A shed where the roof has rotted off, a wheely bin full of dog poo, discarded chairs, rotting recycling, stinging nettle bushes. That's what my next door neighbours garden looks like and we have a four foot fence so you can see over from our garden.
We are currently putting our house on the market. The house is owned by my grandparents and my mum (who is giving me her half) and so half the money we make from the sale goes into our new family home. I have complained to the housing association who own next door hundreds of times but they say that it's not a health risk so they're not going to do anything.
Today I spoke to my neighbour and asked her if she could make it look a bit better. I do like her and felt really bad asking her because it felt like I was accusing her of being slovenly. She started crying and said her depression and anxiety made it hard to get motivated to clean. I feel for her, I really do. I often feel like I'm drowning in housework with two small children and work but I still manage to sort my garden out.
I feel torn between carrying on with the housing association, hoping that they come and tidy it or pleading with her to do it. She drives and has a daughter in her twenties living with her who could help and then they could take it to the tip. Alternatively I could offer to help with it but I don't drive so she'd have to take it to the tip. I just feel like I'm going to lose money on the house if it stays like that.