Neighbour’s ‘booby traps’ and MH

[scaredneighbour]

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 reason

I don't think anyone is using the word paranoid as an insult. And several people have suggested the op see her GP.

If a cat was injured by their nails on the wooden block then wouldn’t they be liable to pay the vet bills?

No. Occupiers don't have a duty of care towards trespassing cats.

There's some arseholes on this thread, people started the Halloween sweeties too early?
OP, YANBU, that looks excessive and all the people saying spikes are totally normal, and that they have razor wire round theirs. WTAF?
I'd be concerned about your neighbours too, coupled with this
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
doesn't sound like it's you with the problem but them.

Yeah, the spikes look totally normal because they are sold as bird deterrents. Wind your neck in, Sweetie!

Wind your neck in, Sweetie!

sorry but that made me laugh!
who's pissed in some of these poster's cornflakes this morning lol
Even if it is a so called bird deterrent they're feckin nasty looking things, don't know how they're allowed as they look dangerous!
Poor birds too!

They are generally used to stop seagulls from nesting on roofs - they can be a fucking pest with all the noise, bird shit and also attacking folk because they are protective over their young. I've seen the anti bird spikes on lots of fences too, I presume to stop pigeons pitching and making a mess. All legal.

I think we've established that the plastic spikes are legal, and that's not what the thread was about AFAIK. I'm not sure about the rusty nails sticking out of the wood block though (or the glass panes above if they're not secured). The problem seems to be that the photo of the wood block doesn't show the nails clearly.

OP I'd avoid the neighbours and, if you can, put something up on your side that will at least prevent anything falling into your garden if that's a risk. They seem to be focussed on protecting their own property.

I’m struggling to understand what your concern is. If you don’t have a cat and you’re not planning to climb over the wall then why do you care if it has spikes on it?

Don't worry about the affect it'll have on your neighbour's house if they try to sell it. That's nothing to do with you.

It wouldn't bother me. It looks tatty but so does the breeze block wall so it's never going to look great to be honest.

Your landlord can have a word if he doesn't like it.

The problem seems to be that the photo of the wood block doesn't show the nails clearly.

But it's in the neighbour's garden, behind the wall and fence. So, how can the OP even see it?

I just don't understand why it's any of her business.

Agree they sound bonkers but you can't stop people being a bit weird.

The banging on the door (or, as we usually call it - knocking on the door) and strange requests are odd but really, not intimidating, surely?

Being asked to move your car - so what? Just ignore them.
My neighbours in a previous house asked me to lop the tops off some trees the opposite side of my garden to their side. I just agreed and never did it. If they had offered to pay I might have considered it.

If the op is genuinely concerned for their health then, as a pp said, pop round and see if they'd like to come round for tea. I have a drinks party every Christmas for all my neighbours, it does make life a bit nicer to be on good terms with them. Though admittedly the unpleasant ones on one side have never attended.

I wish PPs would RTFT, it's a breach of the Highways 1980 act, s.164, to add anything injurious to tops of fences/walls including glass, nails, razor wire, leeks than 2.4m high, Without clear warning notices put up and they haven't nor can.
The Local Authority, EH do need to be told. Also panes of glass that aren't well secured atop a fence are a direct risk to OP and her toddler in windy weather could be dislodged or fall into OPs garden.
There's no question she should report to her local council (think it's Env Health)

The rest of it is some anti social behaviour from a couple who appear to have an alcohol addiction. it wouldn't be unreasonable to report to police if they continue aggressively banging on your door especially if early hours of morning. The police are likely to know them already if they have past history of this. I'd otherwise steer clear of your ndn. Please don't 'invite them round for a chat' !! 😶

I thought those spikes were illegal as they could hurt birds. You're right to be concerned. I'd keep talking to environmental health.

Also (I know this can be hard for lots to understand) just because you rent it's not always easy to just move. Fees and deposit can be out of reach for lots of renters. So they have to stay put. This may not be the case for the op but just remember this please.

Just stay away OP if you think they could be dangerous.
Not easy to do as you live next door.
People who are saying the OP is paranoid is not really helpful. Shes 6 months pregnant and the NDN's have banged on her door before. She's entitled to feel a bit scared and in all honesty if my NDN's had spikes on their fence especially metal ones I'd be concerned too. It's not legal.

I can see why you think it's unsightly, but your side is too.

All you need to do is put up a length of willow fencing (under £100) along that breeze block wall, to the end of the garden and then you won't see it. Cats wont be able to climb it and will be 'saved' (even though there aren't any). To be honest, I think your wall and garden is more unsightly than their fence toppings. As home owners, they're perfectly within their rights to protect their property by putting deterants on the wall/fence and by installing cameras. As for the driking, it's a free world and you can't police other's activities (such as being paranoid) as long as they're not hurting anyone.

Honestly, you need to get a grip or find another house. At least you won't have to sell. Plus, why do you care if your neighbours have trouble selling their house because of what your other neighbours wall looks like?

You sound a little... unhinged. Un-clench OP!

I have a relative that likes smaller birds and is happy for them to be fed but LOATHES bigger ones like pigeons, crows, gulls etc. The relative hates them with a passion and will try and run them off their fence and roof. They're also worried about the larger birds causing damage and have to fork out for repairs.

I could see them putting things on their fence like this to deter them.

OP I think people are being really unkind. I get you are expressing your concerns here so as to make sense of what to do.
I would be worried if this was going on with my next door neighbor too.
I would phone police and ask if there is a community pcso who could check in with them.
I would also contact env mental health as pp have said up post.
I totally get how vulnerable you can feel if living in close proximity to people who are behaving bizarrely.
These things look very makeshift and from your description I doubt they would have the means or the ability to buying guns etc.
I would do the above, then try and put it to one side in my mind.
To answer your question YANBU

I think you should just accept them as quirky and strange and get on with your own life. I feel youre investing way too much time and thought into their life and their choices.

It's really not any of your business, nor your problem & it dosnt affect your life in anyway, so just let them be.

If they are insecure and worried about breaking that's their issue not yours.

Look the other way

It's not illegal as such although if anyone tried to gain access and injured themselves, they could be sued . Frankly as it's not on your side of the wall and you are unlikely to come into contact with it, I would plant some fast growing bamboo to hide the wall and forget about it. They won't, under any legal circumstance, have guns.

If a cat was injured by their spikes etc then they would be liable for the vets bills, but only if it could be proved they caused the injury. It's comes under household insurance. You could try the rspca if you are concerned about animals?

it's a breach of the Highways 1980 act, s.164, to add anything injurious to tops of fences/walls including glass, nails, razor wire, leeks than 2.4m high, Without clear warning notices put up and they haven't nor can.

That law doesn't actually say what you seem to think. Plus it only refers to walls facing a highway (clue is in the name) - this is a wall between two back gardens.

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/66/section/164

if my NDN's had spikes on their fence especially metal ones I'd be concerned too

There aren't any metal spikes on the fence though.

The nails the OP is referring to are in the NDN's own garden on a piece of wood (the 'contraption'), over the wall, which she can only see by hanging out of her bedroom window and zooming in with her camera.

I agree about the glass though - I would ask them to remove that and speak to EH if they do not, as it is a danger.

That's interesting about barbed wire and highways. Some of our land has barbed wire fences alongside the road. It seems to only be an issue if the wire chaises a problem with the highway, so I'm guessing if it broke and the wire was hanging in the road was what it meant.

To me the glass panels look like they're there to stop whatever is coming out of the drain with no down pipe splashing into their property. Glass panels aren't what you'd choose if you wanted to hide something, surely. I don't think their set up makes your garden look any uglier than your breeze block wall personally. I wouldn't be impressed with the spikes as I have cats, but if you haven't I don't see your problem there.

However the way they complain about your daughter and car does sound annoying and I wonder if their behaviour has resulted in you being irritated by them and looking for problems where there aren't massive issues? Quite natural really.

I don't think they're doing anything wrong.

Unless you are planning to fling yourself over the wall in a kamikaze like fashion, I'm not sure how these spikes affect you at all. Plenty of people have made suggestions on how to mask the view, I suggest you pick one and forget about the spikes.