Homeowner Puts Up Autumn Lights, Neighbor Leaves Note Asking Her to Take Them Down

A homeowner says a neighbor has asked her family to remove their outdoor lights because the display could trigger migraines.

The disagreement reignited less than a year after the same neighbor allegedly commented repeatedly on the family’s Christmas decorations.

In a Sept. 1 Mumsnet post, the homeowner, going by the username @AutumnLighting, said their family moved into one of six houses arranged around a U-shaped lane shortly before Christmas. The homes are set back from one another, with @AutumnLighting’s house directly opposite the neighbor’s.

That first Christmas, the newcomers decorated the house with white lights and two trees, along with two nutcrackers and a wreath. According to @AutumnLighting, the neighbor repeatedly remarked on the display, making subtle jabs such as, “That’s a lot of lights,” and joking that the family must have bought out the store.

The Complaints Returned With The Autumn Decorations

The family took the Christmas lights down in January. Then, when their first autumn in the home arrived, the @AutumnLighting’s husband decorated again, putting lights along the front of the house along with a garland and wreath around the front door.

The couple left for an evening out, only to return home to find a note waiting for them.

In their post, @AutumnLighting claimed the note, written by the neighbor, said that she did not like the lights, that previous residents had never put them up, and that the family’s Christmas display had actually already given her migraines. Finally, she asked them to remove the current decorations.

The homeowner described the autumn lights as non-flashing. The family still planned to decorate again for Christmas.

The Homeowners Are Deciding How To Respond

Her husband’s preferred response was simply to ignore the note. The homeowner was less convinced, believing “she [the neighbor] will talk to us when we see her if we don’t go over and talk to her about it.”

@AutumnLighting also said the neighbor had previously complained about other residents, including children riding bicycles outside. This particular revelation inspired @AutumnLighting to conclude, “she seems to be a moaner.”

The homeowner turned to the Mumsnet community for advice on how to respond to such a note—and the history of alleged remarks and protests from the neighbor. As of Sept. 10, the poll shows that 44% of voters think @AutumnLighting is being unreasonable, while 56% believe the user is not being unreasonable.

Those siding with the neighbor feel that the extent to which @AutumnLighting has lights out throughout the year is excessive. Those supporting @AutumnLighting note that it is the user’s property and they themselves would not feel right ordering them to do anything to their own property.

Whose side are you on?