Bonfires

computerwoman

garden regulation's state's that you are allowed to light your bonfire's after 6pm so you are not breaking the law, the only way she can complain is if it's too big and dangerous, which I am sure they are not, I alway's tell my neighbour's either side that I am going to have a fire, what time I am going to be lighting it and ask them if they want anything burning, that usually does the trick, it's not nice having a bad neighbour, I had to move once because of one, it's no fun, have you tried asking them if you have done anything wrong, once when my neighbour to my right didn't speak to me for a while and just gave me that knowing look, I thought good god what have I done, so the next day I took her a bunch of flower's which brought a huge smile to her face (thankgod) and she asked why, so I said well I have a feeling I may have offended you some how but I don't know what I have said or done to upset you so these are away of saying sorry for whatever it was I did, she said nothing she'd been under the weather and didn't realise that she hadn't been speaking to me, and for me to take no notice when she is like that, phew, I couldn't do with moving again, so you could alway's take them a bottle of wine or something, try saying your having a bonfire and would they like to come round for a hotdog or jacket spud, and see what the reaction is, if they don't give then just ignor them as they wont be worth getting to know, but I do feel that most neighbour dispute's could be sorted out with alittle compassion and thoughtfullness, before it get's too out of hand then there's know going back.
good luck and you never know you might be pleasantly surprised by your neighbour's.
cw.

milkydrink

computerwoman wrote: »

garden regulation's state's that you are allowed to light your bonfire's after 6pm so you are not breaking the law, the only way she can complain is if it's too big and dangerous, which I am sure they are not, I alway's tell my neighbour's either side that I am going to have a fire, what time I am going to be lighting it and ask them if they want anything burning, that usually does the trick, it's not nice having a bad neighbour, I had to move once because of one, it's no fun, have you tried asking them if you have done anything wrong,

The first time we put it out instantly & my husband apologised. They still made an offical complaint to the council:mad: They were quite vocal & abusive, which as we didn't bite back I think lead them to believe we were mugs who could be bossed around.
When we gave them short shrift at the weekend they shut up straight away & started screaming at each other, well the wife did. I think they think they can boss everyone around.

They also had the hump with the nice lady to my left & the wife used to stare at her out of the bedroom window when she had a bonfire, she said she used to laugh & wave to her, so she stopped.
The neighbours to the left of her (even further from these people) have had problems with them, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was about just now. I remember the man saying he nearly hit him (& hes a really nice man, not a violent sort).
They are not & never will be nice or normal, they upset everyone.

computerwoman

then I would suggest that if what I suggested is not an option, then just ignor then, report them to your council for being the way they are, tape it on your mobile next time they start having ago, so you have some evidence, they may get an asbo, or even better get moved out are they council tenent's, if so you can get them moved under the asbo act, home housing association's are usually more strict with there tenent's and wont allow tenent's to do such thing's they turf them out nowaday's, they don't like problem tenent's. if they are private and they own there own house, then I solicitor's letter might be the wiser way to go, I am an ex-police officer, so I know abit about what you are going through, I had to move because of my job, the police don't usually like dealing with this sort of thing but they will if everything else fail's.
good luck cw.

computerwoman

nine time's out of ten they will do it to get a reaction out of you, but if they don't get a reaction that annoy's them just as much, some people just go looking for trouble, it would be wiser for you to just not speak to them at all, I realise this maybe hard, but just bite your lip, tape everythng that is said, keep a diary of the thing's that are said, date time that sort of thing, so that if there is any comeback then you have the evidence and they get egg on there face's, best of luck cw.:D

milkydrink

They own the house (I'm pretty sure they are not renting as they have just installed a fab conservetory).
I don't think its bad enough to actually complain about yet.
Hopefully us telling them wher to get off will work, I think they like to "try it on" with new commers & lay the law down.
But we are talking about bonfires at the bottom of gardens that are 100 - 150foot long (I think thats what all these houses are), not tiny patches where its really annoying people.
According to my neighbours they've tried it on with all of them in some way. Hopefully this will be the end of it. Thankfully we are not in each others faces, the road bends back a little & I have a big drive & we have 1 neighbour between us & we all have 6 foot fences.

Had no letter so they no I am within the law. I was just worried they would make up lies, but then I have good neighbours who would tell the truth.

Thank you computerwoman

Solomon_Broad

It might be helpful to keep a diary of what bonfires you have, and what goes on with the neighbour. Hopefully you'll never need it, but for the sake of scribbling a line on a calendar.....

computerwoman

Solomon_Broad wrote: »

It might be helpful to keep a diary of what bonfires you have, and what goes on with the neighbour. Hopefully you'll never need it, but for the sake of scribbling a line on a calendar.....

yes very good advice this is what you need to do, if you have a mobile that can record thing's or a digital camera, then put them onto a cd or a usb memory stick to keep for future ref, just in case anything come's of it, then you have the evidence, and they will be the one's with egg on there face's. good luck.
cw.

peeqwar

Sod her.
She sounds like a nut case. Have a massive fire and throw a load of old tires, aerosols and a mattress on for good measure. Deny all knowledge of any fires. Deny having a fire. If she shouts over the fence when you're having the fire deny that it's a fire. Tell her its an art installation signifying rebirth. You could send her over the edge.

beer2006

If you have such a massive garden, haven't you got space somewhere to compost the woody waste? I do and I have a much smaller garden than you. If you can shred it first that will help, but its not needed, it will take a long time to break down, but it does.

milkydrink

beer2006 wrote: »

If you have such a massive garden, haven't you got space somewhere to compost the woody waste? I do and I have a much smaller garden than you. If you can shred it first that will help, but its not needed, it will take a long time to break down, but it does.

I'm new to this gardening malarky, can you compost woody waste:o

Saying that even if you could, I've never seen a compost bin that would be big enough to take all my once a year woody cuttings

Don't compost bins encourage rats?

I would like to buy a shredder sometime in the not to distant future, but we would need a fairly good one & we have shelled out so much & there are other more pressing things to buy just yet. We've only been here a year 7 a half. Needed re-doing from top to bottom, inside & out:eek: