My neighbour is threatening to report me for “benefit fraud”

[AugustSlippedAwayInto]

I’m currently signed off sick from work after an operation last week. My street is full of gossips (to put it nicely) so the entire street knows why I’m off. Brill.

For full disclosure, the relationship with this neighbour is rocky at best. She’s screamed abuse at me and my family in the street before, she watched everyone from her window and films people walking past very regularly.

I decided that I felt well enough for a short walk yesterday, so my mum came over and offered we went. I think we were out for about half an hour, with a break halfway.

This morning as soon as she’s seen I’m up (lights on, curtains open etc) she’s banging on my door saying she’s contacted my work and “the government” to report that I’m “committing fraud”. I’m talking shouting, banging my door so hard I thought she’d break the glass, slapping the front windows. It’s all on the ring camera.

I’m not on SSP, as I get occupational sick pay, and after my walk I slept for three hours! WIBU to just tell her to do one and to leave me alone?

You’re not getting benefits though?

You are being paid whilst on sick leave

Sounds very like the street my Mum lives in. Everybody knows everyone else. Thank goodness for that, given that my Mum is 92, housebound and 400 miles from me (she and Dad chose to retire to a remote place rather than somewhere closer to my brother or me). It doesn't sound like our street, but we know quite a lot about our neighbours even so.

Definitely report to 101 a friend of mine her neighbour was filming people walking past, including children, screaming abuse, spreading hate and just generally being a nuisance and she was arrested for harassment.

You tell her, "stop bothering me please while I am recovering. If you want to report it, you go ahead."

If she continues to harass you after this, you call the police.

Even if she was to report, nothing is going to happen.

Yes we’re a small town, everyone knows everyone and looks out for each other. I didn’t want my neighbours to panic if they didn’t see me for a few days! Totally normal where I live

Sounds much like my neighbour. If my family come to visit (including babies) she’s out down the path in an instant, filming us, shouting at us etc

Sounds much like my neighbour. If my family come to visit (including babies) she’s out down the path in an instant, filming us, shouting at us etc

Op you’re not receiving benefits

So who is she supposedly planning to report you to?

These same neighbours are the “full of gossips” ones?

Phone 101

Well done for going on a walk which would help to prevent blood clots after an operation.

she sounds utterly bonkers

She sounds so unhinged what do the neighbours think of her they must know what she is like? Report her for harassment might take the police a few days to get to it but they should, and never engage with her again don't speak to her don't look.at her. Hopefully she will stop.

I had a neighbour like this she was absolutely nuts and after the police spoke to her she never bothered me again. I was a council. Tenant and she would go to the council if we had weeds in the garden and that was the.tame stuff.

Well it is because they are all gossiping and know your business.

I'd film her, filming you and shouting.

I've said so many times though, this is normal for where I live. I'm in a small town, we all know each other and look out for each other. We keep an eye on each other and make sure we're all okay, it was lovely during Covid when we all came together to look after one another and get people the help they needed.

One of my neighbours is ex-police and tried to report her this time last year when she had a particularly bad day of screaming abuse in the street, but nothing ever came of it. I think the police take the view that it's more mental health than their remit.

I would scream in her face and make it clear that she never speaks to me again!!

Stop telling anyone your business.

A rather different picture to the one you painted on your Op

My street is full of gossips (to put it nicely)

Now…. We’re like family and it’s wonderful!!

I didn't pass judgment on whether it's a bad thing though, they're all gossips but it's in the small town way.

Goodness, a lot of people seem absolutely determined to pick holes (normal for AIBU, of course). Two things (at least) can be true at once:

1. It's sometimes annoying for people to know all your business and talk to others about it.
2. It's sometimes extremely useful for people to know all your business and take an interest in your welfare.

Well if you don't want to you are just going to have to blank her and let her rant in the street, just shut the door in her face if she comes.

What's this got to do with the original post? Even if the Op had gone up and TOLD the nutter next door about the operation, it STILL doesn't excuse banging on the window,s threatening to contact work and "the Gov" over going for a flaming walk when you're on the sick.

The original thread was about being reported for benefit fraud

so if we are strictly focussing on that , then given the Op is not receiving benefits…. Non issue

If you don’t like them gossiping about your health op

don’t tell them

it really is that simple

Anyway, I can see her stood in her front garden looking right into my living room. Proper wrongun behaviour that!! I might give 101 a call