Serious accusation by a neighbour

scdublin

Hi all,

I had a very serious allegation made against me by a neighbour last week (slanderous/defamatory), that was passed onto me via my landlady and the management company of the apartment block.

I was away on holidays at the time the incident took place, so luckily I have streams of evidence that it was not me.

Currently, the management company have apologised and are going to notify the neighbour that she has the wrong person/apartment, but it does not sit well with me that she made this very serious complaint and was wrong. Apparently she was also banging on my door shortly after the incident took place.

What are my rights in following this up if I choose to? Do the management company have to tell me who made the accusation if I ask, or can they only tell me this if I go the legal route?

Former Former Former

If you don't know who it was, how do you know she was banging on your door? Or that it was a woman, for that matter?

I doubt the mgmt company will tell you who it was, and unless you can prove it was done maliciously, you don't have much grounds for defamation.

JoChervil

OP, is it possible that someone else was using your apartment, while you were away?

scdublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121125505#Comment_121125505

The management company forwarded on the complaint where the accuser mentions banging on the door and receiving no answer. I don't know for sure it was a woman but I guess it doesn't really matter if they were male or female when it comes down to the complaint.

Yeah I don't think I could prove it was malicious - I do think they should be held accountable for being completely wrong to the point of coming to my door, submitting a complaint against me and threatening to involve the gards.

scdublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121125506#Comment_121125506

Nope this wouldn't have been possible.

Peregrinus

What injury has been done to your reputation? Who thinks any the less of you because of this incident? How has the injury to your reputation affected you?

There's no legal remedy for hurt feelings. You need to show concrete ways in which this inaccurate accusation has caused you injury.

ottolwinner

what Do you want out of all this?

jj880

Since you have an airtight alibi - dont tell us half a story - what were you accused of?

The DayDream

I find many people in this country vastly overestimate what counts as legally defaming someone.

Complaining about someone to an apartment management company is not defamation, especially when they promptly admitted it was a mistake. Move on.

kowloonkev

OP, if it is a serious allegation I think you should have a word with the gardai, tell them what happened and ask them to make a note of it. Also inform the management that it has been reported.

It could be that someone has it in for you, so it's better that everyone knows that that person makes up porkies, especially the gardai, before you're accused of something for which you don't have an alibi.

dickdasr1234

'Streams of evidence'.

Drama queen.

Mr Disco

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121128404#Comment_121128404

Drama much?

wandererz

Chill out.

Why do you care so much about what everyone else thinks?

Life is short. Worry about the stuff that matters.

It's not serious. It's just an accusation.

Perhaps it's time to take a deeper, more meaningful look at yourself and ask how you can be a better person.

For example, by asking yourself "how can I put this aside and move along with my life".

Perhaps get into the lotus position and meditate for 45mins.

Channel all that negative energy out of your body, mind and soul.

Get onto meetup.com. Find a local group that you can join so that you can get a life.

Do follow my advice.

My name is not Russell.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121125560#Comment_121125560

Yes they should be held accountable about for being wrong. They banged on a door, of an unoccupied apartment. They could apologise to the door.

Not sure what else you are expecting. They thought you did something, you were supposedly away. so they've been told it wasn't you. If this were actually a very serious allegation, the guards would be involved. Most likely it's something trivial like a noise complaint or parking in the wrong sport.

hkjohn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121128417#Comment_121128417

If someone bangs on an an apartment door and there’s no one inside to hear it, can it really be said to make a sound?

wandererz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121128436#Comment_121128436

It's an apartment. There are interconnected walls and doors.

Reverberations reverberate.

In this case the other apartment residents should take a case against the person banging on the door.

kowloonkev

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121128408#Comment_121128408

A very serious allegation was made according to the OP. My assumption of that would be a criminal allegation of some sort, and that's why I gave the advice I did.

anonymouscactus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121128436#Comment_121128436

Depends on the lease.

Trigger Happy

What legal retribution are you hoping for OP? A public apology? Some money?

witchgirl26

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121125560#Comment_121125560

OP if you don't think it could be proven that it was malicious then I don't think you have a leg to stand on. I work in an environment where we get whistleblowing of potential wrong doing. Part of the fundamental process is that an assumption is there that all accusations are made in good faith & that there is no retaliation of whistleblowers due to this. Only if there is overwhelming evidence that the complaint was malicious in nature would we pursue that. It's very difficult to prove malicious intent.

Bass Reeves

OP had you other interactions over similar incidents where you were actually at fault previously

ratracer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121128417#Comment_121128417

The door was assaulted…….and needs urgent redress!!

josip

Has there been anything in the past between you and this neighbour that might cloud your judgement of the current incident?

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121128830#Comment_121128830

OP doesn't know who the neighbour was.

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121128783#Comment_121128783

Nothing in the OP suggests that the complaint was malicious. It was just wrong.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121128842#Comment_121128842

I am not quite sure if the OP stated that. The OP stated that he was not informed on who made the compliant however in the first post he referred to the complianant as ''she'' continually. I suspect they have had interactions with someone in the apartment complex before.

Maybe even there alibi is suspect it very easy to turn on Alexia full blast remotely for a few minutes

kowloonkev

I don't know why people are assuming the allegation is playing music too loud or something. That would not be a 'very serious allegation' in anyone's book.

kowloonkev

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121128842#Comment_121128842

I suspect he has a fair idea who it was. Probably someone who has taken a dislike to him and that's why he should protect himself if he is in the right.

Mrs OBumble

If the alleged incident was raping someone in the apartment, for example, then surely the complainant would have called the guards rather than banged in the door?

bobdcow

I would say that the minimum that the OP should get is an apology from the neighbors. For what ever reason it was, the neighbors got it wrong and made an accusation. There has to be consequences for this type of behaviour and I'd say an apology is the least the neighbor should asked to give.

Neighbor got it wrong and needs to apologise to the OP.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121129109#Comment_121129109

I say OP has a issue with the neighbor. They would want to be careful. If I was the LL and it was becoming hassle I be looking for a way to get them out.

You do not go around looking for apologies off neighbours, live and let live. I somehow think there is more to this. OP has probably being pulled up by this neighbor over something and see this as a chance to get even

They want to be careful they do not p!SS off there LL

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121129076#Comment_121129076

Some people think everything is a serious issue.

Tomw86

If it is dropped then no issues but I would ask the Management Company to please document this officially in case of any further issues.

Even if it was something along the lines of 'In relation to the complaint made against (your name) on xxxx by another resident we note that upon investigation this complaint/accusation was false and made against the incorrect party.'

Personally I would then consider bringing it to the local garda station just to have it documented there also.

witchgirl26

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121128855#Comment_121128855

I know. That's what I was trying to say. Most places will have a policy of no retaliation for a report made in good faith. Malicious reporting of something would need a lot of evidence behind it (history of harassment, repeated reporting of same person etc) and even then it's risky.

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121130228#Comment_121130228

My point is that the question of whether the OP can prove that the complaint was malicious, or how they would prove it, doesn't even arise unless the OP things it was malicious. And they OP hasn't said that they do.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121129076#Comment_121129076

OP has said it was serious, but they are pretty lax on the details.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121129109#Comment_121129109

Depends on what the accusation was. Falsely accusing somebody of assault is very different to playing music after 10pm. There is clearly information being withheld.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121129558#Comment_121129558

Documented by the cards how? It a complaint to the owners corporation, involving the guards is a bit ott.

lbunnae

Oh god you aren't this moaner who's door was broke and it "ruined" your Christmas?

scdublin

A lot of assumptions here so let me clear some things up.

1. I have zero issues with any neighbours, have been living here for 6+ years. Never had any complaints made against me and have never made any complaints against anyone.
2. I was accused of recording videos of children/taking pictures of children, and also being "anti-children".
3. The person who made the accusations has not apologised, I don't know who they are. It was the management company who apologised.
4. My "alibi" is that I was literally not in the country when the incident took place. I'm assuming the person mistakingly worked out the apartment from the ground floor and got it wrong. So yes, most likely not malicious at all but still a very big mistake to make.
5. I am not looking for drama - this accusation was brought to me. The least I would like is an apology from the person who made the accusation. I don't think that's asking too much but most likely won't happen.

hkjohn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121128442#Comment_121128442

It was a joke. Think trees falling in the forest and take it from there

kowloonkev

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121133660#Comment_121133660

It is as you said originally a very serious allegation and shame about the 'after hours' like responses you have received.

It's a very weird one and if it was me I would want answers to a lot of questions.

1. What evidence was there? - Did the accuser see someone with a camera or see photos?

2. Was I mentioned by name, by description, or simply by apartment window guesswork by the accuser?

3. How can I be accused of being anti-kids? What is that based on?

The fact they said 'anti-kids' in general makes me assume they know who you are, at least they know your face and have taken a disliking to you.

My original advice stands. Talk to the gardai and ask their advice and ask them to make a note of it. Basically just let it be known that you went to the gardai first in case any further trouble ensues. Tell the management company you have done so in the hope it gets back to the accuser to give them a bit of a fright. It will also make you look better to the management company imo.

I'm not saying be dramatic or hostile btw as other people said. Just be friendly and open in your dealings with those authorities.

Mr Disco

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121129183#Comment_121129183

Serious allegations are serious and mean serious compo ! Cha-ching ! $$$

Peregrinus

You're not going to find out who made this complaint.

The main thing you need to be reassured about is that the people to whom the complaint was made understand that it is entirely baseless. And it seems they do.

There's no reason at all to think there was any malice involved, so we have to proceed on the basis that this was a genuine mistake, perhaps committed by somebody who was acting over-hastily, because their sensitivity to the possibility of child abuse was running ahead of the actual facts and evidence.

An apology from the person who made the complaint is not going to be forthcoming; they probably think that being hyper-vigilant about dangers to children is nothing to apologise for.

And I would not stress about this; the apology is comparatively unimportant. Whatever damage might have been done to your reputation by this mistaken allegation — and, fortunately, it seems there was none — would not be in any way mitigated by an apology given to you. If, hypothetically, a neighbour heard banging at your door and loud accusations of perversion being yelled through it, they might have their doubts about you, but those doubts would not be assuaged by an apology given to you; your neighbour would never know about the apology.

Any action you take to demand accounts, explanations, apologies, fuller investigations, etc simply keeps the matter alive and current, and reinforces in the mind of more and more people that you were accused of shonky behaviour. Even though the allegation made against you is entirely false, it cannot possibly be to your advantage to call continued attention to the fact that the allegation was made. And doing this for the sake of an entirely useless apology would be . . . unwise.

kowloonkev

I would say there is a reason to suggest malice is involved based on the 'anti-kids' allegation. It's so subjective that I would assume that the accusations are based on a personal bias.

peter4918

1. Never had any complaints made against me and have never made any complaints against anyone.
2. I was accused of recording videos of children/taking pictures of children, and also being "anti-children".
3. The person who made the accusations has not apologised, I don't know who they are. It was the management company who apologised.

Ok then? Did you read your own post?

Never had any complaints but accused of recording children/taking pictures of children. Is that not classed as a complaint?

kowloonkev

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121140091#Comment_121140091

Bizarre post. He obviously meant before this incident.

peter4918

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121141382#Comment_121141382

It’s not that bizarre really. The OP has gone from knowing nothing about the complaint or who made it, to posting his let me clear things up 1 - 5 post. Who came to him and told him all this, he said earlier the management company won’t tell him who made the complaint or what the complaint is.

that’s bizarre to me.

kowloonkev

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121142286#Comment_121142286

Where did he say that they wouldn't tell him what the complaint is? Of course he knew what the complaint was, but probably didn't want to reveal it at first. Probably expected he might be taken at face value rather than being accused of being dramatic and mocked.

I don't see any reason not to take him at face value unless you actually don't want to.