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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to regret leaving a doormat behind when moving house?

199 replies

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 15/03/2026 15:43

Inspired by another thread about leaving light shades when moving house.

I left an outdoor mat when I moved. Figured, it's just a mat and would be lovely for the new tenants to have one less thing to worry about.

What I didn't appreciate was how impossible it would prove to replace said mat. It's since been discontinued and no one else is silly enough to get rid, so nothing on the resale sites.

I've since purchased many disappointing ones and have almost given up.

What's your one seemingly non-important thing you left behind and lived to regret?

YABU - It's just a mat, it wasn't .
YANBU - Regret some things.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
SummerFrog2026 · 15/03/2026 23:34

liveforsummer · 15/03/2026 15:51

Go back and swipe it in the night 😆

This, if you didn't also leave cameras!!

Original poster
Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 15/03/2026 23:34

catipuss · 15/03/2026 21:21

Even more annoying they probably thought those people left this tatty old mat and binned it!

When we bought last time they took the light fittings and left dangling wires.

That's my fear, that I abandoned it for no reason. Would help if it had a happy useful life after 😅.

Wow, dangly wires, who does that!! 😱.

OP posts:
SummerFrog2026 · 15/03/2026 23:36

Boogery · 15/03/2026 16:01

When I sold my last house the buyers were really keen to keep my living room wall unit.
I had designed it myself, paid a lot for it and really loved it because it was actually the first real " grown up" furniture If ever had, but I was so desperate for the deal to go through I agreed to leave it for them.

I love my new house, but often feel a bit of a mug when looking at my current MDF flat pack units.

And by massive coincidence I once ended up on a work zoom meeting with the buyer and had to sit through the whole thing smiling whilst my heart ached for my beautiful wooden units I could see her sitting in front of.

🥲🥲🥲

you should ask if she wants to sell it to you. (I know it's crap having to rebuy it, but...)

Original poster
Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 15/03/2026 23:36

Yourangduckie · 15/03/2026 21:32

Once when we moved I accidentally left a torch. Many years later I still miss it.

Not all made equal, I hear you. Hopefully it's still being appreciated 🔦.

OP posts:
Original poster
Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 15/03/2026 23:39

grumpygrape · 15/03/2026 22:22

We moved once in October and as the house had been empty for months one of the first things we did was light the open fire which had a back boiler. Trotted down the garden to fill the coal scuttles and discovered the coal bunker was empty. Grrrrr.
Mentioned it to the neighbours when they popped round the next day and said we were considering contacting our solicitors because it was definitely on the list of things we'd bought.
They looked very sheepish and said the previous owner had told them to take the contents and filled our scuttles.
We're still good friends with them so not all bad 😊

Hmm, this reminds me of when I moved into a place with a big dresser, that the tenant had left. It was there when I went to clean the flat but gone the next day when I moved in.
The landlord's daughter had helped herself.
At least you're still friends.

OP posts:
Original poster
Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 15/03/2026 23:41

fretaway · 15/03/2026 22:25

Garden bench. We lived in a flat and it was on the balcony, would have come in handy as we were moving to a house with a garden!

Argh, literally something you'd have used till it gave up. One thing if you didn't have space for it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 15/03/2026 23:43

Confrontayshunme · 15/03/2026 22:27

I left two David Austin rose bushes that I thought might die if I tried to dig them up and replant at our new house. I miss them so much!

Sorry about your roses just think, they'll may have not survived.

OP posts:
SummerFrog2026 · 15/03/2026 23:45

Easterbunnygettingawrapping · 15/03/2026 18:07

When i left exh I had to leave my ddog. Get a grip op.

I wouldn't have left my dog. With my Ex I had an agreement when we got the cats, that if we ever split up, they were coming/staying with ME.

turned out to be an arse in many ways, but at least he honoured that agreement, which frankly I actually valued more than the (unspoken) agreement of not fucking your ex.

there's no need to be nasty to the OP though.

Original poster
Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 15/03/2026 23:45

KeeleyJ · 15/03/2026 22:55

Former Council Housing Officer...you would not believe how many of us at work ended up with rescued hamsters, gerbils and goldfish all abandoned when tenants left. We had a 250ltr aquarium in the office for years stocked with abandoned cold water fish.

Strangely they always took the things to cause an inconvenience like the gas meter key, plugs and window keys etc.

Aww, thank goodness you were there to save the poor creatures. ❤️
I hear you with the keys, I've lived in a flat where we couldn't open the windows for lack of keys.

OP posts:
Original poster
Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 15/03/2026 23:49

mondaytosunday · 15/03/2026 23:09

when my DH and I bought our house we had a beautiful custom three person desk unit in cherry built in one of the bedrooms we used as an office for him and a desk for me and his teenage son. It was built in situ, connected all together with shelving under the windows. My DH died suddenly and I just couldn’t stay in the house after that (couldn’t afford the mortgage for one thing), but the buyers insisted it be removed. We couldn’t do it no matter how we tried and eventually it had to be broken up and pretty much destroyed. It broke my heart. Not that I could have used it in any other house I’ve had since but to destroy a beautiful piece of furniture just because they didn’t like it - so sad.
I did accidentally leave a rainbow umbrella in a rental- I moved out of the country so could not go back and retrieve it but even 40 years later I still regret that!

Sorry about your DH.
Sounds like a lot of work went into it too, such a shame.

I think you win with the 40 years 🌂.
Umbrellas are hard to replace, that's why I don't use my beautiful perfect one, in case I forget it somewhere.
It stays in the car and I use those teeny blowy ones instead 😅.

OP posts:
Original poster
Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 15/03/2026 23:51

ApolloCVermouth · 15/03/2026 23:18

I did the opposite when we left our last home. We had fitted a ceiling light that was part of a matching set with two table lamps and a floor lamp, so when we sold, we specified that the light fitting was coming with us and explained why, saying we'd replace it with a standard fitting.

After the sale was agreed and near completion, the buyer said he wanted the light fitting or the sale was off. We tried arguing, explaining, offering a similar replacement etc. but he wouldn't budge. I think he believed we were trying to make off with an original Victorian fitting, but it was only about £20 from BHS, and no longer available. But I knew I'd be furious about it every time I looked at a non-matching light fitting in my new home, plus I hate to lose a fight! So I replaced it with a similar-looking cheap plastic one from B&Q, gambling that he'd only seen it once and wouldn't know the difference anyway.

I was right, and even though that was nearly thirty years ago, every time I dust it I feel slightly smug at my little victory all over again. Better that 30 years of regret, which would absolutely have happened otherwise!

Oh wow, the cheek of it after it was agreed. Well done for outsmarting him 👏.

Love the smug wiping 😅.

OP posts:
SummerFrog2026 · 15/03/2026 23:52

Ballaz · 15/03/2026 18:45

I’m glad I saw this thread, I always thought I was being ridiculous for still regretting leaving things when we moved house 4 years ago! (I mean I obviously am ridiculous but at least I’m not alone!). We left the lovely oak curtain rail, which when we arrived at the new house realised would have fit the new window perfectly. To rub salt in the wound, the house was back on the market within a year and on the Rightmove photos we could see they’d removed the curtain pole and replaced with some chrome monstrosity. Ditto for the beautifully planted garden full of mature roses etc - replaced with fake grass fence to fence. I often think of my poor plants chucked in a skip 😫

🥲🥲🥲😭😭😭

bastards!

Original poster
Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 15/03/2026 23:53

SummerFrog2026 · 15/03/2026 23:34

This, if you didn't also leave cameras!!

Show quote history

Luckily no cameras, could dress up as a postie and nick it 😅.

OP posts:
SummerFrog2026 · 16/03/2026 00:04

PlasticFantas · 15/03/2026 19:06

Sorry, mine was also not light-hearted and I've surprised myself at the fury behind it. It was a stressful time, in my defence.

And I do now have a nice home with a nice fridge freezer.

No need to be sorry! Yours was heartfelt & not putting ggd OP down like a certain other poster.

i put a 'sympathy' react on your post, then worried it might look sarcastic, it absolutely wasn't. He was a cunt!

I'm glad things are better for you now!

I had a tiny annoying under counter fridge that was given when I moved in (been travelling so hadn't got any appliances) & 'made do' for several years as the plan was to redo the kitchen, then Covid hit & I had to put the kitchen plan on hold & ordered a new fridge/ freezer (Bosch as it hsppens) & figured I'd just have to cope with it being in an awkward place for a bit, then 'life' happened. Kitchen still not done, fridge quite at home in his spot & wouldn't trade him ❤️

SummerFrog2026 · 16/03/2026 00:05

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 15/03/2026 23:53

Luckily no cameras, could dress up as a postie and nick it 😅.

Show quote history

Go for it, I'll be your alibi!!

yes officer, she was at mine 🍷

SummerFrog2026 · 16/03/2026 00:11

AddictedToBooks · 15/03/2026 19:22

The stupidest thing I regretted leaving at our old house was the gorgeous thick Victorian wrought iron gate - I was really houseproud and used to sit and de-rust and lovingly paint that gate every single Spring (still even remember it had 32 curls that were a bugger to paint because they curled into proper spiral curls) - I sometimes have to go past our old house and the gate is still there but totally rusty and in such a bad state and it's such a shame as it was the original to the house (a Victorian terrace) and was the only original gate on the street.

Such a stupid thing to regret but I'm massively into traditional/vintage and especially the Victorian era - when we bought this house, it had a plain front which I turned into a traditional garden and after much searching, I found two gorgeous Victorian wrought iron gates - if we sell this house, those buggers are coming with me lol

Sad about your old gate, some people are such heathens.

Definitely take these gates if you move (but tell the buyers) I'd be so upset to turn
up & just find them gone of replaced with some modern monstrosity.

SummerFrog2026 · 16/03/2026 00:29

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 15/03/2026 23:49

Sorry about your DH.
Sounds like a lot of work went into it too, such a shame.

I think you win with the 40 years 🌂.
Umbrellas are hard to replace, that's why I don't use my beautiful perfect one, in case I forget it somewhere.
It stays in the car and I use those teeny blowy ones instead 😅.

Show quote history

🤣🤣🤣🤣love it when you find a kindred soul 😍

Ohnobackagain · 16/03/2026 01:35

Astroturf style @Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease
https://amzn.eu/d/0avS86ER

Ohnobackagain · 16/03/2026 01:37

There is another with longer rubber bits (Homescapes) but as I have no clue what yours looked like @Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease I could be barking up the wrong tree entirely!

Original poster
Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 16/03/2026 06:13

SummerFrog2026 · 16/03/2026 00:05

Go for it, I'll be your alibi!!

yes officer, she was at mine 🍷

Show quote history

🥂 .

OP posts:
Original poster
Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 16/03/2026 06:14

SummerFrog2026 · 16/03/2026 00:29

🤣🤣🤣🤣love it when you find a kindred soul 😍

Show quote history

Not taking any chances 😅😍.

OP posts:
Original poster
Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 16/03/2026 06:15

Ohnobackagain · 16/03/2026 01:27

What about this one @Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease
https://amzn.eu/d/06UD0JNm

Thank you, but seems too industrial.
When you've had the best and all that.

OP posts:
Original poster
Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 16/03/2026 06:17

Ohnobackagain · 16/03/2026 01:27

What about this one @Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease
https://amzn.eu/d/06UD0JNm

Close but not quite. Thank you.

Will look at the Homescapes one too.

It was spiky with the right rigidness and the dirt fell through so didn't stay on mat.
I've tried a fair few but nothing has matched it unfortunately.

OP posts:
CocoaTea · 16/03/2026 06:19

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 15/03/2026 15:50

It's only once in a while when I look into the distance and wonder if it's being appreciated better than I did, or if it was flung into the skip, never to be seen again.
My poor mat.

Show quote history

🤣🤣🤣🤣