To tell the LL that next time they can involve the courts/police?

[Frequency]

We've had issues with the neighbour making malicious complaints since we moved in around 7 years ago. It seems to go in cycles; she will complain constantly for months and then go quiet for months. I don't know if there is a pattern on her side, e.g, if something is going on in her life, she lashes out at us, or if it is random.

The complaints tend to be the same: our dogs are barking, our garden is attracting rats, we are growing and selling drugs, and strange men are entering and leaving our property at all hours.

Each time we get a nasty letter from the HA (which they claim is standardised and have assured me no police or court action will ever be taken, even though that is what the letters threaten). Each time I allow the LL to inspect the property to check the garden or look for evidence of us running an illegal brothel or selling drugs, or I provide webcam footage of the dogs not barking, and each time the complaint is closed with no further action.

There have been 3 visits in as many weeks this time, and each time I have had to take time out from work to allow the LL access. The stress of the constant threat of police investigations or eviction is having a massive impact on my mental health and relationship with my family.

AIBU to say I will allow them access for one last visit, but after that, they will have to go to court or involve the police if they want to follow up on complaints?

We are being bullied and harassed, and it is being facilitated by the HA. I don't know what else I can do to stop it. I have asked the HA for support in dealing with, and while they are sympathetic, they tell me they have to follow up on all complaints, especially complaints about anti-social behaviour.

ihad similar prob once I started paying half the rent and insisted on the person doing the complaints paying the pother half of the rent as they where so interested in what was going on in my flat lol he complained every-time I left home returned or had people over this worked and stopped the complaints lol had more police visits in that place then I had in my whole life maybe say this is something you are considering

I would put in a counter complaint with the HA about the fact your neighbor is harassing you and using them as a tool to do so.

She is making vexatious complaints. You and they know this because is a pattern and you have been cleared every time. I would write up a timeline and report her to the HA for harassment citing 'repeated vexatious complaints' and say that you will register a complaint against them, the HA, if they continue to visit as it's preventing 'quiet enjoyment' of your home.

Are you certain it is the same neighbour?

If so next time it happens file a harassment case against them and make more work for the HA.

I would contact citizen advice and find out how to go about getting this stopped..

It is never the answer to pay half or no rent/fees that can affect you. I know it appears the one option you have but its not a safe option to use. Communicate and find out how to out communicate the neighbour to make it stop.

Its up to you to report harassment to the police. The HA do have to investigate complaints but will need you to go to the police if you believe you are being harassed. Put in counter allegations to the HA but they will need you to report it to the Police.

They have clearly told you that they are obliged to investigate all complaints, in particular those for antisocial behaviour, so I would begin writing your own complaint letters in response.

Do you know which neighbour is writing the complaints? Write a complaint that they are harassing you - citing that that is antisocial behaviour - by deliberately sending false complaints to the housing association. Put in dates of complaint, date of visit, outcome of visit in each case.

Explain that they are purposely trying to waste your time and money by making you take time off work to deal with the complaint. Ask them to investigate.

For every subsequent complaint, make a complaint of your own. They will soon stop.

I would make a stage one complaint to the HA as well. As others gave said she’s clearly a vexatious complainer given that all of her complaints have been unfounded. Surely the HA should have seen this by now or ask her for evidence. You can also ask for mediation but I’m not sure what good that will do.

ionly went down this route after exhausting the proper channels and got no where fast

We've had mediation arranged before, she never turned up. The HA doesn't tell me which neighbour it is, but we know, as there are other instances of harassment outside of the complaints to the HA.

She has a camera pointed at the front of our house, and if we are out in the garden, she's either standing out in the road watching us or, if we are in the back, leaning out of her window watching us. Until we stopped opening the curtains at the front of the house, she would stand in the road and stare into our house.

The garden is not pretty because we don't feel comfortable using it. It is not to the point where it would attract rats, but there are weeds in the grass, and the garden furniture is all piled up rather than being nicely arranged (because we never use it).

I have complained to the HA about the harassment, and they make sympathetic noises but tell me there is nothing they can do unless we have evidence, they have suggested putting up cameras of our own and have offered to pay for them but they also said they can't really stop her looking out of her window or standing in the road, unless she is making threats towards us. She is entitled to make complaints if she feels there is reason to, and they have to investigate them.

I would actually try to move, idiots like this dont go away

Do NOT do as @Coffeetime25suggests. That’s quick way to an eviction notice.