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?

The landlord can't possibly be happy about this - he's already lost one tenant and now a second tenant is at risk. I'd be speaking to him.

But either way, you are NOT in fact doing anything wrong so, hard though it is, you need to ignore him. You are allowed to have your children playing in the house - ignore his banging or bang back. You were not littering. The police will be annoyed at being called out for what is clearly a spurious claim.

Also agree with others re the bully thing. We have a neighbour up the road who had a habit of parking so that his car was partly blocking our driveway. It was annoying. On a cold, snowy day he pulled up as I was standing, heavily pregnant by the window. I opened the window and asked him to please move his car as he was blocking our driveway. To which he retorted, "Oh, are you such a bad driver you can't get out around me." I snapped back "I'm perfectly capable, but I don't want to. So please move your car as that's my driveway". (I was so much better at this when I was pregnant). He has never once parked there again. I think he just thought he could intimidate me and I'd take it.

You need to perfect your scary face. You won't resolve this by appealing to his better nature if he doesnt have one. Don't stop your kids playing at 4pm, if it isn't screaming and shouting, it's normal kids stuff. He has no valid complaint there. Next time he asks what you're doing, ignore him. Being nice got you nowhere this time. It's none of his business. Yes to keeping a diary, and yes to escalating this to police/council when necessary.

He sounds like a fucking nightmare and I’m sorry you have to deal with him. It’s such a shame that otherwise nice houses and areas are tainted by miserable bastards who have nothing else in their small lives.

@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.

The police will then have to deal with him

What would you do?

I’d go in hard with a cease and desist letter advising that any further harassment from him will result in harassment charges.

I am usually one for keeping peace with neighbours at all costs, and I avoid confrontation as much as possible. But in this case he is a bully and I agree you need to stand up to him. Go around and tell him in no uncertain terms you won't put up with it and to leave you the f alone.

Plus the list, cctv, ring doorbell and speaking with your landlord.

@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.

Paid with whose money? Bit confused.

@JackieWeaverIsTheAuthority

What would you do?

I’d go in hard with a cease and desist letter advising that any further harassment from him will result in harassment charges.

I'd do this.

If you haven’t already start keeping a record of every single time this neighbour contacts you and what it is regarding. Him calling the police on you and them showing up to find that he’s basically a liar is sort of helpful in a way- outsiders have seen for themselves that he’s the problem and have a record of that. Don’t engage with him- no matter how polite and calm you are if you speak to him he’s going to twist that completely and probably call the police again.

Dont speak to him he's a loon. Do as advised above and don't respond to him at all.

Then wave a cheery hello every time you see him

do this

he's got a problem - don't allow him to share his problem with you

if he complains just smile and say of course I understand you're not happy...then walk away

don't allow him to give you his problems

don't shout or get annoyed

today he called the police - they will have his number, so to speak if he keeps doing this

your landlord won't want to keep having to relet his rental property so don't think he's going to be on this chaps side if he scared his last tenants away

@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 is what to do. Your neighbour is a successful, experienced bully. You'll have to really stand up to him. You cant reason with him.

rental deposits are usually/often 5 weeks rental money

We had a neighbour like this.

We explained the situation to the police and kept a basic log of what happened. We did not engage with him. It turned out he had done it to every tenant in that house.They eventually prosecuted him for wasting police time and he had to move.

@NoseinBook3

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

This.

You also need to get your Landlord to confirm to the Police that the neighbour had a history of harassing behaviour.

What a wanker. Did you explain to the police he is a nuisance neighbour and his history with previous tenant?

Hopefully you explained to the police. Keep a record. Perhaps get CCTV - people have it on the door bell and then just do not engage with him at all. A lot of these people just want attention so ignoring them completely is best.

I would contact the Police on 101, say that this is an ongoing issue if harrassment as the individual made false complaints against the previous tenant, ask them to log it in case to avoid him wasting police time and then suggest that if he does complain they should look into a caution for wasting police time.
Otherwise if you can afford to, a friend of mine had awful issues with a neighbour, I think they were just bored and took offence to anyone with a life. I had similar a few years back and I didn't get a lot of help from anyone. My friend remembered that and in the end she applied and successfully had a non-molestation order placed on the neighbor, she said being a single female with a young child she found his constant lies and complaints threatening and harrassment. She filmed him shouting out his window at her and her child because he found a paddling pool offensive. He shut up after that.

I would log everything and, if it continues, report him to the police for harrassment. There is more info on the citizens advice bureau website:

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/discrimination/taking-action-about-discrimination/taking-action-about-harassment/

we’ve had him banging on our walls to our children playing at 4pm in the living room
Complain to your landlord in writing about the noise caused by him banging on the walls.
Let the police deal with the rest.

Incidentally rental deposits are now (from July 19) legally capped at 6 weeks rent, and many of the fees that agents used to charge are now illegal. You may find it a little cheaper to move than you are anticipating.

Just tell him to fuck off

Record any interaction he tries to have with you, do your best to just ignore him, speak to your LL who might contact the police on your behalf saying he is concerned you are being harassed, you have a vulnerable baby, this happened before with another tenant.

If he’s shouting out of the window, & banging on the walls, he probably ain’t got the guts to face up to you. I’d’ve either ignored him & made him look like the twat that he is, or told the nosy cunt to fuck off & mind his own biz. When he knocks again, knock back, or go round, although he probably won’t even open the door.

How does he behave around your dh, does he shout at him or just picks on you,