To be furious that my neighbour ‘borrowed’ my garden furniture for her BBQ?

[2coolec]

Went away for the weekend, came back Monday afternoon to find our patio table, four chairs, and parasol in next door’s garden.

Turns out she’d had a BBQ on Sunday and “thought we wouldn’t mind” if she borrowed them. Was “going to return it”. Only I found out because by Monday evening it was still all sat there and I saw her teenage son and his mates hanging out on my furniture.

No note. No text. Just helped herself. I wouldn’t even have known if I hadn’t looked over the fence.

I’m honestly livid. It’s not a small thing to borrow and she didn’t even ask. What if it had got damaged? Or gone missing?

AIBU to think this is beyond cheeky and actually borderline theft?

It wrong on all counts. I’ve lived in my property for forty years and get on well very well with my neighbours, I run errands for the ones that are not so able and do bits and bobs for other people.

i live in a converted Victorian house, I have sole rights to the garden and it’s my pride and joy, it’s a good size and I’ve given the people upstairs the key to the side gate that accesses the garden so that can for and sit out there when the weather is decent. During lockdown I gave access to the garden to the other people people in the block because I was not at home a lot and I did not want them go stir crazy. No one took liberties.

i think I've been neighbourly enough, but if a neighbour pulled a stroke like this I would have gone loopy. I don't know where they got the idea that this was okay to do, to commit and act of trespass and take someone else’s property from someone else’s land. Even if you are good neighbours this action has stepped over the boundaries of common decency

The vey least they could have done is messaged or telephone you to ask permission, I would like to say it’s unbelievable but in this day ans age I’m afraid acts like this are very believable.

I am actually shocked reading the post! Even my absolute neatest friend orny sister, who would obviously say of course I could borrow them, I would still ask just out of courtesy!

I get on very well with my next door neighbours. We have each others keys and look after each others pets for holidays etc. I would NEVER borrow anything of theirs without asking! That takes the mick!

That's just theft. Plain and simple. Not to mention trespass or even breaking and entering. Absolutely criminal.

I don’t believe it happened. OP hasn’t come back so to all the people (me included about 3 days ago) who are saying ‘that’s unbelievable!’ it probably is.

I’d be cross, because it’s just plain weird

We’re very lucky, we have lived next to our neighbours for 30 years and we have a good, mutually helpful relationship with them. If we were away and they borrowed our garden furniture, it really wouldn’t bother me at all.

On the other hand, if other people came and helped themselves to it that would be another matter.

I was just thinking that it might be a WUT. It is a bit strange and doesn’t quite add up.

OP hasn't been back. Not that they have to. But...

The post is AIBU clickbait, or just drunken. How would you not notice your missing garden furniture until you saw it in next door's garden? How would they have moved the stuff? Unless it's a shared garden with no fence then it must be made up. OP hasn't come back with any answers, and it's been a week.

Went away for the weekend, came back Monday afternoon to find our patio table, four chairs, and parasol in next door’s garden.

First lines of the OP, explains it all.

I have had CF neighbours who have climbed over my fence in the past. [On one occasion, when I yelled the idiot neighbour came tumbling over my fence. Most satisfying.] It would be easy enough for a strong man to lift furniture over a fence, provided said furniture isn't heavy teak or the like.

I would have thought they'd return it before you came back.

As they didn't, and effectively rubbed your nose in it by lettings the kids sprawl over, I'd say they are looking for confrontation.