Becoming next door's dog poop depository

Moose1960

My long term partner lives in an end of terrace house. The land adjoining the non-terraced side was derelict for a long time until it was acquired by developers a few years ago and twenty or so flats were built.

Recently one of the flat dwellers has decided that my partner's back garden is a convenient place to deposit their dog's poop bags after walkies, surreptitiously lobbing them over her fence when she's out of sight and earshot. I only found this out on my most recent weekend visit (we don't live together), for some months she's been picking the bags up once a pile has accumulated and disposing of them properly herself.

She is frail and in poor health, both mentally and physically. My instinctive reaction when seeing the latest pile was that I should throw them back over the fence into the flats' car park, she insisted that I didn't. She also rejected outright my other suggestions - a polite sign on the flats' side of the fence, printing some leaflets (with pictures of the poo bag piles) and posting them into each flat's letterbox, or even knocking on some doors myself.

In her fragile state she does not want to find herself in a confrontational dispute with the neighbour concerned. It would be different if I lived with her but she's on her own from Monday to Friday, we spend the weekends together. To an extent I understand - it is unlikely that someone so selfish and ignorant would respond kindly to even the most polite request.

Still, it boils my blood and I want to help her. Any ideas from the MSE gang as to how I can do that without her knowing?

diystarter7

"Without her knowing" you mean your friend?

Sadly, your friend will, may find out the hard way if the abuser is sent a letter or talked to as he/she may confront your friend or just make it worse.

For someone to be doing what that sick, nasty person is doing to your friend appears to a very simple and uneducated, unreasonable type to me.

Anything and everything will have an element of risk.

Best ask your friend and go along with what she says.

Flugelhorn

Put up sign saying " poo-bag CCTV in place" 

marcia_

 I'd just be throwing or posting them back 

Brie

Put a bin on their side of the fence?  Or politely advise the freeholder(s) of what is happening and ask them to provide a bin?

thegreenone

Can you persuade your partner, with your help, to talk to the Environmental Health Department/local Dog Warden for advice.  It's a potential health hazard for her and she shouldn't be touching them, but realise she wants rid.

I'm staggered that anyone could be that revolting.

Moose1960

marcia_ said:

 I'd just be throwing or posting them back 

Indeed, that's what I'm tempted to do, but if I throw them back then the other (innocent) flat residents have a car park full of poop and I can't post them without knowing the individual's specific address. Then, in either case, we risk the inconsiderate idiot confronting/intimidating my partner when she's on her own.

Brie said:

Put a bin on their side of the fence?  Or politely advise the freeholder(s) of what is happening and ask them to provide a bin?

Anonymous letter to the freeholders (or, better, flat management company) would be good but how do I find out who that is? The flats were built by Persimmon and we discovered during the build process that any reasonable correspondence with them was impossible. Persimmon (or a related entity) are likely to be the freeholders but the management company may well be a collective of the owners of the flats' long leases which might be a better bet, but I don't know how to find out the identity of the management co.

BrassicWoman

Moose1960 said:

I don't know how to find out the identity of the management co.

Ask on your local facebook group.

TBagpuss

It may be worth suggesting that she / you on her behalf contact the freeholder or management company, to ask them to provide a bin . 

Another option might be to make it harder for them to get the bags into her garden. I don't know how tall the wall/fence is but possibly some tall plants (or a taller fence, if it's low at present) 

A  real or fake cctv camera might also be worth considering, perhaps with warning signs 

To find out about the management company it may be worth looking to see if any of the flats are on the market, then speaking to the agents . If any have been sold recently then the selling agent may be able to tell you if you ask them politely 

Retireinten

I'd go down the route of a cheap ish cctv camera plus a sign saying 'Please DO NOT throw dog poop bags into the garden, dispose of in your bin'.

I'd also contact the management company to make a complaint, maybe ask they install a bin, but are you sure it's definitely someone from the flats? I think the cctv is the way to go so you can identify the people involved. At least you have evidence of the who and can decide what to do at that point 

theoretica

Are there elections coming up in her area?  A very good time to contact the local councillor for their suggestions on what to do...