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Original poster

House viewings - neighbour refuses to take down flag

1000 replies

KayleighhMum · 25/08/2025 15:53

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.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
garlictwist · 26/08/2025 06:09

DriveMeCrazy1974 · 25/08/2025 16:00

Who do you think you are, asking your neighbour to take down their national flag? I'm so fed up with people thinking that it's wrong to celebrate being English. Not everybody who has a flag up is racist, but that's obviously what you're trying to say without saying it! Any other flag is OK - people can put up what they like, but as soon as it's the English flag it's deemed to be a bad thing to do.
If I were your neighbour I'd be inclined to add another flag somewhere else noticeable too and I'd keep doing so until you gave up asking!
I'm not sure I entirely believe this is real, anyway.

Fine - but why fly a flag? What's the point?

FluffyBoob · 26/08/2025 06:56

He may attract a like minded, but worse family than him.
Be careful what you (they) wish for

HelpMeGetThrough · 26/08/2025 07:04

People saying “I wouldn’t live next door to a racist”, how do you know you are not, or have you questioned them and had them vetted?

I could be a raving racist, nobody around here would have a clue.

Lemintonic · 26/08/2025 07:13

When we moved into our house 25 years ago, I chatted to the neighbours, as you do. The first thing she said was 'oh thank goodness you moved in. We had a black family look round. I'm not racist but. (Hmm) they have so many children don't they...'
Yes, that family turned out to be utter cunts and caused all sorts of problems..
We all breathed out when they finally moved because 'it's getting rough around here' (it wasn't and isn't!)
Yuk

PermanentTemporary · 26/08/2025 07:19

@HelpMeGetThrough thats the point though. People can have whatever views they like but wanting to shove an enormous great symbol of their views up on their house means they care more about an aggressive statement of their views than other people’s comfort.

GCAcademic · 26/08/2025 07:22

HelpMeGetThrough · 26/08/2025 07:04

People saying “I wouldn’t live next door to a racist”, how do you know you are not, or have you questioned them and had them vetted?

I could be a raving racist, nobody around here would have a clue.

Of course you don’t know, and nice tolerant neighbours could move and racists move in. Neighbours are always a risk. But as someone who isn’t white, if someone is prepared to be openly and proudly racist, it’s a fair bet that they aren’t going to be pleasant for me to live next door to, and, in the current climate of flag displaying for the purposes of intimidation, I would take that flag as a warning.

BlankBlankBlank14 · 26/08/2025 07:25

HelpMeGetThrough · 26/08/2025 07:04

People saying “I wouldn’t live next door to a racist”, how do you know you are not, or have you questioned them and had them vetted?

I could be a raving racist, nobody around here would have a clue.

The Union Jack outside your home would give me an indication.

Therefore I wouldn’t buy the house next to you.

Of course we can have closet racists, but if they’re advertising who they are, listen to them.

Vaxbax · 26/08/2025 07:31

Wtf? It's his house you can't tell him what to do.

Very unreasonable op

DriveMeCrazy1974 · 26/08/2025 07:32

garlictwist · 26/08/2025 06:09

Fine - but why fly a flag? What's the point?

Show quote history

Because we live in a country where, supposedly, it's OK to do something like fly a flag. It's something people do all over the world. Why should people not be allowed to here just because a few idiots choose to misappropriate it for their own agenda?!

GCAcademic · 26/08/2025 07:38

DriveMeCrazy1974 · 26/08/2025 07:32

Because we live in a country where, supposedly, it's OK to do something like fly a flag. It's something people do all over the world. Why should people not be allowed to here just because a few idiots choose to misappropriate it for their own agenda?!

Show quote history

Oh, he’s allowed to do it. But other people are also allowed to think that he’s one of those “idiots”. Particularly at the moment.

DriveMeCrazy1974 · 26/08/2025 07:50

Tsama · 26/08/2025 01:37

It's always fascinating seeing some people purposefully being dumb and obtuse

Neighbor decides to fly the flag, cool, no big deal

Oh look, far right bigots are asking people to fly the flag in protest

Well ain't that a coincidence? Surely the neighbor flying the flag at the exact time far right bigots ask for it is completely unrelated!

Really, it's pretty pathetic how some people twist themselves into a pretzel to try paint this as the neighbor just being patriotic when the actual cause is pretty likely

If you know the actual political climate right now then you know why many would really be putting their flags out with such perfectly coincidental timing

With means one of two things:

  • some of you are clueless about the current political climate
  • some of you know exactly what is really happening but are doing bad faith arguments to paint OP as being in the wrong for valid concerns

With the way some people talked here it's easy to notice some are the second option, twisting themselves into pretzels and doing fake outrage because they're too much of cowards to just openly say they support why many are showing their flags right now

But then again bigots are by nature cowards, always scared of something, always terrified and angry cause someone dares to be different :v

@KayleighhMum
Unfortunately this is a battle you can't win, your neighbor has the right to do that, all you can do is move on and hope for the best

Edited

You're very rude to assume that anybody who thinks the neighbour has the right to fly his flag is clueless about the current situation.
Maybe many people are just fed up with never being allowed to celebrate being English. It's OK for the Welsh, Scottish and Irish to be proud of their roots, but the English have to just put up with this nonsense.
I stand by my opinion that the OP was rude to even ask her neighbour to take the flag down - what next? Is she going to ask him to take down his Christmas decorations if she still hasn't sold her house by then?
She's even ruder to think that she has the right to ask him again when he has already said no.

maggiemuff · 26/08/2025 08:02

It would put me off buying the house. But in your position I wouldn’t ask again in case he causes problems. There will be people who may not be put off by it. Does he normally put a flag up? Also I’m from Northern Ireland so there is probably more opinions about flags, maybe in England it wouldn’t put people off buying.

BlankBlankBlank14 · 26/08/2025 08:04

BlankBlankBlank14 · 26/08/2025 07:25

The Union Jack outside your home would give me an indication.

Therefore I wouldn’t buy the house next to you.

Of course we can have closet racists, but if they’re advertising who they are, listen to them.

Show quote history

Or England flag

Gardengirl108 · 26/08/2025 08:04

MoodyMargaret11 · 25/08/2025 22:48

This^^
Reading the thread I couldn't even understand what is wrong with being proud of your own country or wanting to celebrate it..
I am not British and do not find it offensive, just as I dont think it offensive that I could put my own national flag or religious symbol in view, should I wish to do so.
Loads of houses in America for instance are decorated like that, no one has an issue.

It depends on the flag though doesn’t it? In the US, you wouldn’t look twice at the Stars and Stripes being flown. if it was the Confederate flag, that would be whole different thing.

Tsama · 26/08/2025 08:06

@DriveMeCrazy1974
"Maybe many people are just fed up with never being allowed to celebrate being English."
LMAO
Who is stopping you? Or anyone else? That's not the issue and you know it

What you're saying, basically, is that coincidentally all people proud of being English decided to fly their flags now?

Right when right wing racists tell people to do so?

But they're not doing it to show support?

Of course not!

They just happen to show their English pride at the same time the racists asked to!

Definitely no relation between both things whatsoever!

House viewings - neighbour refuses to take down flag
HelpMeGetThrough · 26/08/2025 08:07

BlankBlankBlank14 · 26/08/2025 07:25

The Union Jack outside your home would give me an indication.

Therefore I wouldn’t buy the house next to you.

Of course we can have closet racists, but if they’re advertising who they are, listen to them.

Show quote history

So, a friend of mine flies one, if you see his house, that would be an indication to you he’s racist.

He’s flown one for a very long time and it’s nothing to do with racism.

Tsama · 26/08/2025 08:10

HelpMeGetThrough · 26/08/2025 08:07

So, a friend of mine flies one, if you see his house, that would be an indication to you he’s racist.

He’s flown one for a very long time and it’s nothing to do with racism.

Show quote history

If he flies his flag for a very long time then no, nothing to do with racism

But if instead he only decides to fly his flag when right wing racists tell people to, well...

The message is pretty clear and obvious

sandgrown · 26/08/2025 08:11

My son used to rent a house and got on well with his Asian neighbours. The landlord decided he wanted to sell so my son had to move. His neighbours were gutted and offered to stand on the doorstep when any viewers came to “put them off “

hotelinfo · 26/08/2025 08:16

If it looks like a racist chav, talks like a racist chav, and puts flags up like a racist chav .., it's a racist chav.

Deport the lot of them,

hotelinfo · 26/08/2025 08:16

If it looks like a racist chav, talks like a racist chav, and puts flags up like a racist chav .., it's a racist chav.

Deport the lot of them,

CaptainMyCaptain · 26/08/2025 08:34

HelpMeGetThrough · 26/08/2025 07:04

People saying “I wouldn’t live next door to a racist”, how do you know you are not, or have you questioned them and had them vetted?

I could be a raving racist, nobody around here would have a clue.

I do know my neighbours aren't racist. Not all of us are white for a start.

CaptainMyCaptain · 26/08/2025 08:35

Tsama · 26/08/2025 08:10

If he flies his flag for a very long time then no, nothing to do with racism

But if instead he only decides to fly his flag when right wing racists tell people to, well...

The message is pretty clear and obvious

Edited
Show quote history

This. I can't understand how many people are missing this. It's not the flag per se that is objectionable it's the movement behind this current outbreak of flags.

Psychologymam · 26/08/2025 08:37

Renoonabudget · 26/08/2025 00:42

It'd put me off, I'd probably imagine the worst case scenario that he was a vocal, sweary racist (and probably homophobe), sorry OP.

Whether people want to admit it or not the flag has been co-opted by the worst elements of the right. Whenever I see St George's flag bunting outside a pub, and there isn't a major sporting event on, I assume it'd have the sort of regulars that'd glass yer Nan. 😅

Edited

Husband and friend (both immigrant doctors) popped over to a pub with lots of flags to catch up in new city after a conference….. incredibly uncomfortable experience for husband but he said he felt scared for his friend who isn’t white. They left pretty sharpish . I’d also go with the wild assumption they both contribute more to the economy and country than the bare chested locals regardless of how many flags they were waving!

BigAnne · 26/08/2025 08:37

LBFseBrom · 25/08/2025 22:25

I agree, it would put me off too. Flags used to be joyful things, celebrating events. Not now, they are hostile.

However, op, if anyone who comes to look over your house mentions it, say something like, "Oh is that still up?", make it seem as though it was put there to celebrate a sporting occasion, women's rugby or something, then move on.

I hope you get plenty of offers from, and your house is eventually bought by, a family from overseas :-). Good luck.

Show quote history

So you think it's OK to tell blatant lies to prospective buyers who may be adversely affect by this guy's views?

swimsong · 26/08/2025 08:38

HelpMeGetThrough · 26/08/2025 08:07

So, a friend of mine flies one, if you see his house, that would be an indication to you he’s racist.

He’s flown one for a very long time and it’s nothing to do with racism.

Show quote history

Flies one? Or hangs it out the window?

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