Area gone to shit, feel forced to move 😪

[Runouttatown]

I've lived in the same London suburb all my life. Until just a few short years ago it was a very nice area, and we thought we'd likely stay for ever, perhaps downsizing when the DC left home. We've spent a lot of time and money improving and extending our home over the years and it's perfect for us, just the way we want it, so would not wish to leave it for a few years yet.

However, the area has been going downhill at an alarming rate over the last 3 or 4 years to the point that we find we now absolutely hate it and want to get out - overcrowded, horrendous traffic, driving & road rage, unpleasant, rude people, lots of crime and antisocial behaviour. HMOs springing up all over, including one at the end of the street, most of which contain single, foreign men, not families. We're overrun with food delivery bike riders (many of whom live in the HMOS) who congregate in the high street, leering at women & young girls and spit disgusting red tobacco on the pavement. The area looks increasingly run down, fly tipping and a general lack of care. It has long been fairly multi cultural (no problem with that at all) but we're now finding that as white british people we are fast becoming a minority, and frequently encounter people who cannot speak any English. I'm sure some will accuse me of being racist but I absolutely am not, I'm just sad at what has happened to our once lovely area and, no, I'm not blaming immigration for all of it, although it's clearly a factor.

I know many areas are the same but there are plenty that are not - I only have to compare our Community Facebook page which is full of posts complaining of the above issues to that of the area we're thinking of going to which is completely different.

We've accepted we now need to move several years before we are ready but I feel so sad and angry about it. Several friends have already moved and others are considering it for the same reasons. The DC are happy for us to move as they hate it too - one at uni, the other working & considering buying their own place, not round here!

I live in a lovely area and the only problematic families I know of are white British… never thought it was worthy of a MN thread though.

Perhaps, but that's changing the subject of my post somewhat.

In most areas, the criminals will represent the area cohorts.

You said you visited an area where you didn't notice this, but visiting and living there are obviously two different things.

A 'snapshot' as they say on Mumsnet.

I don't think it's really a race issue, it's a culture/community/immigration issue.

Interestingly there's an area of my city with significant social problems, partly caused by immigration. But the "native British" population there are primarily British Asian, while the immigrants causing most of the social problems are white-passing European.

Like all the threads ‘Terrified of Reform / Farage /Far Right’, when at the same time there are people knocking doors and taking names if you are not an anti-Semite.

Who has complained about an area not being multicultural enough for them?

What does being multicultural have to do with being white specifically?

Yep, and people are very quick to start threads about ethnic minorities..

That’s entirely made up in your imagination. This isn’t Nazi Gernany.

You’re wrong there.

All evidence shows the most rampant racism in the UK is antisemitism.

There is anti-semitism in the UK, as there is racism against BAME people, but there aren’t ‘people knocking doors and taking names if you are not an anti-Semite.’

That’s just made-up bullshit.

Heaven forbid that a single foreign man needs a home eh.

Yep, whilst he provides Deliveroo meals in the rain to white people who have contempt for him.

If you don’t like the area any more, perhaps potential buyers would be of the same opinion. Buying and selling houses isn’t easy just now.

Wow, stereotyping much?

You sound like half the population when my Dad moved here from Ireland.

They'd assume he'd spent all day tarmacing drives, rather than arranging mortgages in the bank he worked in.

Yeah. Good enough to bring you a pizza but not good enough to live within any commutable distance to whiteville suburbia.

This is the MN equivalent of this

"Why fake AI videos of UK urban decline are taking over social media"

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g8r23yv71o

Duplicate

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5491232-to-be-shocked-that-this-is-happening-in-the-uk-in-2026

Mixed heritage here. And outside London. YANBU. It isn't a race issue or a multicultural issue per se. It is an HMO issue though. We are seeing perfectly lovely areas turning into over crowded, densely populated areas with everything that comes with increased human activity and none of the infrastructure to manage it. Houses meant for 3 or 4 people with up to 10 in there generate more rubbish, people hang outside because there is no privacy or places to sit inside. Takeaways pop up as kitchen space is limited and so on. Add into that, the increased likelihood of HMO properties attracting men with no families, then the feel of an area is bound to change. I have had friends move into leafy, smart brand new housing estates have to move within 5 years as every house around them turned into illegal HMOs with no parking, noise late at night and rubbish everywhere. It was like living on a student campus with no grounds staff clearing up after late night drink the bar dry...

at the same time, some areas that were absolutely hideous have became very fashionable and attractive.

My dh and I always say we can not keep out running bad beighbours. They seem to be everywhere! We have had no peace with neighbours for years. Its sad. We have a multiple occupancy in the flat beneath us( we own a maisonette) We have dope smoker council tenants stinking the place up at either side. We can not use the garden space we own as they have a horrible wild dog. We are not in a position to move and fear moving into maybe even worse... we do not have a high income and I am a carer for both our dc so at home most of the time. So we have had to accept our lot, but as 1st time buyers we feel quite frustated.

Sadly OP if the area is as objectively horrendous as you say, you’ll be unlikely to find a buyer anyway.

To add the area used to be good. Now ... landlord that does MO n council have destroyed it.

Not stereotyping, here is what OP said:

We're overrun with food delivery bike riders (many of whom live in the HMOS) who congregate in the high street, leering at women & young girls

I agree. I notice things like less bins and less street cleaning too. Fly
tips everywhere and they aren’t cleared quickly. Abandoned vehicles too.

I doubt that they are co ordinated threads. But as soon as I read your post I guessed who had written it!
How in earth do you know from posters names whether they are Asian or not 🤔