Neighbours fallen out with us

[Ilovewatchingthedrama]

Could I have a bit of perspective on this please?

Our neighbours of many many years installed a high pitched bird scared in their back garden. It drives us crazy and it doesn’t actually stop the pigeons going into their garden. We have asked them a couple of themes if they could turn it off or at least down. When they refused we asked if they could at least leave it off until later in the morning as DD was sleeping in the back bedroom and it was waking her up. That was also met with a refusal. So the weather got nicer again and it meant we couldn’t sit in the back garden or have the patio doors open. We tried one last time but again they refused to turn it off stating what he did in his property was up to him - if only the sound stopped at the boundary that would be fair enough. we made a noise complaint to the council. They got a letter and we got a diary sheet to fill in. One of our other neighbours spoke to them (they are also sick of the noise but not willing to do anything about it) and he told them nothing was going to change. Someone else must have made a complaint as the council guy came out to him and told him to remove it. Neighbour is now chatting shit about us and the easy going relationship we had has gone forever. I know how different noises can be perceived differently by different people but we couldn’t stand that high pitched whining.

was I unreasonable to take whatever steps necessary to allow me to use my garden ?

Why are people still advising the OP on what to do about the scarer? She's said they've taken it down.

OP, I'd recommend cameras in case they do try anything on you/your property. And so what if he's chatting shit about you? He's obviously not a reasonable person. Who cares.

Our former neighbour had one for foxes. Really bloody annoying. And goddam wind chimes but bamboo ones that were even more annoying than the tinkly ones. I asked him nicely to stop using them and he refused. Had to wait for both to just naturally break. It definitely spoilt any relationship we might have had.

Well yes, they do, unless they are totally oblivious to the consequences and think they are above the law. And they should. And if not live through the consequences and then exactly those people will complain to everyone how badly they have been treated.

That’s because not everyone can hear them. We all have different hearing and the older you are the more likely you are to have lost the top frequencies. It may be the neighbours can’t hear it either.

If they are older they might simply not be able to hear it like you do and probably think you've made a fuss about nothing.

If you were being unreasonable, the council would not have told him to remove it

Your neighbour is an idiot. You didn’t have an easy going relationship - if you did, he’d have removed his stupid bird scarer when you told him it was making your life a misery. If you’re worried about repercussions now you could try extending an olive branch but he sounds like the sort to throw it back in your face.

Don’t even question it, you absolutely did the right thing. I can’t imagine why a person would want to scare birds away, they’re lovely!

FFS. I had several disputes with my former neighbour about her large dog over 6 years but I didn't declare anything. [semi detached] and a distance from other households, with garages, large lawns and drive ways.
Her dog was howling it's head off when the buyers came round twice , they weren't bothered as they were both heavy metal fans and said they liked their music loud.

Omg this reminds me of when my parents went to a crappy hotel in Magaluf and as they arrived, the man said “Welcome to Colditz, Stalag 17”
By all accounts, he wasn’t far off…

Yep! Me too. Granted it was my cat coming into their garden, so I do have a bit of sympathy but this alarm thing was horrific. High pitched sonar type sound that was set off by the slightest wind. The sort of noise that will drive you crazy.

I think they’ve got rid of it now though thank god. We asked them to move it away from our fence and they must have done.

YANBU - for the council to issue a removal letter there are multiple hurdles to get through including demonstrating it's a statutory nuisance which is actually pretty hard to do. Most noise complaints don't end up with councils intervening.

It's not simply you wanting to enjoy your garden your neighbour was breaking the environmental protection act (DH is a EHO and deals with a lot hence knowing most never reach the threshold).

Just remind others of the facts above and give the neighbour a wide berth.

These don't make any noise. Send him a link 😊

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scarers-Predator-Protection-Discouraging-Seagulls/dp/B0GVS21H88/ref=sr_1_15?sr=8-15

You were totally reasonable! They’ll just have to get over themselves!

Are these neighbours stone deaf, or do they not go out to their garden at all? It reminds me of the constantly yapping and barking dogs in the neighbours garden. I can never figure out how the owners don't hear them, same for the bird alarm thing. How?

Yep, way to go, OP becomes THAT neighbour and ends up in trouble with the council.
Good idea in your head, but not helpful irl.

Yep, way to go, OP becomes THAT neighbour and ends up in trouble with the council.
Good idea in your head, but not helpful irl.

We had new neighbours a few years ago. Both quite elderly - in their 80’s and very frail. We introduced ourselves and to begin with we got along ok. We’d swap garden plants and ideas, chat, we offered to take them to the garden centre when we were going ourselves, offered to collect groceries/medication etc.
They were both really pleasant and initially very grateful although we did refuse any recompense for fuel but they always paid for any groceries we collected.
Then out of the blue the man turned on my OH for absolutely no reason whatsoever! He threatened him with violence, was swearing and so angry he was almost incoherent!
My OH is really calm and non-confrontational so he just walked away and we haven’t spoken to them since.
They glare and pull faces at our house, they slam their door if they see us in our garden, they light bonfires at any time of day when they know we, and other neighbours, have laundry on the line to dry.
I am at a loss as to why this couple now behave this way as we know we’ve done nothing to warrant being treated like this.
They rent and we own and I’m hoping they move before long as we can’t even go out to clean the car or work in the garden without one of them shouting, slamming around, swearing, or lighting fires! It is truly draining.
There’s nowt as queer as folk!

Sounds as if the 'd' word is setting in as they are elderly. Percieved slights real or imagined, world getting smaller and too much time on their hands so keep talking over stuff and it becomes us againgst the world bat shittery.

Those are not bird scarers they're designed as fox/cat scarers. I have cats but use these because we get foxes (living at the end of next door's garden!) and they terrorise my cats. It's a faff switching them on and off daily but they work and have not had any complaints from neighbours.

Also, the OP wasn't the one who contacted the council...

sorry, I see you did, OP. Oh well. It's resolved now.

Thats good, so the poor cat cannot wee and poo in others gardens, cannot leave hair behind where childrens are alergic to, cannot destroy the plants and veggies and cannot delight herself to a pigeon in front of the children! All pets should be kept in the owner property only! And before anyone jumps in, i do have 1 dog, 1 cat and 1 rabbit but none ever left our property to disturb the neighbours in any way. Some people they decide not to have a pet, and thats ok, but it doesn’t mean you should consider letting your pet roam freely just because some neighbors are nice and respectful

In an urban area, I don't understand it either, the birds are fine as they are but on arable farmland birds aren't welcome as they eat planted seeds.

You were only exercising your legal rights. People are given them for a reason.
It was stupid of them to ignore all the requests. A fake sparrowhawk on a wire would have worked better without upsetting everyone.