To make a complaint against HA because of constant anti social behaviour from neighbours?

[housinglass]

I have written about the is before but I am at my wit's end with my ongoing situation.

I have lived in my HA house since December 2024 and from day 1 (these are new builds & everyone moved in the same time) two neighbours have literally walked straight onto my driveway from one house to another and walked past my living room window multiple times a day as well as their kids.

They were already friends as prior to moving here and managed to secure a house on the same street by pure luck.

It got really bad that I paid over £300 for some big planters which temporarily stopped all this.

But the kids would/will still ride up and down on their bikes/ scooters the other side but it wasn't right near my living room window.

My neighbour's plants were planted just before my driveway so she often is on my driveway and right near my front door tending to her plants.

I know this isn't her fault as it's the way the houses were designed but it really makes me feel uncomfortable and as if I have no privacy.

The other day her and another neighbour were back and forth on that side of the driveway doing some weeding. She can stick to her own side but for some reason chooses to come over onto my bit.

The planters actually fell during the extreme winds and I have had to move them as they almost fell on my neighbours car.
These are those big trellis planters.

Since the planters have been moved it's all back to square one again.
Convos by my living room window standing on my drive way.

I have told them and the kids so many times that it's my privacy and your standing by my window but it still happens.

I contacted my Housing Officer and she came down and stood outside and told me "well it can happen anywhere, maybe you should try to private rent" and walked off.
All this was captured on my neighbours Ring door bell as she asked me about it.
There was no discretion in her visit to address these issues.

The driveway is allocated to my house and is not a communal area at all.

I spoke to a customer service advisor the other day on the Customer Services number for my HA and she was astonished at what I am experiencing and at the lack of support form my HO.

She advised me to re register back with the Local Authority which I now have done and waiting to hear if I have been accepted.

I really want to make a complaint as my HO has been useless and very rude telling me "well you won't get a move through us".

I know there are more extreme cases than mine but I was a victim of a crime a few years back as I suffer from anxiety and all this just makes me feel on edge all the time.

My neighbour also plays loud music in her garden and she she gets back from clubbing.

When I closed my curtains the other day as one of the neighbours cats ( who I have never even spoken too) was in my bush by my window and literally looking into my house one of my little one's started crying so it affecting my kids as well now.

I want to make a complaint to my HA as I just feel nothing is being done to help me.

It wasn’t written the way you’re explaining it now.

I would have found your problems silly, however, it drives me nuts when my neighbour makes a 3 point turn on the driveway which always involves coming across to our side and right outside our front window. I do think what the heck, that’s a bit rude. But I also know it’s done for safety reasons and that they are very nice people in general, so let it go.

So I understand why it’s frustrating but can you find a positive and drop it. As in the grand scheme of things it isn’t a biggy really. They’re not threatening just not respecting boundaries.

Ffs people, the OP just put the brackets in the wrong place. It isn’t rocket science to understand what she meant.
‘one of the neighbour’s (who I have never even spoken to) cats was in my bush and literally looking into my house …’. There. I’ve fixed it so you can understand.

This has got to be a joke? You’ve been given a lovely, brand new house and you’re scrambling around looking for issues and expecting other people to sort out the fact that you can’t get on with neighbours. They’re doing nothing illegal. Go and buy a detached house with a big garden then you won’t have issues?

I think sometimes in life you have to suck up minor issues and look at the positives. This sort of thing is MINOR compared to some of the scratters you might have been forced to live next door to.

I presumed the cat was sitting on a bush, and that bush was by the window. Hence, the cat was on a bush, looking into the window, and the cat belonged to the neighbour.

Is there a reason why you haven’t put up a fence? Is there a clause in your tenancy agreement saying you need permission? A fence and gate would probably solve the issue

ASB because a cat was looking at you?! 🤣

I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. I don’t think people realise how much “low level” nuisance can wear someone down. It’s not just someone walking past a window; it’s the feeling that your space, privacy and boundaries are being ignored. Over time that can feel really horrible.

The Housing Officer handled it badly. You wanted help and instead was made to feel small and insignificant. I would feel angry too. But, realistically there is no real action the HA can take other than maybe send a letter out which I strongly doubt would make things any better. Focusing your energy on complaining and trying to get the HA to “fix” things might leave you even more drained.

It might help to think about what you can control day to day. Your neighbours sound inconsiderate, and unfortunately they may not change. So maybe the goal becomes protecting your peace as much as possible rather than trying to make them understand. For example, could you look at practical privacy options again, but safer/sturdier than the planters? Frosted window film, blinds, screening, or asking the HA about permitted boundary/privacy measures might be worth exploring.

Emotionally, I wonder whether it might help to draw a mental line at your front door: “Everything beyond this point is annoying, but once I close this door f* the lot of them.” Easier said than done, I know, especially with anxiety, but sometimes having a phrase or boundary in your own head can help stop it taking over your whole day.

If you do want to move, mutual exchange may be the quickest route rather than waiting for the HA or council. Just be cautious and ask lots of questions, because people often want to move for a reason and you don’t want to swap one stressful situation for another.

You had my sympathy a bit until the part about the cat 😂 what the actual heck?

@Onlywayisrainham- Thank you for your kind reply.
It really does get me down and now with the loud music played daily it is like it never ends.

I have already forked out hundreds of pounds on the big planters and paying a handy man to assemble them so it looks as if the next step will be getting blinds and some more shrubs by my bedding area.
I already have pyracanthas.

I know it wouldn't really help my situation but if I didn't have kids I would be literally telling them to F off and kicking off but it would make me feel better.

The housing Officer is awful and I don't see how she got a job working in customer services with her appalling attitude and I have always asked for a new housing officer.

I think my best bet is to rent privately as this has been going for almost 2 years now and with the daily music being played I am at my wits end.

I don't really have money to private rent but I will take on another job and start selling my jewellery etc.

To the people commenting about a car for god sake

I MEANT MY NEIGHBOUR WAS LOOKING THROUGH MY WINDOW LOOKING FOR HER CAT!
NOT THE CAT!!!!

I have sympathy with you over your neighbours walking over your drive, but really it isn't that bad. This poster is right. Anti social behaviour is aggression and violence, or unbearable noise levels or threats of violence. Not neighbours walking past your front window or one of them looking for their cat. I have cats. If one of them escapes, yes, I go into my neighbours front gardens to look for it. I apologise to the neighbour if I see them.

I think the window film is a very good idea for you. You keep the light but also get privacy.

Also, put some planters out that don't have trellis on them so can't get blown over.

Look, you're very lucky to be comfortably housed. Stop waiting for someone else to sort these issues out and do it yourself.

I think that regardless of where you live, you're going to have problems. It's real life. Unless you live in a big house, with private grounds, neighbours will impact on your life.

I'm a bit confused by the layout - can the HA not put a physical boundary around your driveway? A fence or something?

You wrote it poorly. It was very unclear.

When I closed my curtains the other day as one of the neighbours cats ( who I have never even spoken too) was in my bush by my window and literally looking into my house one of my little one's started crying so it affecting my kids as well now.

I can’t really picture this -is it a driveway for a car to park? Is there grass outside your house -can’t you just get a big tub with a tree for by your window or in front of it

It read like you were upset at the cat staring in to your house and scaring the kid. I admit, that bit was quite funny. Sinister bloody cat!

Also, why can't you put the planters back to where they were before the storm tipped them over?

Get a fence built down either side of your driveway and the problem is solved. I had to do this as one nuisance neighbour was tramping through my garden deliberately to destroy my flowers and another man was using my front grass as his dogs personal pooing grass.

Could you swap houses with one of them? Is that a thing?

I thought you said the cat was on a bush, so why was she looking through your window?

Cat was lost. Neighbour was out looking for her cat, in the bush, on the OP's drive/garden.

OP, my child and I live in a brand new HA house and have difficult neighbours but NONE of what you described is anti social behaviour. I’m sorry but it’s just not. I’m not saying it’s not annoying/irritating/unneighbourly behaviour but sadly, due to where the benchmark has to be these days, this doesn’t quite reach it for ASB.
By all means get a private rent but this would be a catastrophically bad decision in the long run. Housing association properties are lifetime tenancies! Private renting (I did it for 19 years), can end at any time should the landlord wish to sell the property - yes, even after the supposed ‘renter’s rights bill’, they can still end a tenancy if they genuinely wish to sell the property. In 19 years of privately renting, I had landlords sell up a total of 8 times. They also (round here at least) always require an income of at least 2.5 x the rent amount AND a guarantor who is 1. A homeowner and 2. Has an income of at least 3 x the rent amount! In many areas (not all, I’m sure), private renting is becoming something purely for the elite! But that’s a different conversation.

Personally I would do what I could to mitigate the issues and try to get past it.
One thing I’d install, is one of those mouse deterrent super-high pitched sound makers as adolescent kids can hear those and they find them uncomfortable. Also helps to keep cats away! I’d also do what PPs suggest and get privacy film and heck, even try to get some big boulders or something equally as large, to put outside your window. Is there room for a cheap old banger to park there, even?! Might end up being the best £200/£300 you’ve ever spent! (If it’s declared SORN with regards to road tax - to declare a car SORN is free if you’re not already aware - and it’s not parked on the road, then it doesn’t need to be insured!)

@MyCottageGarden
Thank you for your reply!
The cheap banger idea seems perfect!

I do drive but don't currently have a car as I wanted to take refresher lessons as it's been 3 years since I last drove.
Was planning on getting a car once I had taken some lessons.

Yes privately renting is very hard and they have a high criteria it seems.
I have rented privately in the past when I was single and passed the affordability checks as it was just me and my income was sufficient for a 1 bed apartment.

Have you got a link for the mouse deterrent by any chance please hun?

I appreciate all the helpful suggestions from posters.

There’s a teenage deterrent near us. My young adult sons can hear it, and possibly my dog, but I can’t.

@Silverbirchleaf Sounds as if it's what I need.
Interesting to know as I have never heard of these.