Problematic neighbour

omac

When he moved in first he seemed to be ok and it was agreed one day that he could share the internet if he paid a contribution towards it, but then he didn't. We offered it as we just wanted to be able to get along with someone who was going to be living so close to us.....
The letting agency wrote out to us and said (in these words) "we manage property, not personalities. We cannot sort out a clash of personalities". It wasn't a personality clash, it was an anti social neighbour. Hubby rang them again and let them have it and demanded that they allow us to leave with our deposit.......so they are. House hunting now....

cerastes

omac wrote: »

When he moved in first he seemed to be ok and it was agreed one day that he could share the internet if he paid a contribution towards it, but then he didn't. We offered it as we just wanted to be able to get along with someone who was going to be living so close to us.....
The letting agency wrote out to us and said (in these words) "we manage property, not personalities. We cannot sort out a clash of personalities". It wasn't a personality clash, it was an anti social neighbour. Hubby rang them again and let them have it and demanded that they allow us to leave with our deposit.......so they are. House hunting now....

By right, you could have taken the agent to the PRTB with that reply, it is their responsibility to ensure complaints of anti social behaviour are dealt with,
if they deal with it, they are more or less off the hook from the PRTB and then the blame can be laid where it is due at the guys feet.
Id have kept a record, or backdated the record to as best as my memory could serve, moving is a hassle and if you are already happy somewhere.
I also think its better not to be giving anything away or get involved in any deal or sharing arrangement, it has the potential to go wrong.

Personally, Id have stuck it out a bit more, make an accurate log (I know its not nice to be involved in this kind of thing), Id make the agent do their job. No point in ranting to the agent, they probably get that all the time, maybe even consider it par for the job. Id have put it in writing and email.
Anyway, your choice.

omac

cerastes wrote: »

By right, you could have taken the agent to the PRTB with that reply, it is their responsibility to ensure complaints of anti social behaviour are dealt with,
if they deal with it, they are more or less off the hook from the PRTB and then the blame can be laid where it is due at the guys feet.
Id have kept a record, or backdated the record to as best as my memory could serve, moving is a hassle and if you are already happy somewhere.
I also think its better not to be giving anything away or get involved in any deal or sharing arrangement, it has the potential to go wrong.

Personally, Id have stuck it out a bit more, make an accurate log (I know its not nice to be involved in this kind of thing), Id make the agent do their job. No point in ranting to the agent, they probably get that all the time, maybe even consider it par for the job. Id have put it in writing and email.
Anyway, your choice.

We did put it in email and writing. We have kept a record, we did consider the PRTB and infact informed them that we would be lodging a complaint with the PRTB to no avail. I even brought the copy of the lease down to the office and outlined all the parts they were in breach of by not sorting out the issue. At this moment in time we are happy to move, it got to the point where when my husband was working nights I would stay in my mother in laws because of his behaviour

cerastes

omac wrote: »

We did put it in email and writing. We have kept a record, we did consider the PRTB and infact informed them that we would be lodging a complaint with the PRTB to no avail. I even brought the copy of the lease down to the office and outlined all the parts they were in breach of by not sorting out the issue. At this moment in time we are happy to move, it got to the point where when my husband was working nights I would stay in my mother in laws because of his behaviour

To no avail? the agent doesnt have any say in you having a case or taking one with the PRTB. It only costs 25 euro or so.
If you had to stay away from the property, and the agent just fobbed you off, I would take the case to the PRTB.
If you informed them and they did nothing and if you gave them some opportunity but they did nothing cant see how they could come out of it in a good way. If you lose its no skin off your nose, just a few quid. Just get your deposit back and secure a new place first, I think its preferable not to mention any trouble to new place as its not relevant or your fault.
Then stick it to the agent.
There is no need to even warn them they are in breach of lease, just about the problem and let them sort it. Id suggest that kind of breach isnt even covered in much detail in the lease but in the tenancy act.

You probably are better moving, I can see where a really difficult person could make life hell for someone, you might be happy to put it behind you, but Id suffer no loss because of it.
All your choice, some peeople arent bothered with the hassle, because there is a bit of hassle but its possible.

kryogen

I find the vast majority of people simply do not like, or are not able to deal with confrontation properly, assertively. This is not passing judgement on anyone, life is too short for hassle tbh but in certain situation I am just unable to "let things go" A situation like yours where you have gone by the book about everything and tried to be as accommodating initially with the man in question and the letting agent and simply been fobbed off and ignored is one I would be unable to just move on with. I would have to take things further, good luck to you with the move I hope your next place is a lot happier for you both. Ye seem like very decent people just going from the posts.

lukesmom

Even though your neighbour is completely at fault, I believe you are right to move. Who needs the hassle? I do feel sorry for the people that will become his new neighbours.

omac

Update - we have moved...... And still not received our security deposit back. :-( I don't know who was worse now, the problematic neighbour, the landlord or the useless letting agency :-(

delthedriver

omac wrote: »

Hi, just wondering if anyone could lend some advice..............

We moved into our house in April '14, there is an adjoining apartment which was vacant when we moved in. A tenant moved in in June and we done our best to get along with him, let him use our broadband, kept our covers well over in the driveway so he wouldn't have any problems parking etc and all seemed to be going well......until, a couple of weeks ago he came out to complain that our dog is barking at night(she's not, she sleeps indoors in the room with us! but he wasn't willing to accept that). Then a while later, I ran the bath at 10pm and he started banging on his ceiling(which is below our bathroom). we have also noticed he is trying to antagonise our dog when she is outside.
Last week, at 12pm I had to go out and ask him to please turn down his music a bit as the kids were in bed and it was quite loud. Last night we arrived home from holidays at 11.30pm, we were sorting out some food and talking(no more than normal!) in our living room when we heard the banging starting again!!!! he pounded on the walls, his ceiling, everything etc. Now he has started banging on the ceiling everytime we use the toilet, or go up the stairs.
He's making it impossible to actually live our family life as we feel like we are walking on eggshells. It seems that we can't move in our house without him banging on the walls and shouting to shut up. Our neighbours on the other side have absolutely no complaints about us at all, and said they never hear us/kids unless they see us in our front garden.
My husband and I both work antisocial hours in the care industry and I (maybe im wrong!) don't think that it's unreasonable to want to have a shower when we come home from work(which could be 11pm or 8am).
I have spoke to the letting agency about his behaviour a few weeks back and the response I got was "yeah... he seems to have a bit of a short fuse, we've had issues with him in here shouting and screaming for no reason". We are at the stage where I actually feel uncomfortable being alone here at night with the kids if my husband is working, and we don't feel comfortable leaving our 16 year old here in the evening for an hour or 2.

Is there anything the letting agency can do about him, or can we leave our lease with our deposit.... we are at our wits end with him, there is just no talking to him at all....

REport him to his landlord !:)

Graces7

kryogen wrote: »

I find the vast majority of people simply do not like, or are not able to deal with confrontation properly, assertively. This is not passing judgement on anyone, life is too short for hassle tbh but in certain situation I am just unable to "let things go" A situation like yours where you have gone by the book about everything and tried to be as accommodating initially with the man in question and the letting agent and simply been fobbed off and ignored is one I would be unable to just move on with. I would have to take things further, good luck to you with the move I hope your next place is a lot happier for you both. Ye seem like very decent people just going from the posts.

While I agree with you there does come a point where there is no choice but to move. I have done this and the relief totally overcome the hurt pride. IN fact YOU have won as YOU have drawn the line and made the running. Else they would be winning by grinding you down..and even if you "won" the cost makes it meaningless.

Graces7

omac wrote: »

Update - we have moved...... And still not received our security deposit back. :-( I don't know who was worse now, the problematic neighbour, the landlord or the useless letting agency :-(

Glad you escaped an abusive situation,, in my case it was an octagenarian who used to smash the gates down, attack my dogs and use the driveway as his toilet.....

SpaceTime

I lived in a house where our kitchen window was facing this guy's bedroom window (across a shared green area.

I was writing a thesis and was often working at the kitchen table at maybe midnight to 2am some nights. Cup of tea, piles of paper, desk lamp, headphones, blinds were down and the kitchen light was on.

He started accosting me on the street about how I was keeping him awake with my bright light! (Through the blinds.. )

Anyway he rang the doorbell one night yelling about how it was "ridiculous to be up at that hour".

I told him to cop on and buy a set of curtains!

He did it again so I just called the Gardai. Explained & they called to him.

He also had a load of cats that kept coming in our windows. Cute, but a bit annoying. I didn't particularly mind though.

He then came in and accused us of " kidnapping " his cat!

Anyway at this stage I just had enough and I moved out (end of lease) and explained to the landlord why I couldn't renew.

Graces7

SpaceTime wrote: »

I lived in a house where our kitchen window was facing this guy's bedroom window (across a shared green area.

I was writing a thesis and was often working at the kitchen table at maybe midnight to 2am some nights. Cup of tea, piles of paper, desk lamp, headphones, blinds were down and the kitchen light was on.

He started accosting me on the street about how I was keeping him awake with my bright light! (Through the blinds.. )

Anyway he rang the doorbell one night yelling about how it was "ridiculous to be up at that hour".

I told him to cop on and buy a set of curtains!

He did it again so I just called the Gardai. Explained & they called to him.

He also had a load of cats that kept coming in our windows. Cute, but a bit annoying. I didn't particularly mind though.

He then came in and accused us of " kidnapping " his cat!

Anyway at this stage I just had enough and I moved out (end of lease) and explained to the landlord why I couldn't renew.

for the laughter thank you.. we need a "difficult neighbour "thread..

delthedriver

Graces7 wrote: »

Glad you escaped an abusive situation,, in my case it was an octagenarian who used to smash the gates down, attack my dogs and use the driveway as his toilet.....

Sounds like your neighbour was an asshole !!:)

Graces7

delthedriver wrote: »

Sounds like your neighbour was an asshole !!:)

That is one way of putting it;) It was an issue over a long defunct right of way that even had trees growing in it. He once set fire to it and nearly burned the electricity cables....The problem was exacerbated as he was local and I wasnt. And no way could I be the incomer who saw a poor old man put away and no community garda is about to do that.. " Ah he isnt that bad!" The town gardai were better especially when he raised his fist to them and threatened to kill them. Was never sure if it was him who wired the gate up to the electric fence but the tree pulled down across the drive was. I stuck it for two years....

delthedriver

Graces7 wrote: »

That is one way of putting it;) It was an issue over a long defunct right of way that even had trees growing in it. He once set fire to it and nearly burned the electricity cables....The problem was exacerbated as he was local and I wasnt. And no way could I be the incomer who saw a poor old man put away and no community garda is about to do that.. " Ah he isnt that bad!" The town gardai were better especially when he raised his fist to them and threatened to kill them. Was never sure if it was him who wired the gate up to the electric fence but the tree pulled down across the drive was. I stuck it for two years....

Remember the book called " The Field "? Sounds like you could rewrite your own version......?;)

omac

delthedriver wrote: »

Remember the book called " The Field "? Sounds like you could rewrite your own version......?;)

Dear god, we really need to start a difficult neighbour thread for the laugh. We have since moved and are much happier 😄 new tenants have moved into our previous house, I hope they have better luck with that neighbour than we did!