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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Dp & neighbour - Aibu?

190 replies

Ocholo93 · 26/11/2023 23:01

I am absolutely fuming right now and need opinions on if I’m being unreasonable or not. If I’m being honest I don’t care if I am, I believe I feel this way for a reason and have a right to be angry.

dp recently started ‘following’ a young lady that lives on our apartment floor. We are very reserved in our building and don’t interact too much with neighbours, just say ‘hello’ when we bump into eachother however this young lady was not someone we bump into often, in all the years of living here I have only seen her to say hello twice, one of which was today! So when I noticed that her and dp began following eachother on Instagram I instantly wondered how that situation came about.. they obviously had to exchange social usernames etc?

this is another issue, I am not able to follow him on social media / Instagram, he doesn’t want me on there. I don’t have social media anymore but I did in the past. To be fair it is a business account that he has, for his business. But it is still personal, he is still posting himself on there everyday, interacting with everyone, he follows absolutely everyone he knows on there. When I asked him how they began to follow eachother he told me that she followed him for his business (even though she is not a client).

this evening whilst sitting on the couch, I hear a light knock on our front door. Dp goes to the drawer, takes out a tool and opens the door very slight just enough to pass the tool out but so that I cannot see. I hear a girl say ‘thanks I will bring it back soon’ and then he closes the door. I immediately opened the door after to see who it was and it was this young lady that he follows. At that point I was very confused and instantly realised that they have obviously been messaging as she’s clearly messaged to ask him if she can borrow this.

when I asked dp how it came about he completely refused to tell me. I tried to stay calm but was fuming inside, I asked 4 times and he completely refused to tell me. All he could’ve said was ‘she messaged asking to borrow something’ but instead he refused to answer me and told me not to stress him out. At this stage I was so angry as he clearly knows it’s inappropriate as he couldn’t even have the decency to tell me.

dp Then storms off to bed, as if I have done something wrong by asking him. I hear her knock lightly at the door again (baring in mind she didn’t press our door bell at all, it was a light knock as if to be sneaky in my eyes) so I immediately went and opened the door. I could see she was a bit stunned to see me open the door and put on a nice smile and passed me the tool. I asked her ‘how did this come about?’ And she began to tell me she has an issue with her sink but I asked specifically how did this come about that she’s messaged my dp to ask him for it. It then turned into an argument she cited his ‘profession’ as if to say that means anything? His profession has nothing to do with a tool she’s messaged to borrow. I told her that I don’t think it’s appropriate, she could have just asked me to borrow something (especially as I saw her earlier today) instead of texting her neighbours boyfriend’. She then was rude and told me ‘no one is interested in your man’ and swore at me as she walked off in which I equally swore back.

now I will admit I’m now regretting engaging in an argument. I have never in my entire life argued with ANYBODY, I have never sworn etc I am the most gentlest soul and the calmest person, everyone tells me this. I don’t know what came over me but I felt a rage.

dp did not come out of the room whilst this happened, I then went to him and told him to tell me what happened and he completely refused. He told me that he is not interested in her and that i have brought trouble to my door now, that she is a dangerous person and her friends. I then told him HE has brought this to our door. We don’t get too personal with our neighbours, he would never let me borrow things to neighbours as he likes us to mind our business and stay out of trouble, so if he thinks this girl is trouble then why would he willingly go out of his way to borrow her something. I reminded him that if this was the other way around he would go mad! But he just proceeded to tell me that I am immature and basically crazy.

I am now sitting here unsure of if I’m in the right or wrong. I would never fight anyone and I would especially never fight another woman over a man. That wasn’t really my point, my issue was the way they sneakily exchanged at my front door, she felt comfortable enough to knock on my door like that, that clearly they have messaged eachother etc. in my head I just don’t think this is appropriate, this is not just a neighbour that we are close with etc.

have I made a mistake? Have I embarrassed myself? I’m slightly mad at myself now, my issue is obviously with dp and I perhaps shouldn’t have taken it out on the girl but equally I feel it’s right to be territorial over my home and my kids home and I had a right to question. I couldn’t imagine texting a neighbours boyfriend asking for something, especially if we are not close at all with the neighbours.

OP posts:
lemoncurd1995 · 27/11/2023 06:21

This has to be one of the most childish things I’ve ever read. Are you both 17? If not, OP why are you even entertaining this man!l?

It sounds like you have every right to be insecure. I am absolutely baffled as to why an adult female wouldn’t see the massive red flag with not having you on social media and run a mile from there. Christ. This/your situation makes ME feel anxious…

LAMPS1 · 27/11/2023 06:33

This isn’t a good way to live OP.
Neither of you trusts the other.
All of your suspicions and resentment come spilling out at a neighbour in this awful angry outburst and he isn’t prepared to help you feel reassured.
We can’t possibly say if he’s acted inappropriately with her or not.
But follow your instincts and end this toxic way of living before it scrambles your head any more and damages you permanently.

Z1hun · 27/11/2023 06:33

Ocholo93 · 26/11/2023 23:24

I have always been on social media, I only deleted recently due to dp having an issue with it. He’d constantly want to check it/what I’ve posted/who has watched my story or followed me etc and get annoyed so I ended up deleting it for the peace, and tbh I’m fine without it. So I don’t find it weird to talk/use it to talk to people or ask someone for something, but I do think it’s weird to dm someone’s bf on Instagram, that is your neighbour especially when you are not close or friendly neighbours at all..

i am suspicious and insecure of these things as he keeps everything hidden from me… for years! He messages tons of women every day and will use his profession as an excuse even though a lot of what I have seen is very inappropriate, flirting etc etc.

he sounds awful. He sounds like he gas lights you and psychologically abuses you.

Why are you with him? Is it thats hes nice some of the time? That's definitely a reason to leave. You should never doubt your partner you should trust them wholeheartedly and they shouldn't do anything to make you doubt that - it sounds like he's doing it on purpose.

Why won't he let you follow him on SM. That's manipulative too. He knows you want to follow him so he's controlling you by not letting it happen. Please leave a decent man wouldn't do that to you. X

DoubleTime · 27/11/2023 06:37

OP if he had been trying to hide the contact with this neighbour he wouldn't have let it get to the point where she called round to your door. He could have taken the tool she wanted to borrow round to her. It sounds like he was concerned you would cause a scene and tried to pass her the tool quietly, without upset.

GrannypantsMagee · 27/11/2023 06:48

Why in the world would you bf block you and tell you you can't use SM?

Also, why in any sane world would he go nuts if you let a neighbour borrow something?

But off the back of both of those questions, why then is he using social media to be in contact with your neighbours and lend them stuff when these are supposedly Bad Things. Actually, it doesn't matter. Having a social media account is normal. Lending a neighbour a tool is normal. Banning either of those things is messed up.

ScattieHattie1 · 27/11/2023 06:52

Ilovelifeverymuch · 27/11/2023 02:14

The issue is he was controlling over her social media while keeping his secret from her.

Then following their neighbor while he refuses to allow his partner follow him, secretly messaging neighbor and refusing to let his partner know what's going on, secretly borrowing her tools while trying to keep OP in the dark and pretend like she is crazy for wondering what's going on.

It's not that hard to see the issue. If there was nothing going on he would simply say neighbor x asked to borrow the wrench or whatever, simple not just pretend nothing is going on, run to his room and refuse to talk or engage.

He heard his partner and the neighbor arguing at the door and he stayed in the room pretending he didn't hear anything, that's normal to you?

Telling the neighbor to lightly knock the door instead of use the bell so OP doesn't hear sounds normal to you? If there was nothing to it why have her sneak around?

Edited

Nothing about their relationship sounds normal to me. It sounds to me like they are both insanely insecure about one another, weird about social media, in an unhealthy relationship and shouldn't be together at all in any lifetime.

Els1e · 27/11/2023 06:57

steff13 · 26/11/2023 23:46

I feel bad for the neighbor here. She's trying to borrow a tool from a neighbor that she is in contact with on SM (a perfectly normal thing to do) and she's thrust into your relationship drama. If she has any sense she'll block him and steer clear of both of you.

This ☝️. The neighbour borrowing a tool is a red herring. You and your boyfriend sound like you have an unhealthy relationship. Either talk as adults with each other or call it a day.

JustFannyingAboot · 27/11/2023 07:04

He doesn't like you having sm as he doesn't trust you 🚩
When you did have sm he insisted on checking it regularly 🚩
He has sm that he deliberately excludes you from 🚩
He doesn't like you forming friendships with neighbours but is clearly happy to do so himself 🚩
He is sneaky about the friendships he is forming 🚩
He is comfortable lying to your face🚩
He calls you crazy when you get upset🚩
He sulks and refuses to communicate 🚩

I wonder what other aspects of your life he controls and closes you off from.
Family?
Friends?
Work?
Hobbies?
What you wear?

This is a very unhealthy one sided relationship where you seem to be making all the sacrifices to satisfy his insecurities, at the expense of your sanity. That little bit of anger you felt, channel it into dumping his arse.

PurpleSky09 · 27/11/2023 07:12

You should apologise to your neighbour OP.

DoubleTime · 27/11/2023 07:14

PurpleSky09 · 27/11/2023 07:12

You should apologise to your neighbour OP.

I agree

LakieLady · 27/11/2023 07:21

Your relationship is utterly toxic.

Get out before it gets any worse.

QueenofTerrasen · 27/11/2023 07:21

You need to apologise to your neighbour.
To be honest, given what you've written here, he sounds like a wanker so she's probably correct in saying no one else wants him.
He's no prize to be won, is he?

IsDieHardAChristmasFilm · 27/11/2023 07:22

Ocholo93 · 26/11/2023 23:29

I don’t see how I am a psychopath over his social media, when I have 0 access to it for 6 years, I don’t bother him about it or bring it up anymore, social media to me is just a silly thing to focus on/argue about when you’re in a relationship. I do think I have a right to feel unhappy about how he has used it to follow a lady we live next to and be comfortable enough to text eachother and sneakily exchange something (deliberately hiding it from me) knowing that if i dared do the same he’d go mad.

So when I noticed that her and dp began following eachother on Instagram I instantly wondered how that situation came about.. they obviously had to exchange social usernames etc?

this is another issue, I am not able to follow him on social media / Instagram, he doesn’t want me on there. I don’t have social media anymore but I did in the past. To be fair it is a business account that he has, for his business.

You’re contradicting yourself. For someone with zero access for 6 years you seem to know a lot about his social media.

The woman knocked to return something she borrowed and gets a grilling from you.

CrispsandCheeseSandwich · 27/11/2023 07:22

I couldn’t imagine texting a neighbours boyfriend asking for something

But she didn't message her neighbour's boyfriend. She messaged her neighbour. And she couldn't have messaged you, it sounds like you have no contact with her.
You mean you couldn't imagine texting a man who has a partner? Or more accurately, you couldn't imagine texting a man who has a female partner.

Ramalangadingdong · 27/11/2023 07:28

Did he say any more about her being dangerous and having dangerous associates? That would scare the life out
of me. And how does your dp know this?

ShouldIbeLeftWithLess · 27/11/2023 07:29

On a general basis, of course there is nothing wrong with a neighbour borrowing something, but there is so much more to this that I completely get it OP. He is acting in a distrustful way on SM, controlling what you do so much that you've come off it, but also blocking his own parter on his account. Wtf?! This is naturally going to make you see and react to things in a way you might not if you were in a trusting relationship. And actually yes, the way she went about retrieving the item and his reaction is also unusual.

Putting that aside, the SM is the biggest problem to me right now and is enough for you to surely realise he's not a nice partner?

MzHz · 27/11/2023 07:30

Nicole1111 · 26/11/2023 23:41

You’re in a very unhealthy relationship, one where he is controlling you and checking up on you, and he limits your ability to see how he is behaving online. Reading between the lines I wonder if he’s cagey because of your previous insecurities and how that might have manifested. That said I can also see how his interaction with this girl looks suspicious. Whatever is truly going on it’s clear that there is a complete lack of trust from both sides in this relationship and I’m questioning why on Earth you are together

This! 100%

ApintofwhatFarageishaving · 27/11/2023 07:32

Celticliving · 26/11/2023 23:03

You sound incredibly insecure.

Has DP previously given you reason to distrust?

Oh behave yourself!!! Are you the neighbour?

LightSpeeds · 27/11/2023 07:34

You can't trust him!!

RampantIvy · 27/11/2023 07:41

JustFannyingAboot · 27/11/2023 07:04

He doesn't like you having sm as he doesn't trust you 🚩
When you did have sm he insisted on checking it regularly 🚩
He has sm that he deliberately excludes you from 🚩
He doesn't like you forming friendships with neighbours but is clearly happy to do so himself 🚩
He is sneaky about the friendships he is forming 🚩
He is comfortable lying to your face🚩
He calls you crazy when you get upset🚩
He sulks and refuses to communicate 🚩

I wonder what other aspects of your life he controls and closes you off from.
Family?
Friends?
Work?
Hobbies?
What you wear?

This is a very unhealthy one sided relationship where you seem to be making all the sacrifices to satisfy his insecurities, at the expense of your sanity. That little bit of anger you felt, channel it into dumping his arse.

And he also gaslights you @Ocholo93

If course the OP is insecure after he treats her like this @Celticliving. Anyone would be.

Hotchocolatemousse · 27/11/2023 07:42

Just split up, the pair of you are incompatible and you need therapy to work on your insecurities and MH issues before having another relationship.

RampantIvy · 27/11/2023 07:48

Hotchocolatemousse · 27/11/2023 07:42

Just split up, the pair of you are incompatible and you need therapy to work on your insecurities and MH issues before having another relationship.

Have you actually read how the gaslighting, secretive boyfriend behaves? It's no wonder the OP feels insecure.

monstrousindecision · 27/11/2023 07:56

why are you not 'allowed' on social media. has he said this? if so he is controlling and abusive and you need to get rid, regardless of anything to do with the neighbour.

billy1966 · 27/11/2023 07:56

Yours is an absolutely toxic relationship with an untrustworthy man.

You have stayed in this toxic relationship for years.

He has clearly shown you he is untrustworthy so why exactly are you surprised?

This is the life you are choosing.

You need to leave this awful relationship with this awful man.

Nowherenew · 27/11/2023 07:58

Bloody hell you sound unhinged!

Being so annoyed that a neighbour knocked on the door to borrow something and ending in a jealous argument, is not normal behaviour.

Why should she have asked you and not him?
Its ok to talk to the opposite sex you know.

You are controlling.

This relationship is as toxic as it gets.

Why are you with someone that you obviously don’t trust?