Dealing with Difficult Neighbours
>> Mar 14, 2012
I was one of the lucky few who grew up in the same house, in the same area, for my entire childhood. It was a beautiful brick house that stood, perched, at the top of a hill overlooking the seaside. I had fantastic neighbours and I was a part of a community that I adored. That all changed though when I organized a removalist and moved out of home in my early twenties.
What I found was that good neighbours are extremely hard to come by.
When I first moved out it was to move closer to the university I was attending. Like most students, I was spending most of my waking moments in class, studying or drinking with my friends and sleep was somewhat of an afterthought. Until I realized that I couldn’t get any.
My neighbour appeared to be nocturnal or an insomniac and on top of that, it seemed that he was deaf and extra clumsy. Every night from approximately 10pm he would awake and keep me up with an orchestra of loud television, furniture moving, talking, singing and heavy walking.
I tried everything from yelling out obnoxious comments to putting notes in his letterbox, but every night it was the same. I even gathered up the courage to confront him, but every time I knocked on the door there was no answer.
Due to lack of sleep, I eventually moved.
Due to lack of sleep, I eventually moved.
After my first run in with a crazy neighbor, I had many more. I had ‘peeping Toms’ who constantly watched my every move and those who were extra conservative and called the police anytime I turned the music up. But is there anything you can really do about a crazy neighbour other than move far away? Yes there is, so put the phone down to that interstate removalist and listen up!
1. First things first, confront your neighbour about the problems. A polite note is less confronting and may just do the trick so leave it in their letterbox directly after the incident occurs. Give them a three strike rule, but persist with the notes to let them know how this is adversely affecting you.
2. If the problem persists call the police or the appropriate authorities to lodge a complaint. And don’t just call them once, call them on every occasion that the instance happens. They keep records and enough complaints might amount to action!
3. Make friends with your other neighbours and try to convince them to make complaints too – the more the better! After a few calls, the police will probably get the picture.
4. Ignore the neighbour if they become aggressive towards you due to the complaints. Simply remove yourself politely from the situation and tell them that the matter is with the appropriate authorities and that they should stop harassing you.
2. If the problem persists call the police or the appropriate authorities to lodge a complaint. And don’t just call them once, call them on every occasion that the instance happens. They keep records and enough complaints might amount to action!
3. Make friends with your other neighbours and try to convince them to make complaints too – the more the better! After a few calls, the police will probably get the picture.
4. Ignore the neighbour if they become aggressive towards you due to the complaints. Simply remove yourself politely from the situation and tell them that the matter is with the appropriate authorities and that they should stop harassing you.
Difficult neighbours can be your worst nightmare at first but they shouldn’t result in you feeling the need to move away. By following our list of tips you should find that dealing with your nightmare neighbours is possible, without starting world war three over your back fence.
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