Uncomfortable in my own home

[shedotcom]

State: Nebraska

We bought our home 6 years ago, on a small lake, leased land. At that time we asked the landowner if we could put up a privacy fence on our property and she stated that it is against the lease agreement. So we put that Idea out of our heads.

Now my husband is very handy with heavy equipment, so when we had use of a skid loader and backhoe, we did a lot of landscaping to the east. At that time, we assisted 5 neighbors with their "projects" as well, without charging a dime to them. This was before the neighbors to the west bought their home.

Then about 3 months ago, the neighbors to our west, who purchased about 2 years ago, erect a 6 foot fence. We don't say anything about it, because they are unsocial and we kind of liked it. They built it about 8 inches from the property line and it is about 2 foot from their house. Now we know that they did not obtain any permits for the fence and that it violates the fire codes, but we still leave the situation alone.

So about a month ago, we put our grass clippings along our side of the fence to keep weeds down. Our side is just dirt at this point, we are working on getting more driveway rock or cementing it, because of limited parking here. Anyway, the lady storms over to a neighbors house as I am visiting and attacks me about putting grass clippings on their fence. Then she procedes to state all kinds of untrue statements about my family and things that we have done. And then threatens me and states that if one thing touches their fence, that they are going to call the sherriff.

Two days after her attack, my border collie becomes ill. Diahreah and vomiting, then three days later my Lhasa does the same only worse, and I take her to the vet. He states that it is food poisoning. I think that they are throwing rotten meat to my dogs. I have put up a security camera facing their property and showing the edge of the dogs pen, but haven't caught anything yet on camera.

So then I speak to one of the other neighbors, and find out that these people have been spreading all kinds of nasty untrue rumors about us all around the neighborhood. And some of the neighbors are buying into it.

So then on the 4th of July, we were outside with our boys lighting firecrackers and they send their son - in - law over to threaten us again. He threatens to beat up my husband. We call the Sherriff.

What do I do about these people? They are making our home life unbearable!

 

[mds5569]

Move !!!!!!!!

 

[HomeGuru]

State: Nebraska

We bought our home 6 years ago, on a small lake, leased land. At that time we asked the landowner if we could put up a privacy fence on our property and she stated that it is against the lease agreement. So we put that Idea out of our heads.

Now my husband is very handy with heavy equipment, so when we had use of a skid loader and backhoe, we did a lot of landscaping to the east. At that time, we assisted 5 neighbors with their "projects" as well, without charging a dime to them. This was before the neighbors to the west bought their home.

Then about 3 months ago, the neighbors to our west, who purchased about 2 years ago, erect a 6 foot fence. We don't say anything about it, because they are unsocial and we kind of liked it. They built it about 8 inches from the property line and it is about 2 foot from their house. Now we know that they did not obtain any permits for the fence and that it violates the fire codes, but we still leave the situation alone.

So about a month ago, we put our grass clippings along our side of the fence to keep weeds down. Our side is just dirt at this point, we are working on getting more driveway rock or cementing it, because of limited parking here. Anyway, the lady storms over to a neighbors house as I am visiting and attacks me about putting grass clippings on their fence. Then she procedes to state all kinds of untrue statements about my family and things that we have done. And then threatens me and states that if one thing touches their fence, that they are going to call the sherriff.

Two days after her attack, my border collie becomes ill. Diahreah and vomiting, then three days later my Lhasa does the same only worse, and I take her to the vet. He states that it is food poisoning. I think that they are throwing rotten meat to my dogs. I have put up a security camera facing their property and showing the edge of the dogs pen, but haven't caught anything yet on camera.

So then I speak to one of the other neighbors, and find out that these people have been spreading all kinds of nasty untrue rumors about us all around the neighborhood. And some of the neighbors are buying into it.

So then on the 4th of July, we were outside with our boys lighting firecrackers and they send their son - in - law over to threaten us again. He threatens to beat up my husband. We call the Sherriff.

What do I do about these people? They are making our home life unbearable!

**A: have you ever called 911 for each incident?

 

[shedotcom]

To the first reply: Moving is not an option, we worked very hard to get this place, and we were here first. I shouldn't have to move because they are psycho.

To the second reply: We did call the police for the threat against my husband on the 4th of July. The other incodent about the grass clippings I didn't' call the police, ( I was in total shock that someone would just barg into someone elses yard and start verbally attacking me about grass clippings ). Am I crazy or is this just petty?

As far as the dogs go, I did talk to the vet about the possibility of it being the neighbors and he told me that he sees it all of the time. So I keep the camera running. It is my understanding that you can't press charges for this unless you have proof. The camera is a tiny wireless camera that they don't even know is there, so I am confident that I will catch them, if that is what is going on.

Their fence is about 11 feet from our driveway, and on numerous occasions, she will stand or croutch behind the fence when we are working in our driveway. She hears everything that we are saying, and then runs around the neighborhood telling people things that we didn't even say.

I did some investigating and people who used to live around them at their previous residence said they were always calling the police for things that they made up about their other neighbors. They reported this single mom on several occasions for supposedly having a Meth Lab in her garage. Which was completely untrue.

My gut instinct is that they are not happy unless they are making someone else miserable. And that is where they have us right now. We can't really go out in the yard and feel like we have privacy. They are constantly standing around the fence.

I just don't know what to do to let them know (legally) not to mess with us any more. I just want them to leave us alone. Live and let live. And I don't want to have to call the police constantly on these psychos. The police have better things to do that to deal with neighborhood disputes as petty as grass clippings or something leaning against a fence. I mean come on......

Anyway, sorry about the rambling, just really frustrated about the whole situation, especially since we have never had a problem with a neighbor.

Any ideas how to squeltch this situation are greatly appreciated.

 

[sessions]

Besides what can leagally be done, try what can morally be done. Have a talk with your neighbor to try to find out what specifically they are upset about. Maybe they are mad that you helped the neighbors improve their lots, but have not offered to help with theirs. Maybe they are truely psycho and need to be admitted. Maybe the example of someone else might be a good idea here. Appologize for the grass clipping incident. Let them know you didn't realize that what you did on your side of the fence would cause them a hardship. Ask what you can do to make it up to them. I know, any reasonable person would see that you have done nothing wrong, but they did construct the fence totally on their property at their own expense. if 8" of land on your side of the fence is really their property, then you should respect that, understand that they are trying to protect their fence and that you will be more careful in the future. An innocent act of appology might make a whole lot of your headache disappear. You can't be mean to someone too long if they are constantly being nice to you...that is, unless, they are PSYCHO! Good luck and try being more friendly. For the record, it sounds like you are great neighbors to everyone in the community. You may need to bend over backwards for your newbies and find out specifically what they are upset about. Maybe it's the grass clippings, maybe it's the dogs barking and the grass issue is just a way to build a case of crap against you. When you can communicate with each other, it should become easier. It's not a perfect world out there, so good luck!

 

[shedotcom]

Thanks for the advice. And thanks for boost, I needed to hear that someone else sees the good that we have done since we moved in.

I doubt very much that I will be able to talk with them, but I will try. I even thought about writing them a letter. Maybe that would be the way to go.

I have thought and though about what we did to make them so angry at us. Their yard was one of the yards that we did help with, before they lived there. The gal that lived there was a single mom, and didn't have any money to do much, so we helped her as much as we could. But she never hesitated to ask.

When they moved in we offered the same to them. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. And if you would like to fish off of our dock, please help yourself." Stuff like that.

We try to help as much as we can, when we can. Thats the way my husband and I were raised. Our parents were depression children. So it was instilled pretty heavy in us. And we continue to help whenever we are able.

Thanks again.