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.

It would put me off but obviously some people wouldn't care, or might actually approve. You don't have to like the person who buys your house, they're the ones who have to live next door to your neighbour. You have asked once, don't ask again.

@JimmyGiraffe @SanityLeftTheChat @DriveMeCrazy1974

Ridiculously oversensitive?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn43rxk0gdlo

There are clear connotations now associated with some of the people putting up English flags at the moment. Largely perpetuated by groups of verbally abusive, aggressive right wing supporters. In the example above, verbally abusing a stranger - a mum with her child who is in no way known to them.

If you can't understand this or try to deny this you are either very sheltered, lacking in empathy, not very smart or outright racist yourselves.

The English flag flying HAS been hi-jacked by certain groups of people with particular views, and it's silly to deny this.

The OP @KayleighhMum is not wrong to be concerned about the impression it gives re: her house sale.

This

YANBU to think it’ll put some people off - I would be put off. Those flying flags seem to be the most belligerent amongst us.

Having said that, you can’t force him. Just hope that some of those viewing the house are also missing a few IQ points.

Sorry OP. It would put me off the house 😕 Not sure you can do anything to get him to take it down though

Made it clear it wasn’t a sweeping assumption, clearly you’ve missed that bit to ensure you’re offended!

People currently raising flags are doing so because racists have told them to do so.

I would cancel the viewing as soon as I saw it.

His house. His choice. Why on earth would a flag upset someone? 🤷‍♀️

Just out of interest, if they were displaying a Palestine flag or a Pride flag, would you have asked them to take that down too?

Ask him to put up a Palestinian one instead.

It's quite common round here to see flags either flying from a flagpole or dangling out of an upstairs window, especially when a national sports team is due to play a match.

It doesn't seem to affect the property market, which still gets quite heated at times. I wouldn't give it too much headspace.

Would put me off but at least I'd know the kind of neighbour so could avoid.

I find al these flags everywhere at the moment in some areas really threatening and creepy. (I am white British btw)
yesterday I commented on it. I would not want to live near a flag flier, nor in an area where there were lots. The atmosphere is horrible.
his comment in response to your request clarifies his them and us mentality so anyone trying to minimize this is in denial.
horrible glaring tatooed threatening looking people on the beach sitting on their flags glaring at Asian families. shaming. Then driving past balcony after balcony and window after window with flags. It creeped me out.

good luck selling op. He won’t take it down

Sadly (for you) it would put me off the house but unfortunately there isn’t anything you can do. It won’t put off every buyer. Reform voters will be interested…

You mean the bit where you edited it after I had replied?

personally, I wouldn’t buy it. It would tell me that the neighbours are chavvy, at best.

Appreciate I’ll probably be roundly abused for that comment but 🤷🏻‍♀️ that’s my view.

You can’t ask him again. He’s perfectly entitled to have it in his garden.

But it would put me off if I saw it now. Not many people in this country fly the flag, and if I saw one now I’d assume it was put up by a “we’ve got to take our country back” sort of person.

If it was during the men’s football World Cup, I’d assume it was that and it wouldn’t bother me. I’ve been watching the women’s rugby World Cup, but let’s be honest, not many people fly flags for women’s rugby, so I wouldn’t assume it was for that.

The England flag has well established connotations of racism (NF usage etc) and certainly chavviness. HTH.

This is what I would go with. Drop next door watching the women's rugby into conversation. I do feel the flag needs reclaiming by folk who are patriotic rather than racist, but where do you start?

I’d rather see an England flag flying than a vote Labour sign.

Regardless of why he has the flag up it will let your possible home buyer know they are living next to someone who’s either big on sport, patriotic or racist depending on how they view it.

Even just loving sports too much could put some off as they might believe they are the type to drink and be loud watching the sport.

Nothing, it’s some of the people that fly them.

this basically. Think how difficult it could become.

It’d 100% put me off buying your house. I wouldn’t even go through with the viewing.

You could ask him nicely once more but he’s probably going to double down.

If viewers mention it you could say he’s just jumped on the bandwagon and hopefully it’s temporary

You only need one offer - perhaps at least 1/7 viewers may not be bothered by it

Do you think your neighbour may be hostile if an immigrant or ethnic minority family move in?

Personally, I’d just assume there was some sporting event on that I was blissfully aware of 😂 In any case, given flags seem to be a sensitive topic at the moment I wouldn’t request he remove it again. After all it is his property and I would be worried he’d go all out and cover the place in them!

I went to see two of the rugby matches on in Manchester at the weekend as it is the women’s rugby World Cup - it was great to see all the Welsh and Scottish flags at their game. We should be proud of our flags and it is a shame that the English flag is being hijacked by certain people.