advice needed regarding neighbours

caris

:mad::mad: Hi

Please accept my appologies for this being long winded, but I do need your help .

We live next door to the neighbours from hell, we have been in our property for 10 and half years and for about half of that time we have had a nightmare time. They have caused us alot of stress and damage over the years, we used to have an aviary in the back garden and they used to shoot at the birds in there, one day my husband was out in the garden playing with our grandson and they fired at him, it misssed but skimmed across the top of his head, we reported it the housing association and th epolice, they did nothing because there were no witnesses, the police took the gun for a short while they they were allowed it back, we also had a lovely large pond which went across the back garden and then a waterfall stream to a smaller pond, we had a large quantity of very large koi carp in the pond along with a few other goldfish, one evening the leaned over the fence and poured enginge oil in the pond, all the fish died, and the ponds completely ruined, they had left a dented piece in the hedge where they had leaned over, (its a yew hedge), again the police were informed along with the housing association, again no action was taken because there were no witnesses although the police said it was quite obvious that they were responsible, we have been subject to constant abuse if we are out the front or the back of our property, we have also had pellets shot at our front door from them, at this point I went to the doctor and was put on anti depressants, I have been off them for a long time now, but have lost all my confidence to go out of the house unless it is to get into the car to go out, I am at home all day as I have polyarthritis and hubby needs the car to get himself to work, we live in a country village with next to no transport so I am totally isolated. A couple of years ago the woman next door hacked away at the yew hedge in the front garden, she attacked it that much that it was bearly standing she had come across the boundry mark for the two houses and the housing association said that they would put up a fence, but access had to be gained to put it up from there garden, they refused the association access to put one up. The last time there was trouble we were both told that both of us would be evicted, which we think is very unfair as they are the ones causing the trouble, they are well known in the village for being trouble, but the association seem to let them get away with allsorts, and we find ourselves being punished. We have only ever retaliated to them once by "shopping" them to the DSS for benefit fraud. We will not lower ourselves to there level by ranting and raving in the street. It had been quiete for awhile until yesterday afternoon when she had another go at the hedge out the front, it was approx 6ft high and although it was very straggly and unsightly it did give us privacy, now she has hacked it right back beyond the boundry and took the height down to the level of our raised beds which is about 3ft and to a lenght of 7 foot, the hedge was used a a backing for our raised borders, now we are left with a hideous sight and no privacy.

I would like to know what our rights our and what could we do if the housing association fail in taking any action. I have spoken to the housing officer and he is coming at 10.30 tomorrow and I would like to know my rights for when he arrives.

Many thanks
caris

myrnahaz

You are allowed to cut-back any hedge or tree that 'overhangs' your property, but you have to offer the clippings back to the owner. Also, the hedge/fence at the front of a property shouldn't be higher than 3ft or 1metre, so you may find that your neighbours were not breaking any rules by reducing the dimensions on their side.
As for the vandalism to your ponds and the gun incident; it might be worth setting up a cheap cctv type system - I don't know whether your finances would stretch to this, but it may be worth considering it if only for peace of mind (and evidence).
Even if you moved, you can't guarantee that you'll get better neighbours.

PS - very often, 'time' sorts out problems like this; as the kids grow up and leave home, the parents often mellow and become less of a problem.

bryanb

[QUOTE=myrnahaz;22113367
Even if you moved, you can't guarantee that you'll get better neighbours.
[/QUOTE]

It would be difficult to get worse though. I'd ask the HA for a move.

MrsTinks

CCTV - be careful! You can not direct the camera so that it films your neighbours property - only your own so make sure you set it up very carefully otherwise they could use it against you I'm afraid

DKLS

MrsTine wrote: »

CCTV - be careful! You can not direct the camera so that it films your neighbours property - only your own so make sure you set it up very carefully otherwise they could use it against you I'm afraid

True Mrs Tine, but Op dont be put off its a doddle to setup, so the camera isnt looking at the neighbours property.

bryanb

Evidence does not stop people like this. Even if they are evicted the will take revenge.

caris

Hi

Thank you for the replies. We have previously used a cctv camera, this was up at our front door when the neighbours youngest son threw a very large piece of flint at our daughters car, it did damage the window screen, the police watched the video evidence and still did nothing, they said that the image was not clear enough to positively identify the son, although the police officer said it was next doors son, they are well known with the police, so that did not solve anything, we have had it recording them shouting abuse at us for no reason at all and still the housing association would do nothing, we still have it up outside the front door but not connected, we mainly use it as a deterant now,but because they have previously got away with things they dont give a monkeys. We have had them call our grandson (we have residency of him) a b*****d for no reason at all, he was only about 6 at the time, hes now nearly 10, we dont use that sort of language ourselves,

As for us moving, why should we? We chose to live at our house because it was nearer to my husbands work, he used to do a 50mile round trip aday to get to work, now its a 14 mile round trip, and its in the country. Next door were moved here from Manchester years ago by there local council for "safety" reasons, its never been clear to the village why, and according to the locals they have always been trouble since they arrived, all the previous tenants who have lived in our house have been left with no option but to move because of them, a single parent asian lady that used to live over the road was forced to move because of trouble from them, they even put dog pooh through her door, another single parent further down the road was constantly harrassed by them till she moved.

The residents of the village wont get involved because they dont want the trouble that goes with it, which is fair enough, but everyone knows what trouble they are, we were told by locals not to get involved with them a couple of days after we moved to the village. As with village life you are either accepted or your not, we have been lucky and were accepted straight away, next door have never been accepted by the locals

caris

Emzycal

:mad: Dear God...


It's disheartening,to say the least,when no one with the power and authority to do anything will help and when you can't really do much yourself.

I think the rest of the neighbors/village and yourself together are a bigger force than just this one set of neighbors though? Even just to pull together and help each other - shut these trouble makers out completely and just help each other repair damages done,offer comfort when they are really bad,visit each other and take turns to organise community events? Make it blaringly obvious that they are a blight upon the village and that no one is on their side - petition,perhaps? Collect signatures or get EVERYONE you can to write in to complain?


To be honest,my neighbors are a living hell and they aren't even as bad as yours... if they weren't a bit scary and their flat wasnt directly below ours,I'd have set their house on fire long ago since the council and police are useless.

bryanb

With regard to why should you move, there is no reason except the neighbours. It's your choice.

PasturesNew

MrsTine wrote: »

CCTV - be careful! You can not direct the camera so that it films your neighbours property - only your own so make sure you set it up very carefully otherwise they could use it against you I'm afraid

This was on the telly this week. One couple had three cameras looking into their garden. The programme interviewed them - then went to see the neighbours - the neighbours had been told/advised to install a camera to collect evidence that they had the neighbours from hell, so the evidence could be put forward.

It was discussed on the telly and seems it's legal.

RedBern

this sounds awful. Go back to the Housing Association again and make a formal complaint. Write to the manager, and if you're not happy with the response, write to his manager. Are Housing Associations regulated by an Ombudsman, if so take a complaint all the way. Log details of any abuse they shout at you, any damage they do, and contact the HA about it each time. They have a duty of care to you.

Also, go and visit your local councillor, town councillor and county/borough councillor. Get them involved in your complaint - they are there to represent their constituents. Last resort - contact your MP and he'll also complain to the HA on your behalf.