Just had the police out...

[JamesMcAvoyswife]

Our neighbour called the police earlier today as apparently we were ‘littering’ on our island (we have a collection booked with the council tomorrow). He had called out of the window to us to ask what we were doing, we explained and he slammed the window shut. Couple of hours later the police arrived to a ‘domestic’ (which we haven’t had) and to the fact we’re littering. He’s always trying to push us out of our home (were private renting). He’s done numerous things like talk to our landlord about us, our landlord confirmed he did this with the previous tenant which led to her moving home. Would I be unreadable to go and speak to him? We’ve done nothing wrong yet feel we can’t make any noise etc, we’ve had him banging on our walls to our children playing at 4pm in the living room to which I usually panic and try to keep them quiet but they’re only toddlers. What would you do?

Unreasonable*

Move

@MaliceOrgan

Move

The problem is we don’t have the massive deposits! We paid £3000 to move into here and have had to do a lot of work to make it ‘presentable’. DP works full time and I am on maternity leave.

Don't speak to him. If he did it with the other tenant, then it isn't personal. It will only escalate things. As difficult as it is, you've got to learn to ignore him. He can't do any harm if there's no basis to any of his claims. Keep a diary and if he gets worse, start to report him.

If he keeps doing shit like this then call the police and tell them he’s harassing you

@NoseinBook3

If he keeps doing shit like this then call the police and tell them he’s harassing you

This.

Start keeping a diary of his actions

I am definitely going to start keeping a diary, he’s done several things like throwing litter into our garden, often talks about us to the other neighbours And also has told them we often have the police out (tonight is the first time since moving in three years ago). He’s getting worse as time goes on, when we first moved in we tried to get to know him etc but found him completely rude.

I think it's shocking that the government in the UK do not help with deposits. In Australia we get it all paid as long as you don't earn over a certain (quite high) limit....and then when you move on, the deposit is passed to the next landlord.

How they expect ordinary people to suddenly have 3 grand at hand is beyond me. Usually your old deposit isn't given back till' you've moved out!

OP...call the police on him! The old bastard.

The first thing you do is get 'fuck him' firmly ingrained in your head and stop keeping your children quiet in their own home at a perfectly sociable hour. You have a right to make normal living noise and the worst he can do is make false reports to the police/noise pollution at the council, both of which will quickly realise your neighbour is making malicious reports and no action will be taken against you. You have to change your mindset though OP, stop letting him make you scared to make a sound in your own home, he doesn't have any power over you unless you give it to him by giving a fuck if he complains about you, you're doing nothing wrong.

As pp's advised keep a log. Do not go and interact with him as he'll probably try to call you out on 'trespassing on his property, and threatening him'. Unfortunately some people just get off on a power thing and it sounds like he's trying to flex his imaginary one. Also for some insane reason some folk get pretty weird about the whole 'I pay a mortgage, and you're just renting!'. Which is the road to madness as clearly your landlord could sell to the neighbours from hell and he'd then be truly fucked!

Voted YABU to speaking to him, thinking he might be a neighbour who could reason with given what he been like already.

I would avoid and just smile through gritted teeth at most. Definitely don’t engage. Log everything also speak to your local council environmental dept.

The landlord I wouldn’t be too happy about unless he did prewarn you about neighbour

@FortunesFave

I think it's shocking that the government in the UK do not help with deposits. In Australia we get it all paid as long as you don't earn over a certain (quite high) limit....and then when you move on, the deposit is passed to the next landlord.

How they expect ordinary people to suddenly have 3 grand at hand is beyond me. Usually your old deposit isn't given back till' you've moved out!

OP...call the police on him! The old bastard.

This gives the impression that it is very easy to get a bond loan in Australia. But that is really not the case.

You have to receive ‘centrelink’ which basically means benefits.
It isn’t ‘all paid’. It is a loan.
The rent must be less than 55% of your pre tax income.
You cannot own or part own residential property.
Your income (including benefits) must be below approx £320 per week (single) or £550 per week (couple).
You cannot have any assets worth more than approx £7000.

It is better than nothing but not many people are eligible.

Also, the deposit can be transferred to other landlords but there are (stupid) restrictions on this that vary from state to state. For example, one territory will only transfer a deposit for one property to a property that is owned by the same landlord or managed by the same company.

He reported you for a domestic and littering at the same time? They'll know that's malicious, it's stupid. Good that the landlord is aware, just try to ignore it and stay away from him.

I would post a polite note through their door asking them to cease and desist. I would also suggest a friendly coffee art a neutral place when possible to discuss whatever issue it is that they have with you. If you feel intimidated at any time, call 101 and log it with the police. You should also probably install some security cameras to make sure you have evidence of their behavior and your own for future disputes.

englishroseamongstirishthorns If the guy did the exact same thing to the previous tenants, I doubt the OP has done anything. There's no reasoning with people like this and engaging with him will only add fuel to the fire.

@FortunesFave I’ve never heard of this and I’ve lived in Australia all my life, as a pp said maybe it’s only for welfare recipients? Otherwise you need to be able to afford the bond etc. yourself. I haven’t rented for many years however a friend is looking at the moment & he knows he is up for a small fortune.

Your landlord had a tenant move out because of this man and didn’t inform you? I’d be asking him to help get this resolved. He should have a cease and desist letter drawn up.

Can you call the police for advice and tell them that the neighbour is harassing you. Mention that the landlord had a previous tenant move out because of his anti social behaviour. Start logging his unreasonable behaviour so that you can show it's pattern & it's not a one off incident. It will help strengthen your case if you speak to the police.

Don't engage
Await end of tenancy
Move

Keep a diary of harrassment and every incident.
Go onto council/environmental health website and see what the boundary for noise is. Children playing at 4pm is fine and he can lump it. If he bangs on the wall ignore him.
Check what your contract says wrt noise.
Id get a camera too just to be on the safe side.

As others have said, contact the police about harassment.
My neighbour recently called the police about a load of made up stuff and when they came I pretty much broke down about the campaign they've led against us for the last few years. They advised me if it continues, then i should deem it harassment and call the police. You should also report anything you need to to the council and keep a diary.

Unfortunately I can't do any of these things about my neighbour because I'm moving. Even though she's the renter, it's just quicker to move out myself. We've taken a big loss selling the house because no one wanted to live next door to someone whose garden is like the council dump and who is as rough as they come.

If you can't get him to be more reasonable, I'd seriously consider moving before it affects your mental health. I have a small baby and even if she sneezes, we get banging on the walls and then dance music pounding for hours. This is despite their kids making a ridiculous amount of noise all day. I know the feeling of panic when she makes a noise - just in case it sets the neighbour off. We can't even let her play. Trust me, it will get worse and worse if you don't deal with it properly.

@Punching

I have a mad neighbour too. He got back in his box on the day he found out I wasn’t one bit afraid of him.

Go up to him, tell him he chose the wrong person to mess with, and he can call the police out every day from now until he dies, but you’ll move on your own timescale. Tell him he is a ridiculous buffoon.

Then wave a cheery hello every time you see him. Talk down to him as if he is an idiot.

This.

Bullies don't tend to pick on people they think will stand up for themselves.

Unless you suspect he's actually dangerous, you need to stand up for yourselves. Record him banging on your walls.

Give him as good, or better, than what he gives. Show him two can play that game.

I say this on a lot of threads but please GET SOME CCTV! It can be pretty cheap and easy to install. I have an Amazon Blink XT2 camera that is battery powered and is completely wireless. All it takes is two screws to fix the holder to your outside wall. A little box sits inside the house and records over WiFi. It's motion detecting and picks up sound. It also has the speaker function allowing you to talk through it, (like being able to tell delivery drivers where to leave parcels when they visit) Get one and pay it up through a catalogue of you don't have a spare £80-£100.

A log is a great idea, and having video evidence of him throwing things onto your property etc will only strengthen your case if it comes to it.

Get the wee dick an asbo!