Couple spot neighbour making '£300 mistake' but don't warn them

A couple spotted their neighbours had made a very costly mistake but chose not to warn them or let them know about it. Keeping peaceful, content neighbourly relations is an important aspiration for many people - nobody wants to live in fear of drama or confrontation at their door.

Some people aim to be as respectful and mindful of their neighbours as possible, keeping things polite while maintaining their distance. This appears to be the case for one couple who were unsure how to proceed when they spotted an expensive blunder happening at their neighbour’s house.

Lucy Sharp and her partner were at home late one evening when they heard their neighbour’s outdoor tap running on “full blast”, prompting fears over their water bill.

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The cost of living crisis is affecting millions of people, with concerns over the rising costs of basic essentials like water and electricity causing panic and anxiety among many of us.

In a TikTok video showcasing the situation unfolding in real time, Lucy and her partner could be seen standing in their back garden listening to the water gushing at their neighbour’s property, but they were unsure whether it was too late to knock on their door and warn them.

Speaking directly to the camera, Lucy said: “It’s half 11 at night, everyone on the road is in bed but next door but one’s outside tap is running full pressure onto the floor. Their water bill is going to be outrageous.”

As their neighbour’s lights were all switched off, the couple were wary of knocking on their door and potentially waking them up to let them know about the tap.

They investigated outside but as it was “pitch black”, they decided to “just go to bed”. Lucy later filmed them laying in bed as they researched the cost of leaving an outdoor tap on all night.

Lucy’s partner read off his phone it would cost approximately “£12 to £26 for eight hours at full blast”. He added: “I thought it was gonna be about £300!”

In the caption accompanying the video, Lucy penned: “There’s no first time home owners guide for this stuff! Do we save their water bill or mind our own business?”

In the comments section, people were keen to share their thoughts with many opining the couple should’ve informed their neighbour what was going on.

One person said: “*knock* ‘Sorry, I know it’s late but I think your outside taps on, didn’t want you to get a massive water bill’. Literally all you needed to do.”

Another said: “Who needs enemies when you have neighbours like you guys”. A third commented: “This is such a non-issue just go knock on their door.”

A fourth said: “Knock! Or go turn it off. I would be gutted if someone knew my tap was on and didn’t let me know.”

Someone else quipped: “House surveys should include whether the neighbours are aspiring TikTokkers or not”.

Another TikTok user could see the couple’s logic and said: “I’d have done the same as you, can’t lie. My anxiety would NEVER see me knocking on their door”.

And another commented: “Is this a joke … imagine if that was your tap”. Someone else suggested: “You’d just jump over [and] turn it off. Jump back again. And then in the morning let them know”.

And another added: “I’d definitely rather be woken up to be told stuff like this, idc what time it is, I’d be grateful to you!”

In a follow up video, Lucy defended their decision. She explained they’re new to the street and have no idea what their neighbours look like, while they also don’t know what she or her partner look like.

They didn’t consider hopping their fence “like an intruder” and, if they had done that, believed the police would’ve been called.

Lucy added: “If you said we should’ve knocked on, you are probably right. To be completely honest, we just kind of wimped out.

“We’re first time buyer homeowners, new to the street and it was literally practically midnight. If you are my new neighbours, I’m really sorry your tap was running all night and I knew about it. Won’t happen again.”