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What can I do about neighbours kids?

  • 13-06-2017 7:49pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 320 ✭✭


    Hi there. Sorry for the long post. Hoping somebody can give me some advice.

    We live in a small open plan estate. There is a wall that separates us from our neighbours to our right. This wall runs from the footpath right down the side of our house. Down this side is our ESB meter box and the box that houses the phone line that comes into the house.

    Last week we came home to find the door of our phone line box was taken off and just thrown in the street. The cables had been pulled out (although not disconnected) and some of our dry wall insulation had been pulled out on to the street.

    A couple of days later, my wife caught a little girl of 4 at the phone line box again pulling out some more insulation. This girl has been staying next door to us the past few weeks but as far as we know she is not the daughter. Most likely a relative though. My wife hunted her and told her not to come back in to our garden. The girl spoke back to my wife with some foul language.

    Today while we were watching tv we noticed a few kids walk into our garden and up the side of our house. I ran out to see what they were up to and low and behold there was the little 4 year old with 2 younger kids attacking the phone line once more.

    Our next door neighbours aren't the most upstanding of citizens and when my wife went next door to ask the lady of the house to keep this little girl off our property she was told to f**k off out of her driveway and the girl is only 4 so what do you want me to do about it?

    We've had numerous incidents with her older kids coming into our drive and damaging our property and cars in the past, and although we could go a few months without incident, low and behold it will all kick off again.

    Guards seem powerless as these kids are all under 12 years old. Council don't seem too bothered about it either. Other neighbours have approached the landlord about them but he doesn't seem too bothered about it.

    Any advice is appreciated.

    P.S. does anybody know if exposed phone lines could pose a danger to anybody?


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,016 ✭✭✭mad m


    Tricky one...Kids are kids and parents should be responsible for them. Is your neighbour a council tenant? You should keep ringing up council to complain and ask them to log complaint.

    Anyway you can silicone cover shut so kid cant open it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,342 ✭✭✭seagull


    First point is whether your neighbours own the house or are renting. If renting, get their landlord's details, and complain about anti-social behaviour. It is the landlord's responsibility to act on anti-social behaviour by tenants.


  • Posts: 24,714 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Can you block the lane, even temporarily and they will probably get bored.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 320 ✭✭Donutz


    Thanks for the replies. It's not possible to block the lane. Even if we did we would still have problems with some older kids coming in our driveway running in between our cars kicking cars and kicking front door. Generally being a nuisance.

    As for the landlord, he doesn't care as long as he is getting his monthly income.

    They are RAS tenants and although we've complained about antisocial behaviour to RAS on numerous occasions, nothing seems to have been done.

    Am seriously considering installing CCTV but I'm not convinced that anybody will do anything even with video evidence.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,223 ✭✭✭Michael D Not Higgins


    A third party complaint on anti-social behaviour can be taken to the RTB.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,644 ✭✭✭✭punisher5112


    Report to gardai, social services for the kids. They must be supervised.

    I Would keep up going in if needs be.

    Play a little dumb on what box contains and fear they will be electrocuted.

    Be nice but firm they hate people coming in.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,422 ✭✭✭Ms Doubtfire1


    1) Change the door (if you can) on the phone box to say 'careful high voltage'.
    or you could report it to the telephone company (with pictures) as it's their property
    2) report the parents as irresponsible to social services directly.

    Things like that need to be nipped in the butt now before the issue gets out of hand when they get older unless you fancy moving.


  • Posts: 24,714 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    What about a gate at the entrance to your drive?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,057 ✭✭✭.......


    This post has been deleted.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,644 ✭✭✭✭punisher5112


    Also put up a CCTV camera gotten very cheap these days.

    Look up likes of a trail cam they run on batteries and SD card so no worrying about cables or units to record. They about £72.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,119 ✭✭✭Tails142


    Good fences make good neighbours.

    Get a lock on the door to the box if you can, they are available instead of the triangular key or whatever is on it now


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,644 ✭✭✭✭punisher5112


    ....... wrote: »
    This and some heavy bushes along perimeters.

    Plus a cage over the electricity/phone boxes.

    Alternatively, contact the phone box providers and ask them to put it somewhere that children cant access it.

    Just for fun I would paint the whole box with anti climb paint and let the child get it all over herself.

    Dog **** works much better.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 34 ZaffizaKunt


    ....... wrote: »
    Just for fun I would paint the whole box with anti climb paint and let the child get it all over herself.
    I'd do the same, great idea.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,644 ✭✭✭✭punisher5112


    I'd do the same, great idea.

    Until they smear it all over your walls and car.

    Tell the parents as I said you fear of their safety and you will have to push for criminal damage.

    Put a few glasses of vinegar around it so they will get covered in it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 213 ✭✭Stiletto72


    Water pistol with vinegar in it?
    One of those super soakers.


  • Posts: 2,799 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Stiletto72 wrote: »
    Water pistol with vinegar in it?
    One of those super soakers.

    No. These are 2 and 4 years old!

    OP. Wash around the area every day with Jeyes Fluids. Ragazzi hate the smell


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7 LiberateTutemae


    Hi there OP,

    that's a difficult and stressful situation. It's very important you have no further contact with the parents or their kids from now on. Simply don't engage. Don't give the situation oxygen. You cannot apply civil society rules to uncivil people because they reject society and its rules.

    If you complain to authorities you risk becoming the local entertainment or sport for the unsavory characters and their kids in the area. Do not involve the Gardai as they will be obliged to visit the kids parents thus inflaming the situation further. Gards know that they will end up having to go back to visit the area multiple times if this is the route your pursue, and nothing will be done, except more damage to your property.

    If I were you, if you could afford it buy yourselves a mosquito which is approximately 600e or else go for a much cheaper alternative which doesn't require wiring for 99 sterling. Not sure I can post links here so just copy and paste the url below into google search and you will find the website. You can turn on and off the unpleasant but harmless sound( audible only to kids under 16) aiming it at the side passage or front garden, until they get the message.

    If they question if you have a device, unlike the mosquito which is wired outdoors on the side of your property, the cheaper version can be turned on and off from you windowsill discreetly which prevent them from making a complaint about it. If there is no visible device, the local council etc cannot act. Best of luck with it.

    abcfireandsecurity.co.uk/Teenager%20Dispersal.htm?gclid=COfW6KC2vdQCFU-37Qodo48EvA


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 265 ✭✭EletricMan


    Hi Op I have no advice for you only keep a eye on the esb cabinet, the last thing you need is them gaining access to that!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    I would have huge concern for that child's safety. This sounds like neglect.

    A lone four year old with foul language, wandering the streets unsupervised, with unidentifiable guardians, is pulling electrical cables out, sometimes with 2 younger children in tow?

    I'd be on the phone to TUSLA , the local social workers, and child welfare in a flash.

    Here are some links:
    http://www.tusla.ie/children-first/how-do-i-report-abuse
    http://www.tusla.ie/services/child-protection-welfare/contact-a-social-worker


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7 LiberateTutemae


    pwurple wrote: »
    I would have huge concern for that child's safety. This sounds like neglect.

    A lone four year old with foul language, wandering the streets unsupervised, with unidentifiable guardians, is pulling electrical cables out, sometimes with 2 younger children in tow?

    I'd be on the phone to TUSLA , the local social workers, and child welfare in a flash.

    Here are some links:

    This is precisely the type of advice that if taken will start WW3 with your uncivil neighbours.
    Who do you think they will come looking for after they receive a visit from Tusla? You'd be lucky not to have your house burned to the ground if as you said they also have older kids who have already damaged your car.


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  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 903 ✭✭✭MysticMonk


    We had similar issues in my area with a family of troublemakers.

    You must report ALL crime to the landlord,the guards, the local authority and ( although I'm not political) your elected Govt representative..they have a surprising amount of power at local level.

    The idea of kids nicking electrical wire from somebody's home is an absolute disgrace. Your taxes are funding their lifestyle,let it fund their eviction too.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    This is precisely the type of advice that if taken will start WW3 with your uncivil neighbours.
    Who do you think they will come looking for after they receive a visit from Tusla? You'd be lucky not to have your house burned to the ground if as you said they also have older kids who have already damaged your car.

    The very first link is how to make an anonymous report.

    That child could be killed by a passing car, or electrocuted, or long-term, turned into a career criminal because everyone who saw it turned a blind eye to obvious neglect.

    This is the cowardly attitude which let the abuse of thousands of children continue in case of upsetting the neighbours.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7 LiberateTutemae


    pwurple wrote: »
    The very first link is how to make an anonymous report.

    That child could be killed by a passing car, or electrocuted, or long-term, turned into a career criminal because everyone who saw it turned a blind eye to obvious neglect.

    This is the cowardly attitude which let the abuse of thousands of children continue in case of upsetting the neighbours.

    The OP is a home owner, NOT a social justice warrior. The only person those neighbours will blame in the event of an anonymous report to Tusla is the nearest scapegoat figures i.e. the OP. More than likely Tusla are already aware of the family if they have engaged in anti social behavior before.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 862 ✭✭✭Zenify


    No climb paint. look it up, great stuff for deterring little f**kers.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,443 ✭✭✭sondagefaux


    Do you own your house? Whether you do or not is irrelevant but if you do it will make it easier for you to sue the landlord. 
    Before beginning the suit, keep a detailed diary of all incidents, take photos and/or video clips as evidence.
    Continue to make polite complaints to the parents in writing, keep copies of all notes you give to the parents. 
    As you've pointed out, the parents aren't taking any action to control their kids so it seems unlikely they're going to take any action to control them even if you ask them politely.
    Every time you note anti-social behaviour and/or petty vandalism by the kids, every time you complain to the parents, follow this up with evidence and complaints to your local authority, to the landlord in writing
    If both of them ignore you or say they can't do anything, get in touch with a solicitor, give copies of your notes about anti-social behaviour etc, plus copies of all your correspondence to the local authority/landlord, to your solicitor, and get your solicitor to threaten to sue.
    The basis of the suit? The failure of the local authority and the landlord to take measures to prevent the anti-social behaviour by your neighbours' children has impinged on your human rights, in particular the human right to property, including the human right to peaceful enjoyment of your property.
    You cannot sue an individual, such as your landlord, in the European Court of Human Rights for failure to respect your human rights.
    However, you can sue the state (or a state body, such as a local authority) for failure to protect your human rights, even if they aren't the direct cause of the breach of your human rights.
    Therefore, any failure by the local authority to protect your human rights to peaceful enjoyment of your property, including failure to ensure that the landlord meets his legal obligations towards you and in respect of trying to prevent his tenants' anti-social behaviour, can be litigated on  human rights grounds.
    The grounds on which you threaten to sue the landlord are slightly different - his failure to control or prevent his tenants' anti-social behaviour is causing a nuisance, a tort in itself, and the anti-social behaviour may affect the resale value of your home (should you choose to sell it) which is a potential breach of your property rights in both Irish law and European human rights law.
    Don't mess about with vinegar or any other nonsense - get a solicitor involved and scare the crap out of the local authority and the landlord.
    If you convince them that you're serious about legal action, they will get their backsides in gear and get rid of those tenants asap.
    Once they're gone, get your solicitor to inform the local authority and the landlord in the strongest terms that you will not put up with anti-social tenants as neighbours and that you will sue again if the landlord permits his tenants to engage in anti-social behaviour and if neither he nor the local authority takes action to prevent it.
    Too many landlords don't give a damn how their tenants upset people in neighbouring properties as long as they get their rent.
    The only way to get these bad landlords to take notice is to threaten to hit them in a way they'll take notice of, by threatening to sue them.
    Money is all these guys care about. If they think they might lose a large sum of money because of the behaviour of their tenants, they'll get rid of the tenants. 
    Here's an article about property rights under the European Convention on Human Rights;
    http://echr-online.info/right-to-property-article-1-of-protocol-1-to-the-echr/introduction/
    Property rights under the Irish constitution:
    http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/government_in_ireland/irish_constitution_1/constitution_fundamental_rights.html
    If you don't want to go down the legal route, a gate to close off your driveway and a cage around the ESB cabinet etc might just work to keep these kids away from/off your property.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,170 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    Donutz wrote: »
    P.S. does anybody know if exposed phone lines could pose a danger to anybody?

    Nah, its 48v low current.



    Get a rottweiler.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,101 ✭✭✭spaceHopper


    You will get a mild but harmless shock of a phone line, sometimes only if it's ringing.

    Might just be easier to secure the box better. Screw it shut or put a painted steel plate in front of it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 429 ✭✭denis160


    ....... wrote: »
    This and some heavy bushes along perimeters.

    Plus a cage over the electricity/phone boxes.

    Alternatively, contact the phone box providers and ask them to put it somewhere that children cant access it.

    Just for fun I would paint the whole box with anti climb paint and let the child get it all over herself.
    Having the same repeatedly for the past couple of years where would you get anti climb paint?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,412 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    denis160 wrote: »
    Having the same repeatedly for the past couple of years where would you get anti climb paint?

    Any hardware .


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,412 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    If you've no kids of your own, you could install a mosquito.

    https://www.compoundsecurity.co.uk/security-equipment/mosquito-mk4-anti-loitering-device

    If the neighbour's make a deal out of it, tell them it'll be turned off when they stop acting like cnuts. And that it'll be turned back on if they start acting like cnuts again. And it'll be turned on every time they have kids over. And it'll sometimes be turned on in the middle of the the night.

    Unless they behave.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,422 ✭✭✭Ms Doubtfire1


    ED E wrote: »



    Get a rottweiler.

    Thats stupid advise. Only thing that will happen is that the dog will get killed. I LOVE the idea of anti climb paint.:D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,273 ✭✭✭twowheelsonly


    denis160 wrote: »
    Having the same repeatedly for the past couple of years where would you get anti climb paint?
    endacl wrote: »
    Any hardware .

    As stated, hardware shops should have it but grease will do the job as well. Not too thick a layer as it can then be rubbed on your car / house. Just enough to get on their hands and clothes.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,422 ✭✭✭Ms Doubtfire1


    As stated, hardware shops should have it but grease will do the job as well. Not too thick a layer as it can then be rubbed on your car / house. Just enough to get on their hands and clothes.
    SMELLY stinky grease.:D:D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    The OP is a home owner, NOT a social justice warrior. The only person those neighbours will blame in the event of an anonymous report to Tusla is the nearest scapegoat figures i.e. the OP. More than likely Tusla are already aware of the family if they have engaged in anti social behavior before.

    Oh yeah yeah, someone else has probably reported it, right? The OP is not the only person on that street. Could be anyone. Also, if they are known to TUSLA, then even more reason to add to that case. Get those children placed somewhere safe.

    Are you equating this to SJW's who look for non-gender toilets and insist on trigger warnings? This is much more akin to the two children left on their own in a car overnight to suffocate, while everyone who saw them ignored it, rather than bother the mother who was drinking inside.

    Anti-social behaviour... It's not that either. We are not talking about a bunch of teenagers doing some graffiti, this is a neglected toddler.

    A 4 year old should be on the ECCE scheme, attending pre-school, singing songs and finger painting. Not pulling cables and swearing at people.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,088 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    This thread, while full of well-intentioned posts, shows the divide between some estates in this country

    The reality (and I say this as someone who spent many years living in an estate dealing with issues like the OP describes) is that the Gardai will do nothing about it as they're under age and it's "nuisance" behaviour, the Council similarly won't get involved, and unfortunately their landlord doesn't seem to care either.
    People like the OP's neighbours have no fear or respect for any of those groups, nor the likes of TUSLA. That's evident in the attitude the OP got when they tried to speak to them about it.

    The truth is, any attempts to address the situation through formal complaints will merely escalate the problem, and while the OP will find that the Gardai have no interest in the behaviour of these kids, they'll be ALL OVER the OP if they try to "retaliate".

    I'm afraid the only real option (sad as it is) is to try and live with it, and maybe do things like installing a fence/gates and hedges to limit the access.... or move.
    My late mother had CCTV on every corner of the house, hours of video footage, complaints to the Gardai and Council and the story even featured on Prime Time but NOTHING was ever done by the authorities to resolve the problems (which only stopped when the "kids" involved grew up and moved on to more serious offences). These people have apathy and no fear on their sides so will have no issue with making life hell for the OP if it comes down to it. :(


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,443 ✭✭✭sondagefaux


    That's a defeatist attitude. The state authorities and the property owners have legal obligations to the people who are being affected and who cannot peacefully enjoy their properties. 
    The state authorities can be sued under both European human rights law and Irish law, the property owners who are carelessly letting their tenants make others lives intolerable can be sued under Irish law. 
    Using the law to its fullest extent is one way to ensure that those who cause the problems and those that ignore them are punished.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    _Kaiser_ wrote: »
    This thread, while full of well-intentioned posts, shows the divide between some estates in this country

    The reality (and I say this as someone who spent many years living in an estate dealing with issues like the OP describes) is that the Gardai will do nothing about it as they're under age and it's "nuisance" behaviour, the Council similarly won't get involved, and unfortunately their landlord doesn't seem to care either.
    People like the OP's neighbours have no fear or respect for any of those groups, nor the likes of TUSLA. That's evident in the attitude the OP got when they tried to speak to them about it.

    The truth is, any attempts to address the situation through formal complaints will merely escalate the problem, and while the OP will find that the Gardai have no interest in the behaviour of these kids, they'll be ALL OVER the OP if they try to "retaliate".

    I'm afraid the only real option (sad as it is) is to try and live with it, and maybe do things like installing a fence/gates and hedges to limit the access.... or move.
    My late mother had CCTV on every corner of the house, hours of video footage, complaints to the Gardai and Council and the story even featured on Prime Time but NOTHING was ever done by the authorities to resolve the problems (which only stopped when the "kids" involved grew up and moved on to more serious offences). These people have apathy and no fear on their sides so will have no issue with making life hell for the OP if it comes down to it. :(

    Do we actually have to roll out the crappy neighbours credentials here to stop this patronisation? Next I'll be called an ELite.

    I lived for ten years next to a family quite like this. Three of our cars were burnt out the drug dealers customers... two of our motorbikes stolen. They used to throw their used needles over our wall. My three year old picking one up was the final straw, and we moved. Have an ould look through my posts, plenty of tales of these guys.

    But anyway, junkie daddy and mammy had a little girl, and i called social protection when she was left locked in the car for hours, when she was wandering around the estate in a nappy dragging to her ankles, when she was playing with dog crap. This was before I even had kids myself. I could still recognise abuse when I see it. I kept on good terms with the family, but smade those reports because I was worried about her. I have never done it before, or had need since thank feck.

    It took a while, but the mother got some help, and while junkie daddy disappeared off to england, junkie mammy came around, got a place of her own, a job, and the little girl is doing fine now according to the neighbours.

    I don't know how people can stand by and watch a child being neglected.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,088 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    pwurple wrote: »
    Do we actually have to roll out the crappy neighbours credentials here to stop this patronisation? Next I'll be called an ELite.

    I lived for ten years next to a family quite like this. Three of our cars were burnt out the drug dealers customers... two of our motorbikes stolen. They used to throw their used needles over our wall. My three year old picking one up was the final straw, and we moved. Have an ould look through my posts, plenty of tales of these guys.

    But anyway, junkie daddy and mammy had a little girl, and i called social protection when she was left locked in the car for hours, when she was wandering around the estate in a nappy dragging to her ankles, when she was playing with dog crap. This was before I even had kids myself. I could still recognise abuse when I see it. I kept on good terms with the family, but smade those reports because I was worried about her. I have never done it before, or had need since thank feck.

    It took a while, but the mother got some help, and while junkie daddy disappeared off to england, junkie mammy came around, got a place of her own, a job, and the little girl is doing fine now according to the neighbours.

    I don't know how people can stand by and watch a child being neglected.

    There's a bit of a difference between a child being left in the state you described by their parents, and the feral kids the OP is referring to.

    In the latter case, these kids aren't being ignored by their parents, the parents just don't care what hassle they cause to the neighbours, and because it's "low level" stuff for now (and we had the same things happen at home - broken windows, damage to cars, even poisoned meat thrown over the back walls to try and kill the dogs), the truth is that the Gardai and Council will have no interest in dealing with it - as wrong as it is.

    Unless the OP is prepared for a long frustrating slog of keeping records and lodging repeated complaints to these groups, local TDs and so on, any attempts to deal directly with the problem as some have suggested will only make things worse when dealing with "people" like that.

    Ultimately it comes down to whether the OP has the time and energy to do that, or just wants to live in their own home in peace, in which case (unfortunately) moving is the only practical solution. Sure, people who aren't living with it may see it as defeatist, but it's up to the OP to decide what's worth more to them - being right/doing the right thing, or to just get some peace and quiet back in their life.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    Yes, I agree, the Guards, council, TDs will do absolutely nothing about it, because it is not within their remit.

    An unaccompanied 4 year old is TUSLA territory. Links are above in my previous pose.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,088 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    pwurple wrote: »
    Yes, I agree, the Guards, council, TDs will do absolutely nothing about it, because it is not within their remit.

    An unaccompanied 4 year old is TUSLA territory. Links are above in my previous pose.

    They're not "unaccompanied" though.. they haven't been "abandoned" on the streets in rags. They're just out making a nuisance of themselves to neighbours, which is bad parenting yes (and I certainly wouldn't allow my child to do it - at ANY age) but not neglect as in the example you cited.

    You said yourself that you moved out in the end.. why? I'm going to guess because the time it'd take to get a response from the authorities (if any) wasn't worth the effort/persistence required AND the risk to yourself and your family from these people in the meantime.

    You're proving my point for me. As I said, the sad truth in many estates in this country is that people like the OP can do the "right thing", or they can have peace and security. People like we're referring to won't let them have both unfortunately.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,323 ✭✭✭davo2001


    A third party complaint on anti-social behaviour can be taken to the RTB.

    Realisitically, do you think this would result in any constructive action being taken?!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,223 ✭✭✭Michael D Not Higgins


    davo2001 wrote: »
    Realisitically, do you think this would result in any constructive action being taken?!

    It can force the landlord to do something about it.

    The neighbour has shown they're not willing to do anything. The Gardaí will say it's a civil matter. The local authority have no responsibility in a RAS tenancy so this still lies with the landlord. The landlord hasn't done anything so the RTB can force the landlord to control the anti-social behaviour.

    The OP doesn't want anything unreasonable, just the kids to stay away from their property. No one is willing to discipline the children though, which is why people are suggesting things like anti-climb paint but if it continues they're only going to get older and bolder.

    The complaint with the RTB could result in as little as the landlord at least listening to their complaint and trying to do something about it. If the landlord can't resolve it and the anti-social behaviour continues, the complaint can be re-opened and the landlord may be forced to terminate the tenancy.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    _Kaiser_ wrote: »
    They're not "unaccompanied" though.. they haven't been "abandoned" on the streets in rags. They're just out making a nuisance of themselves to neighbours, which is bad parenting yes (and I certainly wouldn't allow my child to do it - at ANY age) but not neglect as in the example you cited.

    Ok, so, maybe you missed the part in the OP, where they mentioned the parents are not around? What parents are you talking about? Someone called this girl feral a few post ago... I can't see how a toddler left to her own devices on a street is anything other than neglect.

    You claim it would be "doing the right thing", but somehow are trying to persuade the OP out of it? Your reasoning just doesn't fit my moral values, but I guess that's your perspective.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,088 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    pwurple wrote: »
    Ok, so, maybe you missed the part in the OP, where they mentioned the parents are not around? What parents are you talking about? Someone called this girl feral a few post ago... I can't see how a toddler left to her own devices on a street is anything other than neglect.

    You claim it would be "doing the right thing", but somehow are trying to persuade the OP out of it? Your reasoning just doesn't fit my moral values, but I guess that's your perspective.

    I referred to the parents in reference to the OP trying to speak to them about the behaviour and being told to f-off. The landlord similarly doesn't seem to care.

    Ultimately, it's not the responsibility of the OP to sort out this family or the welfare of their kids and attempting to do so out of some sense of morality will likely make the situation worse when dealing with people like we're talking about.

    I watched my mother devote so much time to recording and transcribing incidents, making statements to Gardai and the Council, and dealing with the verbal abuse, stone-throwing, cleaning up stuff thrown into the garden and so on - all without any results, that there's no way I'd advocate the OP put themselves or their family through that just to "do the right thing"

    You yourself moved out from a similar situation so it seems clear to me that you weren't prepared to do it either in fairness - and who could really blame you? Families like that are effectively untouchable (either because they keep the harassment to a sufficiently low level that the local Gardai/Council can ignore - or indeed because they're informants as one of the groups on my mother's road were), so you can either spend a lot of time and energy in a futile pursuit of justice, or you can make a decision to move on/out and find somewhere better to live (as indeed many on our road did over the years)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38 missvicky


    I've been following this thread as I am going through very similar situations as the op. I'm withered from documenting every incident and reporting same to the gardai and also the council. I have also got the typical answers of shut up and put up or move, but it's not as easy as just moving. Everybody has a right to live peacefully. It's these type of 'people' who have our society destroyed and nobody is taking responsibility for it. I am not going to back down on this and I really hope the op finds the strength to keep fighting


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,443 ✭✭✭sondagefaux


    missvicky wrote: »
    I've been following this thread as I am going through very similar situations as the op. I'm withered from documenting every incident and reporting same to the gardai and also the council. I have also got the typical answers of shut up and put up or move, but it's not as easy as just moving. Everybody has a right to live peacefully. It's these type of 'people' who have our society destroyed and nobody is taking responsibility for it. I am not going to back down on this and I really hope the op finds the strength to keep fighting

    Everybody has a human right to peaceful enjoyment of their possessions, including real estate (house etc) they own.

    If the state authorities (the council, the gardaí etc) don't do their jobs and ignore the behaviour of people who are denying you that right, you can sue them.

    You can sue landlords for the nuisance caused by their tenants.

    Don't back down, don't move away - use the law to enforce your rights.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,223 ✭✭✭Michael D Not Higgins


    Everybody has a human right to peaceful enjoyment of their possessions, including real estate (house etc) they own.

    If the state authorities (the council, the gardaí etc) don't do their jobs and ignore the behaviour of people who are denying you that right, you can sue them.

    You can sue landlords for the nuisance caused by their tenants.

    Don't back down, don't move away - use the law to enforce your rights.

    You can't sue the council or Gardaí for not acting on low level anti social behaviour. You also can't sue the landlord. You can however raise a complaint through the RTB who can force the landlord to ensure the tenants are upholding their obligations. They also have the power to penalise the landlord and award monetary amounts to the aggrieved.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38 missvicky


    You can't sue the council or Gardaí for not acting on low level anti social behaviour. You also can't sue the landlord. You can however raise a complaint through the RTB who can force the landlord to ensure the tenants are upholding their obligations. They also have the power to penalise the landlord and award monetary amounts to the aggrieved.

    What if the tenancy is not registered with the rtb? Is there a way of finding out who the landlord is?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,223 ✭✭✭Michael D Not Higgins


    missvicky wrote: »
    What if the tenancy is not registered with the rtb? Is there a way of finding out who the landlord is?

    You can look up who owns the property in the Land Registry. Whether the tenancy is registered or not doesn't matter to making a complaint.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,443 ✭✭✭sondagefaux


    You can't sue the council or Gardaí for not acting on low level anti social behaviour.

    Yes you can.

    Read pages 22 - 24: https://rm.coe.int/168007ff55
    You also can't sue the landlord. You can however raise a complaint through the RTB who can force the landlord to ensure the tenants are upholding their obligations. They also have the power to penalise the landlord and award monetary amounts to the aggrieved.

    Generally it's the occupant who is liable for nuisance. However, if a landlord gives explicit or tacit consent to the behaviour causing the nuisance (including by ignoring their statutory obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act), it is open to people affected by the nuisance to sue the landlord. If the court accepts that the landlord has given tacit consent to the nuisance (eg: by failing to take stept to control the anti-social actions of tenants), they may find the landlord liable.

    http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/who-is-responsible-for-open-drain-nuisance-1.2210792

    https://www.threshold.ie/advice/dealing-with-problems-during-your-tenancy/antisocial-behaviour-and-noise-issues/

    Also, define 'low level anti social behaviour'. The OP sets out criminal trespass, criminal damage to property, and harassment as some of the features of the anti-social behaviour experienced. Are these 'low level'? Just because they're being done by four year olds doesn't make them low level, unless you're referring to the height of the child... :D


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