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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Neighbour’s ‘booby traps’ and MH

155 replies

scaredneighbour · 31/10/2019 10:22

Not an AIBU, posting here for traffic as I’ve posted briefly about it before in chat under my main name but it got no responses. I’ve never experienced anything like this and am incredibly concerned for my neighbour’s mental state and well-being. I need some advice on what to do next and who to contact. Enviromental health are already involved but I haven’t shown them the ‘booby trap’ yet.

They are an older couple who don’t work or rarely ever leave the house, roughly aged 60-70. I know that they are alcoholics from my neighbour the other side who mentioned they make their own wine and I have seen them stood out in the street with wine glasses, sat out on the front with beers etc during the day on weekdays. Their glass bin is always absolutely full to the brim of wine and beer bottles on collection day. How much they drink is none of my business but I’m just worried for them. They have been aggressive and hostile towards me on a few occasions. Banging on my door and slurring words about ridiculous complaints, e.g. asking me to move my car from outside my own house on a public road because it’s ‘obstructing their view’, about 3yo DD playing quietly in the back garden during day time etc. I’ve only smiled and said hello a few times in passing in the whole 3 years I’ve lived here so there’s nothing to incite their behaviour towards me. I try my best to avoid them as they do terrify me a bit and seem very unpredictable.

They are very paranoid and scared of something or someone. They never have any visitors (I work from home so am in most of the time) so don’t have support, even at Christmas I’ve never seen anyone come near their house. They have 3 cameras on the front of their house, 3 on the back and one pointing down the shared driveway down the back of the terrace. They have multiple security lights that could light a whole football pitch. We live in a nice quiet area and never get any trouble. Most recently though they have added as me and family can only describe as make shift booby traps. I was confused about the glass panels they’ve recently added but then I realised they’ve put them up to hide the main part of the booby trap from me and the council. They were in the front garden when EH turned up about their dog noise so they knew what was going on. They installed the glass panels the day after EH visited. I’ll let the photos explain as I really can’t! Do I contact the police or some sort of charity for older people? I’m currently 6 months pregnant and I do kind of fear for my own safety if they are so paranoid. DH mentioned that if they have all of that security and are that fixated then they could have weapons in the house, even maybe a gun. I honestly don’t know what to do! My house is rented so should I at the very least tell my landlord? The blurry pic shows the booby trap which is a block of wood extended out of the fence with nails sticking directly up outwards so if someone were to put their hand on it getting over the wall it would cut them. It’s shoddy quality as I’ve zoomed in to respect their privacy. As you can tell from the pics they’ve also put huge rocks on top of my wall for some reasonConfused

Neighbour’s ‘booby traps’ and MH
Neighbour’s ‘booby traps’ and MH
OP posts:
ThreeLittleDots · 31/10/2019 10:49

I don't think anything looks illegal or dangerous. Cats are cleverer than that.

AmberDino · 31/10/2019 10:49

You're massively overreacting. What does it matter if it helps them feel safe in their own home? It's likely to only affect someone trying to climb the wall. I don't see how you leapt to the conclusion that they may be housing guns from that - makes you sound far more paranoid than them!

However, them being aggressive is definitely something that I'd be concerned about in your position. Since you're renting it may be less hassle to just move and hope you end up next to someone normal people next time. I think reporting them would only make them more abusive/unreasonable/paranoid than they already are.

TricklBOO · 31/10/2019 10:50

I'm not sure even Skippy the Bush Kangaroo could make that big of a leap from cat spikes to guns.

VanGoghsDog · 31/10/2019 10:51

If you know it is "perfectly illegal" then speak to the police. I'm not sure you're right but the police can tell you and if it is they will go and speak to them.

Don't expect your relationship with your neighbours to be improved any time soon.

I mean, they're obviously a bit bonkers, but I can't see how it affects you really. I also have bonkers neighbours but I just ignore them.

PrincessHoneysuckle · 31/10/2019 10:52

It doesnt affect you though.They are obviously security conscious and even though shouldn't have put the spikes up etc it will probably be a deterrent for burglars which seems to me what they are paranoid about.

VanGoghsDog · 31/10/2019 10:53

OK, so we've sorted out that it's not illegal.

It occurs to me that maybe they put the panels up because they are fed up of you taking photos of their house?

ChardonnaysDistantCousin · 31/10/2019 10:53

This is what I’m concerned about and if this is to stop cats then it’s illegal as rusty nails will injure them.

Well, the alternative is cats killing the birds and shutting all over the place. So of cat owner don’t want their cats to get injured then they can keep them in.

staydazzling · 31/10/2019 10:54

Well, the alternative is cats killing the birds and shutting all over the place. So of cat owner don’t want their cats to get injured then they can keep them in.

Hmm seriously?, its definitely cruel OP.

scaredneighbour · 31/10/2019 10:54

It was a typo, perfectly legal is what it was supposed to say. I don’t think perfectly illegal sounds right! I’m really not bothered about the spikes. I also shouldn’t have to put up with such an unsightly view from my house and I thought you weren’t allowed to add height to your fence, does this not count as added height? What about it being on a boundary too, doesn’t it make it a different situation than if there house was detached as it’s basically almost on my property as their extension extends into my boundary by quite a fair bit

Neighbour’s ‘booby traps’ and MH
OP posts:
MyKingdomForBrie · 31/10/2019 10:55

I think the wooden block is just a makeshift extension of the cat fencing where there's that leap to the gable end. I think you're a bit paranoid about them.

scaredneighbour · 31/10/2019 10:56

Don’t know if the pic from my kitchen window uploaded or not. So unsightly and the house that’s having work done next door to me will struggle to sell if viewers can see that as the wall on the opposite side of my garden is very small in height

Neighbour’s ‘booby traps’ and MH
OP posts:
HowlsMovingBungalow · 31/10/2019 10:58

We have these spikes on our roof - ours are clear plastic and are to stop seagulls nesting ( they are aggressive when they have young gulls ). Don't think they are illegal otherwise half of Devon/Cornwall would be banged up.

Chloemol · 31/10/2019 10:58

It needs reporting to the police as I don’t believe it’s legal and they could be in. trouble. If they are worried about security for some reason then the police could advise them

Perhaps alsoreport to social services who maybe able to provide support?

katewhinesalot · 31/10/2019 10:58

As long as your family or innocent visitors to their property aren't likely to get hurt, I'd leave them to themselves with their paranoia. Anyone up to no good gets what they deserve and if as you say, that's unlikely because of the area, then it's not really a problem anyway.

ThreeLittleDots · 31/10/2019 10:59

I also shouldn’t have to put up with such an unsightly view from my house and I thought you weren’t allowed to add height to your fence

Boundary fences can be up to 2m. I'd install my own 2m wooden fence in front of that wall and forget about it.

AmberDino · 31/10/2019 11:00

Not sure you're in a position to call their garden "unsightly" considering you haven't bothered cleaning/painting/covering up your wall and trimming your grass...

Ginkythefangedhellpigofdoom · 31/10/2019 11:00

I don't understand why this affects you or anyone you know though?

It on their side, the glass panels have hidden the view of it and unless there is a reason why you or someone you know will be climbing up there then it's never going to affect your life.

Gentleness · 31/10/2019 11:00

It looks to me as though they are using the panels and wood to make something on their side of their fence, maybe something to protect something they've installed there. It could be as simple as a water butt, but who knows!

It's sad to think there is nothing you can do to help them, but I suspect they don't reach criteria for any agencies to get involved.

I know this is going to sound patronising, but pregnancy can really mess up your sense of proportion. I used to get terrified my DH was going to crash the car whenever he went out alone. To be fair, he was inexperienced, drove rarely and is not exactly a natural, so there was a seed of justification for my fears. But I had to give myself (or let friends give me) a firm talking to, distract myself and let it pass. It was hard though and I kept an eye on it because too me it was a warning sign. In my last pregnancy, it led to me starting on meds for pnd before the birth, whereas previous pregnancies it had been after. Look after yourself op, you matter.

VanGoghsDog · 31/10/2019 11:00

You're sounding unhinged now.

I also shouldn’t have to put up with such an unsightly view from my house and I thought you weren’t allowed to add height to your fence, does this not count as added height?

You have no right to a view.

Yes you can add height to fences and walls unless there is covenant against it or local planning laws. But, seriously, it's six inches of glass!

It's not possible that their extension goes over your boundary, their extension must be within their boundary, so stop thinking it isn't.

Honestly, you're getting yourself worked up for no reason.

Pick up the piece of wood as it's on your wall and throw it away since you are so worried about the cats that you say don't exist. If you really think a piece of old wood with some nails in is illegal then speak to the police.

Try to forget about them and their antics.

katewhinesalot · 31/10/2019 11:00

If it's unsightly and that's the main objection they yanbu to moan about it but yabu to do anything about it.

Justapatchofgrass · 31/10/2019 11:03

They are an older couple who don’t work or rarely ever leave the house, roughly aged 60-70.

So a typical retired couple?

VanGoghsDog · 31/10/2019 11:04

the house that’s having work done next door to me will struggle to sell if viewers can see that

It just looks like a totally normal, if slightly old, wall. You could help by cleaning up your side with a stiff brush and some soapy water.

viques · 31/10/2019 11:04

I can't help wonder if the glass panels are to protect their privacy from neighbours who keep taking photographs of their back garden and publishing them on an open forum, and who also monitor the contents of their bins and the frequency of their visitors.

VanGoghsDog · 31/10/2019 11:06

@viques

Quite!

scaredneighbour · 31/10/2019 11:06

If a cat was injured by their nails on the wooden block then wouldn’t they be liable to pay the vet bills? Cats kill birds, it’s part and parcel of natural life. But considering the fact they have 7 CCTV cameras and about 5 security lights, I really don’t think this is intended for cats. Yes I may seem paranoid as it’s a little hard to understand from the pics, you’d have to see it in real life and experience their irrational and erratic behaviour first hand to really get the entire picture of it all. But seriously who attaches 2 random frosted glass panels to their fence like that? I can see no real reason other than to hide their contraption from the council visiting me

OP posts: