Not to jet wash the neighbours part of the patio?

[Wobblykitchen]

So I recently pressure washed outside the front of our house. We have 2 neighbours to our left. It’s an electric pressure wash so we had it plugged in a socket and connected to the outside tap. Because of where the plug was and where the hose was connected I couldn’t reach their part of the path. I stretched and got as far as I could - maybe only to 2 slabs onto next door neighbour.

In a previous year the neighbour further along got all the way down to our slabs. We’ve got a ring doorbell as seen both neighbours slag us off about it. I’m so embarrassed, it literally wouldn’t reach. I wish I had a time machine where I’d go back and not pressure wash it.
It’s also been a week since they slagged us off, my mum said I should casually mention in passing that it couldn’t reach, but I rarely see them and if I do it’s from a window of our homes where we wave at each other.

Any advice to make me feel less embarrassed?
Yes I know with a war, rising cost of living, pandemic etc, this is proper ‘first world problems’ but I’m only 20 and never had neighbourly conflict of sorts. FWIW we did reach the house on our right so it’s clear we weren’t being selfish.

Stick a note through their door explaining that you couldn't reach and offer to plug in to their house and finish the job but I doubt they were slagging you off at all.

If you can be bothered pop round and say ‘Ive been meaning to speak to you but I haven’t seen you in ages. I jet washed the front the other day but the cable would only reach so far. Do you want me to plug into your socket so I can finish it?’

Thats a good idea! Thank you I’ll do that. But yeah… definitely unhappy I heard ‘bloody lazy, couldn’t be bothered to continue up the slabs. It’s so obviously lazy and she doesn’t even work properly’ (I’m a shift worker so out at nights) and ‘Oh dear that looks stupid, someone should teach them how to live independently’ husband replied ‘ignore it they’re just a bit thick’

Don’t be embarrassed, it isn’t your job to jet wash next doors land!

just read your update. Don’t do anything for CFs who call you thick!

After what they said about you I wouldn’t clean their patio for them. How dare they call you lazy when they aren’t bothering to do it themselves?! Plus if you have a water meter you’re literally paying to clean their property.

Don’t reward them for shitty attitudes. They’re rude. They called you thick. They can wash their own patio if they think you’re so ‘lazy’.

Your neighbours sound like fucking idiots, please dont explain yourself to them.
That must have been unpleasant to hear but honestly they sound moronic.
Its nice to get on with your neighbours but its not essential.

No way would I do their patio in your shoes, after the way they spoke about you! How bloody rude!!

If you really wanted to settle the score you could leave a note and offer to let them borrow it at their convenience, since the cord wouldn’t reach. Otherwise they’ve done you a favour as now you needn’t worry about them at all.

Fwiw I did my neighbour’s side of our common entryways a few years ago; we have a good relationship and they left a lovely note through the door saying how they appreciated it and how lovely it looked. However - omg the water bill 🤯🤯🤯 I wished I hadn’t even done our own, let alone the neighbour’s just to be nice! 😩

I agree with PPs they don't deserve you finishing it, butninstill think you should offer - if only to make them embarrassed about what they said

FWIW though I don't think your doorbell should be eavesdropping. You'll never hear anything that makes you happy that way and would you want people hearing what you say in your garden?

I'd go round and say what a previous poster said about the cable not reaching. I'd also make a point to say you heard what they were said about you. Call them out on it. Shitty behaviour should always be called out.

Pop a note round saying you heard them slag you off so you wanted to explain that the reason you didn’t jetwash their property is because the cable didn’t reach. But if they’d like to borrow your jetwasher they’d be welcome.

@YellowPlant

Pop a note round saying you heard them slag you off so you wanted to explain that the reason you didn’t jetwash their property is because the cable didn’t reach. But if they’d like to borrow your jetwasher they’d be welcome.

Don't do that , unless you want things to be difficult between you forever.

You need to give less fucks. It’s not your patio, they’re not nice people, ignore them. Or use your jet wash to write ‘cunts’ on their patio. But ignoring is probably a better plan.

Op. You aren’t lazy. - but that are for assuming you would automatically do it for them. They could have asked you (nicely) if they could borrow your pressure washer and do it themselves. But they are probably too thick to think of that…

Ignore them and go live your life knowing you aren’t lazy.

Extension lead?

You def need to finish the job. Grief with neighbours is not worth it.

Why on earth should you jet wash their slabs? I am confused, diagram?

I wouldn’t be able to live next door to them and not let them know I know what they’d said about me!

@Elnetthairnet

You need to give less fucks. It’s not your patio, they’re not nice people, ignore them. Or use your jet wash to write ‘cunts’ on their patio. But ignoring is probably a better plan.

No I think writing cunts is a good plan. Maybe 'Thick Cunts' even better. Because it's clearly they who are the thick ones to not have realised the cable isn't infinite and that people work shift hours.

@Peppermint81

Extension lead?

You def need to finish the job. Grief with neighbours is not worth it.

@Wobblykitchen you definitely do NOT need to finish the job! You owe them nothing, they can clean their own slabs!

Absolutely not your job to jet wash your neighbours patios! Why should you foot the electric and water bill for others as well?!

@WiddlinDiddlin I’m glad you’re here, I’m so confused, everyone else seems to just be accepting that OP should clean her neighbours property?

When you say you couldn’t reach but were able to do 2 slabs, do you mean you jetwashed a bit of their path but not all of it? They shouldn’t have been rude but I feel like if a neighbour was jetwashing I would either want them to do all of my path or none of it as surely it looks off to only have a section cleaned? If that is the case I think you should let them know why you didn’t finish the job as I think it’s sort of reasonable for them to be annoyed if you washed a bit of their path without asking them but didn’t do the whole thing and have left it looking half-done.

@Wobblykitchen

Thats a good idea! Thank you I’ll do that. But yeah… definitely unhappy I heard ‘bloody lazy, couldn’t be bothered to continue up the slabs. It’s so obviously lazy and she doesn’t even work properly’ (I’m a shift worker so out at nights) and ‘Oh dear that looks stupid, someone should teach them how to live independently’ husband replied ‘ignore it they’re just a bit thick’

Ooooo

Some people are really mean to young people.
I'd be tempted to put a note through as per previous poster, just to make them feel bad. Next time you do it, I would only do your own though

They are being horrible.

I would actually say something in this situation, in order to regain the higher ground (I'm closer to 50 than 20 though)...

I'd be tempted to say
"Hi! I hope you're ok? I couldn't help but hear you talking about the jetwash job I did through my door cam, so I thought I'd just let you know my chord can't't reach that far despite my attempts at trying. If you'd like to borrow my jetwash you're more than welcome! Anytime!"

And watch them cringe...