How to deal with a complaining neighbour
Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 7:49 pm
I am myself surprised how I keep turning to the forum with my troubles, but there seem to be some quite well-informed and helpful people here!
I am in a house with four flats and a woman recently moved in on the ground floor. For several months, she seemed content, no problems at all.
Suddenly a string of emails and notes to me complaining at first about my plant-pots - she said that there were no plants around when she moved in, recently pots were all down the hallway (as well as outside), all causing an obstruction, plants were bringing flies into the house, the compost made the house smell etc. etc.
Most of her complaints are invented and are easy to disprove (photos and witnesses), so I cannot quite see how how she hopes to succeed.
However, she is now alleging intimidation by both myself and other neighbours, post being opened and some other issues.
Clearly the tenant has some problems, but she has written to my landlord and also to her own landlady. The latter has made no attempt to contact me or investigate the validity of the complaints - instead she is treating them as proven and true and is passing them around to other parties referring to the "unacceptable behaviour of other people in the house" etc.
I have written to the landlady of the ground-floor flat and already expressed my view that her actions are highly irresponsible and potentially libellous, in view of the false nature of the allegations she is passing on.
However, I now have to explore what legal options are open to me if the other parties resolve to press on with this. Another tenant and myself are united in feeling that we must knock these allegations on the head, completely refute them and if possible seek an apology or retraction.
Easier said than done! I don't have concerns about my public reputation (probably totally in tatters anyway), but obviously all this could have some impact on my life, affect my standing as a tenant and future relationships with landlords etc. I wonder if I should start getting some legal advice and thinking about defending myself effectively, if the situation escalates and I have to seek redress?
I don't think I have ever encountered a situation quite like this one, some strange people around though, particularly in Hastings area!
I am in a house with four flats and a woman recently moved in on the ground floor. For several months, she seemed content, no problems at all.
Suddenly a string of emails and notes to me complaining at first about my plant-pots - she said that there were no plants around when she moved in, recently pots were all down the hallway (as well as outside), all causing an obstruction, plants were bringing flies into the house, the compost made the house smell etc. etc.
Most of her complaints are invented and are easy to disprove (photos and witnesses), so I cannot quite see how how she hopes to succeed.
However, she is now alleging intimidation by both myself and other neighbours, post being opened and some other issues.
Clearly the tenant has some problems, but she has written to my landlord and also to her own landlady. The latter has made no attempt to contact me or investigate the validity of the complaints - instead she is treating them as proven and true and is passing them around to other parties referring to the "unacceptable behaviour of other people in the house" etc.
I have written to the landlady of the ground-floor flat and already expressed my view that her actions are highly irresponsible and potentially libellous, in view of the false nature of the allegations she is passing on.
However, I now have to explore what legal options are open to me if the other parties resolve to press on with this. Another tenant and myself are united in feeling that we must knock these allegations on the head, completely refute them and if possible seek an apology or retraction.
Easier said than done! I don't have concerns about my public reputation (probably totally in tatters anyway), but obviously all this could have some impact on my life, affect my standing as a tenant and future relationships with landlords etc. I wonder if I should start getting some legal advice and thinking about defending myself effectively, if the situation escalates and I have to seek redress?
I don't think I have ever encountered a situation quite like this one, some strange people around though, particularly in Hastings area!