People keep reporting us - a WWYD?!

[HorseWhisper]

have name changed for this. I have lived in London in a v small house for 17 years and know everyone on the street where I live and they all know my dcs. Everyone looks out for each other - there are a few nightmares, but nothing unusual. It's basically been a fantastic, peaceful existence.

I met dp 4 years ago and he has young dcs who live in a village in a rural area (around 2 hours away from here). It happens to have fast connections into London and I wanted to buy a house and we could get a lot for our money in this location. So we bought it, with the idea that we would move here around Easter and rent London out.

It is v rural but the previous owners went on about what a friendly small village it is. I was nervous moving here because I'm a city person at heart and was worried about 'village life'.

Obviously Covid got in the way of things and we've only just managed to move.

it is a beautiful house with a large plot (an acre of garden) and one side of the garden backs on to the gardens of a street (so say about 10 houses gardens back onto that side) but we have been here a week and

1. Had the police round within 2 days because someone reported us for breaking lockdown when we were moving in (this was after it was announced that we could move house)
2. Had the council round twice because 'someone' has been reporting we are damaging trees (the guy just came round again now!)
3. My children are in the garden today (they are 19/20) and I've just had the police drive past to ask if I am having a party in the garden because someone has reported us AGAIN.

What should we do? Should I just ignore this? Should we insist on finding out who is reporting us? I'm quite happy to speak to people directly, I just can't believe that people have so much time on their hands that they are doing this. I told the police I felt this was harassment. I have to say they did seem a bit fed up of the whole thing themselves but they couldn't tell us who reported us. I have given them my phone number now so they can call us if it happens again.

I can't believe all the posts recommending you kill them with kindness or go on the charm offensive after being harassed 3 times already (clearly much nicer than me).

To me it sounds like it's a group of busybodies rather than one, each taking it in turns to call an authority

I'd just carry on as you are and when you get round to having your garden party loudly tell as many people as possible about a sad individual who kept calling the police on you in the first week and you hope they've found something more fulfilling to do with their time.

@blondehalo That's a great idea as long as the OP is planning to move again very soon.

There is no reason for the complainants to be a group of people. It may well be just one bitter individual.

Another great idea is to sound off about your neighbours at the garden party. The point of this party is to meet the neighbours. Would you want to go to a party where the host moans about your village? What a great way to introduce yourself.

OP, please listen to those of us who've lived in such places. Whatever you do, don't declare war on the village.

If you’re not doing anything to flout the guidelines just ignore. If you are Dominic Cummings mother start sweating 😉

@SuckingDieselFella

I said

'Clearly much nicer than me'

If you brag about things in the village like you have here then you can't expect to be Ms. Popular.

Stating a fact is not bragging. She’s already said she’s not yet on the village Facebook so to whom can she have been bragging? Extrapolating, much?

I wouldn’t be all smiles and cakes either. Miserable fuckers reporting you!

Another vote for it being someone who wanted the house for their own family - your London connection will drive them berserk, since they "know" Londoners are all rich bastards who exist only to snatch properties from deserving locals

Hope you get accepted onto the Facebook group (!!) but I wouldn't post anything quite yet. Just keep an eye on how it all looks and avoid drama at all costs

That sounds sensible

Could’ve a local village for local people....

Could be.

Stupid fat thumbs. Spoiling my sarcasm.

Crikey you're all right. It has a parish council and a village paper was put through in our letter box . I've never even heard of a parish council - had to look up what it did!

Reading the village paper they normally have a day where you showcase the vegetables and fruit you've grown. They've had to postpone it due to lockdown! But I have just sown my giant pumpkin seeds so now I am feeling quite competitive :).

The council man has left a note and will write to us fully in the next few weeks. God knows what we did. Think they think we felled dead tree but we didn't, it fell down itself. Argh!

That's not bragging, she's chuffed to bits with her new patch and it sounds like rightly so.

What, making sure to tell us it has a acre of garden? yeah, that's bragging. Saying it's a lovely house is one thing.

Ah well, must waste time here, I need to pop out an see to the polo ponies, I'll be a while because they are at the end of my 10 acre garden.

@HorseWhisper I imagine volunteering to write an article about moving during lockdown would be well received by your village magazine editor... would provide a little spice compared to the usual fare!

I love small village life and being part of the community. Sure there are busy bodies. But there will also lovely folk that are worth making friends with.

All villages are local villages for local people. Even if they're holiday villages for folk from the city, the local people rule.

Village shows, garden competitions, entering Britain in Bloom, the WI, those are all pretty standard. You don't have to join in but don't be rude about those who do. Just be friendly, pass the time of day with people in the street, go to the pub or the local shop every now and again. And get ready for your life to be scrutinised a lot more than you're used to.

That's a good idea re the article. I've met some lovely people out walking so I must now start to figure out who is who!

@manitobajane I was by no means bragging, just delighted and ecstatic with the house. I've never had a garden! For 17 years I've lived in a house that had 11foot width as the largest room so I'm cockahoop with the space and just don't want to get off on the wrong foot with people here!

Thanks for all the advice, it's very useful x

@HorseWhisper in our village everything is announced in the village newsletter, the Parish Councillor knows everything about everything, the vicar knows and supports everyone Christian or not.

Also a lot of social events have some sort of church connection, even if most of us never set foot in the place - Church Fete, Church Hall, Fundraising for Church Roof. I've been to them all, never been to an actual church service!

You just know it will be someone who assumes this is your second home or has got used to your place being quiet and now there’s people living there it’s pissed then off. It’ll calm down. Try not to worry.

Sounds like you've moved to where I live. This is the sort of sad shit that goes on here.

For years I have been dreaming of moving somewhere rural, but threads like this make me think twice. I am very conflict avoidant and would hate it if I moved somewhere new and was made to feel unwelcome like this.

Gosh what an introduction to the village. I'd be fuming!!

Don’t make home baked goods for the neighbours if they are covid crazy reporting types! 😂
They’ll think you’re trying to kill them 😁

What area is it xx

If they’re that interested in your life I would give them something to talk about! Nothing illegal but just weird.... everyone in the family wearing the same clothes, dance routines on the roof, wandering around the garden in the dead of night dressed as a wolf, or maybe you could put up a wickerman and dance round it?

If you brag about things in the village like you have here then you can't expect to be Ms. Popular.

She isn't bragging. You, on the other hand, are coming across as poisonously envious.

Don’t make home baked goods for the neighbours if they are covid crazy reporting types! 😂
They’ll think you’re trying to kill them

I don't think I'd eat a homemade cake made by a randomer at the moment to be fair.

Our village is full of busy bodies and they bloody love Facebook. Get on the village Facebook group, I bet there is a discussion about the ‘new comers’ on there!

The amount of gossiping going on in this village during lockdown is unreal!!