House viewings - neighbour refuses to take down flag

[KayleighhMum]

Our house is up for sale and we have viewings commencing from tomorrow - 7 in total lined up over the course of the week.

Our neighbour hung a large England flag from his top window on Friday and it has remained up. DH saw him outside the front on Saturday and politely asked if he could take it down before Tuesday. He basically laughed and said if any prospective new neighbour dislikes the flag then they won’t be the sort of person he’d want living next to him. It remains up now.

I am concerned this would be off putting, but speaking to my mum earlier she thinks I am over thinking things and it wouldn’t make a difference if someone likes the house.

Do you think we should try and ask again or would you assume it shouldn’t put people off? We are semi detached so it will definitely be noticed.

No prior issues with this neighbour who has always been friendly etc.

Which generation, precisely? We probably have boomers, Gen x, millennials, and gen z on this forum.

I wouldn’t even view the house . No way I’d want to live next to a bigot. I’d be glad to be forewarned though.

I don't think so, no - I think you're ok. <eyeroll>

You understand that signs, codes, symbols etc can change meaning depending on context?

people should be proud of their national flag.

Unfortunately nothing you can do. I have just sold my flat for less than others in the area as my neighbours either side have horrendous overgrown gardens. I had over 15 viewings and the only offer from an investor who will rent it out. I am quite sure the neighbours were the issue as no one who viewed had negative feedback about my property but I cant make the neighbours tidy their gardens

All about the context. Do you live under a rock?

Yeah, I wouldn't want to live next to anyone with a massive England flag on their property. It is unlikely anyone from an ethnic minority group would.

The flag doesn't mean they are racist but they are more likely to be racist than not.

The patriotic element of flying the flag with pride in the country has been 100% hijacked by Farage's gang now. No one is saying it is wrong to fly the flag but if you do it is a signal to others that you are a racist dickhead. You may not be, and be merely patriotic, but the hijacking has resulted in you being labelled because flags = racism. That's where we are at.

People who have flags having out of their windows - whether it’s their country’s flag, football flag, birthday banner etc - are typically a certain type of people.

But that doesn’t mean they’re bad people.

It may put people off a bit if they think the neighbours are extra extroverted (which for some = loud).

But if you’ve asked the neighbour and they haven’t taken it in, then there’s not a lot you can do tbh.

Anyone who calls someone displaying a flag a "flag shagger" (what does that even mean anyway) without knowing if that person is racist or not, isn't someone I'd want to live near to either. Very quick to judge without getting the facts first.

Why?

I am actually going to order a massive St George and a Union flag now OP, so that if one of my neighbours sells I can make sure the new neighbour isn't a terminally offended lefty.

Thanks for the idea.

I couldn't care less what race or religion my new neighbours might be, I just want normal people who don't have a panic attack at seeing the national flag of a country being flown in that country.

It's not a racist flag.
If it works on Lefties the way garlic and a cross work for vampires, I want it.

At the moment, yes it would put me off buying. It would be a plus if it were up due to supporting sports, or a national holiday. It’s great to be patriotic, it’s definitely not when it’s up due to racism.
But, unfortunately there’s absolutely nothing you can do. Pursuing the issue will most likely just make him put even more flags on display.

Was your For Sale sign was up first?

No it doesn't that's just your perception of it. Just because you think that doesn't make it true.

Potential buyers may actually see it as a positive? Flying your country's flag shouldn't be seen as as racist.

People are free to put up an England flag.

Everyone else is free to assume that if they have done it right now, they spend their spare time watching Tommy Robinson videos and will be out at midnight badly painting local roundabouts.

It's noticeable that those claiming it's just a noble patriotic gesture and it's soooo outrageous and offensive to think that the house-owner is likely an uncouth racist bigot - aren't saying that they'd buy the house.

If you don’t know what it means, why is it so offensive?

Judging by the dislike/shame of the flag of your country, I presume you are moving abroad. Probably a good thing .

Their flags have only appeared in the last week through so why is it OK for them but not for anyone who wants to put one up on their house. Or does the context changing thing only apply when people want it to suit a certain narrative?

I have a union flag up.
I'm proud of our country and would be unhappy living next to you. I assume you are a woke lefties

You're right. It's a shame that the racists in this country have claimed it as their own. No decent person could be seen to fly one now because of the negative associations that have been created by the far right.

It is very true considering developments over the past few weeks. The only people flying flags right now are racist Faragists. It's the wrong kind of patriotism. It is dangerous and it is totally a symbol of racism.

The "Flegs" in Northern Ireland led to awful stuff happening. I do not want anything like that replicated. Thank you very much!

That's interesting because to me that's chavvy, funny how we perceive things.