Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be creeped out by my neighbour?

20 replies

LifeonMarss · 12/10/2023 10:05

Hoping i'm making something from nothing but I feel a bit creeped out by this.
Thursdays are my day off work so wake up a bit later on, partner had already left for work. Anyway, I came down at about half 7, opened the curtains etc and sat down to have a coffee, sat on a chair that is facing the window which is why I could see this. My next door neighbour then crossed the road, stood on the pavement facing my house and stared into my living room for about 10 seconds before walking off at top speed.
Bit of background, we moved in a few months ago and he is generally a nice man if a bit odd, he's always out and about talking to people but he lives on his own I think. He usually speaks to my partner and only says hello to me which I don't mind tbh because I hate small talk. I did mention to my partner when we moved in that he made me feel uncomfortable but didn't really have a reason, it was more just because I couldn't leave my house without him being there.
Anyway, I'd understand just looking in the window as you walk past (live on a main road so used to it) it was just the crossing of the road and stopping dead for so long to look in that for so long has made me anxious. No other neighbours were on the front so he didn't stop to say hello to them.
AIBU to feel a bit uncomfortable with this?
TIA

OP posts:
Thisisnotlikehim · 12/10/2023 10:11

Did he realise you could see him? He sounds irritating and a bit creepy from your description but it might just have been him nosing into the new Neighbours house. Odd and rude but not sinister.

Thisisnotlikehim · 12/10/2023 10:11

I’d feel uncomfortable too BTW.

ComtesseDeSpair · 12/10/2023 10:31

I look into people’s houses all the time, especially in winter when it’s dark and they’ve got the lights on. It’s just nosiness. You’ve recently moved in, perhaps he’s curious about how you’ve decorated in comparison to the previous occupant. You’re entitled to not like it, but windows are made of glass, and many people are nosy.

Humidititties · 12/10/2023 10:34

ComtesseDeSpair · 12/10/2023 10:31

I look into people’s houses all the time, especially in winter when it’s dark and they’ve got the lights on. It’s just nosiness. You’ve recently moved in, perhaps he’s curious about how you’ve decorated in comparison to the previous occupant. You’re entitled to not like it, but windows are made of glass, and many people are nosy.

Yeah I also look into people's houses when I'm passing but I try and do it discretely; I don't cross over the road and stand there staring for 10 seconds or more. That is a bit weird

Pootles34 · 12/10/2023 10:47

It sounds to me like he was looking at something specific - maybe something about the house like how the roof is or something - then he suddenly clocked you sitting there, got embarrassed and ran off?

If we're looking at doing something to our house we often have a good look to see what the neighbours have done, I would assume something like that?

TheLongGloriesOfTheWinterMoon · 12/10/2023 10:49

Perhaps coming over to see why you were sitting at your window staring in his direction.

eandz13 · 12/10/2023 10:51

It sounds to me like he was looking at something specific - maybe something about the house like how the roof is or something - then he suddenly clocked you sitting there, got embarrassed and ran off?

This sounds likely. If my neighbours plant new flowers/have decorations up/have had something done to their property I'll have a gander, but like a PP said, I do try to do this discretely. He may have been having a nosy inside out of (really nosy) curiosity and not realised you could see him! He may have gone to work this morning thinking "shit, I must have looked like a right creepy bastard".
Hoping it's just something like this anyway, otherwise yeah, weird.

LumiB · 12/10/2023 11:03

When I am walking back home, sometimes before crossing the road I'll be checking my roof out so it could be that's what it is. But I don't do it everyday its more like once a year after winter or a big storm to make sure no tiles have moved.

MrsSkylerWhite · 12/10/2023 11:06

Yes, that is odd. I’m nosey as hell and love looking into people’s houses from buses, trains etc. would never deliberately cross a road and stare into one particular house, though.

Personally, I’d ask him outright what he was doing. If that’s not you, ask your partner to raise it. That will be enough to put a stop to it.

rwalker · 12/10/2023 11:07

I think you’ve taken an instant dislike to him before this so this will ultimately cloud your judgment

a 10 second ponder isn’t a big deal could if just been making his mind up what he was going to do then shot off

TheYearOfSmallThings · 12/10/2023 11:07

Is there an issue with your roof/gutters/chimney? I have stood across the street staring at the flashing and gutters from time to time.

Butterflyworms · 12/10/2023 11:08

He probs saw a squirrel or something. He sounds bored and lonely but not sinister based on that alone.

GasPanic · 12/10/2023 11:09

Well if he is doing it on a regular basis, yes it is a bit weird.

However there might be a number of explanations as to why it happened on one occasion.

Alargeoneplease89 · 12/10/2023 11:10

Maybe you have a loose tile, need some pointing, etc. And he's going to let your partner know.

Honestly way to much overthinking going on.

Rosiesmydog · 12/10/2023 11:15

Could he actually see through the window tho? If your lights were off then the day light would reflect back off the window and he would only see reflection. If your lights were on, however he would be able to see in

LetMeGoogleThat · 12/10/2023 11:16

Sorry, I can't work out what he has wrong, apart from looking odd by your standards. I work next to my window and people are always looking in, but I often do the same. There could have been a bird or squirrel or anything else that he was looking at.

Original poster
LifeonMarss · 12/10/2023 11:50

He has done it before never for this long, it was the length not the actual looking that I have an issue with btw. I agree, I don't see anything sinister in it or him it's just not the first thing I expected to see when I woke up so it startled me.
Cant see anything amiss on the front but you never know, hopefully he was just in his own world and snapped out of it hence the speed walk away.

OP posts:
girlfriend44 · 12/10/2023 20:38

Haven't you got any.nets or blinds?

IdaPolly · 12/10/2023 20:50

Maybe there was an insect or bird or cat beneath your eyeline. Any flowers?

Pumpkinpie1 · 08/01/2024 09:39

He might be autistic. We have a neighbours adult son with autism who can be like this. But it’s just his way of processing things.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page