Neighbours, what would you do?

woof woof

woof woof

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We've got some new neighbours and so far things have been ok and even friendly which is a relief as we had years of trouble with the neighbours on the other side mostly over their feral children and the fathers drunken antics. Anyway, to set the scene. We had a boundary fence with the neighbours on the other side, maybe 4ft high down the drive. A couple of weeks ago the neighbours and her dad knocked on the door and asked me if I'd mind if they put up a 6ft fence on their side of the existing boundary fence. I don't care and said so and wished them well but as I have three cars, one in the garage and two in the drive, I asked them to let me know when they wanted to start work and I'd move the cars out of the way just in case.

Time passed and on Saturday Mrs WW spotted them cutting wood in the back garden so out I popped and asked if I should move the cars. Dad replied that he was just getting ready and wouldn't be doing any work on the fence that day. "OK" says me "Just let me know when you want to start and I'll move the cars." I then went inside to watch the footie and enjoy our day. I suppose you can guess what happened next.

He managed to put a 6 inch scratch on my Evoque and had then reached over and tried to wipe away the evidence leaving the scratch and a wiggly dirty cloth mark. He also managed to cover my Evoque and Hyundai bonnets and passenger sides with grey paint splashes ranging from half an inch blobs and inch runs to spots. To say I was livid is an understatement. Mrs WW was the voice of reason and didn't want me to say anything as we've had enough grief with the people on the other side over the years over their feral kids and drunken antics.

I had to T Cut the worst off and wash them both and I'll get both valeted and buffed but I was just so angry especially as I made a point of repeatedly asking them to let me know when they wanted to do the work and I'd move the cars.

There's always something. What would you have done? Keep quiet to keep the peace?
 
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Not sure.......but during those "let me know when I should move my cars" I might have said in a humorous jokey sort of way "make sure to let me know because if I see any damage I will send you the bill...."

On a side note what does the property deeds say about the allowed fence heights?
NB typically constraints apply only for outer boundaries i.e. where private property meets the public/council land.
 
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Box Brownie said:
Not sure.......but during those "let me know when I should move my cars" I might have said in a humorous jokey sort of way "make sure to let me know because if I see any damage I will send you the bill...."

On a side note what does the property deeds say about the allowed fence heights?
NB typically constraints apply only for outer boundaries i.e. where private property meets the public/council land.
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I don't know but I think the only complaint we could raise would be over any loss of light. Without getting my compass out I guess we face roughly south west with the fence being roughly to the north side so light isn't really an issue plus Mrs WW was overjoyed as she likes the idea of having greater privacy in our back garden.

The only thing that's annoyed me is the scratch and paint splashes despite making it clear that I'd move the cars on request.

Apart from privacy for Mrs WW in our back garden another plus is that we don't have to see next doors live in boyfriend with his backside out as stands in their back garden peeing onto their back lawn. Why he walks into the garden to pee I don't know. Why oh why not just go upstairs to bathroom or if it's not useable use a bucket in the house? How the other half live.
 
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woof woof said:
We've got some new neighbours and so far things have been ok and even friendly which is a relief as we had years of trouble with the neighbours on the other side mostly over their feral children and the fathers drunken antics. Anyway, to set the scene. We had a boundary fence with the neighbours on the other side, maybe 4ft high down the drive. A couple of weeks ago the neighbours and her dad knocked on the door and asked me if I'd mind if they put up a 6ft fence on their side of the existing boundary fence. I don't care and said so and wished them well but as I have three cars, one in the garage and two in the drive, I asked them to let me know when they wanted to start work and I'd move the cars out of the way just in case.

Time passed and on Saturday Mrs WW spotted them cutting wood in the back garden so out I popped and asked if I should move the cars. Dad replied that he was just getting ready and wouldn't be doing any work on the fence that day. "OK" says me "Just let me know when you want to start and I'll move the cars." I then went inside to watch the footie and enjoy our day. I suppose you can guess what happened next.

He managed to put a 6 inch scratch on my Evoque and had then reached over and tried to wipe away the evidence leaving the scratch and a wiggly dirty cloth mark. He also managed to cover my Evoque and Hyundai bonnets and passenger sides with grey paint splashes ranging from half an inch blobs and inch runs to spots. To say I was livid is an understatement. Mrs WW was the voice of reason and didn't want me to say anything as we've had enough grief with the people on the other side over the years over their feral kids and drunken antics.

I had to T Cut the worst off and wash them both and I'll get both valeted and buffed but I was just so angry especially as I made a point of repeatedly asking them to let me know when they wanted to do the work and I'd move the cars.

There's always something. What would you have done? Keep quiet to keep the piece?
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What would I have done:
  1. I would have moved my cars as soon as he started work.
  2. I would have photographed the damage.
  3. I would not have destroyed the evidence before knowing what my legal rights were.
 
woof woof said:
I don't know but I think the only complaint we could raise would be over any loss of light. Without getting my compass out I guess we face roughly south west with the fence being roughly to the north side so light isn't really an issue plus Mrs WW was overjoyed as she likes the idea of having greater privacy in our back garden.

The only thing that's annoyed me is the scratch and paint splashes despite making it clear that I'd move the cars on request.

Apart from privacy for Mrs WW in our back garden another plus is that we don't have to see next doors live in boyfriend with his backside out as stands in their back garden peeing onto their back lawn. Why he walks into the garden to pee I don't know. Why oh why not just go upstairs to bathroom or if it's not useable use a bucket in the house? How the other half live.
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I would have confronted him immediately about the damage to the car, because if you don't, then it will escalate, because he will see you as a soft touch. Some people are just nasty.
 
Technically, it's criminal damage but how far down that rabbit hole to go is another thing.

I'd start keeping a log with dates, times etc, of any unpleasant goings on. Make it known to a few pals that you're doing so, once word gets back to an errant neighbour that you're doing so, they usually start behaving more pleasantly. This is the real clever part of a log, logs rarely go official because of this.

I had to do it many years ago for my parents (long story) the people involved did give up in the end and moved away, although that was a completely different situation to yours but the log was effective, even if it took some time.

Keep yourself right and don't make any knee jerk reactions as that could well end up with you getting your collar felt, these things have a funny way of turning out that like that.

:)
 
The reason for not talking to him was that Mrs WW is nervous of us ending up with two problems, one on each side, and I can see that.

I'll get them valleted and probably buffed too. The Evoque is worth more than the Hyundai Getz but TBH the Getz means a lot to me as it was my mams last car which she signed over to me when she gave up driving and she is gone now. Any paint damage on the Evoque probably wont matter as Mrs has given permission for me to get a newer one when I get around to it so it'll most likely go in part ex for next to nothing.
 
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I've issued a 1 point warning for encouraging violence. I wasn't going to, but I'm not the only one who thinks this, and your subsequent post arguing the point, is incitement.
woof woof said:
We've got some new neighbours and so far things have been ok and even friendly which is a relief as we had years of trouble with the neighbours on the other side mostly over their feral children and the fathers drunken antics. Anyway, to set the scene. We had a boundary fence with the neighbours on the other side, maybe 4ft high down the drive. A couple of weeks ago the neighbours and her dad knocked on the door and asked me if I'd mind if they put up a 6ft fence on their side of the existing boundary fence. I don't care and said so and wished them well but as I have three cars, one in the garage and two in the drive, I asked them to let me know when they wanted to start work and I'd move the cars out of the way just in case.

Time passed and on Saturday Mrs WW spotted them cutting wood in the back garden so out I popped and asked if I should move the cars. Dad replied that he was just getting ready and wouldn't be doing any work on the fence that day. "OK" says me "Just let me know when you want to start and I'll move the cars." I then went inside to watch the footie and enjoy our day. I suppose you can guess what happened next.

He managed to put a 6 inch scratch on my Evoque and had then reached over and tried to wipe away the evidence leaving the scratch and a wiggly dirty cloth mark. He also managed to cover my Evoque and Hyundai bonnets and passenger sides with grey paint splashes ranging from half an inch blobs and inch runs to spots. To say I was livid is an understatement. Mrs WW was the voice of reason and didn't want me to say anything as we've had enough grief with the people on the other side over the years over their feral kids and drunken antics.

I had to T Cut the worst off and wash them both and I'll get both valeted and buffed but I was just so angry especially as I made a point of repeatedly asking them to let me know when they wanted to do the work and I'd move the cars.

There's always something. What would you have done? Keep quiet to keep the peace?
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Why didn't you rap his door and fill him in?
 
woof woof said:
Because someone would call the police, that's one reason plus I'm a christian so that sort of thing is sort of frowned on and lets not forget that one punch can kill and even though I'm still annoyed this is not worth causing mayhem, police and possible death over.
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:plus1:
 
woof woof said:
Because someone would call the police, that's one reason plus I'm a christian so that sort of thing is sort of frowned on and lets not forget that one punch can kill and even though I'm still annoyed this is not worth causing mayhem, police and possible death over.
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Each to their own.

I wouldn't have been letting my neighbour away with thon.

woof woof said:
plus I'm a christian
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What has that got to do with anything? :D

Your "God", is very confusing, your bible says, turn the other cheek as well as an eye for an eye. Religion is to blame for more deaths than anything else. Hard to believe your God has no issue with that, yet would with you confronting your neighbour after he has seemingly completely had you over on toast, and damaged your property.

As an atheist things like that are the reason I have no religious beliefs, but each to their own.
woof woof said:
Because someone would call the police.
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What do you think would have happened there? At the very worst you might have got a caution.

3 Boys were recently in Southampton Crown Court for 2 counts of gang rape on separate dates and were found guilty and they only got a rehabilitation order. Do you think they would care that you confronted your neighbour after what he did?

It is pretty much impossible to get jail for a major crime now, never mind a minor one. Even if you did get convicted, (no chance that would happen), you would get a £100 fine, and say you got jail (no chance that would happen, unless you already have a long record ), max you would get is a week and you would be out in a day or 2.


woof woof said:
To say I was livid is an understatement. Mrs WW was the voice of reason
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You literally say there that the reason you didn't confront him was because your wife told you not too. You didn't mention being a christian or being afraid of murdering him with one punch or being afraid of the police.

Someone else mentioned that your neighbour will now see you as a soft touch, I agree with that. God, knows what he will do next.
 
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IIRC
Neighbour disputes is a specific question in house sales disclosure documents. Though I surmise the only 'type' that would show up (does the question explicitly ask?) are where disputes become "officially recorded" (with councils and police?)

Yes, some neighbours are a thorn in the side of the more considerate majority and some of those that are un-neighbourly I surmise act the way they to wind folks up :(
 
Marc said:
Confronting someone doesn't have to mean assailing them.
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It’s not 1912 bro nobody is “assailing” anyone and his neighbour is not a mountain.

If it was me and my neighbour damaged my car (pride and joy) I personally would not be able to hold my temper and I know what would happen.

To not so much as confront him is odd to me but each to their own. I would imagine the o.p is a bit older than me. Maybe he didn’t fancy his chances with his neighbour.

I have had a couple of bad neighbours over the years and “turning the other cheek” didn’t work. The nonsense didn’t stop until they were confronted and more with one.

Thankfully we have good neighbours now.
 
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Most reasonable people don't like violence, certainly don't want to instigate it, and in many cases being the bigger man (in the metaphorical sense) is a lot more deserving of respect. Being a thug when slightly provoked is not worthy of positive regard. The lesser of the evils, and certainly following the advice of the estimable Sun Tzu, is to walk away to fight another day.
 
I had a
Box Brownie said:
IIRC
Neighbour disputes is a specific question in house sales disclosure documents. Though I surmise the only 'type' that would show up (does the question explicitly ask?) are where disputes become "officially recorded" (with councils and police?)

Yes, some neighbours are a thorn in the side of the more considerate majority and some of those that are un-neighbourly I surmise act the way they to wind folks up :(
Click to expand...
I had a neighbour dispute many years ago over some trees which I felled (at the rear of my garden, there was an access lane behind), that he then claimed were on his land!! (he claimed some form of ownership of part of the access lane, but his boundary position and mine were different!!) After a few solicitors letters from him (and an unvited agressive door step visit), I engaged an independent surveyor, who measured everything accurately (from the centre line of the road that my house fronted onto (apparently the datum line), I submitted the report to the neighbour, and heard nothing afterwards. When I came to sell theh house, I declared it, and sent a file about an inch thick to my purchasers solicitors, didn't affect the house sale one bit.

The real reason he tried it on, was that he owned a plot of land, that only could be accessed by the access lane, only his access lane wasn't wide enough for the council to grant planning permission, so he attempted boundary disputes with several of theh houses that backed onto this access lane! If he could make his access wide enough, he might have been able to get planning permission.
 
Aaaaaanyway.

When we got home today I had a lovely chat with my neighbour and she said she was very happy with some biscuits we brought back from Italy for her. I didn't mention the cars.

It was a nice sunny day today so I had a look at them and there's a couple of small spots I missed but other than that they've cleaned up very well. I don't like using T Cut so after I'd used it I washed the cars with a combined wash and wax and there's no trace of the paint I spotted or of any T Cut damage. I will still get them all valeted and buffed as I was planning to anyway,

I think saying nothing was the right thing as there's no real damage done, most of the paint cleaned off easily and the scratch will buff out. She's a nice lady and seems to have a good relationship with her dad and I really don't want to spoil anything between us or between her and her dad.

If he does it again I'll think again but so far... no real damage, no foul and no need for drama :D
 
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