Neighbours keep asking for favours!

[Popcornlassie28]

My husband and I live in a village around 15 minutes from the local shops etc. We currently have two children and I’m pregnant with our third. We both work (I work shifts) and I’m also studying at uni so I’m always constantly busy being a mother, at work or as a student.

My neighbours are middle aged with no children. One drives and the other doesn’t. Recently due to medical reasons the one who drives has had to stop driving until a health clear.

Since then, I will be home with the children before/after school, getting ready for work or coming off a night shift that morning and SO ready to sleep and my neighbour will come knocking asking to be taken to work often because she’s ’missed the bus’, ‘bus doesn’t run at this time’ etc. They do not take no for an answer and she will return two, three times plus until I answer as she knows I’m home as my car is in the driveway. She is very forceful.

I haven’t minded up until this point helping where we can but it’s getting a bit much. There is never any offer for fuel money either and it’s a 30 minute round trip to drop her to where she needs to go.

In the warmer weather, they will put their heads over the fence while I’m relaxing in my garden to ask for things and ask my children ‘Go and grab Mummy/Daddy’ so they can ask for more lifts/favours. My garden should be a safe haven where my children can play and we should relax without being bothered? Or am I wrong here? I would knock the front door and if they don’t answer I wouldn’t dream of being that pushy.

I have been polite to keep the peace but they are now asking my husband to give lifts at 8am into work on Sunday morning as ‘bus isn’t running’ and even though I’m pregnant ‘Can you pick up the 2 litre bottles of water from the shop for me? They are heavy for me to carry on the bus’. My husband is saying it’s going too far and to start pushing back and being forceful with her.

How can I be forceful but polite? Am I being unreasonable? I am terrified when the baby comes she will be banging the door down to be taken out when I’ve just got them settled and I don’t want to fall out but I know I will lose my temper at this point.

I hope saying no works. This is harassment.

If continues to harass you perhaps need to go down police/legal route.

Alternatively, copy her behaviour. Think of totally unreasonable request. Knock on her door waking her up. Rinse and repeat.

Also - “I’m not an Uber driver. Fuck off!”

Love this 😂

Love this!
bang on her door at 2am asking to borrow her toaster
knock on at 6am asking if she can help you finish a crossword as you’re stuck on a few answers
the possibilities are endless 😁

This is wild! She is BEYOND cheeky! Christ alive. Make it a no always, please!
You told her no, and she banged on your door any way. Bloody hell

Well done for standing firm op. So rude of them to knock at 8am on Mothering Sunday after you'd already told them you wouldn't give them a lift.

Well done for saying No and standing by it. She'll all again don't be afraid to say No again.
In fact, even if it's a favour you don't mind doing (e.g. she wants a lift to the shop and you're going there anyway) don't do it - at least for now. She'll think she's broke you and will be back to taking the piss again.

I cannot believe that she banged on your door on MOTHER's DAY when you probably wanted a nice lie on too.

How long would it have taken her to phone an actual taxi from her house that would essentially bring her door to door (but she would have to pay for the pleasure)? Mere seconds!

I'd go around really bright and early one morning (say 6am) and bang on their front door. When they eventually open it, say "Hi Mabel - Thanks for waking me early on Sunday. Oh by the way, we will no longer be available to bring you places or to do your shopping for you or do assist you in any way. This was just our way of letting you know that....Bye!!!!" and walk away.

Do it face to face.

Follow up with a letter (preferably one that has to go through the mail and even better would be one they have to sign for to signify that they have received it) saying the same thing.

If she asks for a lift just say no we have had drinks

What’s going on the fence? I’m intrigued…

Hopefully something like this to stop “pests” getting near the garden

Youve been too nice...
Try
''Not you again. No I can't. Please don't ask again"
Shut door. When in garden in audible loud whisper
" those bloody cheeky neighbours keep disturbing my peace. We should definitely reconsider selling up to that developer/pig farmer/work from home car mechanic ".

Especially if it's 8 in the morning! 😁

Trouble with making up excuses is that they can always find a reason for you to help and they ask again (you can't keep using the same one), just tell them to fuck off and they'll never ask again

I think you now have a good reason to say no...

Sorry we won't be doing anymore favours.
I told you I couldn't do Sunday morning but you ignored that and woke us up at 8am on Mothers Day,for some reason you think we are not allowed to say no.

yes, this is a perfect answer. Basically, they've taken advantage and you need to tell them Mothers Day was the last straw.

Start asking her for favours. Go round regularly and ask if you could have a dump as you have run out of toilet paper, pop round first thing to use her TV as yours is not working, start regularly asking for hemorrhoid cream, could pop round and ask for condoms, etc. Call her several times a day to ask for grammatical advice or get the kids to ask her if it's going to rain. Your DH could start going round and asking for advice on stopping flatulence.

If only.

lol 😂

All ok OP?

Just wondering where this lady is from?

She’s from next door, mate… you seem to have missed that bit. (Culturally irrelevant)

This! ⬆️
Tell them firmly no & to stop asking!

Stuff like this is why I never get to know my neighbours. Keep to yourself, don’t engage and if they ask for anything just say no sorry I’m busy

Previously I'd have suggested being polite but 8am on ANY Sunday, especially Mother's Day- that's sacred time for me. I'd have well and truly bitten her head off, then probably regretted it later. But she wouldn't have come back after I'd finished.

Just say sorry can't help I've had a bottle of wine last night and I'm over the limit