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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To say I wish neighbours' husband was not WFH

83 replies

tulips27 · 02/02/2022 14:14

Nothing serious but following on from a couple of threads from disgruntled spouses of people WFH, I want to make my own complaint as a neighbour- it's not just spouses that are affected. My neighbour's husband is always hanging around, nothing wrong with the man but it feels like he is always there! I want to go outside in my own garden without someone always being there all the time! It's a lovely day today and I could be outside doing a bit of work but I feel I can't. I know what the replies will be but someone please tell me I'm not the only one who feels this way. Grin

OP posts:
SheWoreYellow · 02/02/2022 15:44

Is it a shared garden?

Original poster
tulips27 · 02/02/2022 15:45

Yes, those who figured out there is a low boundary were right. It cannot be changed, though.

OP posts:
Original poster
tulips27 · 02/02/2022 15:45

Not a shared garden, just a low boundary.

OP posts:
WhereYouLeftIt · 02/02/2022 15:48

@MisAnn

I'm dreading summer for this reason. New neighbour moved in last year. Took ALL his conference calls on loudspeaker in the garden, in a language I don't understand and he is So Loud, the entire street must be able to hear him. It's turned me into a winter person Grin.
Ramp up your own noise levels. Mowing, radio, exercise class through your phone turned up loud so you can hear it over your panting for breathe. Or start learning to play the trumpet?
SpaghettiArmsMurderer · 02/02/2022 15:53

Put up a new fence. We have a low boundary, a half height wall between gardens. We just put a fence on the inside of it!

SoManyQuestionsHere · 02/02/2022 15:57

May I offer you a neighbour swapping deal, OP?

Much to my dismay, my neighbours are not WFH - but I am for the most part until my employer eases up COVID measures.

Unfortunately for me, this has come to the attention of the local postie.

I'm now basically a parcel collecting station ...

Angryattrackandtrace · 02/02/2022 16:04

Why can’t folk read the tone of a post and see this is lighthearted 😂😂

GloriousGoosebumps · 02/02/2022 16:05

Since you can't raise the height of the fence, have you considered a second hand gazebo with fabric panels so you can have a solid side pointing at your neighbour but the other sides open so you can enjoy the sun and some privacy?

QueeniesCroft · 02/02/2022 16:10

Does he chat? My garden is largeish (getting on for half an acre since I extended it) and there is a road and another field between my garden and next door's house (they don't have a garden but do have a greenhouse). Every bloody morning I have to sneak out to open the greenhouse up, feed the hens and let the ducks out, because if he spots me, he will be down the road and "wandering past" in the blink of an eye. He likes to tell me about gardening, and give me the benefit of his huge (2 whole tress he planted) experience. He doesn't even seem to care if I'm listening, he just wants to talk at me.

So if he chats, YANBU, and i wouldn't convict you for whacking him with a hoe! If he doesn't chat, just pretend he isn't there.

ABitOfAShitShow · 02/02/2022 16:15

YABU but I totally understand. Sometimes you just want it to be an extension to the privacy of your home and it’s not when neighbours are about. Even if you like them.

vesperlindor · 02/02/2022 16:18

When the weather is nice, my NDN uses her garden as her office (just sits on a lounger and works all day as if she was indoors, no garden office or anything). Lot of long, very tedious, loud conference calls (voice like a foghorn and no concept of GDPR). No peace all day, I can hear her in the house with the windows shut.

Be grateful he's just pottering about!!

LadyCleathStuart · 02/02/2022 16:20

Well yeah yabu but I still totally understand. My last house had a low boundary fence and our neighbours were always outside. They weren't doing anything wrong but it was still annoying as it felt like sharing a space with them.

New house has big fences all round and I am loving it. Can't wait until summer.

I will note though that I am well aware as a house with two dogs, two children, a trampoline and a basketball hoop we are probably incredibly annoying neighbours to all around us!

Windintrees · 02/02/2022 16:21

My neighbour is also working from home, mostly on teams. If it is raining he has his conservatory doors opens. After two years I could do his job!!! He asked me not to cut the grass during his working hours and then complained that my grass needed cut. 🍷🍰

GatoradeMeBitch · 02/02/2022 16:22

In my street it's become the thing to buy wooden chairs and sit outside in your front garden. The baffling thing is that for half the street there are great views from their back gardens, but from about 7am to midnight whenever I leave my house there will be neighbours just sitting there in chairs staring at the houses on the other side of the street. It's not picturesque, nothing to look at but brick houses and small front gardens. I live in the UK by the way. It makes me feel awkward to leave the house on foot. At least in the car I don't have to swap awkward hello's on the outbound journey and the return...

SNUG2022 · 02/02/2022 16:24

Headphones. Then have a 2 minute chat, and say, must crack on, and move away from him.

SoManyQuestionsHere · 02/02/2022 16:24

vesperlindor, hello, neighbour! Grin

(In my defense, I'm very aware of both GDPR and confidentiality for commercial reasons ...)

Witchymcwitch · 02/02/2022 16:25

I’m on your side OP Grin
I wish my neighbours would fuck off too.
They could come back at night to sleep if they liked, as they’re gone by about 6am.

Original poster
tulips27 · 02/02/2022 16:37

@Witchymcwitch Yes, they are welcome to sleep there, I don't want to be ungenerous.

OP posts:
Chikapu · 02/02/2022 16:40

@tulips27

Not a shared garden, just a low boundary.
But is he out in the garden all day every day? If he's in his house working how is affecting you?
ABitOfAShitShow · 02/02/2022 16:40

@SoManyQuestionsHere

vesperlindor, hello, neighbour! Grin

(In my defense, I'm very aware of both GDPR and confidentiality for commercial reasons ...)

Is this about to get interesting or just an entertaining coincidence? Grin

Also vesper are you my friend from work? Dad’s name begins with a P?

TheHaka · 02/02/2022 16:43

Build a wall, not a fence.

Sounds like my neighbour, the cunt's always busy doing nothing.

KarenTheGammonRemoaner · 02/02/2022 16:52

Your back garden? Put higher fences up.

Orchid876 · 02/02/2022 17:00

Why can't the boundary be changed?

Treecreature · 02/02/2022 17:09

My neighbour says hello by shouting 'wa-hey'. Some days I open my front door and the first thing I hear is 'wa-hey' as he walks down the street. Its like being on a frigging game show or something. Lovely guy but I could manage less of him Grin

billy1966 · 02/02/2022 17:10

OP,
Wear headphones in the garden and completely ignore.

@MisAnn
Put a small bluetooth speak on your windowsill and play some annoying music anytime he has a loud call.

My friend did this EVERY TIME her neighbour make a loud call in the garden next to her.

Their houses are detached but he would walk around the garden shouting.

She started playing lovely classical music with her windows shut.

Blocked his noise out, but he got the message pretty quickly.

Nothing worse than someone's loud onesided conversation or a speakerphone conversation in an open space.