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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think five cars is fucking ridiculous

191 replies

VividVoltage · 22/02/2022 13:56

Background: New neighbours moved in around a year ago. They are loud, rude, and messy. Loud parties in the summer where they're out in the garden shouting until the small hours, coming home drunk from nights out and spewing all over the street on their way to their door, leaving their rubbish where it lands, whole can of paint spilled on the pavement and just left, the husband was tipping paint and oil down the drains in the street, loud music played outdoors at all hours, and so on. Anyone who complains to their faces gets told to "fuck right off" and then usually gets a follow up doorstep visit from the husband. We live in a nice area and a small street that was quiet until they arrived. Last week we had the fire brigade out to the street because he started a bonfire on the driveway (at 10am) chucked petrol on it and then went off in his car, leaving it to burn on its own. The front garden daytime bonfire is an almost weekly occurrence.

So yes, they're nobs and yes, we have complained about them as have other neighbours.

He's been working on a scrap car in his driveway since they moved in. When he's working on the car he has loud music thumping the entire time, he will go out or go in the house and leave the music going even when he's not there with it. He has tools everywhere, not just on his driveway but scattered all over the pavement too and just leaves them there for days so you have to step around them to get past. He uses various chemicals, spray paint, etc and again they're just left lying around before, during, and after plus they stink. He has power tools going, and so on. And this isn't just in daylight hours, he's out there at 10pm at times. Even when it is daylight hours, explicit rap music at top.volume for 8-10 hours straight is too much (and by explicit I mean sexually explicit language as well as swearing).

This scrap car was then joined by a second scrap car that he is also working on and is side by side with the one one on the driveway.

In addition to this they have three running cars. They drive these like utter dickheads, speeding in the street (it's a 20 zone). The three cars get parked on what used to be the grass verges in the street but are now tyre-churned mud baths where they're ripped all the grass up from parking on them. They don't park considerately on these either and will park wholly on the verge so that two wheels are on the grass verge and two are on the pavement so you have to go on the road to get around them. Or they'll park directly opposite a driveway (narrow street) so that you can't get your car on or off without knocking and asking them to move it.

This morning a third scrap car has been delivered and squashed onto the driveway with its back end hanging out and completely blocking the pavement.

AIBU to make yet another complaint to the council and how do I get them to fucking listen? I know I'm not the only person in the street who has complained and the most they do is send a letter. We know when they receive the letter because he will stand at his door and bellow "fuck you all" and then will blast his music or bang around or set a bonfire like he's punishing us all.

OP posts:
00100001 · 22/02/2022 14:34

Start taking the tools and scratching the cars...

VividVoltage · 22/02/2022 14:35

Ha! Tempting but sadly two wrongs don't make a right.

OP posts:
PriamFarrl · 22/02/2022 14:37

Complain every day.

Do you rent or own? Can you move?

irishfarmer · 22/02/2022 14:40

They sound like neighbours from hell. I really don't know what you can do about them though. Call the police when they are making a noise disturbance late at night? Probably very little you can bar pray they move soon!!

HiDay · 22/02/2022 14:40

Contact the council - there must be terms associated with their tenancy.

Or, I have similar and I'm challenging it through planning infringement as the houses have conditions in the planning application for parking for one car.

Worth investigating.

Leftbutcameback · 22/02/2022 14:50

Any idea about if the cars are their own or for a business?

longtompot · 22/02/2022 14:52

I thought ours were bad enough with 6 cars (only three of them drive) one of which is being taken apart for scrap parts. The revving of the engines just sets my teeth on edge. But they are good neighbours for the most part (they do like to play the same dance music in the summer during their bbqs) so wouldn't say anything. Still winds us up though.

AncientofMuMu · 22/02/2022 14:53

I'd be calling the council for antisocial behaviour and keeping a diary of all the noise etc. and get your other neighbours to do the same.
I'd be ringing the fire service for the bonfires and I'd be ringing the environment agency about the scrap cars/pouring oil down the drains. they have and 0800 incident number that's 24/7

PrincessNutella · 22/02/2022 14:54

OP, I would be grinding my teeth to the nubs with rage if I were you.

Moonface123 · 22/02/2022 14:54

l would have thought a bonfire near so many cars full of petrol is an accident waiting to happen.
My friends neighbour started buying and sekling old cars, he filled his back garden with them and repeatedly had to movr the lot to get another one in or out, so she hsd noise nuisance plus smell of stinky exhausts, she complained to council and he had to find other premises for his cars as it was a health and safety risk.

NotQuiteUsual · 22/02/2022 14:57

I'm not saying stealing is ok. But why are you leaving his tools on the pavement for days? He clearly is offering them for free to neighbours. You might as well take him up on his kindness. Maybe the music is left in purely to demonstrate the player works and he's giving that away too?

I'd check they don't have a ring doorbell or cameras though. Just incase they want to follow up.

caranations · 22/02/2022 14:58

Write to the council tax department and tell them that someone may be running a business from a private house, so should they be paying business rates?

Write to the planning department and ask whether planning permission has been granted for a vehicle repairs business at that address.

Write to your local councillor, your district councillor and your MP.

Contact environmental health and tell them you are concerned that hazardous materials could be being stored on the premises.

Write to the highways department and complain about damage to the grass verges.

If all else fails, anonymously get in touch with the local paper.

Lightning020 · 22/02/2022 14:58

We had a neighbour deal in scrap from his home. He split up from the girlfriend and moved out. People largely own where I live but it hasn't stopped another business operating in scrap cars around the corner. I expect somebody has reported them. It doesnt affect my road but some people are really selfish.

bellac11 · 22/02/2022 15:00

I havent read the whole thread but the council will care and will move them on at some point but it will take time and you have to keep pushing. Chronology of events, recordings of noise (ask for the recording equipment), photos of damage to public areas and keep pushing neighbours to do the same.

RosesAndHellebores · 22/02/2022 15:01

YABU for complaining about the number of cars they have - we have 4.
YANBU for complaining about their anti-social behaviour.

whattodo2019 · 22/02/2022 15:02

Take photos, report everything, ask for a meeting with your local councillor, It is totally i acceptable.

NameChangeCity123 · 22/02/2022 15:02

Definitely get in touch with your local councillor, ours was fantastic in a similar situation. We grouped together as neighbours and kept an evidence log which I would recommend.

Good luck, hope you can get it sorted

Rightyouarelove · 22/02/2022 15:11

Evidence log and report to council’s noise team. They will come and assess and can take action against them I believe.

kidsatuniemptynester · 22/02/2022 15:14

Keep contacting your local councillor to the level of harrassment, and get your fellow neighbours to do the same. This behaviour is completely unacceptable and in places, dangerous.

Shade17 · 22/02/2022 15:16

Nothing wrong with owning a number of cars, the parking, noise, behaviour etc is the issue however. I have 10 cars, they’re all kept indoors.

vixeyann · 22/02/2022 15:16

Report every incident, make yourself a nuisance to the council. Quote their anti-social behaviour charter, speak to your community police officer. Also write to your MP, who will then copy in all the agencies and escalate beyond normal timescales. You need the support of the other residents to make more of an impact. You shouldn't all have to suffer because of these people.

BigSkies22 · 22/02/2022 15:18

Do all of the above. But also, for your own sanity, consider moving. Sometimes life really is too short.

70kid · 22/02/2022 15:19

Start with the basics
They are council Tenants Council hate evicting Tenants it’s extremely hard to do and it’s rarely done
However get the councils tenancy handbook which will be on line and read it
Work out what rules they are breaking and then use this to point out to the council how they aren’t following the rules they have .

Get your MP & local councillor involved mine are excellent and really harass the council which they hate .

Log every incident with the police and get a report number even if the police don’t pay them a visit. log it
Follow up this with the council every single time
They should have an anti social behaviour team - so use it
Videos - cctv will be your friend
Get the local community police involved
Good luck I’m two years down the rd I have a lifetime restraining order against my neighbour and they still haven’t evicted him although he’s not at the property any more

PainterMummy · 22/02/2022 15:20

What a nightmare! I hope someone of the many agencies will actually take action.

I don’t know if they’d be interested, but maybe local newspaper? I’ve seen some “neighbours from hell) type reporting done in the past.

Abouttimemum · 22/02/2022 15:26

Oh I live in a mix street and we go through phases of generally nice families and then total dickheads. I report to the local councillors, and the council, and eventually they get moved on. It does take ages but they have to build up the evidence to be able to shift them. The current house across the street from us has two boards over the upstairs windows and a smashed living room window.
They were fighting in the street on Saturday. I just roll my eyes about it now but it’s quite embarrassing and disruptive sometimes. I don’t know what’s wrong with some people.

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