Hoping to get some practical advice on what to do next and the type of solicitor I might need, if anyone can help?
In short, we (my husband and I) have been subjected to a campaign of harassment by our adjoining neighbours (live in a semi). I can’t go into too much detail as it will be outing but essentially there was a civil issue at the beginning of the year (a fault on their side, which they were adamant was caused by a fault on our side and they wanted us to pay for. Chattered surveyor - paid for by us - and environmental health proved this was not the case) that they got very nasty over. Their behaviour has escalated more and more, including multiple malicious reports to social services. Police have been each time and concluded that there is no issue.
On police advice, we have been ignoring them. I’m frightened of them, my two young children are frightened of them (thumping and shouting at the kids through the walls). We have taken police advice on safety measures, including a personal alarm and CCTV.
Neighbours not happy that they aren’t getting a reaction from us and their behaviour is continuing to escalate. They know that we have reported them to the police for harassment and have increasingly made up lies to say we say we are harassing them. Police were initially supportive but now say that it is a ‘he said, she said’ situation and they can’t do anything unless it turns physical.
Neighbours not happy with my children’s (who are 5 and 3) perfectly normal noise. 3 year old had a tantrum today and they recorded it - then reported me to the police for child abuse. We know this because they then sent a message to my husband telling them the children scream all the time when he is out and the police have assured them they will investigate for abuse from me to the children. They have also said they are engaging a solicitor because we are harassing them.
We are at a loss about what to do now but think it may be time to get a solicitor involved. Does anyone have any advice? Or know what sort of solicitor would deal with this or what we should ask them to do? Thank you - the whole situation is incredibly stressful. Tempted to speak to the estate agent and see whether it’s worth putting the house (even though we love it and thought this would be the house our children would grow up in) on the market, but doubt it’s even sellable thanks to the disputes we’d have to declare. I’m just so worried and sad.