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.

Just like your neighbour will have every right to be furious about your husband harassing him. You've been told no once so why do you think you have the right to try and dictate again.

Agree with this. I don't really like flags at any time but actually flags for football or temporarily for St George's day don't cause anyone any harm or upset. Flags right now are inflammatory.

Advice to neighbour to insure they never ask you again to take down the flag:
Every time someone pulls in to see your neighbour's home, conveniently make yourself available to answer questions and eagerly share the story about how the owners arecrack or meth addicts. Tell them they deal drugs from the home, that there are people coming and going at all hours.

This has got to be a joke! Clearly you’ve made the whole thing up 😂

OP I empathise, I really do. However, your DH has no right to do this and would be verging on harassment.

If your neighbour had a bright green house - there wouldn't be anything you could do about it. You have to treat this similarly.

This is a wind up. 😆

What's wrong with being patriotic and flying your own country's flag ?
Totally agree with your neighbour

Sorry your neighbour is such a bellend.

Agree 👍

You're asking for trouble, a furious man going to his neighbour's house to demand they change their house decor - not a good idea!

Aren’t you quite the charmer?

Australian flags displayed are considered racist too apparently 🙄
This is post is ridiculous. Someone is displaying the national flag of the country their in and it's considered off putting (racist is what we know you actually mean OP) ??? It really makes you realise how effective certain groups and the media are at brain washing a large portion of society . Very tragic

A lot more charming than the OP and her angry husband. Whats wrong with sitting in your own garden having a drink in the sun. Nothing illegal about that, unlike harassment.

LMAO, groups of media brainwashing? What delusional mentality

Back here in the real world right wing racists are calling for people to fly the flag, cue backlash

Nothing ridiculous in disliking racism

if you’re husband goes round shouting the odds he’s likely to put more flags up

Racism is wrong though, Jesus would be disgusted by it :v

What an absolutely ridiculous thing to say. Why is someone racist for displaying their own country's flag in their own country.

Why do you immediately assume that flying the national flag of his own country that he's living in at this very moment makes him a racist ? Outside of the west it seems perfectly reasonable....

There have been countless posters saying they would not make an offer on a house like that/ pull out of the viewing as a result of the neighbour’s flag- myself included. Just because you’re ok with what is clearly a xenophobic statement in this current climate, doesn’t mean others will be.

Last summer I had to hide my kids in the house as thugs went around smashing towns near me up and threatening brown people. The aggressive flag hanging this summer comes from the same anti-immigration/ foreigner sentiment. You might be ok with a neighbour hanging a symbol of fear and oppression since it does not affect you directly - but for me, as an ethnic minority family, the fear of seeing the English flag displayed in a non-sporting context is very real and the racism experienced from people who hang such flags in a non-sporting context is real.

Singing the national anthem isn't racist though. Jesus also wouldn't want you to judge others but hey ho.

She can’t sell the house because the neighbours look like trouble - same as if they were in fact swigging Tennants and yelling at bins in their front garden. They don’t care who they piss off. Nobody apart from people who actively want neighbours like that (ie nobody) will buy the house.

Thats not her fault, no point being angry at her about it.

I'd calm down if I were you - otherwise you'll be on the way to having a full blown dispute with neighbour which you will have to declare when you sell.

It is true though. Operation Raise the Flag are taking donations from Britain First, a far right organisation, to fly the flags, amongst other far right groups. It’s been reported in the BBC, The Independent and others,

Tommy Robinson is tweeting every day exhorting people to raise the flag.

And he’s flogging his cheap buckets hats with the Union Jack logo for £23 each.

I think I might too🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿😂

There’s nothing wrong with feeling pride and hanging our national flag at schools, offices etc like many other nations do, however let’s play the devil advocate- why now? Why has the flag suddenly become a trend and has become very popular now that the far right are becoming more popular? And anti immigration sentiments are running wild…

Didn’t Farage promise everyone that Brexit will help with decreasing immigration into this country? How are we doing now? Great isn’t it?!

No, but flying the flag at the same time right wing racists says so sends a clear message

You mean like how you and others have been judging OP? So right back at you

Also since we're talking about Jesus, to quote the Bible:

Leviticus 19:33-34
When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. Treat them as your native-born citizen, and love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God

If you're against immigrants you're against God words + don't love your fellow men as Jesus told you to :v