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Original poster

Threatening letter from neighbour

26 replies

dh85 · 07/08/2016 18:59

My next door neighbour has posted a letter through my door which is accusatory and threatening. They have accused me of contacting social services on seeral occasions, being obsessed with her family and harrasing them over a crying toddler. They have even gone as far as saying I tried to enter their house because I knocked on her door and asked if everything was ok when I could hear their toddler screeching through the walls!! She has also written that they will be contacting legal representation for a restraining order against me for harrassment if my obsession with them does pnt stop! Now, I haven't uttered a word to this girl since the day and hour they moved in (over 3 years ago) and don't even know her name, yet she knows mine? I have heard her partner beating/slapping their toddler and her older son has admitted that his father beats his younger brother 'hard''. One day I could hear him actually beating the toddler and him screaming and crying for it to stop, so I shouted over my back fence for him to stop - that was it, no response, no nothing - until now. Please any advice is gratefully received, I really don't know what to do from here? I haven't acknowledged receiving the letter, or done anything. What should I do??

OP posts:
WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 07/08/2016 19:04

Well they won't know it's you, not unless you're the only neighbour in hesting distance??? Social services don't name their sources. SHe's guessing as you were the one who shouted at him to,stop.

So either ignore the letter or write him a letter back saying you have no idea what he's on about.

And if it wasn't you who contacted SS if you've heard him beating a 2yo please contact SS tomorrow. If someone else has reported another report from a different source could help.

Original poster
dh85 · 07/08/2016 19:08

I guess Im trying to find out if they have any credibility with these accusations legally? I have never spoken to either of them, not one conversation, apart from shouting over the fence last year and knocking the door 2 days ago??

OP posts:
Stevefromstevenage · 07/08/2016 19:12

dh85 if you have not reported them you really should be reporting them every time you hear this going on. It does not sound remotely ok from what you describe do forget about the letter and just focus on your concerns for the children.

smileyhappypeople · 07/08/2016 19:15

Next time you hear him beating his son please phone the police! Never mind ss!
The police will visit immediately and then there will be evidence of beatings!

Missgraeme · 07/08/2016 19:20

Sorry but if it wasn't u who reported them to ss then it should have been!! Someone has and they may need extra witnesses to back up their case. Phone them tomorrow!

JenLindley · 07/08/2016 19:22
Shock

Why on earth have you not reported them for beating the child?

SauvignonBlanche · 07/08/2016 19:26

I don't understand why you didn't call someone when you heard him beating a toddler last year.

alltouchedout · 07/08/2016 19:28

Sounds like someone else has reported them. And I think you should too.

Original poster
dh85 · 07/08/2016 19:46

Ok before everyone gets their 2 cents in, I was in fact the person who reported them to SS. On more than 1 occasion might I add, and things did settle down quite quickly. Though it seems my knocking the door set this letter in motion. It surprises me how quickly people will jump on you on this thing before reading a post correctly!

OP posts:
JenLindley · 07/08/2016 20:12

Hmm seems likes something you would have mentioned in the OP instead of making out their accusations had no basis in fact!

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 07/08/2016 20:14

The OP was posting from the point of view of asking about the letter. So from that point of view it doesn't matter if it was the OP or not who contacted SS, the neighbour has no way of knowing, they just believe it was the OP.

I wasn't sure from the OP if it was them or not who had reported.

FadedRed · 07/08/2016 20:19

So, your neighbour is going to pay a solicitor a lot of money to go to a court of law and ask the judge/magistrate to issue a restraining order against a respectable person, who they claim keeps reporting them to the authorities for beating their children?
Please let me know when that case is going to be heard- should be well worth a day trip Hmm
I think you should treat their threats with the contempt it deserves and continue to report them.

ElsaAintAsColdAsMe · 07/08/2016 20:20

My mother has maliciously called SS on me several times.

It has been 100% proven the calls are malicious.

I enquired about getting something in place to get her to stop.

There was nothing could be done at that point (about 8 calls).

Your neighbour has no proof of other harassment so I would say she has no case.

I would suggest keeping the letter and a diary of any further threats or communication or if you hear or report anything else so you have a record of it in case needed.

(I'm not a legal type person this is just based on my experience)

Original poster
dh85 · 07/08/2016 20:26

I reported them annonymously so it shouldnt matter who reported them, only that they were reported and dealt with. I havent heard anything untoward in a long time except recently when I knocked the door. I intend to ignore this letter, its just the fact that its worded so accusingly and threateningly I feel like I should respond as I am quite annoyed and upset but also worried that they are baiting me for a response to the accusations?

OP posts:
Idefix · 07/08/2016 20:47

Please don't respond to this letter or any others. I doubt that they will be seeking a solicitor, after all what would they say? My neighbour knocked on my door? Hardly an event that needs a restraining order.

Unfortunately it can be a very lonely place when you make a report to ss especially when it is likely to be obvious that it was you who did the reporting I speak from experience.

The only advice I have is to ignore them and to record all events like this letter. Hopefully things will quieten down op.

Stevefromstevenage · 07/08/2016 20:55

forget about the letter and just focus on your concerns for the children

This was my advice up thread it has not changed since your later posts.

I am not sure why you did not include that it was actually you who reported them to SS in the OP. Have you a reason for excluding that? This is a fact in your favour I would have said.

Original poster
dh85 · 07/08/2016 21:03

I didnt say as I thought it shouldnt matter who reported them to SS seeing as my only concern was with the menacing wording and legal threats in the letter

OP posts:
cdtaylornats · 07/08/2016 21:21

Ask for your local community policeman to come round and show them the letter. The mere sight of a policeman visiting you might let them know you have called their bluff.

Dandelionandfizz · 07/08/2016 21:23

Call SS! They are beating a toddler?!

Dandelionandfizz · 07/08/2016 21:24

Sorry. I didn't RTFT Blush sincere apologies.

weaselwords · 07/08/2016 21:31

The letter is to try to get you to shut up and let them beat their child as much as they want to. The accusations are lies. Since you find the letter threatening, I would take it to the police. The person who ends up taking out an injunction will probably be you against them!

RumAppleGinger · 07/08/2016 21:39

I wouldn't reply to their letter. Just be safe in the knowledge that you did the right thing when you reported to SS.

They aren't going to instruct a solicitor or involve the police. They are just trying to silence you.

JackandDiane · 07/08/2016 21:40

i once reported anonymously and was never convinced that it was kept anonymous tbh

TeaBelle · 07/08/2016 21:45

Anonymous calls to social.services are kept anonymous as far as possible, however the information shared often leads to a very small amount of potential reporters

Begum2016 · 07/12/2023 08:36

We hardly have guest in our house. So my wife was talking to them in the front sitting room and others were eating in the dinning room. The guy come starts knocking on the window very hard and wife got scared Coz she couldn't see him(neighbour) time was around 11pm. So he come again at 11.30pm at night knocking the door hardly and my wife had a go at him. So he sent a threat letter calling the police and social as children cry all the time and mentioned on the letter we ain't bringing up our children in good manner including putting them sleep early etc.

It happened frequently as soon they move to my next door but we never care about him knocking the door when it gets a bit louder even before 11pm because out daughter was use to cry a lot when she was baby. We brought this house before him and he moved later me. All my neighbours are great . The guy was banging on the wall to keep volume down several occasions when our daughter was crying at night when she was 1 year old.
Now we got a boy he is 1 year old he doesn't cry much Daughter is 6 years.
We informed the council about the guy neighbour banging on the wall at night several occasions and council asked us before if we want to take any further action that time we said we will not go any further. My other next door said to call police and inform this coz they have a received the same letter agaiis us. Best advice to proceed??