Neighbour keep throwing food scraps on my side

[Polly34]

I recently moved to a nice big house countryside. The plot is about 0.3acres with the fences surrounding by very tall cypresses.so no direct contact between neighbours.as I was walking around the plot one day I saw that one part was full of food scraps. Tomatoes, bread, bananas etc.opposite of that part there is a house. Then I saw a very old lady bending over my part of the fence (technically in my property ) and I asked her what she was doing, she admitted that she leaves in the house and that she is throwing the scraps to feed the birds. I explained to her that first she can’t throwing rubbish in my house and second and most important I have small breed dogs on strict diet and it will be very bad for their health if accidentally eat the scraps.I don’t believe she cares at all because we still finding scraps.she definitely doesn’t leave there alone as it is a big house and a heard a baby crying as well.I have no idea how to handle this.

If she appears to be so old then I would suspect dementia. You need to speak to whoever is living with her and explain that you don't want food scraps thrown into your garden. The other person might not be aware that she's doing it.
As others have said, she may need help.

FGS Don't do this ⬆️

Go and knock on the door and try and talk to any other adults in the house. It sounds like there are other issues at play.

In the meantime if she always throws the food over in the same place, can you place a large container so that the food will just fall directly into it, thus keeping the food safe from your dogs until you remove it. I would be concerned about attracting rats.

Thank you all, I will have a word with the rest of the people that leave at the property and I will try to find a solution.

Did you see that the old lady is between 85-90 and was wearing a nightdress at 5pm, so likely to suffer from dementia?

I'd put everything in a carrier bag, walk round, knock on the door and return it. Hopefully you can speak to whoever else lives there and they can deal with it.

Yes, agree that the lady does sound perhaps confused/not quite fully functioning because you don't need to throw things into someone else's garden to feed the birds. Try chucking it back over, and if that doesn't work, I would go round and see if you can talk to someone else at that address.

Very strange. And it will attract rats etc.

Throw it back. Or dump it on the front door step.

Update us op when you do speak to the other people in the house. I'm curious

She is clearly not all there. Speak to other adults in the house and explain what is happening. If they are reasonable, they will be dismayed and take steps to prevent it happening.
If they are not, then politely return the scraps to them in a carrier bag the next time it happens - hand it to them and say you don't want this stuff in your garden (don't just leave it on the doorstep).
If that doesn't work, get advice from social services (welfare check) or a solicitor as this is causing a nuisance.
Please don't just throw stuff back - it would be upsetting to her if she has dementia or other mental health issues, and counter productive to antagonise the other adults. Stay in the right, so that they cannot claim tit for tat.

Thank you all,so I went and knock on the door. Apparently the only person who leaves in the quite big property is the old lady who is 85 years old and she has dementia as well.the baby I was hearing crying was her daughter’s in law who’s coming and helping her through the week.not much I can do for the time being.

That’s a shame op. Maybe try and catch her daughter in law next time she’s there for a chat. Obviously she can’t stop her chucking food scraps when she isn’t there, but might be handy to keep the lines of communication open, as this lady’s dementia will deteriorate.

Seagulls are nesting nearby, this fledgling gull landed on the apex roof of my single storey kitchen and flew off - hooray hooray - last night after 10 days. I was targeted by the gulls flying at me, my cat, neighbour's dogs and cats were pooed on.

This - as well as rats - is why you don't leave food about. The gulls have been flying low over us since the fledglings hatched.

Dont think I'm being ageist as I'm in my 70's and my neighbour is going to try to help me clean the roof. So @Polly34 I'd have a bin nearby and be cleaning it up

@bellabasset that’s what I’m planning to do.. Every afternoon since I saw her throwing food I’m looking around my garden to see if she has thrown any more scraps. It’s quite difficult though as my plot is surrounded by very tall cypresses. I have to bend under but will continue to do it for the sake of my dogs and because I don’t want to attract rats or foxes.

Our neighbours started; doing this and it attracted rats.

Put broken glass on the fence. Used to do that where I'm from (really rough area) to discourage burglars...

You can send a cease and desist letter and hope that her DIL sees it when she supports with the post.

You can also do a referral as a neighbour to adult care services department that her behaviour is putting her at risk of a hart assume that charge as you have asked her to stop but she continues to throw strange food daily over your fence into your garden and you think she has a mental health problem or memory loss.

They will not be able to discuss her case with you but if you put it in writing to them and email that to them, the social workers will look at it and add it to local intelligence as a potential vulnerable person who's behaviour is becoming strange and anti social. Usually we would talk to GP to ask if they have info that might help understand what's going on and help inform if there needs to be an assessment offer made to the person. Sometimes the Gp will invite someone in or arrange for a proactive nurse or nurse from transformation team (or similar role) to visit the person.

I'm the meantime after the cease and desist if it continues you report to police for harassment. They would make a "is it in public interests decision to prosecute" type decision but if she presents as confused it would result in a police notification to adult social care services which gets more of a reaction that this is problematic. If they find the lady is not confused and knows what she's doing, then the police may take further.

Can you video her doing it or at least he food coming over the fence as evidence- walk up so you get wider info and talk in video -- it is x time in y date and this is happening daily at (our address) over the back is (her) address and one person "name" if you know it lives there ? See if you can ask her why she's throwing food over your fence daily whilst you're there... Send that in to police and adult social care...

Harassment charge
Nor 'hart assume that'
Silly phone

Tell her you've seen rats at the area where she's chucking food and they are moving to her house for more scraps.

You nasty fucker! The lady is very elderly and has dementia.

I don't think she necessarily has dementia! Some old people are arseholes as well y'know. I say this as our neighbour does this, in her own garden thank goodness, but we have a massive problem with rats. She's elderly but by all accounts she's not very nice.

Ah didn't see she has dementia! I'd just pick it up. She obviously isn't doing it to be spiteful

It can be difficult. Sounds like an ex next doors of mine. She appeared dim while taking liberties but wasn’t. Just malicious.
If you want to make sure you remain on good terms you have to make a stand early. Throwing it back is illegal and they could catch you doing it on camera. Best speak to them, be nice, tell them you’ll reluctantly prosecute if it continues as your dogs heath is at risk. It’s the only language bullies understand. If she is causing them just as many problems as she is you then hopefully you could work together-they hide the scraps from her or tell you if they know she’s out there-chucking again🤞

I see OP isn't able to just clear the scraps. So I would inform the Environmental Health Department at the council that an elderly lady, possibly with dementia, is throwing scraps that you're unable to access easily and also report concerns for her welfare to Adult Social Care and the police.