Threat of Harassment by Neighbour

Malcolm876

Oh boy, I'll try to keep this as simple as possible without going into too many personal details. Me and my family moved into a new build home around three years ago. Everything was good, until the one neighbour moved in. Almost instantly, we had to endure dog barking, loud music from his garage/gym, gate slamming and music blaring from his car late at night

What do you do in this situation? Do you just document your torment for months on end and hope something gets done?

Thanks.

JReacher1

Probably best to sell up

pphillips

Here's my advice:
1. Document and report everything, there won't be any crime committed unless the neighbour pursued a course of conduct that amounts to harassment and that the neighbour knew or should have known this.
2. Be informed, read up on the law on harassment (Protection from Harassment Act 1997) and statutory nuisance (Part III of the Environmental Protection Act 1990).

Gavin83

Malcolm876 said:

She now believes that we have been feeding information to her soon-to-be ex-husband, though she can't prove it, nor have we done anything wrong if that was the case. 

So did you say anything?

If you suffer from chronic illnesses and the stress is causing you issues you'd have been better off not getting involved. While they don't sound like ideal neighbours neither do you. Stop interfering.

You certainly aren't stopping a child skateboarding on their own property. The police won't get involved for this. What threats were made?

Petriix

That's the problem with modern estates: no space and poor sound insulation means you're pretty intimate with your neighbours.

The lock down is impacting us all in various ways and one of the biggest issues is we're all spending loads more time at home and need to keep ourselves busy. Some people will listen to music, skateboard, whatever. It's a very trying time.

Unfortunately you can't control other people. You can only make your peace with how things are. I suggest trying to keep out of their way and avoid antagonising the situation further. Get out for walks in nature and try to make the most of this strange time.

Fireflyaway

They sound very immature and bored. The more you react, the more they will try to annoy you. I'd definitely keep a record of what happens. Note down the date, time and what was done / said. Other than that, ignore them. Don't get into conversations or even look at them. Because you seem to know so much about their relationship, your neighbor probably sees you as siding with the ex and has even more motivation to annoy you. 
It's really not the kids fault if they have been roped in to annoy you. It's bad parenting to teach them such silly behaviour. They may have got the skateboard anyway. My little one got one for the first time a few weeks back. Just something different, it's pretty boring for kids right now. 
It just be really hard but I'd try my best to ignore everything. Don't speak to either party. Get on with your own life and ignore them. This may cause them to up their game but continue to ignore it. If after some time it doesn't stop then I'd write to them ( keep a copy). Don't be aggressive or fast blame. Just politely ask if they would mind lessening the noise and could you please both get along. You say you confronted them. To what degree? If need be then apologise. Explain you were frustrated and tired. You don't dislike them ( even if you do!) and don't have a personal issue with them, just the noise. If that doesn't work speak to the relevant authorities with your log to hand. it's worth asking if there is a mediation service. A trained person can facilitate a meeting and hopefully you can put the issues to rest rather than having a permanent stand off. It's such a lottery whether you get to have good neighbours or not. I really hope things improve. 

passatrider

Honestly? I’d sell up and move. They will not change 😟

MrsStepford

I lived next to neighbours from Hell 2002-2016. They would have parties until 0400 on a weekday, pulled down a bit of our wall, stole a food delivery, turned on music randomly in middle of night, to wake us up. Deliberately let dog try to attack us, bad mouthed us to neighbours. Since her departure, road is quiet again. 

My advice:
Don't get involved in her private life by talking to ex-husband. If child with him hears any of it, it will get back to the other child and therefore the mother. It will wind the mother up more. She's going through a divorce, she's got a kid at home, the other has sided with her father and she has a new relationship. She may have health issues which you don't know about. If you're only getting the husband's perspective, you aren't seeing her side of the story. 

The police had the power to deal with noise complaints taken away from them, years ago. You need to talk to the Environmental Health department of your local council. They can put a listening device into your house, temporarily to measure noise levels. It doesn't record conversations. If you start a complaint against neighbour, regardless of outcome it will be recorded on any searches if you wish to sell up. 

The kid is skateboarding on private property, with permission from her mother's boyfriend, in daylight hours. The police will probably shrug their shoulders as she's not committing an offence and is social distancing. If you can see that your wall is damaged, take a photo and point it out to police and see what they say. If you can't see it, ask the police to look. Don't, under any circumstances, trespass onto the boyfriend's property to take a photo, as this could be construed as Harassment. You only need take two actions which the police regard as Harassment, to get a caution. 

Get legal advice eg from household insurance, union membership etc. You will be advised of options. Don't start writing notes or calling them or discussing them with neighbours. You can ask police to ask them not to contact you. They can do same. Any breach by you or them can count towards Harassment. 

It is not illegal to work on cars in a private garage or on a drive. The council probably won't act unless there's a lot of noise after 23:00.

Every right you think they have too. They have the right not to have a neighbour interfering with their family life, eg telling her how to parent (in her eyes), having a go for things which aren't criminal offences and talking to the husband she is divorcing. 

In many areas there is a neighbour mediation service. Both parties agree to this and they speak to a mediator separately. If it's offered and you refuse, it does harm any potential case against her.

thorsoak

Any reports of neighbour disputes, which involve the police or council enforcement officers now have to be disclosed when selling a property, so it can be counter-productive carrying on a prolonged campaign should you wish to sell in the near future - or be prepared to accept a lower price.

comeandgo

What would I do?  Absolutely nothing, I think you have antagonised the situation, 

Socajam

Installed cameras on your property so that you can record anything that they do or plan to do on your property.
This may antagonised them, but cameras don't lie.
These two sound like real nasty people, sooner or later they will burn each other out when the heat for each other decreases