Strange Things Going On

kingfisherblue

Vermillion wrote: »

I do not know if this is in the right place or not, but I would appreciate some ideas on this situation.

The next door neighbours, who were a flipping nightmare, moved out last year. There was a good raft of rowing going on in early 2016.

Then in May 2016 they both moved out, but he took his stuff and car from the garage and she took the house things, furniture etc, but when they came to remove stuff they were never together. The property is empty and has been since last May! No one knows what is going on and he turns up once a week to cut the lawns, but hasn't been seen since October last year.

The property is empty it is not up for sale. The remaining curtains in the house downstairs are drawn permanently but there is nothing at the upstairs windows. I know this might seem really nosey but it's a strange carrying on. Everybody is asking me what is happening and I am stumped - I just don't know.

Have any of you got any ideas what this could be? I did think probably divorce given the terrible rowing earlier last year, but it seems weird to leave a property empty especially now as the council tax has laws regarding empty properties. There is no heating on at all by the way. Its just a shell I keep looking on wrong move and again - nothing.

She is living in a small two bed terraced rented property in another village at the present.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks :beer:

Presumably after living next door to nightmare neighbours, it's now quiet and peaceful apart from the occasional sound of the lawnmower. I'd just enjoy the silence. What they're doing with their property is none of your business.

Vermillion

Thanks Primrose for your detailed answer.

The separating fence does belong to them. Not sure about the postman as he comes when we are at work. The whole close of seven properties was always tidy. It still is by and large, but their home looks pretty noticeable by the fact that the leaves are still piled up in various places and the house generally looks very uncared for, especially now.

Not sure who this guy was on Friday he asked if we had a forwarding address- we don't. It is quiet Kingfisherblue, you are right! The only question we have asked is the logic of having the house empty and why it would it be! It's not gossiping it just seems is very odd.

Primrose

I find it rather strange people should not be expected to be interested in what's happening in the house next door to them.


If you had an elderly neighbour next door living alone, their curtains were permanently drawn and you hadn't seen them for weeks would you not be interested/curious/concerned?

And when that elderly neighbour was found to have been lying dead in the house for a month without anybody realising, would all the people who never bother about their neighbours start saying "We really shocked. We didn't believe that kind of thing could ever happen round here ?"

krlyr

Primrose wrote: »

I find it rather strange people should not be expected to be interested in what's happening in the house next door to them.


If you had an elderly neighbour next door living alone, their curtains were permanently drawn and you hadn't seen them for weeks would you not be interested/curious/concerned?

And when that elderly neighbour was found to have been lying dead in the house for a month without anybody realising, would all the people who never bother about their neighbours start saying "We really shocked. We didn't believe that kind of thing could ever happen round here ?"

But OP has seen both neighbours to know they're alive, it's just that the property is empty. Their living arrangements are none of OP's business, there may be many reasons neither of them have chosen to live in there, there may be reasons they've not put it up for sale - it's their choice. As long as their decision isn't causing damage to OP's property or causing anyone else any harm, I'd just leave it be.

kingfisherblue

Primrose wrote: »

I find it rather strange people should not be expected to be interested in what's happening in the house next door to them.


If you had an elderly neighbour next door living alone, their curtains were permanently drawn and you hadn't seen them for weeks would you not be interested/curious/concerned?

And when that elderly neighbour was found to have been lying dead in the house for a month without anybody realising, would all the people who never bother about their neighbours start saying "We really shocked. We didn't believe that kind of thing could ever happen round here ?"

An elderly neighbour is very different to an empty house. Most of my neighbours are age 70+, with a fair few in their 90s. At 48, I'm one of the young 'uns - although in recent years, a few younger people have started to move onto our estate. Many have lived here since the houses were built, and other older people have moved in because there are a lot of bungalows.

I keep an eye out for drawn curtains and milk bottles on the step, just in case there is a problem. The other week, I knocked on next door's house because the milk hadn't been taken in. It's a retired lady and her son that live there (he's a few years older than me). It turned out that the son hadn't taken in the milk, but thankfully they were ok. It was the same with another neighbour last year, although she lives alone.

The house opposite was empty for quite some time following the death of the owners. One of the adult children asked me to keep an eye on it and text him if there were any concerns. A couple of other houses have been empty in the past (usually due to owners passing away), and one a few doors away has been empty for three years since the owner moved into a nursing home. The neighbour mows the lawn, I think.

People should keep an eye on elderly neighbours, but the thread was about posters' thoughts on an empty house.

Vermillion

krlyr wrote: »

But OP has seen both neighbours to know they're alive, it's just that the property is empty. Their living arrangements are none of OP's business, there may be many reasons neither of them have chosen to live in there, there may be reasons they've not put it up for sale - it's their choice. As long as their decision isn't causing damage to OP's property or causing anyone else any harm, I'd just leave it be.

The thing is that back fence panel, is propped up by us. We can bet they probably won't be fixing it any time soon if the place is going to be empty for some time to come. We don't really want to get into communication with them either. We do have a dog which is why we pushed the panel back up and tied it in the best we can. If they had still been living there they would have fixed it - grudgingly, but they would have fixed it - as it is we don't know when it will be. Another good storm and we can expect more panels to become loose. If the house is subject to separation or divorce then I suspect it could be some time.

The last thing we want is to have the place sold - if that is what is likely to happen - and having to ask the new owners nicely about the fence at some point! We would rather the current owners did it. At the moment it's not looking hopeful and we do have other persons now asking for their whereabouts!

Kynthia

They are under no obligation to repair the fence or to have a fence at all. So if it's very important to you then yiu might need to repair it yourselves or put your own fence in place on your side of the border.

I can't see what you are hoping to get from.speculating why the house is empty. You know both owners are okay but not living there, so there's not really anything fir you to do about that.

Vermillion

Kynthia wrote: »

They are under no obligation to repair the fence or to have a fence at all. So if it's very important to you then yiu might need to repair it yourselves or put your own fence in place on your side of the border.

I can't see what you are hoping to get from.speculating why the house is empty. You know both owners are okay but not living there, so there's not really anything fir you to do about that.

The Covenants in the Title Deeds are very specific indeed and run into about three pages in total. The specific part about fencing is made clear in it and it refers to heights at the front and back and who is responsible for it. We also have the legal rights to put them on notice to fix it as well. That is the last thing we want TBH.

Our concern relates to the unstable fence and clearly if the property is subject to divorce our concern is it could be quite some time if they cannot agree terms. That does bother us, because if the rest of the fence is not great - and they are clearly legally responsible for it - then we are hoping they will take a sensible approach and fix it, but then again they may not if the situation is contenious!

The question was not to be blatantly nosey but was about the possible reason for why someone would leave a home empty and for a long period? The only logical thing that a couple of posters have come up with is separation. That is what the other neighbours have suggested as well, but I thought could there be another reason behind it that none of can foresee. It seems not.

We have all, in the close, said to one another that it is odd! It is odd and we have questioned it. It's not being nasty, we have all said it is strange. It all happened very quickly and they were gone.

elsien

I'm a nosey beggar - I'd be speculating if they were my neighbours. As would many people, I suspect, despite some of the sanctimonious "none of your business" replies.

pebbles88

Just accept that regardless of however odd anyone thinks it is, you'll never know what's happening.

Re the fence.... If you really don't want to get into communication with them, don't..... Put your own fence up on your boundary, and just carry on with your own life ..... Simples