to wonder whats going on with my neighbours?

[curiositykills]

I'll admit this is sheer nosiness on my part. I'm not really on speakers with the family so can't ask directly (although I may be able to find out via another neighbour at some point) It's such an odd situation I can't work out what's going on but I bet someone on here will be able to offer a plausible explanation.

We live in a typical suburban street, all homeowners. Family in question have (primary) school age kids, have lived here for about 10 years. I noticed about a fortnight ago that their car wasn't there overnight. No big deal, I assumed they were away on a break. But the next day the car was back, for an hour or two, and then gone again until the following day. I thought maybe one of the parents was working nights, but the house is definitely unoccupied, none of them are there at other times just this hour or so daily. At those times they're all here too and all seem to be in good health so that's not the reason.

I thought maybe some sort of damage to the house had happened that might mean they needed to move out (this happened to a relative who had subsidence for example) but it didn't make sense they'd come back daily, I know my relative had to move out completely and everything was put in storage.

They could be doing works to the house, but there's been no one else here (and as we're terraced we'd definitely hear any works).

I thought they might have moved out to rent it, but all their stuff still seems to be there (kids toys still in garden etc). I can't think of anything else - and I guess I'm interested because if they have moved I'm wondering if they're selling, if we'll get new neighbours etc.

Pretty much. It was also pretty rough at times down there we wanted to go at quietly as possible drawing as little attention as possible. Also didn’t want people knowing where we was moving to which they would of started asking.

I knew from the title this thread wouldn't disappoint 😂

I do have a job. However my office overlooks the front of the house and my desk faces the window so I see all the comings and going - which as its a small street there aren't that many. And it's just intrigued me.

I think from what's been said some sort of infestation or damage resulting from that might be the most likely. If it is, I'm sure I'll see someone from Rentokil going in and out at some point. This concerns me because our houses are joined to each other so if it is rats I'm worried they might find their way in!

Or bedbugs. Even harder than rats to get rid of apparently. Years ago a woman at school said she had them in her house, brought from a holiday. Ohh it made me shudder.

Bedbugs can't get through walls can they?

<scratches>

Well they're smaller than rats for sure so I would think they could. I'm sure I've read somewhere that in apartment buildings they have to fumigate the whole lot, unless that's cockroaches. Which is unlikely in the UK.

Similar thing happened to our neighbours, turned out they did a midnight flit because they owed a ridiculous amount of money to scary drug dealers and were being threatened... House sat empty for 18 months!

I think you only need to worry is when you see the police or pest control outside.

There could be a million reasons why they’re not there full time right now.

Its natural to feel curious, but to wonder and get scared over hypothetical rats and bed bugs is a bit much.

Concentrate on your own life/family and if you happen to see your neighbours, strike up a casual and friendly conversation, & they might even let you know how many bodies they’ve got in the basement.

So the plot thickens. I saw another neighbour (let's call her Sheila) when putting the bins out this morning. Sheila has lived here for 40 years and knows everyone.

So after the usual how are you and what the weather was doing, I said 'do you think we should put <neighbour's> bins out for them as I don't think they're home?'

(our bins live in the front garden but are only emptied if you put them on the pavement, even if there's no wall between garden and pavement, and the bin is clearly visible...)

Sheila says no need, they're not living there at the moment, they've been temporarily rehoused.

So of course I asked why, and she didn't know! I don't think she'd thought to ask.

I'm guessing this confirms it must be some issue with the house, and insurers are putting them up elsewhere. Will keep my eyes peeled for the pest control people, and hope whatever it is isn't going to affect my house.

Jesus you really do watch your neighbours comings and goings, has it ever occurred to you your behaviour is weird . Maybe they all talk about the nosy neighbour at the window .

My sister has had to move out of her house due to subsidence from water damage from which she is claiming for renovation and she's always back and forth - left kids toys in garden etc.
Not the same person though as she's not terraced.

I now have an urge to watch this film again -

I live in a terrace, my neighbours (and their car when it's on the drive - our driveways are basically the front garden) are literally inches away, the walls are thin. Even if I'd not noticed the car I would have noticed that I can't hear the TV, noise of going up and down stairs etc which I'd normally hear most of the day, certainly mornings and evenings. I guess it's probably different if you live in a detached house!

I hope it's not subsidence, as given our houses are attached that might also affect me.

Wow lots of spying here! If they have been temporarily rehoused ,then surely any issue would be dealt with? I think you seem to have an unhealthy fascination with them TBH .Maybe need to get out more!

Haha! Only on MN are people expected to wear blinkers and not wonder about unusual situations in their immediate vicinity. Meanwhile, in the real world, it’s actually quite normal to take an interest in other people’s lives. Don’t pretend it’s not!

They normally have a window open at this time of year 😂

sorry op but this really tickled me! You are clearly scarily observant!

You could be writing about me and my family! We have purchased a new house but not selling ours yet until some works are carried out , which should start in the next few weeks. I keep coming back to my old house every day to paint, gardening etc.

Our family did similar for a few months when I was young (though pretty sure both our neighbours new exactly what was going on). A water pipe had burst under the concrete floor in the kitchen, and the insurance paid for us all to move out whilst it was fixed. Our cat had to stay put though, so we had to come back at least once a day for her (not that yhe ungrateful toad ever bothered to show her face).

*knew

My partner and I live in an apartment and he had an accident last year which has given him ptsd so we’ve bought a caravan and he’s living there atm and hasn’t been back to the flat for 2 months . We bought everything new for the caravan so was taking it bit by bit and the neighbour downstairs was asking if we were moving . I went back to the flat last week for the neighbour opposite to stop me asking about my dp and she said “we wondered where you both were , we normally see him around the building and we can tell you ain’t here . I was getting concerned coz neighbour saw you but we haven’t seen dp for a while , I kept thinking we were gonna start getting a smell on the landing coming from your flat coz I thought something might’ve happened to him in there as we haven’t seen him “

😂😂😂 she was very deadly serious , I think she thought I had killed him and hid him in the wardrobe 😂

Are you bored, babe?

Maybe read a book? Take up knitting?

Flippant sarcasm there but really, this much interest in neighbours isn't normal.

I live in a cul-de-sac. Everyone knows what everyone else is up to (and tells each other). When I first moved in, a man living a few doors away told me he had noticed I had a bit of net curtain strung up (with string) at a (upstairs) window to shield my parrot from direct sunlight and he had an extendable curtain rod going spare if I wanted it. I was a bit taken aback at the fact that he had noticed such a detail but it was very helpful.

They've witnessed a crime, had to take on new identities and have moved.
He's beaten her up (or vice versa) and has escaped to a safe house with the kids.

Do you have a hobby OP?

She has one- spying on neighbours.