Escalation with neigbbours

[Chefpig]

I have had issues with my neighbours dog barking very frequently throughout the day and into the evening, sometimes waking me up (I have a 5am start if I am in the office). This has been ongoing since August last year.

I have tried to talk to them several times. A few times to the man in the street, to which he acknowledged an issue and was meek but said training had been delayed due to health issues (even though they'd had the dog three years by this point). I also was invited round to see the dog who proceeded to bark at me for 30 minutes straight without stopping with all the excuses in the book to why the dog wasn't trained, including her saying she didn't think the dog was trainable now after three years, despite them having her since she was a pup.

As my last visit to ask them shut the dog up as I was in a very important meeting was a failure in which he was very hostile, said that he was very busy and barged past me, I gave up speaking to them from that moment onwards.

The council got involved in May when I submitted logs. They installed a sound recorder, but the neighbours found out and kept their dog quiet that week and it fell just below the threshold by a small amount.

Now as the barking is frequent and daily without fail, I end up shouting through the walls as speaking to them hasn't worked. My mental health has become so poor to the point I think of ending my life daily. I am on antidepressants and my anxiety has hit the roof. I dread being home, I dread coming home and every bark sets me on edge. I am on edge even before the barking starts waiting for it to start.

Today, after shouting through the walls, the dog has not shut up, bar a short period this afternoon, as a last-ditch effort to save my sanity, I wrote the neighbours a very polite letter and went round to post it and she opened the door. She was really angry and I was very polite and started to say that I didn't come round for an argument, that I just wanted to post the letter and she started shouting at me about how she had spoken to the man at the council, who was lovely and then she started shouting about harassment. I then started to get scared. Was I going to get in trouble for harassment? She also shouted at me about chihuahuas and didn't I know about Chihuahuas? That they bark, that's what they do and that I needed to read up on chihuahuas. She shouted more about harassment. Then talked about how she has surgery for cancer coming up and then as I proceeded to tell her that chihuahua or not, the dog was her responsibility to keep quiet, she slammed the door in my face.

Sooo, as well as the stress of all this, I am now worried I am going to get in trouble for harassment. What makes me especially furious is that for a year, her husband used to strain his neck to look into my window each and every time he walked past. Sounds comical, but not a day went by he didn't do it each time he walked past, which was usually twice a day. I eventually spoke to him about it and he more or less stopped, but the fact she mentioned the word 'harassment' to me makes me so mad. Earlier today, before all this kicked off, I did speak to the council officer as the barking was bad and we spoke about getting another sound recorder installed, I did mention me shouting through the walls and that I was worried about harassment and he said as I am reacting to their noise, it won't be harassment, but I am very worried. I work hard to be able to keep a roof over my head. I also asked him about sending a letter, but he said not to as it could aggravate the situation, but with the time it's taking for the council to do anything, and even then the outcomes don't sound promising to be honest, with my mental health being so bad I was considering harming myself and everything else has failed so far, I decided to send a letter anyway. Even though neighbour was vile tonight, they have kept the dog quiet since our discussion.

For a bit of background, I am a single woman living here. Apart from showering, bathing and watching TV, I don't think I am loud at all. I listen to music with headphones on and listen to the TV low volume.

I am worried about this harassment thing. Can I get in trouble for it?

P.S. there's a poster who seems to get fed up of me posting about my ongoing issues with neighbours. Please don't comment that you're fed up on my post. I know you are but I'm allowed to post and do because I have no RL support with this right now. Thanks.

Your neighbours are arseholes. They are capable of keeping the dog quiet, they just don't choose to most of the time. They would be capable of training it not to bark as well, they're just too lazy/irresponsible etc. It is not your job to read up on chihuahuas FFS. It is their job to read up on dog training. Because they're arseholes, they've upped the ante by talking about harrassment. Don't worry about that. It's just another way to avoid taking responsibility for training the dog.
I think you need to get help urgently from your GP if the stress of all of this is making you think of self harm. Noise that you cannot control is a huge stressor. Put in writing to the council that the stress of this situation is intolerable and put that you are going to your GP because it is pushing you over the edge. Continue to keep a log. Get the sound recording equipment back.
Persistence is key. Don't let the arseholes win. Sending love. You can do it. 🫂

Haven't you already started a thread about this OP?
Edit I note you've said so, apologies.

I really feel for you.
My elderly mother suffered a very similar scenario.
Luckily our local authority was very proactive and as the offending neighbours were council tenants a very stiff letter from the LA solved the problem.
It would probably be childish, but I'd let the arseholes have the benefit of a screaming punk album at around 3 am. Just once even.

Thanks so much for your reply.

They are arseholes. I can't believe they aren't capable of taking responsibility for the issues they're causing and making me out to be the harasser. They're shits and I hope karma is real.

I think I will make a note of things and send it to the council, including the effect on my mental health. My gp put me on anti depressants back in July and I was off work for a month with stress. My council officer seems to reject things very easily so I'm going to send it to him and insist it goes on my file.

My landlord is also going to contact the council. As I'm due sound recording equipment in November anyway which is when I can organise a week off work to record every day, I'm not sure what my neighbour can do by contacting them as the council have their procedures but my landlords are bloody amazing and hopefully their involvement will force the council to take my complaint seriously. The council are telling me that me shouting through the wall can't be classed as harassment yet my neighbour repeatedly shouted that she'd spoken to the council officer today and repeated 'harassment' at me. That scared me. Apart from the shouting between walls and me trying to speak to the neighbour in the street and once when i went round previously, I've done nothing else.

Forgive me but why haven't you moved? You need to protect your health.

I’m sorry that you are going through this OP. I went through similar circumstances and in the end luckily my neighbours moved out. They could feel that the entire street was annoyed with their dog and felt “bullied” 🙄. We did go to the council as it was unbearable.

I hope things improve for you 💐💐

I'm so sorry to hear your mum suffered. It's very stressful. From tomorrow I'll be playing YouTube songs everytime the dog barks so all day likely. Retaliation is needed now.

I only moved in 14 months ago. My tenancy agreement is until February. The neighbours aren't bothered by the letters the council have sent and seem to sweet talk the council officer with tales of their failing health. The reality is they're selfish twats.

Have you seen the guy on either facebook or instagram who connects his iphone to next doors speaker (as he also has idiots living next door). Anyway he posts videos of him connecting to that and blasting out tunes full blast at like 3am. Just an idea op and they wouldnt have a clue who it was…!

seriously tho, noise from inconsiderate nob heads next door is the worst. A little rat dog yapping all day would do my head in too. When i lived in a terraced house my neighbour got a girlfriend and jesus the sounds of them two shagging was ridiculous. Its like i was literally in the room with them. I swear she made ridiculous porn sounds just to get him to finish. Did my head in. When the for sale sign went up, i was so happy!

When im feeling suicidal, its nice I can come here to get it all out of my system because there's no one in real life I can speak to.

If your tenancy is up in feb, perhaps start thinking about somewhere new

Ear plugs and ear defenders until February and then move. Quickest route to escape this issue, even if you shouldn’t have to

Horrible situation but console yourself that you aren't going to be stuck in this situation long term . Start looking for places to move to and check out the area , neighbours too. You probably also need to address your anxiety and suicidal thoughts . It is very worrying that you are reacting this way , but it is understandable.

I will have to move for peace of mind.

Evening.
We're just bobbing on here to say that we're so sorry to hear you're going through this, OP.
We hope you don't mind, but when these threads are flagged to us we like to link to our web-guides, which we hope may be helpful. If you'd like to, please do feel free to take a look at our Mental Health page.
Very best wishes from all at MNHQ

@Chefpig surely you can now end your tenancy with just 2 months notice since Renters Right Act? You could be out by Christmas...

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I feel for you . I suffered the same . The dog was left from 8am till 6pm daily and barked the whole time . . I wrote polite letters twice . I spoke 3 times . I rang rspca , not interested . They moved after two and a half years . There were other huge problems with them and I became unwell . I felt relief when I saw the For Sale sign . Can I suggest if they harass or shout at you , record it every time using your mobile . Do say that you are recording their abuse and use this as evidence , by telling them you are recording protects you I believe . So keep your phone handy . So sorry for you I really am

No, you will not get in trouble for harassment as they are only saying that in retaliation for you complaining. Your formal complaint preceeded any talk of harassment, so it will be completely obvious to anyone that they are just saying that to shut you up. Don't give it a moment's thought.
Do push for the sound metre again and try to ensure it's loud enough this time, if you can impact it at all.

You can give two month's notice and then move. If this is making you suicidal as you say then surely you'd do that?

Invest in some good quality noise cancelling headphones and connect to some music or the tv, or something else that works while you’re working.

I suffered the same. They've just moved out after ten years. It was at times unbearable.

Do they ever let the dog outside? Could always give it a “tasty treat”.

That does sound unbearable. Those arseholes can clearly keep the dog quiet when they want to - but then I wonder what they are doing to the poor thing to shut it up. I honestly do think the only answer is to move when your tenancy is up, if that is remotely possible.