Our Neighbours Make Our Life Hell
Q
I am having problems with neighbours who live four doors down. We moved here 9 months ago and these neighbours have claimed that an infestation of rats in the area is my fault because I like to feed the birds. They have also complained about our TV and radio being too loud and object to where my husband parks – although it doesn’t stop them parking right outside my door. I’m at my wits’ end and don’t know why they’ve taken such a dislike to us.
A
These kinds of neighbour disputes are always upsetting and stressful, but believe me, this says more about your neighbours than it does about you. I say that because you also reveal that the people complaining about you do not live next door nor opposite, but four doors away! It does seem odd.
Nevertheless, it’s clear that they’re making everyday life very difficult and unpleasant for you, and you need to find a way to resolve this situation.
Perhaps you’ve become a target
Ask your other neighbours if they’re aware there’s a problem – with them or with you
because you’re a newcomer. Have you considered the possibility that the previous owners of your house were less than pleasant and you’ve somehow “inherited” their resentment, becoming caught up in someone else’s war? Clearly, you can’t alter history but you do need to sort out the present.
So how do you approach this? Firstly, you could ask your immediate neighbours for their reactions and advice. Politely and calmly ask them whether they feel you are being too noisy. Ask them if they are aware that the other neighbours are making your life unpleasant?
Once you are able to gauge their
willingness to provide information, you could establish whether there is any histor y surrounding your neighbour’s aggression, and then you can discuss how you can collectively change things.
If you find that no-one else is bothered and the complaining neighbours are “always like that”, then simply tell yourself to relax and tr y to build up more rapport with your immediate neighbours.
By the way, have you all addressed the problem of the rats – if indeed there is one? I suggest it’s important to sort that issue via the council.
If all fails and they continue to cause you problems, you might have to resort to a solicitor to stop them. However it’s best to explore local solutions first and build a power base from within your community.