I live in a dormitory town in Fife and moved here for work. At that time I was in my mid twenties. The neighbourhood initially seemed quiet. But in short order I discovered two elderly neighbours were spying and reporting to other neighbours. Comments were made about my movements - how late I was up, about the washing on the line etc. I thought fair enough - caring neighbours. At the time there was a neighbourhood watch scheme and a police officer who lived in the street attended. One evening he came to the door and asked if I was having problems with the neighbours. I dd say I had had odd comments about when was I leaving and more sinister - you will never be welcome here. In regards the last comments the neighbours wife had angrily come to my door previously demanding a package that had been delivered - I explained that I had returned this as not at this address - this made her angrier. The husband later told me never to speak to his wife. The police officer told me that he had told the said neighbours and others at the neighbourhood watch meeting that he would not be continuing with the meeting as they were proposing moving me from the neighbourhood - the details he did not go into. There were no neighbourhood watch meetings. He continued to be supportive until he left the following year. However I was told by a neighbour that another neighbour was in the process of leaving the street due to similar harassment and subsequently moved out of town. The leaver felt that the angry wife confrontation was a pretext to cause bad feelings. That neighbour lived opposite the eye of the storm - the angry neighbour and a neighbour and wife who came into money and behaved and continue to behave as little Kings. He continued to be supportive until he left the following year. Other incidents such as the elderly neighbour opposites husband blocking my drive - I needed access as I eventually learned to drive and get a car. This dispute caused a major hiatus with other neighbours being drawn in and eventually involved the local church where they were members. A church official looked into this and explained what was going on in the street and what had been said. Broadly the Little Kings were instigators at causing trouble and that his wife was a 'case'. Also the angry neighbours had been prime movers in causing disaffection, they had a history, and were 'tough nuts' - he was not prepared to get involved and advised me to have nothing to do with these 2 parties. He did work to counter any stories generated to cause bad feeling. His advice to me was to be careful how I dealt with the neighbours as they would react. Subsequently I have felt isolation and been aware of hostility. Much of what I have said was confirmed by a work colleague 5 years ago when I was told while working in the garden that the tenant in the property opposite had had to leave because of the atmosphere. The elderly neighbour had asked me if there was something wrong with the tenant as she had returned a gift given for her child. That tenant told the colleague that my neighbours had been spying on me and had been pretending to be friendly and that a number of neighbours did not know how I put up with things. They wondered what they would try next and that over the time here I have been accused of being an alcoholic, a drug addict, mentally Ill - a long running slander that I am a paedophile which was a surprise to my partner - and most recently that I abuse my wife - which is fair enough if this happens during arguments. I like to call these neighbour types useful idiots or flying monkeys. Thankfully we have seen the light and are happier now. Partly this has been due to the acceptance of our unhappy situation and future plans not to be here much longer. Last year a new neighbour moved next door to the angry neighbours and I over heard them telling said new neighbour that we were problem neighbours. My conclusion is that neighbours are like family you can't choose them. Luckily I have had distractions such as work and other interests to take my mind of things. In my case I feel that behavioural issues such as narcissism leading to feelings of superiority and entitlement and lack of empathy has bee a major factor in the events described. Also chronic mental health issues driven by a deep shame and a need to distract from their shame by shaming others is also a major factor. There is one other common factor for the instigators - financially independent and time on their hands. My biggest disappointment is that the majority do not say any thing but act as an audience.
Finally I apologise for using the word neighbour in such an un - neighbourly situation and for the length of this submission.