Ms Gooner 1

Having a complete nightmare at the moment with my neighbours. Some of you may recall this time last year my next door neighbour doused my garden is something because at the time my dog was utilising the front garden for her "business". Anyway, long and short, i took advice from the police and they had a quiet word and she went to the Environmental Health. As a result of her complaining i often have reminder letters etc about the dogs "business" being cleared away - which with 3 kids - its obviously going to be.

Since last October we'd not spoken until a few months back when we seemed to have turned a corner. But then last week I had another letter from environmental health - this time about the dogs barking! Since that letter was recived i've had a few telephone conversations with the EH and told them that from time to time - my dogs do bark - but its not constantly, not even for more than 10 consecutive barks!!

Anyway EH told her to make a log of barking etc - so i decided to make my own log and to give the reasons for the barking - as they don't bark for nothing. The pattern seems to be that her children keep barking into my garden and thus proviking them .

Now things have gotton worse though and everytime we leave the house - she's curtain twitching - constantly watching our every move. She was caught last night taking pictures of our car and where we've parked? Our other neighbours no long speak to us . We had a skip over the weekend and put outside our house - and i think she's complained about that too?

I know this all sounds totally ridiculous but to make matters worse one of my dogs has started to vomit blood and i can't help but wonder if they have something to do with it? I've taken her to the vets and they can't seem to find the problem - but she wont eat and when she so much as takes a lick of something to eat - up comes puddles of bright red blood!

Stating to feel quite victimised now. We don't play loud music, we don't have party's - just wanna be left alone and not feel watched 24/7.

I know that if i was in a working job and being made to feel like this (like i had no option but to leave), i'd seek legal advice for constructive dismissal. Anyone know if the same applies for where you live? None of us are council tenants - we all own our houses so can't put in for a transfer or "swap". the market isn't there to move (which i'd do in a flash if i could) - but this is really starting effect our daily lives?

Any "constructive" suggestions

Nurse Gladys

Vicki - you have my full & total sympathy - I know exactly how you are feeling - and there seems like there's nothing you can do.

It seems extreme but keep a diary - note EVERYTHING that happens, whether it is taking photos, the dogs being sick or her kids provoking your dogs. Without this information the council & the EH will not be interested & just tell you to keep a diary. It is worth it in the end, however tiresome it seems.

We had a very similar situation - our next door neighbours (who had decorated our house when we got married & were 'friends') turned on us. They started running a minibus & taxi company & would leave diesel minibuses runnig for 15 minutes underneath our bedroom window. We tried to speak to them & be reasonable, but they became the neighbours from hell...............

Coz got a trampoline for her birthday a few years ago - the same day we put it together they started burning plastic in a wheelbarrow beside our fence - the fumes actually made me sick.

During the long hot spell a couple of years ago they lit a bonfire against our fence, the sparks were landing on Coz's playhouse - which was full of hay & sawdust for her rabbits............

The left their dogs to bark constantly, and I mean constantly - for 5 or 6 hours at a time - without a break......

They swore & shouted at the neighbours the other side, left notes on their car & even glued their lock up - the neighbours the other side are a lovely couple & she is in her 90's!!

The woman even pretended to be me & make calls to our business competitors and F'd & blinded down the phone - I ended up writing apology letters trying to explain it hadn't been me, but some twisted individual instead.

Their final stunt was the worst though & it involved the police - it had very serious consequences & made me quite ill. I will not go into details but will say it is horrible how low some people will stoop, and the reason behind all this..........

JEALOUSY - that is all it's down to - whether your house or garden looks nicer than theirs, your car is nicer or whatever, some people can't deal with the fact you work hard for what you have.

In the end, although our neighbours still own the house, they moved out and headed to Norfolk. It came close to me wanting to sell up & go, but I decided why should we be driven out but some mindless morons?

I know this probably doesn't offer much help, but don't let the b******s get to you - if they see they are doing that it will only encourage them. Good luck xx

Shazza

I don't know - but just to throw it out there as a suggestion - could you warn her off with a complaint to the police that she's 'stalking' you by photographing you? Might seem petty but also might be enough to let her know you're onto her?

And as for the dogs - they bark, that's what dogs do and I'd say give the kids a taste of thier own medicine do something to scare the s*** out of them, its halloween soon! (That's just me I'm evil when I want to be!)

Adidas

Perhaps an overt, recordable, CCTV system over your back garden monitoring the dogs would be a start. Thereby showing when they are and aren't barking. Perhaps it 'may' pick up the neighbours annoying the dogs.

If the neigbours kids know there's a camera up there, they won't get the dogs to bark and she won't have anything to complain about.

Either way you can offer it to the EH for viewing

Spec'c'57

iTrader: (1)

we had a camera watching our back garden as we knew next door was coming into the garden, made it noticable tho.

Myles

iTrader: (40)

What the hell is wrong with people? The days of community spirit are well and truly gone. What do they think the net result is going to be, you moving out?
I really feel for you, it must be a desperate situation to be in, but as above, keep a comprehensive diary, and hang them with their own idiocy. The EH are in the unfortunate position where they have to react to every complaint, or be on the end of a complaint themselves. Dont take it too personally.

V4JDMSTi

iTrader: (2)

Go the camera route. They can be had for about £20 now or £50 for colour and sound. Put a small, read tiny, sign up to say that CCTV in operation, in the front window. Otherwise if it ever gets as far as court you may not be able to use it as evidence.

I'd send her a letter telling her that she does not have your permission to take your photograph. Get it sent by recorded delivery so it's signed for. May also help if things get to court.

Personally if it was me I'd accidently let the fence collapse and let the working dogs pay her a visit. But realistically the best way is to do everything by the book.

mikef04

iTrader: (7)

only problem with a camera is, if it points in the direction of your neighbours garden intentionally they can then file against you. The best way is to put it up as high as you can so you can get a better scope of vision. Can get camera's, cabling cheap from the wholesalers as well. If you go for one with sound too.

Ms Gooner 1

This is quite personal. I (speaking for myself LOL) am not an unapproachable person and to think just 2 weeks ago we were out the front watching our kids play together - even offered her a cuppa. Her complaint, according to EH is regarding the working dogs in the kennels at the rear of the garden! As I explained to EH, those dogs are trained to pick up on movement, scents and motion - so if for instance she goes to her shed - they will give a warning bark (to make US aware of someone in the vacinity). Thats it - most amount of barks would be 10-15 in quick succession. The complaint was received because Daren had had a weekend off work - thus the dogs were home. Out the back of our garden, just across the way is a burger van and on a weekend i've heard people myself barking and howling. There is also a fox run that runs behind their kennel (dispite my best efforts to block it) the foxes sometimes disturb the dogs. In addition to her kids literally hanging out of the window and barking - they do, on occasion BARK! EH have said that they would only take matters further if they could prove without reasonable doubt that it was "nuisance barking" - a recent case, they told me, was 800 barks in half hour - they would consider that excessive (me too ) - so i feel that I don't have much to worry about with respect to the dogs barking LOL.

But its the snidy looks, the curtain twitching, the knowledge that your every move is being monitored - like their trying to build some kind of case - but i can't understand what they hope the end result to be? Now my dog is ill too. She doesn't like dogs and i know that - but her persecution of my dogs is more than personal. Our dogs are ourbusiness, our living, our livlihood, they pay the bills etc - so to have them threatened in ANY way - threatens our financial security.

If the other week when she heard the dogs bark - she just said to me "Vik, your dogs were making a racket last night" i'd of apologised and explained that daren was off work etc and the noises make them bark. But because she went straight to EH, i've got everyone breathing down my neck! Its just so not nice!

Ms Gooner 1

I certianly think we will have to get a camera - I'll put it high and aim it at the dogs and MY garden - but obviously sound will be picked up from HER garden and possibly some visual too.

xkellyx

aw what a nasty piece of work she is, really hope she backs of soon xx

madscoob

iTrader: (3)

simple answer to this problem but take all precautions.
gallon of petrol through her letter box at 3am
with box of used matches to follow with note saying please leave this area
make sure you purchase the petrol from outside the surrounding area
typed note saying please leave the neighbourhood
get friend from another area of the country to type it up and post it to you bet you any money estate agents will be round her house before the coppers

matty01

Just go round with a bottle of wine etc as a present and make up if she sees that you are resonable and likable you have a chance , try to make her feel guilty for what she is doing if she should and it sounds like she should, don't give her any reason to feel justified in her actions by bieng offish with her, failing that play her at her own game for a bit...

spannersmc

i totally feel for you i had bad nabours in my last house they were always stressing us out , for exp we put up a new fence and they did like colour so they desided to paint there side and it leaked trough to my freshly painted side while we sitting outside having our lunch , we just put our house on the market so we just had to bite our touges , we had the last laugh we did not tel them we sold so when they got home from work we had gone ,this was was 3 weeks before the property crash , i hope thing work out for you because when you a have stress at work at least you can come home and unwind you cant when you are at home ,best of luck mate we are all thinking off you.