Massive neighbour problem (Abuse, intimidation, etc)

[Dave421]

I'm with a housing association and recently new neighbours arrived next door. I know, potential troubles can be expected but I gave them the benefit of the doubt as I like to treat everyone as equal.

To cut it all short, although things were friendly to begin with, things turned sour when they ripped me off out of money and I wanted nothing more to do with them (civil matter, I know, I walked away with lessons learned).

The problems though are more than that..... 

- Fag ends (and spliff ends) thrown all over my property constantly. 
- Moving cats mess from their patch of grass out the front and dumping it on mine.
- Breaking through my back gate to go and take something from my garden (trespass)
- Blocking off and parking on my driveway and standing in my porch smoking drugs (trespass)
- Dumping sand and gravel on my patch of grass to make cats foul on there instead of their own land (the cats treat it like kitty litter).
- Doing work which encroaches onto my land. At the front extending their land past the barrier onto my pathway, filling it with stones and putting their solar lights there which flash through my front door, are annoying and it's so they can scare cats away from their land (see picture).

Well I put up a dummy CCTV camera and of course a sign saying about CCTV pointing onto my driveway in order to deter this behaviour. The other day the man there collared me when I was collecting a parcel from outside asking me what my problem was as he claimed I gave him permission to extend his space out the front (I didn't). I told him it's not cool as it's on my land and went back in.

After that I have avoided them altogether. I already struggle with health problems so the last thing I need is to be intimidated by them. I don't even leave my home through the front door anymore as I don't want their intimidation tactics.

Earlier today was an all new low though... I double checked the man wasn't out in his garden before leaving mine through the back gate to nip to the shops. He wasn't so I went. When I came back he was in his garden though and saw me.... He started shouting abuse at me calling me a "paedophile" and a "nonce". Wholeheartedly it's not true which makes it even more upsetting. Plus shouting stuff like that can potentially cause me extra problems.

Here's the dilemma:

1) Report it to the police who may have a word.... Serious repercussions will happen for me though and it's likely I will end up being beaten up.
2) Report it to the HA. I have done..... They've given me 2 options:
i) They set up mediation type session which I know regardless of what happens, it will end with me being beaten up another day.
ii) They start a court case ASBO thing which I will have to attend court with.... Whatever the outcome.... it will end with me being beaten up by him or one of his large family members.
3) I do nothing and literally never leave the house again (trust me, this isn't an exaggeration). 

The only amicable solution here is for the HA to move me, but I'm not sure if they can do this or not and what the rules are on it?

Literally that's the only way because if it isn't done, my life is finished. 

Thanks


 

[BankFodder]

Yes, a very difficult and unpleasant situation.

I think one of the first things I would do is I get a proper camera in place and start recording evidence. I'd also make sure that I took pictures of the fag ends et cetera on the ground and then I would start carefully collecting a few in a plastic bag – probably using rubber gloves.

I think it really is a question of evidence.

I completely agree, that whatever action you take will lead to some very serious trouble but it seems to me that you need to put pressure on the housing association to start dealing with it. You pay them rent and they have a responsibility. It will certainly help you to have video evidence of what you are saying and also of the insults that they are hurling at you.

I'm sorry to say that I think that probably the fake CCTV – although an interesting idea – became simply provocative without producing any proper results – meaning video evidence.

I think you ought to investigate some way of putting up a concealed camera – maybe more than one, connected to your Wi-Fi system so that video footage is stored and in that way even if the cameras are taken or vandalised, the footage you have secured will be safe.

I think you need to document everything very thoroughly and keep on at the housing association all the time. I agree that probably the only solution would be to move and of course it's galling to have to give into this kind of stuff but at the end of the day your quality of life is the most important thing

[Dave421]

Thanks so much for the reply BankFodder.

I think the thing with cameras now and stuff like that is the hassle but more importantly, the quality of life for the time being. I mean, is that going to be weeks stuck in until I've got enough evidence to submit as proof?

It's pretty mashed up with law whereby before I learned a lot, I thought years ago so differently about law but then I realised what a mess it really is.

I mean if I shouted abuse at them, that's my head kicked in and them getting off via a technicality or having a minimal punishment. Whereas if they shout abuse at me, I do nothing trying to be the bigger person who isn't violent at all and they decide to beat me up anyway, then same outcome.

The results of the fake CCTV did mean less fag and drug ends out there and no parking in my driveway, but yeah at the expense of them calling me a "nonce" now. I don't know whats worse to be honest.

The HA have as much proof as possible at the moment. The parking in my driveway, the drug and fag ends out there (I picked a load up in a dog mess bag one morning) (see pics). 

There's many other things but I just don't know whether they will act on them. 

Given the option of court for ASBO case or doing nothing and putting up with it, I don't know whats worse.

Definitely after todays antics being called a "nonce" everything I leave home is just something I can't bear. 

I think I'm after them understanding the facts and realising that a move is the best option.

They just seem to say to go to the police or do that ASB case thing yet it's all going to be bad.

I don't get how they move trouble makers over and over because they've caused trouble, yet someone who is having trouble just has to put up and shut up. 

 

 after being called that, its the worst with them and no more

pix.pdf

[stu007]

Hi

 

I agree that this will be a lengthy process as it all comes down to evidence.

 

Keep complaining to the Housing Association as per their complaint procedure and if the are harassing or intimidating you keep reporting it to the police.

 

Now with the CCTV here is where you need to be careful remember it is a Housing Association property and even with the Dummy CCTV you would need permission from the Housing Association to install it.

 

As for the Pet Fouling  have a chat with the Council.

 

Keep a written record of every single incident no matter how small and your actions i.e. who you reported it to.

 

This PDF may be of use:

 

Incident Log.pdf

 

[hello12345]

Another tip if you move to a new place, is not to get too friendly with your neighbours say "hello" ect, but dont get into any lenghty conversations and keep yourself to yourself then you wont have anyone to fall out with.

 

[Dave421]

Well yeah it was all too much.  I already struggle with my health and that had gone too far. 

 

As for the dummy CCTV it was pointing exactly at my driveway because all I wanted to stop was cigarette ends being thrown everywhere (as it makes me feel low because I'm embarrassed even if the posty comes and sees fag ends everywhere thinking it's me) and to stop and visitors cars who give me support being damaged. 

 

I had a call from the HA yesterday and it appears that they reported me for the camera. I explained that it's only pointing on my property (the driveway) and they said that's fine. 

 

I didn't fall out with them as such though hello12345? This all started when they scammed me out of money and I said I don't want anything to do with them anymore, so keep to their life and I will do the same. That should have been the end of matters as far as I'm concerned. Yet he was still throwing cig ends all over my driveway, dumping sand on the grass verge so cats mess over it, even walking into my back garden. 

 

All other neighbours in the area are fine with me as I've been living here for nearly 5 years. A few of which I'm on good talkative terms with. 

 

The HA have been pretty useless overall and I'm in a dark place. Someone helped me take my dog to an elderly relatives about 50 miles away as until I can find alternative accomodation, I'm not leaving the house at all.