Neighbour harrasment?

Cezary88

Hi
I'm writing here cause I'm pretty desperate at this stage, I've rented a house about a year ago, the neighbourgh is friend with the landlord which is away in the country. The deal was if I won't make noise I'll be fine.

Quickly I found my neighbor is looking into my windows and steps out into his garden as soon as my backdoor opens, we live in semi-detached house. It started from him coming to my door saying it was too loud the night before because I watched a movie "too loud" after 10'clock, fair enough I putted on home cinema when i moved in I didnt realize the walls are so thin I haven't turned it on since.
Since then he's been telling me I either comply or he will have to talk to the landlord and I will have to leave. (There's no houses in area for rent I'm only an apprentice and I coparent a child every Wednesday and every weekend) so I did my best to not cross him as I need the house with the garden

After a year it came down to the fact I lifted the fence cause of his complaint about my dog barking at people passing by (while his 2little dogs never stop barking-he complaint about me making noise raising the fence anyway), I leave my dog out for not longer then 5 min. Not one of my friends set a foot in my door EVER and I mean I never invited anyone into the house. I don't play music at home at all (unless its daytime then sometimes quietly) i have my blinds constantly down. I dont go out the back unless his car is not at the house because he's watching me. I've been still harassed multiple times over making noise like when I would go out with my partner and come back home and I barely even go out...(twice I played music at the start when i moved in on one of the lowest settings on the TV being extremely vigilant) and after second time where he came to my door and he lied straight to my face he rang the door 5times and been knocking for half hour trying to make an idiot out of me which I even was stupid enough to not argue with him and took it being talked down like to a dog. I feel like I can't normally live in my house, my partner putted on music last year in the kitchen when cooking during day and he was straight to my door cause he works long he comes back home and works in the kitchen of his laptop so he needs to focus. that time he invited me into his house to have a talk with me and explain me how he works (He works crazy hours) he lives with wife and daughter, him and his WiFi are just living together.
He would complain literally about anything, my dog barking for an hour (10min) talking too loud too late etc and everytime he would harass me if it will happen again I will have to leave and even if he wouldn't have anything to complain about he would call me over when he would saw me to tell me he's happy with me and ask loads of questions being nosy.

Matter of fact he never called the gardaas because he knows it was never loud
i think I would actually love him to do so because I rather speak with them then receive harassment from him but he knows they would think its a joke if they would come over

2months ago I told him its my partners birthday and I told him it might be loud untill 10o clock he told me he will tolerate till 9pm So we left to pub at 9pm in my house that time there was only me, my partner and her younger brother a very quiet lad we came back home after pub my misses went to sleep and I stayed for a while longer talking with her brother.
Couple days later I received phone call from my landlord telling me off, to be honest it sounded more like my landlord wouldnt want to deal with his harassment while having no problem with me, he was agreeing with me at the same time he is oversensitive and asked me to try to keep him happy,

I've been avoiding my neighbourgh since not once and I mean not once made a slightest noise and i havent seen him since
Untill today he came up to me complaining about me having sex too loud with my partner at night and in the morning telling me I will have to do Smth or I will have to go.
I told him there was no noise and walked away ignoring him completely.
I informed of that my landlord saying I will not tolerate that and that its none of his concern am I intimate with my partner or not and that to my knowledge nowhere in rent agreement there's anything about me not being able to have sex with someone at night or early morning.

I'm absolutely sickened with the situation I feel harassed and walking on eggshells in my house.
I've a nice garden I can't use blinds I can't open dog I can't leave outside it came to a point I'm having anxiety over him

On the end I will add I have very good references from 3 previous houses I've been renting in the past 5 years. Not one complaint ever...

Is there anything I can do? I feel like a dog thats being cornered and poked with a stick.

Please help

P.s. I don't know is it the right category to host this post, if not sorry for inconvenience

Samuel T. Cogley

Speak to the Landlord and explain the situation. Explain that you are politely but firmly going to tell this person to back off. It's very difficult to evict in Ireland so I wouldn't be overly concerned about that, especially as you are now on a Part IV tenancy and have security of tenure for another five years. There are still ways to terminate (for sale, own use, family use etc.) though so don't go all guns blazing.

If the LL becomes an issue and attempts to illegally evict you can raise a complaint with the Residential Tenancies Board. I recommend contacting them and Threshold (Bless their cotton socks) for advice.

Edit: I will say though even 10 continuous minutes of a dog barking is bloody annoying. It needs more exercise.

Lmklad

So as with all posts here we only hear one side but you seem to have an awful neighbour!

Just a few points. Your neighbour is not allowed look through your windows. I would inform him that you no longer wish to communicate with him in any form. If he continues to contact you this may be considered harassment and you would be entitled to make a complaint to Gardai.

“Quiet hours” are between midnight and 7am. Once you are conducting what is considered regular living in your own home there is nothing your neighbour can do, it is not your fault that the houses have poor sound insulation.

I would completely ignore him from now on. You ar paying rent and as such you have rights to enjoy your own home.

davej

It sounds to me like you are bending over backwards to accommodate this unreasonable neighbour. If your landlord has any sense he will not want to let you go because the chances of him finding a new tenant willing to placate and put up with this level of harassment is almost zero.

davej

Charles Ingles

Your too nice that's why he was a walking all over you.
A simple fcuk off in a firm manner will put an end to all this

SirChenjin

I'm guessing this guy has caused problems for previous tenants also. He sounds obsessed, to say the least.

Is there any chance you can move out? I know you shouldn't have to but long term living beside the likes of him, is going to be detrimental to your health.

seagull

Given that you've been in for over 6 months, the landlord can't evict you without cause. Unreasonable complaints from the neighbour are not cause. Tell your neighbour to piss off, and tell your landlord you will no longer tolerate the unreasonable demands of the neighbour.

Corvo

I'd be taking a pretty hard line with him and don't be afraid to. I'd be on the phone to the LL first and explaining that whats happening is basically harassment and that he either speaks to him there and then and sorts it or I would be.

If a neighbour came to my door and said I was having sex too loud or in fact was looking through my windows he'd be getting both barrels ( figuratively, of course ). Sounds like an absolute oddball.

rightmove

Is this query not also in accommodation section

kravmaga

Id make a Statement to your local Garda station and get them to apply for an Anti-social Behaviour Warning, this is the 1st step in the ASBO process.

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/justice/law_enforcement/anti_social_behaviour_by_adults.html

Graces7

rightmove wrote: »

Is this query not also in accommodation section

quite right too; as much advice and support as he can get.

rightmove

Surely the point of categories is to choose one

SusieBlue

Email your landlord, with an account of the conduct of your neighbour.
Outline how he is invading your space, harassing & intimidating you, and trespassing on your property.
Make it clear that you will not be tolerating this any further and that any future complaints about your intimate bedroom activities & TV volume etc. can be directed to the Gardaí.
The Gardaí will undoubtedly tell him where to go, but let him make a nuisance of himself. It might show him how ridiculous & unreasonable he's being if he's told by them you aren't breaking any laws.

Stop closing your blinds, if he comes onto your property tell him to leave or you will call the Gardaí. Let him know any complaints he has can be directed to the Gardaí going forward.
Do not engage with him any further. Don't answer the door to him and ignore him if he tries to confront you when going in/out of the house.

He is exerting power here and you need to take it back. You have a right to reasonably enjoy your home & you can't let him away with this any longer.

nuac

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