP has already explained that it wouldn't have helped anyway due to the nature of the business. I always think it happens like on the telly.

I haven’t read every reply so this may have already been said, but what stands out to me is that if they have a list of registrations then surely they’re watching your house to the point that they’ll only be seeing you getting in and out of these cars 🤔 Definitely a neighbour, but I’d just ignore the issue and move on tbh. If they don’t want to be ‘neighbourly’ then that’s their choice and loss. You’ve done nothing wrong and you’ve proven it.

FFS they should mind their own. Covid has really brought out the worst in people.

I think it a pity that people dont mind their own business and let the police get on with catching criminals.
Yes there is a serious virus around but that does not gve people the right to report on their neighbours.Since lockdowns started many in UK seem to be turning into the Stazi.The UK is nt a police state yet.People should stop being so paronoid and stop being so damm nosey.Counting cars in peoples driveways is wrong.UK is becoming a very unpleasant place to live. A rave with masses attending is one tbing but reporting a neighbour without knowing circumstances is wrong.This kind of thing worries me more than the virus,our freedoms to live our lives seem to be going and will we ever get them back.Not if some in UK have their way, Im amazed to be honest so many people used to freedom have put up with this so long .Our freedoms were hard won,now noone seems to care if we are losing them.

Say and do nothing! who ever it was, be it new neighbour or not, it will drive who ever it was CRAZY because its not stopped!

I am sorry for your loss.

Objectively, it probably was them, but not certain.

They didn't find out why you had so many cars on your drive, but also they probably thought there was ongoing breaking of covid rules.

Whether it was them or not they don't seem to want to be friendly, so you probably won't have to more to do with them.

Now you have spoken to Police the matter is sorted. I wouldn't bad mouth them to the neighbours. You were accused, but investigation showed you had done nothing wrong.

Just next time you see the neighbors you get on with, tell them what happened
I dont know why people don't mind their own business, did they not see you getting out the cars?
I wouldn't mind, but coming to you is such a waste of police resources when they could have looked up the regs.
Yet two houses on our road have flouted every single time, have been reported by the neighborhood watch team and not once have the police turned up other than to warn the lady who coordinates the neighborhood watch that they feel she is harrassing the neighbors by reporting, even though one home has 20+ people in a night.

So sorry for your loss.

It seems like you will never know for sure who reported you. Maybe these people did. Maybe they hold a grudge from a decade ago. Or maybe it was someone else. Is it important now? The police have gone and you have done nothing wrong.

I don’t like the idea of people reporting other people; makes me think of Nazi Germany. However I don’t like Covid either! I think I would forget about it now and hope it was not the new neighbours. I probably wouldn’t bother myself about them at all, they matter not.

It definately sounds like the neighbours but they haven't done anything wrong. They had concerns that the rules were being flouted and reported it. You say they've not made much effort to talk to you or neighbours but we are in a lockdown and not supposed to be making incessant social contact! Maybe they haven't waved/shouted hi because they don't want to risk getting into a conversation/meeting that would be against the rules. For all you know they could be shielding and terrified of getting Covid. I would just leave it.

I'd tell the nosey neighbour to mind their own fucking business!

Why can't people just worry about themselves? Why is there always one causing trouble?!!

I'm fairly sure I would never be welcoming them to the village after that. Totally unjustified intrusion into your life.