Another awful neighbour one...!

[Skywalkingaway]

Hello 👋🏻

I’m at my wits end with my neighbours, and looking for some advice.

Young (ish) family with 3 children and a dog (that loves to bark at every bloody thing going). Since moving in, they have:

• had parties almost every weekend until the early hours of the morning, with the kids running riot in the garden way past 11pm

• smoke weed constantly

• have drug dealers knocking the door, either doing drop offs or chasing payment

• lifted up the 6ft fence panel and came into my garden to retrieve a ball without asking
• after being asked not to lift my fucking fence panel up, one of the children attempted to climb over my fence

• scream and shout “GIVE US OUR BALL BACK” when their ball comes over - just to add, they didn’t knock the door to let me know so I had no idea their ball had came over

• mum and dad loudly argue every single day, to the point where he will be in the garden screaming “I don’t give a fuck what the neighbours think”

• the children constantly stare when me and DD are in the garden - garden is on a slant so even though the fence is tall they can still see over

• children copy what me and DD say when we’re in the garden

So in a nutshell that’s what they’re like! I genuinely feel like I can’t go into my own garden as they’re always there! I wouldn’t care if they did their own thing, but they (mum and children) always try and get involved/have a nose at what I’m doing...

It’s a HA property, and I know that the dad is not classed as living there. On that basis, they’re definitely committing benefit fraud but surely they’ve committed some kind of council housing fraud too if the mum lied on her application and said she was a single parent.

I’m getting that frustrated that I’m tempted to report them in the hopes that they get evicted. I know how awful that is, and the children don’t deserve to be uprooted like that, but the family are just horrible and have genuinely made my life hell for the past year they’ve been living there.

It’s been so hot today and I’ve been stuck inside with DD because we feel like we can’t go into our own back garden without getting watched constantly and mocked. (We did try, and as soon as we went out the next door kids came out and began jumping on the trampoline and staring at us. They were also shouting at each other and calling each other “fucking dickhead” “prick” etc. They’re all under 10 too!)

Any advice

Just to add, I really don’t want to maliciously report them. I just want to be left alone and be able to enjoy my garden again without feeling like I’m being watched/listened to

This rings a bell. The fence panel lifting thing. Did you start a thread about it that went on and on?

Yes! That was me. I spoke to the mum about it in the end and she said she didn’t know who lifted up the fence panel as she didn’t see, but she’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again. Now the children are trying to climb over my fence to get their ball back even though I’ve told the mum to just knock the door/send me a message!

Report them. That type of behaviour is inexcusable.

Speak to the HA & keep a diary of what happens, how long it lasted, don't be afraid of speaking to them, it is what they are there for.

Report them to the council for noise after 11pm and also for their dog constantly barking. Also keep a noise diary.

Contact the police regarding the drugs, or contact crime stoppers.

Contact the police every time they’re arguing, it could be DV.

Report your concerns to the DWP re benefit fraud.

Buy a parasol or a gazebo so that you don’t have to look at the neighbours, wear headphones or put a radio on so you don’t have to listen to them.

They sound a pain in the backside. I live in a HA house, thankfully our neighbours have been fine so far except a bit nosy but that's normal when you move house I suppose! Thank goodness for a 6ft fence.

@Nat6999

Speak to the HA & keep a diary of what happens, how long it lasted, don't be afraid of speaking to them, it is what they are there for.

yes and any threats of violence toward you or amongst themselves , you can call 101. our local authority has the 'Noise app' you can record whatever you like and its sent direct to person in charhe of that area. Find out if your authority has this. I to have neighbours from hell...

Definitely consider investing in garden panels/parasols for privacy depending on what your garden is like - also maybe some taller plants and trees.
We've had horrible issues with our neighbours and also can't go in the garden so I feel your pain!

Report.
Photograph him there.
Record and make a note of all behaviour.

I cannot imagine this, but I also cannot imagine not reporting the behaviour.

They could care less about you, why are you concerned about them?

Report.

Report them aggressively and constantly everywhere. Its lucky they are HA so they can be moved.

I would also tell them each time they start with noise to shut up, tell the kids to ask properly etc. People like this rely on people not talking back.

Police or crime stoppers for the drugs. Think of the drug supply chain and of the young men who are killed as part of the trade.

Definitely report for the fraud and for the aggressive behaviour. Keep a diary of the incidents.

You are not responsible for those children, their parents are.

How awful OP, we had similar neighbours and ended up moving house because of it, the buggers ended up moving out the week after we had left!
I echo what others have said, record time, date and what has been said/done and report, report, report!! Are you friendly with the people on the other side of them? Could you ask them to do the same?

I’d keep ringing HA and keep a list you can email them weekly as written evidence. Including the info the bloke is living there.

Oh and any audio recordings

Report them and do everything you can to get rid of them. I have had awful neighbours for the last 6 years and it is unbearable. It has literally changed me as a person and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

The problem is that if you don’t report them the issue will never be solved. You’ve been nice and had a word with the mum. The behaviour hadn’t stopped.
Time for a new stance.
Firstly I would definitely report the drug dealings.
Secondly report to HA the behaviour/drugs and if you let it slip he’s living there.......
Thirdly get a parasol or gazebo that you can sit under without being watched. Maybe a tilting one?
Lastly, a note through their door
Dear kids, if your ball comes over into my garden I will only return it at my convenience. (Or state a time ?6pm) Do not attempt to enter into my garden without my permission. This is trespassing.
Regards - the lady next door

When I lived in a HA property about a third of the families were exactly like this.
Several of them were cousins and were automatically a gang. They all had several boys each so were climbing into the garden hundreds of times a week.
The language constantly used turned the air blue.
The HA did nothing except eventually visit one Tuesday morning in term time and report that there were no children in my garden
I moved. It’s the only answer I’m afraid.

I’d report the possible benefit fraud.

I’d also contact the council re the noise.

I think you might be better off befriending the kids. Go into the garden and try and have some sort of more positive interaction with them. They would be more likely to leave you alone then. If you scurry away when you see them then that will encourage them to tease you.

I’d get CCTV and I’d report the drug issues

Good luck, it sounds awful.

Report them

Just report. Someone more deserving will have missed out on that house.

Report them.

Report report report. You have SO much to go on: noise, benefit fraud/housing fraud, drugs, breaking Covid rules. Are you friends with the neighbours on the other side? Could you join forces with them and also get them to report? I bet they are as pissed off as you are!

In the meantime, could you add some trellis and something fast growing to at least curb the balls coming over and the staring?

Keep a diary for the HA, keep complaining to the HA they do evict people. Are they offensive to other neighbours? If so ask them to complain. A friend recently got her anti social HA neighbour moved when the whole culture de sac jointly complained