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.

Wrong postet.

We have differing opinions on the matter. And that's fine. I love my country and love to see our flag flown. That some don't, and also choose to bring down our country by constantly referring back to centuries gone by is sad. I dont understand why someone who dispises the country so much actually chooses to remain here. It must be exhausting having all that bitterness against people you live alongside.

It didn't take you long to resort to cliches, eh?

Consider why people suddenly want to 'reclaim the flag' after they've been told to by Tommy Robinson and the rest of his far right crew.

Do you think the price I outlined above re the impact on non-white UK citizens is worth paying to reclaim this already somewhat tarnished symbol?

Then with respect, you're functionally racist.

Like it or not, flag lovers, but the connotations of having one in your garden is that you’re either thick, racist or both.

I would drop it. If it becomes hostile you would need to disclose that have a dispute with your neighbour potentially.

Get advice from your estate agent before you do anything else.

I would have told your husband where to go!!!! What right do you have to ask someone to take their flag down! It certainly wouldn’t put me off buying because of it. I’d be happy to know there was someone patriotic living next door!

This wouldn’t bother me. I really, REALLY dislike Labour and if a prospective house had a ‘vote Labour flag/board/anything up, it totally wouldn’t bother me. We all have different views.

I would be put off no matter what the flag was! I’d be put off simply because something was hanging out the window and making it look chavvy! Nothing to do with it being an England flag!

it would absolutely put me off. If I was doing a drive around of potential properties and saw it I would think twice about a viewing, it would have to be a pretty perfect house and location. He can however, do what he likes to his house.
One suggestion could be to wait a week or so and go back and say you’ve had feedback from the estate agents and the flag is impacting on interest and see if that appeals to his reasonable side. Doubt it, but worth a try I suppose.

Excuse me sir do you mind not having your British flag hanging in your British window! lol 😂 this is a funny post.
He said no. You can’t ask again.
you’ll never be able to control what people do with their houses….. next you’ll be asking him to hide his black bin somewhere.
if your house is a nice home for someone they’ll buy it.

I am patriotic, love being English and love my flag, I will often drape it over my shoulders going to a cricket / rugby match.

Yes you go to Greece and see people proudly flying their flag. This is not an issue, if you go to USA they’re often everywhere front and centre.

Some of our neighbours have St George’s or Union Jack flags, some families are ok and some are a pain in the backside, so luck of the draw.

I have to admit I would not buy your house based on this. The reason is when hung on a window I would see this as a potential problem family / bit low tone / footy families going potty and a little tacky. If a smart clean good quality flag on a smart flagpole then I wouldn’t mind as much.

Not always, but can be seen as a potential problem family.
You’ve asked, they have said no.

I don’t think it would put everyone off, what with Rugby Ladies World Cup there willl be a few more flags around.

Make your house look lovely and I’m sure you will be fine. Mention in passing they’re nice neighbours and you’ve had no issues.

@Livelovebehappy

I long for the day when people like you stop trying to whitewash Britain's colonial history and asking the ones who actually live with the consequences to just "forget about it because it was a long time ago".

Genuine and thoughtful recognition about all the damage that was caused to multiple generations might go some way to making people more amenable to moving on.

Sweeping it under the carpet is not it.

I love my home country too. Unfortunately colonialists raped it and we are still trying to pick up the pieces now. Easy for you to say it's "centuries not gone by" - it actually isn't. Some countries only achieved independence from colonialists as late as 1980 and 1994. That's my whole lifetime.

It's funny that you are quick to tell immigrants to go back where they came from, or similar. Where was that energy when the Brits were colonising other countries?

At least be humble enough to admit that lives were ruined and the best thing is for you to be contrite not making it seem like people should be ever so grateful and should move on quickly.

Ha! Now, that I do understand (and agree with, to some extent)! However, I'd still never ask a neighbour to take it down, as it wouldn't be any of my business!

I'd tell any viewers he's a mad rugby fan and he's supporting the Rugby World Cup.....

Unfortunately in the current environment this flag is the symbol of a group of people who declare themselves patriots who want to repel the “invaders”. It definitely has some racist overtones today and to pretend that it doesn’t is disingenuous.

Having said that - it’s up to him and you can’t ask again! He is giving a clue to what kind of person he is and it would put me off.

Well it would make me think twice about buying the house. Neighbours are important.

I am with the neighbour, I wouldn't be being told what I can and can't do with my property, and I also wouldn't want to live next to someone who found the flag offensive. It's the national flag, it's not a crime to be proud of our country, it's not racist to be patriotic!

I personally wouldn't be put off if I turned up to a house with an England flag next door.

As a foreigner naturalised on British soil and who has lived here for 20 years, I would be worried that your neighbour would resent me as a new neighbour, because I was born abroad and have an accent that gives this away.

Well as an ethnic minority person, you’ve got to admit it’s a great tactic for racists nationalists to prevent ethnic minorities moving to their area.

Would absolutely cancel the viewing if I turned up to the house and saw a giant EDL English flag hanging from the neighbouring house.

YANBU to not like it or to think it could put people off. It would me.

YABU to ask him to remove it, though.

Who cares if it‘s rude to ask him again. It‘s rude to put up a flag to deliberately make a point about reclaiming ‚his‘ country. No point asking again though. Try and sell the house to a massive patriot who also loves really loud music, has a yappy dog, unruly children, barbeques every day and does fireworks on random nights of the year….? 😂