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?

Cheeky as fuck. At least they’ve shown you who they are. If you want to fight fire with fire, you could send them an invoice for hire of garden furniture.

Sorry but 😂
How did you not notice till you looked over the fence? Didn’t you notice it was missing? I am imagining you peeping over the fence and seeing your neighbours relaxing on your garden furniture.This is one of the funniest things I’ve read for a long while. I can’t stop laughing. I hope you make them carry it back round to yours

Agreed. They thought you were away for a week!

It's ok in my eyes let it go @2coolec

More front than Blackpool.

Well she's not exactly a master criminal is she? Anyone with half a brain cell would have returned the furniture before you returned home, making sure to put it in exactly the same place so that you didn't notice any thing was amiss.

On a more serious note. I'd tear a strip off her and make her bring it all back immediately. On the assumption that your garden shed isn't large enough or empty enough to store a table and chairs, I'd be chaining table and chairs together any time I went away, that way she'll never be able to move them and will have to content herself with staring longingly at them while her guests sit on wooden crates!

You have to be firm in telling them that you don’t ever want a repeat of this and you are not okay that they helped themselves this time. Leave no room for doubt. People like this don’t take hints.

That is beyond cheeky. Awful.

If they don't know you well enough to have your phone number to ask you, then they have no business borrowing your stuff!

And not to even put it straight back!!!

You could buy a big padlock and chain if you can’t put in a shed or garage next time you’re away. Anchor it to the ground somehow so they can’t do it again.
Such a liberty.

Are your neighbours thick then? The sensible thing to have done would be return them before you returned so you would never have known.

🤣

I would be furious if anyone, regardless of how well I knew them or how much I liked them, took it upon themselves to trespass onto my property and take my belongings without asking.

I would be mad about this too.

They didnt ask and then went into your garden and helped themselves.
I would be calling round and letting them know its not on.

Would depend which neighbour for me. One side we like and get on with and I wouldn't mind at all (even if I might be mildly surprised), one I'd be absolutely furious.

I don't know what's more shocking - that she helped herself, or that she didn't have the sense to put them back before you returned, then you'd have been none the wiser.

It’s like a sit com plot isn’t it? Neighbours look over the fence at their own patio furniture and the teenage kids give them a wave. 👋 whilst lounging around having a vape! They probably helped lug it over the fence in the first place.

Bloody hell! I would take photos of it in her garden as proof and then report her to the police unless you think this would trigger a war with her. I just can't get over the nerve of some people. My vile neighbours broke into my back yard, had a root through my garden equipment storage box, (didn't take anything as they are not into gardening), robbed my wheelie bin and filled it with their rubbish. Taking and using someone else's garden furniture is so brazen.

I think you live next to our old neighbour…
When we went out once when I was younger, we returned home (only shopping or something), to find our neighbour inside our house helping herself to something of ours that she wanted to borrow. Didn’t bother to wait until we were home or call / text. Took full advantage of the emergency key. Needless to say it was the start of some VERY crazy behaviour and years of hell.

Totally rude. How did she get it? Lift the fence up?

I’m so so lucky with neighbours, they wouldn’t do this type of thing at all. One side would go nuts if he had this happen to him , I think he’d go round a punch someone tbh. It wouldn’t be pleasant anyway!

People like that don't feel shame or humiliation

Those ‘ neighbours from hell’ type programmes are an eye opener to what people have to deal with.
I can’t believe how brazen it is with this.
She might have got drunk and thought it was a good idea , but you would then sober up and put it back sharpish! ( not condoning this action at all , but what were they thinking? Really ?)

Blimey, very CF territory? I’m assuming you went round and demanded it back immediately?

wait until she goes out then "borrow" something of hers