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AIBU?

To be fed up of my destructive, dangerous neighbour

14 replies

Greyhound · 22/04/2014 16:50

Some time back, I posted on MN to say that my rather eccentric neighbour was 'mending' his own plumbing and doing his own electrical wiring.

He got a pneumatic drill and spent an entire day drilling a large, deep hole into the public pavement outside his house.

In the past, the council forced him to repair the top of the back wall of his house as it had become unstable and was bulging out. Eventually, it would have fallen onto the pavement below - the pavement is used by all the children coming and going from school and the situation was v worrying indeed.

Since then, he has had a drug addicted, convicted burglar staying with him. He did this out of misguided kindness (he's a nice man, just batty) and got treated appallingly by the burglar. We were all (i.e. his neighbours) v worried about him but he refused to discuss the matter.

Eventually, the thief was thrown out and ended up in jail. Since then, he has been released and put a brick through our neighbour's window last week and escaped through my gate and out of my garden, which worried me hugely. The police got involved and I made a statement.

The latest problem is that his back yard sprung a huge leak on Friday night and water poured, like a fast stream down the street and was about an once away from flooding through my back door. Police and firefighters took a long time to resolve the situation, given how drastic the flood was.

The gas people have been out due to high levels of carbon monoxide leaking from his blocked chimney into my house.

I honestly don't know what to do. He won't listen when people tell him their concerns. He is also a hoarder and how his house is still standing from the tons of furniture, clutter etc, is a wonder. My house is adjoined to his...

Sigh...

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SoleSource · 22/04/2014 17:12

Bloody heck, can the council do anything?

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imip · 22/04/2014 17:18

Op, there was man around these parts who I believe was evicted from his house for perhaps even more strange behaviour.

Google mole man hackney lots of diff stories there that may help....

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SoleSource · 22/04/2014 17:29

I'm going to look that up imip.

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quietbatperson · 22/04/2014 20:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

cozietoesie · 23/04/2014 06:35

I think I remember your original thread - this man owns his house if I recall (so you can't speak to his landlord etc) and used to own yours?

Do you know roughly how old he is?

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Pigginnora · 23/04/2014 07:56

I remember your thread...
Firstly keep speaking to him. Then as a last resort I would do to the council.

It's so difficult. Good luck!

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Nennypops · 23/04/2014 10:12

Social services? It sounds as if he may have MH issues.

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WeAreEternal · 23/04/2014 10:38

I remember your pneumatic drill to the pavement thread.
He sounds very worrying.

You need to keep complaining to the council, they can force him to sort it out or stop.
I actually know of someone (a relative of a friend) who was evicted from the house that they owned by the council for basically making his house incredible dangerous and being a nuisance to the neighbours with his constant 'DIY'.
He spent years pretty much destroying his house internally and externally and attempting to make improvement, things such as replacing the existing windows with much larger sash windows with no prior training or experience. He also had many plumbing, electrical and gas mishaps which resulted in major leaks or the entire street losing their water, electricity or gas supply on more than a few occasions.

The final straw came when he began knocking down walls in the house to 'replan the room layouts' but he knocked down a supporting wall and there was a lot of damage,
There was also a major threat to the neighbours house and they had to move out until it was fixed.

After that the council had enough and he was forced to move.
Unfortunately it didn't stop him and he still does exactly the same things in in new home.

I think you need to have a chat with other neighbours and all agree to make regular complaints to the council.

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Greyhound · 23/04/2014 12:01

Thanks all :) I think I will talk to adult SS. All the neighbours are fed up about the situation. It's only a matter of time before his 'efforts' result in a catastrophe, or at worst, a tragedy :( Eternal - what a nightmare that guy sounds... Unhinged and a peril to boot.

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cozietoesie · 23/04/2014 13:14

I think that's a good idea and maybe mention possible serious fire and environmental health hazards when you're on the phone - just so as to prompt them.

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quietbatperson · 23/04/2014 13:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Greyhound · 23/04/2014 20:15

Quiet - thanks, didn't think of that.

The man is a menace - live wires sticking out of his walls, water leaks, carbon monoxide leakage and digging up the public road... Ugh

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bochead · 23/04/2014 20:41

I'd move tbh. Life's too short for battles with bureaucrats.

The authorities already know he's risking your family's safety and they'll wring their hands and write a report AFTER something awful has happened but not before.

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Greyhound · 23/04/2014 21:39

Hi Boch - I would love to move, but we can't really. We are currently within walking distance of ds's school and his next school. Also, the housing market is comatose here. Most houses, on average, take two years to sell.

It's a bugger :(

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