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Irritating neighbours

Sporadic Sparkly

Do you have neighbours who annoy the heck out of you?

Back in the summer, I received an unexpected visit from my council housing officer and one of her colleagues. The reason being that a complaint had been made to the council about the state of my garden. Furthermore, the complainant had also contacted the MP for my area, which had resulted in the MP putting pressure on the council to get their tenant (me) to sort out their neglected and overgrown eyesore of a garden.

My son had been with me when this visit took place. Although the housing officer could not tell us who the complainant was, my son and I were both 99.9% sure that the complainant was a particular neighbour of ours who has a reputation for being a bit of a bully.

Fortunately for me, my local council know that I can struggle physically. It was made clear that if I was perfectly able-bodied, the pressure being applied by the MP would have resulted in the council pursuing the legal route and taking me to court. That said, if I was perfectly able-bodied, it's unlikely that I would have allowed my garden to end up becoming an eyesore.

It wasn't the complaint as such that irked me, but the fact that the complainant had not considered the option of sharing their concerns about my garden with me first. I'm not an unreasonable person, or at least I don't think I am. 

I have what I consider to be a good rapport with the rest of my neighbours, but it seems like this one particular neighbour seems to take great delight in trying to antagonise and intimidate anyone and everyone to get what he wants. As my son said, if the state of my garden was causing the neighbour distress, there was nothing stopping them from going down the neighbourly route and offering to help me get it sorted.

Parents

  • Sorry about this addendum, but I thought of a few more ideas.

    1. could you go back to your MP, with your son, and ask if there is funding, or practical help,  getting the trees cut to manageable level? Anyone is entitled to ask an MP for help - he/she should have considered this, before criticising you.

    2.The MP's office staff might know of other help agencies. Also, try Age Concern - I'm sure other disabled or retired will have overgrown trees  

    3. would any volunteers from your local wildlife trust be able to help - they might have the tools/expertise to cut large branches.

    4. is there a local Men's Shed who might help - or know of a retired local tree surgeon willing to help for a donation?

    5. have you asked the council/HA if they would do the work if you made a donation it [e.g. I paid £200 for the fence, my landlord paid for the rest and the labour].

Reply

  • Sorry about this addendum, but I thought of a few more ideas.

    1. could you go back to your MP, with your son, and ask if there is funding, or practical help,  getting the trees cut to manageable level? Anyone is entitled to ask an MP for help - he/she should have considered this, before criticising you.

    2.The MP's office staff might know of other help agencies. Also, try Age Concern - I'm sure other disabled or retired will have overgrown trees  

    3. would any volunteers from your local wildlife trust be able to help - they might have the tools/expertise to cut large branches.

    4. is there a local Men's Shed who might help - or know of a retired local tree surgeon willing to help for a donation?

    5. have you asked the council/HA if they would do the work if you made a donation it [e.g. I paid £200 for the fence, my landlord paid for the rest and the labour].

Children