NDN complaint to estate agents

[jaggedpie]

I’m at my wits end with my neighbours and my estate agents. Neighbours - been harassing me for the whole 3 years I’ve been here, they’ve trespassed on my gardens to cut down trees, trespassed onto nearby private land to cut down trees, they generally have an obsession with how the street looks. I’ve had them banging on my door and accosting visitors about my gardens. That’s it they’ve literally only ever moaned at me about my gardens as I am a fairly normal and considerate neighbour. Their loud and aggressive dog went to attack my 3yo DD on the shared access path through the front gardens, didn’t get an apology! Estate agents - never do repairs, left me without heating for a year and a half (had to pay for it to be fixed myself and haven’t been repaid), there are several Category 1 and 2 hazards as identified by a housing officer from the council (nothing has been done in 6 months, EA seem have HO in their pockets as no improvement notice has been enforced).

After all this my estate agents have the audacity to send me a letter threatening me with an order to cut my very small patch of planted grass on my front garden as NDNs have complained. They listed that I have broken the ‘taking care of gardens’ part of the tenancy agreement. Ironically, there is disgusting fly tipping and old furniture in the back garden from before I moved in. Oh and my fence has been broken since before I moved in too so I have no privacy in the garden.

AIBU to think it’s cheeky to force an order on me to cut grass when they too have a lot of stuff to rectify in the property and the gardens? My NDNs and EA are very much aware I have Stage 3 skin cancer and it’s spread to my lymph nodes. I’m also 6 months pregnant! I live alone with my DD and have no immediate help. The grass is slightly overgrown but has no height to it, it’s just a bit bushy and is not intruding on public or neighbours land. It’s also been raining every day since I received the letter so no gardener will do it! It would be nice if my EA were so quick to take action on the repairs in the house. I did have a little chuckle to myself when I received the letter!

Would an injunction/restraining order include complaints like that if direct and indirect contact is banned? I imagine it’s going to be a regular occurrence since grass cutting isn’t my top priority right now. I’ve been thinking about getting one for a year now and it’s for the best now I’m about to have another baby. Things are quite stressful with my health and could really do with them leaving me alone!

Why not just mow it? Tbh it sounds as if they feel you are a nuisance and you dislike them. Why did you not move when there was no heating?

Do you mean lettings agent?

I don’t have the funds to move. I’m in quite a bad way from the cancer and pregnancy mix, as I said it’s not really my priority at the moment. My EA should offer to have the grass mowed as a courtesy since they owe me £150 for the heating being fixed. I will be getting a restraining order against NDNs so they are the nuisances really

It was only cut 2 months ago and it’s not wild, no weeds so I don’t see the issue. There’s literally no height to it so I’m a bit bewildered. To be honest I don’t really want to be out there where my NDNs can come out and harass me

You need to get back on to the Council to sort out the hazards, if they are cat 1 and 2 then they have to issue improvement notices.

A restraining order isn't going to stop the EA sending you warning if you are actually breaching the terms of your tenancy agreement.

You need to put all your issues in writing, to the Council and your EA, cc in your local mp, council leader if necessary.

State that you will get the grass mown once the weather is suitable. Its winter now so mowing it now will last you until next year tbh.

Sorry they are having a go when you least need it. If it's any consolation at all I got a warning for cutting down to waist height a dog rose in the front garden that had sharp thorns and was overhanging into the footpath. They agent told me I had to reinstate it. I laughed and said I would next year. Loopers. The roof was leaking so badly the plaster on the wall was blown, tiles were dripping off the roof and the heating was condemned for emissions, but we never heard back about any of those problems. If you possibly can then move.

I second what LochJessMonster said.

Your NDN sound like people who like to cause trouble for the sake of it!

And LIZS try a bit of bloody compassion! Suffering from cancer AND 6 months pregnant? I’m sure cutting grass is not exactly at the top OP’s priority list!

They know that you have stage 3 cancer, whilst also being 6 months pregnant and are hassling you about mowing a strip of grass? Nobody can offer advice as to how to deal with these people, as you should never try and rationalise irrational behaviour. Don't engage with your neighbours. I would create a paper trail with your letting agents - make sure everything is in writing. Then, you always have the option of threatening to release the story to the press - it's completely appalling.

I hope things improve for you soon, OP. I can't belive how much you are having to cope with alone, without some dumbasses trying to throw their weight around regarding a small area of grass.