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Victims of crime

neighbour harassment.

34 replies

TB2013 · 01/03/2018 01:13

My neighbour has been constantly harassing me for the last 4 years. We live directly next door to each other so there is literally no escaping him. He bangs on my walls from anytime between 10.30pm night up until 4.30am he will do it every 20-30 minutes or so. It's constantly waking me up then making me late getting up for work and the school run. He also shouts abuse to me and calls me really horrible nasty names. He's reported me to the police many times saying i do drugs in my home. (i absolutely do not do any drugs what's so ever) the police have been round id say at least 20 times in the last 3 years, each and every time they have been lovely and polite and saw for themselves i wasn't a drug nor did i live in a drug den. I actually offered the officers to have a look around my home to show i have nothing to hide. When he realises his game isn't working he goes back to banging the walls. Every room in my house conjoins with his. My living room and his hallway share a wall. Our kitchens share a wall. And my sons bedroom conjoins with his bathroom and my bedroom and his bedroom share a wall and he will literally go around his house banging all our walls so loudly its even knocked a photo frame off my living room wall once. Lately he started putting his hoover on and putting it next to the his hallway wall and it really does sound like its in my room. He did this up until 2.30am then continued banging until 4am. I never did anything to this man and he's just making my life such a misery. I feel like I'm just constantly drained and fed up. I keep my TV really low when my son goes to bed at night and try to make as little noise as possible because i dont want him to know I'm in. I'm constantly on egg shells and my anxiety is through the roof. The police do nothing to help. My housing won't help, I've been bidding for homes for 3 years now and I've never even managed to bag even a single viewing. I just don't know how much more i can take this. I have nobody me and my son can go and stay with we are just stuck here suffering. Does anyone know of any help what's so ever to get help to move, i only work part time and every house i find for rent wants at least £600 rent upfront and £600 deposit. I will never be able to afford that kind of money. I really do need any help or advise anyone can give me to help me. I dont want my son to have to live with this anymore ☹

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Hidingtonothing · 01/03/2018 01:44

Hi OP, that sounds awful, you poor thing Sad When you say the police and housing won't help what have they actually said? I'm guessing housing told you to keep a diary to begin with? What happened when you came to the end of the diary period? Is your NDN under the same housing/landlord? There is stuff they (and the police) can do but ime you have to really push for it and persevere before they will, I guess it's easier for them if they don't have to Angry

Tell us what you can/are comfortable with about what's been done up to now and we'll try and help figure out your next move, you shouldn't have to live like this though Flowers

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TB2013 · 01/03/2018 09:41

The police have always been lovely to me but they will just go into his house and tell him to stop banging. I played them a video recording of the banging at 00.20am and when they went in to speak to him they mentioned the banging to which i clearly heard him say "what banging, i have no idea what you're talking about" to which the police replied "listen mate we've just watched a video recording so don't deny it" all of a sudden he screams at the police saying when the fuck are you going to do something about her taking drugs (again. I do NOT take any sort of drug) and the police officer told him if he bangs on the wall again they will be coming back to lock him up to which he then told them to leave his property. The housing just keep telling me to keep a noise diary and offered mediation which he refused. I just don't know how much more longer i can take this. It happens almost every single night now and its always disrupting mine and my sons sleep, we are constantly sleeping in in the morning's making us late for work and school. I've even been to the doctor over this, explained what's gone on and how its effecting me and he put me on anti depressants but i really feel like i shouldn't have to live like this. I'm constantly on edge in my own home. I feel like I'm a prisoner in my own house. ☹

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TB2013 · 01/03/2018 09:42

Also, the next door neighbour owns his home and i rent mine from a private landlord

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SilverHairedCat · 01/03/2018 09:46

Have you even keeping the diary? You have to do this or no-one can give you the right help.

Owning his home doesn't mean he can't be dealt with.

In relation to a move, start squirrelling any money you can and think about how you can get any help to move. The council collect may be able to assist with this, but you'll need to be doing the noise diary before they can think of anything.

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TB2013 · 01/03/2018 12:36

Yes i have always made note of every incident. Nobody has ever asked to see a copy of it. Any time i ring the council they say when its late and he's banging ring the police and get a log number which i do but then the same thing, nobody asks to see anything or follow up on anything ☹

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SilverHairedCat · 01/03/2018 13:27

Well done on the logging. Call EHO today and ask what's happening with your case. Tell them you have the log, and when would they like to see it. Don't let them fob you off.

Phone the police and ask to speak to someone about the ongoing harassment, and that you want him served with a harassment warning. Again, don't let them fob you off.

If they aren't forthcoming, ask for managers details and ask to make a formal complaint about the handling of the case.

I know it's hard, but take control back and make the buggers act to protect you! Flowers

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Hidingtonothing · 01/03/2018 13:29

Ok, last ditch attempt with the council then, tell them you have the diary ready for them to look at and that you're not prepared to keep going round in circles with it, they need to act. If that doesn't work I'm wondering if your MP could help, do some googling and find an email address for them, I'm happy to help you word it if you struggle with stuff like that. It may well be worth attending their surgery too, you'd be amazed what the council/police can suddenly manage to do with an MP's foot up their arse Grin

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catfishsally · 02/03/2018 00:24

my niece is going through this and I went through it 5 years ago let me tell you something the victim is never believed
record him banging on the wall just as back up and keep a diary but I am warning you he will start to make up complaints to destroy your character

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TB2013 · 02/03/2018 01:04

He has made up many lies to the police about me. He's said i have plus house parties which for most 26 year olds might be normal but that's not me. I've been brought up to keep your home private. I honestly don't even have visitors besides my sons father. He's told the police I've threatened him, had people outside to intimidate him, i even heard them tell the police once that i dont care about my child. Even though i knew it wasn't true it absolutely broke my heart i love my son more than life and i would Lay down my own for him but for someone to be so cruel and say something like that i just don't know why he would do that.

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TB2013 · 02/03/2018 01:09

Oh and also, the whole time I've lived here I've never seen him have any friends or family round, once a year around June a man in a jeep picks him up and drops him back off a few hours later and on Christmas eve he will pick him and drop him back off Christmas day. Beside these two occasions this is the only time I've seen this man interact with anyone but when the man picks him up he just knocks on the door and goes back to his car then my neighbour comes out and gets in the car. I've never ever seen anyone step foot in his house. He very rarely leaves his house, he made a habit of slamming his door when he leaves and i only hear him go out maybe once every 2-3 weeks for about an hour. Has anyone ever heard of this type of behaviour before?

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Jon66 · 02/03/2018 01:19

Write to environmental health. Get a copy made of the diary and enclose it with the letter. Give details in the letter as you have here and the effect it's having on you. If you have no response, write again with the details again and give them in the letter 8 weeks to thoroughly investigate and come up with a plan of action. hand deliver the letter, obtain a receipt from the council office reception. If you do not get the matter resolved or at least some action from the council to your satisfaction, follow the complaints process. Make it clear you will be following up with a complaint to the local government ombudsm an. Really important you write, not phone as you then have evidence and a paper trail I will guarantee if you follow this course of action you will get an appropriate response and some action. It needs escalating and this is the way to do it. Hope this helps. You don't have to put up with this bullying behaviour.

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Hidingtonothing · 02/03/2018 01:24

You're wasting your time trying to work him out OP, he's obviously a very twisted individual and I doubt it's anything you've done, he just hates the world in all likelihood. You said yourself the police have never found any evidence of the things he accuses you of and I would imagine they have the measure of him by now, it must be completely obvious what kind of person he is.

Again I would have one, last ditch attempt to get them to act. Tell them you want to report him for harassment (rather than noise nuisance specifically) and have as much evidence (a log of events, any recordings etc) together as possible. Explain that you don't feel you're being listened to and that he's making your life unbearable, I might even mention that your MP will have to be your next step if you don't get a reasonable response.

I hope this doesn't sound harsh but it's time to stand up for yourself and DD and push the relevant authorities to take action, the powers and procedures are there for them to use but it seems to take more and more to get them to use them these days, probably largely due to lack of funding sadly. Time to fight back though OP, we'll be here to support you if it helps Flowers

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TB2013 · 02/03/2018 01:38

Thank you all so much this is the best advice I've been given these last 4 years. And can i just say that I'm new to all this so can you Tel me what things like DD and OP etc stands for as i haven't got a clue 😂

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Bexter801 · 02/03/2018 02:08

Have you tried for a discretionary housing payment? Ps,I've had to Google what ds,dc,etc,stand for(didn't want to seem uncool,lol)

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user1497863568 · 02/03/2018 03:15

How old is he?

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Hidingtonothing · 02/03/2018 04:23

Sorry OP (original poster) DD is dear daughter, DS dear son, DH dear husband and so on Smile There's a list here www.mumsnet.com/info/acronyms if you come across any more you don't know. Welcome aboard btw (by the way) Grin

I'm glad you're finding the thread useful, sometimes you need an outside perspective before you can see a way forward and a bit of support is never a bad thing. Keep posting, whenever you need to and shout up if you decide to write to your MP or anything and want any help, writing letters is about the only thing I'm actually good at Blush Hope your arsehole NDN has been reasonably quiet tonight and you've managed some sleep Flowers

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womanformallyknownaswoman · 02/03/2018 04:46

Someone I know was in a similar situation and gave up - different country but the process sounds the same. The police come, knew the harasser (a female) was lying, friend kept diary, housing and police did nothing. Options were going to court to get restraining order (but friend already knew that this type get off on a fight and would keep her bogged down in legal hell, and was as a serial offender).

You've got a psychopath on your hands - diagnosed or not - they don't mediate or act reasonably. The only suggestions I have are to firstly call the local mental health team and ask them if they know of him and can they visit him - but sounds like if he refuses intervention they will probably not be able to do anything. But check on that. He does need sectioning but they probably don't have the space and money to take him on.

The other is to ring the stalking help line - and Palladin - cos thats what he is doing - he's stalking and harassing you - see if they have any more suggestions. There wasn't such a service where friend was and she moved out and relocated - no justice. Caused hell of a lot of disruption but she had to do it for her sanity - that's what these type do - it was hers that was at risk and neighbour wouldn't/won't stop - they escalate and are unrelenting

Sad to give you the bad news - there's no upside unless the police decide to prosecute him and then your safety would be at risk nonetheless

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Jux · 03/03/2018 00:33

OP - Opening/Original Poster, also opening post
DD - dear daughter
DS- dear son

And so on. There an acronym page here: www.mumsnet.com/info/acronyms

Welcome! I hope you get this horrid aituation sorted. Don't be shy about being pushy over it. Good luck.

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Jux · 03/03/2018 00:35

Aaargh! I must stop getting threads up on tabs, leaving them there for hours, posting and then discovering that I'm days behind! BlushGrin

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Hidingtonothing · 03/03/2018 00:41

I'm always doing it Jux, great minds anyway Grin

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gluteustothemaximus · 03/03/2018 00:45

Jesus OP. This is horrendous!!

Try the Suzy Lamplugh website too. It's a stalking and harassment organisation.

Not surprised at the Police. What a terrible way for you both to live Sad

Anyway you can get more work? Friends or family to borrow money? Your son's father, can he help? Surely he can't want his son living like this.

Good luck OP Flowers

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TB2013 · 06/03/2018 00:34

He’s back at it again now. 12.30 he started banging my living room wall then he went upstairs and started on my bedroom wall. Literally just sat here drained. No point calling the police as they will take about 4 days to even show up. I feel like I’m slipping into depression. How can someone have such a hold like this over my life? I’m tired, I’m emotionally drained, I’m upset, angry and fed up 😔

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Jon66 · 06/03/2018 23:53

Record it on your phone and keep the diary. Have you contacted EH?

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TB2013 · 07/03/2018 10:02

I do record it. I used to do voice recordings but the police told me to do video recordings. And what does EH mean. I’m new to this haha

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Jux · 07/03/2018 15:16

Environmental Health. Look up your Council site, and should at least find a phone number for the switchboard there, but you'll probably find a direct line to EH if you dig about a bit.

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