Problem Neighbour. Thoughts?

MentalMinnie

I'd like people's thoughts on an issue I'm having with a neighbour. We moved into our house in March, rented. There is an old woman over the road, sort of opposite and to the left slightly. We've had trouble from day one with her. Firstly the lorry we had for moving was blocking the light to her windows. She's been upto our car and written down the tax expiry date, taken parcel ps off my doorstep and then berated me for having things left on doorstops, complained about our windows being left open at night, complained about where we leave our recycling box, and has been into my garden and peered through the window at me! It's really unbelievable.

Anyway, the problem has escalated. I came home from work the other day listening to some sports commentary on the radio. Windows down, fans things blowing, so fair to say the radio was fairly loud so I could hear. Before I had chance to roll the windows up she's outside and shouting across to tell me to turn the 'music' off proceeds to say she's reporting me to the police etc. the guy from next door to her runs out of his house and comes over to tell me on the quiet to excuse her behaviour, she's got mental issues and this is what she does. Whilst taking to me, she then made some sort of derogatory remark about my husbands nationality, and that we don't need his sort of trouble over here (he's Northern Irish) I ignored her and went in. Fast forward to today and there's a letter from the council. She's compained about 'numerous and ongoing' disturbances from car music?!

I'm planning on contacting the council about it on monday as I'd like to know when these alleged nuisances occurred, as I'm betting other than this one occasion, she has no proof, and I have proof that my husband has had the car over 30 miles away. This was the first time I've had the car in weeks due to the nature of my husbands work.

The little old lady next door to me is furious about the situation and has said she'll contact the council if needs be and say we aren't causing a noise problem. Shes as fed up with the woman and her persistant complaining. I'm just wondering what I should do, if anything?

It's really frustrating as she's clearly got it in for us, but is it even worth it? I'm just wondering how much worse her behaviour will get. Obviously I don't want to get involved in a tit-for-tat exercise, but her behaviour is unacceptable in my eyes.

Sorry for the rant.

Dumbe

Not helpful to resolving the situation..

Buy a huge van and park in in front of her house blocking her light.

on a more sensible note .. The council have to do something on receiving a compliant.. Calmly request times daes and refute in a sensible manner any allegations.

Then stop interacting with the deranged witch.. Ignore her.

If she comes up to you , literally behave as if she doesn't exist .. She talks you walk on as if no ones there.

Don't answer the door to her.. In other words don't react, don't feed her need for attention, if she keeps ringing the bell, knocking on the window call the police.

Tell her once in writing you have removed and withdrawn and right for her to enter your garden.

And consider the police if she enters your garden again.

But above all don't talk to her , don't answer her, don't feed her need for attention.

Blackpool_Saver

Start gathering your evidence now, dates and times of her harassment, and get letters from your neighbours about her behaviour, send these to the council. Remain very calm in your letters.

Callie22

Start keeping a diary of what she's doing then report her to the council for harassment. Then inform social services because it sounds like she's losing it.

MentalMinnie

Just to add, the thing with her and the garden: when the recycling has been, the boxes are left on the street, she then comes round the nearest neighbours to put the boxes back in the gardens. The first time she brought ours in, she placed it near the bay window and proceeded to stare into the house. Unfortunately for her I was at home that day and caught her.

MentalMinnie

Thanks for the pointers. I'm just concerned about the tit for tat situation that could arise. I'm worried she's going to complain to the letting agents as well.

browneyedbazzi

Try not to get too bothered about the letter from the council. They probably know she's a nutjob but they have to do something when they receive a complaint so they've sent a letter out - things have to be pretty bad and evidenced (the word of a nutjob on it's own isn't enough!) before they'll take any formal action. Give them a call, tell them you think the complaint is malicious and that you don't make excessive noise and just leave it at that.

Do your best to ignore her, but also set firm boundaries - if she comes onto your property or into your garden etc tell her she isn't welcome and it isn't acceptable. If you wouldn't feel comfortable saying that to her then put it in a letter and post it. If she carries on then get in touch with the police and ask them to have a word.

MentalMinnie

Strangely our car alarm has just gone off, for the first time in a year. And it's directly outside her house...

GotToChange

These things have a way of escalating on all sides so please tread carefully...

I am very surprised that the Council wrote to on the basis of her allegations of "numerous occasions"; they ask that a diary be kept and THEN act so either they act on very little or she is exaggerating what has happened. I am sure that you can ask the Council for proof of the allegations she is making - which you can then of course refute.

It's not that great for another neighbour to say that she has "mental issues" as that is obviously going to influence how she is regarded and treated; it is reallly sad when people give a dog a bad name and a nasty ripple effect occurs.

Not to say that she isn't (being) a pain in the rear end - but it needs to be handled sensitively I think.

In my previous property, I had some real issues with some people who I knew several houses down the cul-de-sac; their foster son was a bit of a brat (shouting at me if I looked out of the window, deliberately kicking his ball onto my plants, insulting me in front of his mates etc.) and the female of the house kept a horse in the field next door but one to me, wher eI could see that it was neglected and the land full of ragwort. I raised these issues to them and yes, it was by a note a couple of times. When the child was rude and creepy and no-one dealt with it, I involved the Police - but it all backfired and I was accused of waging a hate campaign and described as someone with "problems".
As all this went on, her horse keeled over and died from colic (?ragwort poisoning?) and they even accused me of doing something to the him because I went in the field to fill up the water and put a fly sheet on the remaining horse.... (yes, I was a bit of a busybody but I am not ashamed of that where animals are concerned....)

Again, tread carefully, it can get a bit nasty all round.

GotToChange

MentalMinnie wrote: »

Strangely our car alarm has just gone off, for the first time in a year. And it's directly outside her house...

If you are saying what I think you're saying, that happening is really not going to help matters....

MentalMinnie

GotToChange wrote: »

If you are saying what I think you're saying, that happening is really not going to help matters....

No, I mean, it's randomly gone off for no reason. Unless she's thrown something at it. My point was, how typical, as she's obviously going to report it. Strangely though, the car parked behind's central locking is going bonkers, locking and unlocking. There's no one around. That I can see anyway.