Advice Needed - Neighbours

janninew

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

They must have used a heck of a lot of force to make such deep scratches. It wouldn't be the sort of thing you could make look like an accident, e.g just walking too close, would it?

It wasn't your dustbin day was it? We got a scrape on ours when the dustmen pulled the wheely bin out and it caught the side of the car.

If the neighbour really did gouge his keys along, he must be a bit psycho, and definitely needs anger management counselling.

Hi

Was not my wheelie bins because there nowhere near my car and my bin day is Friday. The scratch is too long to have been an accident! Plus its parked on a drive way, so not like somebody has walked past it in the street and caught it. I went out to the gym in the morning and they weren't there, i noticed them as soon as i went out to my car later that day. They are very noticable!

alm721

I'm really not understanding the people saying that you should replace the ball (I know this is not really the issue now) the kids threw it into your garden presummably accidentally but knowing you had dogs, this is absolutly 100% THEIR FAULT!, personally I'd be annoyed that their stuff had found its way into my garden. At my old house balls often came over the fence, often into my flowers:mad: however I would always throw them back as I found them but if my dogs found them first then its just tough, I would never even have considered replacing a ball, not my fault their property was in my garden. Had my dogs got out (they didn't) and damaged someones ball on the street or in their garden I would of course fall over myself to replace the item asap, but in my garden, no way!

Bogof_Babe

Just to clarify, I didn't mean to suggest that it was an accident, just that he obviously didn't even attempt to make it look like one. Most people (of that sort of mentality) would I am sure just lightly scrape their key along the car, more for nuisance value, rather than deeply gouge into it which must have involved some force. Especially being in the public view on a road where neighbours might well be watching.

The sort of damage you describe could not possibly be an accident, and if your neighbour who saw him is still prepared to speak to the police, I'd be inclined to ask her to.

Madmonk

Please be careful with whatever you do - we have a similar problem with our neighbours and it has continued for 2 years. our car has had the door kicked in twice, it was covered in key scratches and I spend most nights half sleeping - half waking, waiting for a noise. We've just replaced the car, and I'm waiting for it too be attacked. We have informed the police each time it's happened but unless we can prove it's the neighbours ie cctv camera they are not interested. This all started because we wanted to park outside our back gate and they objected!

pinkshoes

alm721 wrote: »

I'm really not understanding the people saying that you should replace the ball

Some people are trying to see the bigger picture, and although they don't deserve a new ball, particularly as they demanded one, there is a lot to be said for keeping the peace with neighbours, and perhaps by replacing the ball (with a cheap one!), the neighbour would at least feel bad for scratching the car, and might even confess.

Neighbourly disputes that esculate can cause SO much stress.

Sounds like the scratch has gone through to the metal, and if you don't get it repaired, it will probably rust.

DEFINITELY get the neighbour to go to the police and say what they saw!

Perhaps one of their kids did it instead, and your neighbour saw the mum looking at what the kid had done?

janninew

Ok so now the plot thickens!!

This morning i was outside my house doing some weeding, when a guy who lived over the road comes over to speak to me. I've seen him about but never actually spoken to him before (shocking really as i've lived here 6 years!) He told me that he was coming home on Tuesday and saw my next door neighbour drag something down the side of my car:eek: He was pulling into his drive and stopped to watch this guy as he wondered what he was doing because was kind of squatting down, which my neighbour thought a little strange. I showed my neighbour my car and he was quite shocked, i asked him what he would do. He told me to speak to the neighbour and see if they would pay for the damage first before going to the police. I asked him if he would mind me telling neighbour that he has seen this happen, he had no problems with this (he didn't seem to be the kind of guy you could bully!)

I went to my neighbours, which i was scared to death of doing, but i'm still so angry which made me do it! I told him he had been seen by neighbours next to my car and that they would be willing to go to the police. He looked rather flustered and did admit that he had scratched my car because he was so annoyed with me!!! I told him how much the estimated repair cost was going to be and asked him what he wanted to do about it. He told me he would only pay half as he feels that i should take some blame?!! Sorry that to me is not acceptable, why should i be out of pocket cos he can't control his temper? I wondered what i should do now? Get the police involved or what? I am not happy (or really in the financial position) to pay for half the damage. I've just gotten divorced and this has eaten up most of my savings. Though even if i could afford it, why should i? As far as i can see he has caused criminal damage and should pay for the whole lot and apologise to me for the stress he's caused!

Not sure what to do? Any advice?

red_devil

I maybe wrong but I think unless there is proof they scratched the car then the police wont be able to do anything its all about proof these days!

galvanizersbaby

janninew wrote: »

Ok so now the plot thickens!!

This morning i was outside my house doing some weeding, when a guy who lived over the road comes over to speak to me. I've seen him about but never actually spoken to him before (shocking really as i've lived here 6 years!) He told me that he was coming home on Tuesday and saw my next door neighbour drag something down the side of my car:eek: He was pulling into his drive and stopped to watch this guy as he wondered what he was doing because was kind of squatting down, which my neighbour thought a little strange. I showed my neighbour my car and he was quite shocked, i asked him what he would do. He told me to speak to the neighbour and see if they would pay for the damage first before going to the police. I asked him if he would mind me telling neighbour that he has seen this happen, he had no problems with this (he didn't seem to be the kind of guy you could bully!)

I went to my neighbours, which i was scared to death of doing, but i'm still so angry which made me do it! I told him he had been seen by neighbours next to my car and that they would be willing to go to the police. He looked rather flustered and did admit that he had scratched my car because he was so annoyed with me!!! I told him how much the estimated repair cost was going to be and asked him what he wanted to do about it. He told me he would only pay half as he feels that i should take some blame?!! Sorry that to me is not acceptable, why should i be out of pocket cos he can't control his temper? I wondered what i should do now? Get the police involved or what? I am not happy (or really in the financial position) to pay for half the damage. I've just gotten divorced and this has eaten up most of my savings. Though even if i could afford it, why should i? As far as i can see he has caused criminal damage and should pay for the whole lot and apologise to me for the stress he's caused!

Not sure what to do? Any advice?

I think you will have to get the police involved now your neighbour has admitted it and refuses to pay unless you are prepared to write it off

Is your neighbour that witnessed the incident prepared to go to the police and did anyone witness your neighbours confession?

BeenieCat

Yay for the neighbour!!

Definitely, go to the police - you have 2 sets of witnesses here and even if he denies it then it doesn't look promising for him.

This is criminal damage and he is liable for the repair cost which the courts will recover, assuming he can pay (i.e is working).

RadoJo

If he has admitted that he damaged your car, then I would expect him to pay for the lot. If there's any way you can obtain proof that he has admitted it (e.g putting the amount in writing and asking him to sign that he will pay half maybe? That way at least you have evidence that he has accepted liability) then that would help if you needed to take it further, but it may help if you offer something (new ball, set hours for dogs to be out) to smooth the waters a little bit, or try some cheaper options for getting the scratch fixed as suggested on here.

Having said that, which is a plan to have an easier life, I do think that if he can't maintain a grip on his temper, then it's his problem - maybe a hit to the pocket will help him realise that a physical response is inappropriate in such a situation. After all, accidental damage to a £20 ball (which you hadn't actually refused to replace) is nothing compared to £800 of car vandalism, and if he thinks that being annoyed warrants damaging someone's property, then he has no idea! Why should a ball cost you £400?

And to the poster that said you bore responsibility for making him lose his temper - that's absolute tosh! What if a small child wound him up - would it be ok for him to resolve that physically? His temper, his responsibility, his job to fix the damage he caused.