Council information

[Foxyflugel]

Hi all

I'll make this as short and sweet as I can. Basically, I've been experiencing problems from my neighbours - mostly anti-social verbal attacks/outbursts and also for the past 3 years a back yard full of dog excrement that I had to constantly dog at the tenant to clear up.

It makes me feel physically sick and the smell in the hot weather is horrendous not to mention the swarms of flies.

I reported her to the council and they were escalating the process as they had tried to work with her and she was not helping herself.

From speaking to her I know that she thinks that she is 'untouchable' as she has depression.

The police were, at first, unwilling to taken any action and were more on her side as she was classed as 'vulnerable' - anyway - the landlord put up a fence down the middle of the yard (which was great) and on her last outburst I recorded her and played it to the police. It really opened their eyes to the nervous little wallflower that she portrays as soon as any authorities pay her a visit. She was given a warning that if she did it again she would be up on a Public Order offence - nothing since.


They were meant to be served with an abatement notice due to the dog faeces (from Environmental Health dept) - this has not been served as the manager would not sanction it due to the tenant having mental health issues. I have been unable to speak to this manager - as I want to know his reasons why. Dog faeces is dog faeces irrelevant of owners mental health.

Anyway, they removed their gate and boarded the entrance to their yard up with pieces of wood that are about 8ft high in total (I believe this is to stop the EH from seeing their yard when they visit). As well as being an eyesore this is well over the permitted height of the planning dept (it's 2 metres).

I brought this to their attention and they didn't want to know - they claimed they had been out - but I could not see anyone on my CCTV system!! I then called the officer and he claimed he was referring to the fence down the middle not the gate fence. He basically told me that even if it was over the permitted height there is nothing he would do about it. When I pushed him he said he would send a letter telling them it was over the permitted height and to lower it or apply for planning permission - but then added that if they did nothing then he would not enforce it.

What is the point in planning rules if people can just break them??

I then received another letter saying it was within the permitted height (apparently they don't bother if it is less the 1/2 metre over the permitted height) and 'said' officer had visited. I looked on my CCTV and his visit lasted 10 seconds - yes- 10 seconds - no tape measure - nothing.

I feel like sending the footage to someone higher up in the council to show them what their trusted staff class as a quality visit!!

What do I do? Who can I take it to if they refuse to take action - surely that is what they are there for??.

What makes it even worse is that I cannot even see the children going from the back yard to the garden - from our bedroom window!! because of this construction.

Any ideas anyone?? :tinysmile_cry_t:

[Kati]

Re: Council information

If you wanted to go higher, you could take it to the Housing ombudsman http://www.lgo.org.uk/publications/f...ial-behaviour/

My neighbours are causing me problems with anti-social behaviour, and the council doesn’t seem to be doing anything about it. Can the Ombudsman help me?

• In many cases, yes. But if your neighbours are tenants of a social landlord (such as a council or a housing association) you should consider complaining to the landlord first and then, if the problem is not resolved, to the Housing Ombudsman Service. If your neighbours are not social housing tenants and you make a complaint to the council we can look at how the council responded to your reports of problems. Where complaints involve the actions of both the social landlord and the local authority, the Local Government Ombudsman and the Housing Ombudsman may decide to carry out a joint investigation
• Councils have duties to investigate excessive noise, anti-social behaviour, intimidation, drunkenness and petty vandalism that affect local communities, and they have powers to take action against people if their behaviour is unacceptable.
• We consider whether the council has done something wrong in the way it went about dealing with your complaints about your neighbours and whether this has caused you problems.

Kati x

[Foxyflugel]

Re: Council information

Thanks Kati. :tinysmile_grin_t:

[Kati]

Re: Council information

Let me know if you need anything else :tinysmile_grin_t:

x

[Crazy council]

Re: Council information

If they are tenants, not homeowners, in there contract will usualy be a cause preventing them from disturbing the neighbours.

I would target the head of environmental services, with a carfully worded leter, ( facts not moans ), with a recorded delivery , and there landlord ( if its a social landlord ),

Lay out the problems and the time line. ask for there help rather than demand there help. If they are a tenant, permission for pets can be withdrawn. and suggest the enviro health that they should clean up her garden on your behalf, Dealing with these difficult things is best done by ensuring the right officers, get the letter on there desk, and by the right officers, i meen the ones that have to take responcability, dont get stuck in the complaints systems

[Foxyflugel]

Re: Council information

Thanks so much for your replies Kati and CC.

CC - it is a private landlord and the tenancy is a no smoking and no pets tenancy!! The landlord seemed to be on board at first but then the relationship broke down when he failed to have the decency to tell me that he was going to put up a 6ft fence between our back yards - this is his answer to their behaviour unfortunately!! He has a reputation in the village of renting his properties out to certain types of tenants and is by no means a popular man.

I was thinking of sending the video footage to the senior officers manager and seeing if this gets any results/help??

It is both the planning and (what used to be) Environmental Health departments CC that are being unhelpful.

Thanks

Foxy :tinysmile_grin_t:

[Crazy council]

Re: Council information

Ok

If its a private LL, firslt like i said, recored deliver to head of enviro services, pictures and vids if you think they will help, but nothing that will breach the DPA act.

Then, if the smell or abuse is bad, letter to the ll , (again recorded ), tell that you have informed the EH, and that you expect him to rectify the situation in the next 2 months or you wil take further action, to protect your property and your basic right to freely enjoy your property and grounds.

BUT. i was an agent for many years, and have dealt with these situations, and they are hard to deal with..

Be helpfull and considerate to the LL, he may not have the finances to act immedeatly, lots of LLs depend on there rents to pay mortgages, so in you letter to him, explain that you are prepared to put up with normal disturbances from tenants, tell him that you will be helpful in the furture with this any other tenants, if he acts on this situation with the dogs and dog mess.

Tell him that you understadn it may be hard to deal with, and you will not take action if he is really trying, explain that you appreciate the fence, but ask him to understand that the smell is terrible sometimes. Try and be nice and understanding to him, it may go a long way... having a good relationship with teh owner of the next doors property is a good long term idea.

[Foxyflugel]

Re: Council information

Thanks for the reply CC. I used to have a half decent relationship with the ll - after he put nfh in several years ago. He wouldn't believe me when I reported the various incidents to him, eg, both tenants thumping on the other side of our bedroom wall - every hour for around 20 mins - from 1am - 6am!! - he asked if I was sure they weren't hoovering!!

When they did a moonlight flit - they took everything- and I mean everything - that wasn't screwed down. He apologised to me profusely and admitted I was right and promised it would never happen again and he would vet his tenants more carefully.

He is very well off financially as he has his own business. I have tried working with this man and have had to put up with the smell for the past three years since this tenant moved in - so it's not a new thing.

I believe that they were more than friends at one point and she used to work for him part time - which makes the situation harder and him more blinded to her shortcomings.

I will try writing a factual based letter to the head of EH. DPA? am I not allowed to send the CCTV footage then??

Thanks

Foxy