Neighbours intimidating..

[cookiesandmilk]

Ok, I dared complain to my neighbours when they had a party with about 30 people a couple of weeks ago, they had a sound system and sub base speakers against the fence and it was really loud my furniture was shaking! Partner shouted over to turn it down and they just ignored us. Next thing two men knock my door and try to threaten me and force their way in, the door was pushed into me and I was bruised by the door handle and my keys/keyings that were in the door. Luckily the other man held back the man when he lunged at me (he was very close to me, drunk and spitting as he spoke). My partner phoned 999 and two police vans and four police cars later they had got the party to stop. Police said to ring them if they cause any trouble.

Since then, my summer house in garden has been damaged, an undesirable item thrown in my garden that the Police took away, a part of a dead mouse/bird was on my sons trampoline and then my partner goes to work and was driving and it didn't feel right. All of his wheel nuts on his front wheel had been loosened.

We had just got the letter from Environmental Health to record all the noise in a diary. The police can't do much without 'evidence'. I have cctv of the man that threatened me walking to my door then leaving later but the Police cannot do anything. No one even came to our house when we reported the incident that happened on my partners vehicle. Anyone got any advice?

I watched a programme the other night about neighbours falling out, it ended up them going to court and it was the evidence they collected that helped them, but under no circumstances provoke them. I too have horrible neighbours.... someone will be along soon to give you some advice.

@Takeitonthechin I hope your situation gets better, it's all so stressful! I found out the previous people who lived here had issues so I guess it's an on going thing. Now I have complained it will be difficult to sell so I can't even move not that I want to as I have a lovely house in a nice area. I haven't done anything to provoke them. I feel uncomfortable going in my own garden!

So awful for you.
If the cctv only picked the man walking to you and away again and hasn’t picked up hurting you & someone tampering with the car I can only suggest more cameras or moving the ones you have so they pick up better. Would a ring doorbell have caught the incidents better?
Just bumping so someone else can hopefully help. Horrible situation for you

God they sound unhinged. Can you move house?

How awful for you. Some people are just so selfish . I’m sure if you’ve got other neighbors they’ll also be making complaints etc.

Why aren’t the police doing anything about the assault? You have bruises. Did you take a photo of your injury? Complain to the local police Inspector.

I showed the police the cctv of the man entering my driveway and leaving and it also shows him run out the house when the Police are outside. But there isn't the threat on cctv as it was on my porch. I showed them my bruising but they said they wouldn't be able to identify the man. I am in the process of increasing cameras around my house. I think the neighbours are trying to get us to move but my house is a very good layout for my family and a move would not be practical right now nor financially an option. I have the diary the local council sent foe anti social behaviour and have quite a few entries already. The other neighbours don't have children so the issues of loud noise won't affect them but the previous occupants of my house had issues with them too.

Agree with more cameras , you can also get a camera for your front door that records audio as well. We had one for my granny , it came with a little control console that she had in her front room. My uncle got it off amazon. Also see if you can get a dash cam that is motion triggered so you can get a record of them tampering with the car if they do it again.

the previous occupants of my house had issues with them too

Did they declare this when selling or had they not made any official complaints?

The last people owned the house a year, they lived in it for six months then rented it out and sold it with tenants in. There was no mention of neighbour disputes when I bought the house. I wouldn't have proceeded with the sale! The people before that I got told had lived here for years and moved due to the neighbours! I just don't know what to do!

How awful for you! It’s one thing throwing things over your fence but damaging your car is quite another thing and it needs to be stopped. They have obviously got away with intimidation before so think they can scare you off.

Keep a diary and put up cctv with signs saying it is active. Even a dashcam that records when parked for the car?

Do they own the house or do they rent?

They own the house, they are involved in a lot of illegal activities (other neighbours informed us and it's obvious). I don't think they can move easily as they out up an extension on the boundary line and I never got a party wall notice. They seem to think they can do whatever and are above the law. Things have got worse since lockdown. They used to have different people living in a wooden building at the bottom of the garden but that stopped around lockdown. Be fair that didn't bother us we just want the anti social behaviour to stop!

When I get a chance I will go through more CCTV for evidence but it isn't too clear at night (we have ordered night vision cameras). It is so time consuming especially when trying to homeschool. I can't leave my son unattended as he has additional needs and needs a lot of supervision.

Check they had planning permission.. Shame if it had to come down.

I looked into it and it is the maximum size allowed under permitted development. They also put external insulation on the extension and house that goes a few inches into my driveway. Don't even get me started on the health and safety of the builders, they stood on my gate to do some of the work and I tried to tell them it was unacceptable but they spoke no English.

Cameras. Try putting a dash cam
In your window. Then it can be powered to film 24/7 and u can keep evidence uploaded to pc/dongle. Also diary write down dates times who ( if identifiable) what was said/done. As much description as possible. Environmental health will fit recording equipment to record noise levels etc. I have had HORRIFIC previous neighbours, 3 of them AT THE SAME TIME and we felt so trapped. You have to keep phoning the council, keep phoning the police if appropriate. We ended up moving in the end to a private leasing company before any equipment was fitted. All residents were sent letters basically threatening with ASBOs. This quietened it down at least until we left. Don’t know what happened after that. Good luck. It’s sooo difficult and stressful living in fear and you shouldn’t have to. Take pictures as well if you can if possible. You need to document EVERYTHING. Short of sticking a camcorder in their face! Good luck 💐

@RedOasis, thankyou that's an idea I have a spare dashcam I could put in a window. I'm so sorry to hear u went through a neighbour disput too.
The Council have sent me out a diary to fill in and sent a letter to the neighbours. The police are doing extra patrols too. I have no idea what happens when I send the diary in.

I don’t actually know! I would imagine they use it as evidence of what’s been going on. And depending on amount and type of evidence, then what they can do ie can they be charged? Or warned off? Or prosecuted? Council ( here anyway) can sometimes have powers to impose sort of noise and gathering curfews and things like that. I’ve even heard of police removing music equipment as well. I’m so sorry you’re going through this. It’s such a tough time. Please please tho phone police if you feel threatened at all. I ended up towards the end I moved out for about a week with my 4 month old and stayed with a family member. I just couldn’t take it. I went back to do some decorating in order to sell but I needed that time away. Do you have anyone you have made a ‘bubble’ with at this time? Maybe spend some time out of the house if that’s possible? You just want to shrink away don’t you? And that’s totally not fair or right or just. 🌷