Terribad neighbours.

A colleague of mine had some trouble with disrespectful neighbours, although she also has a relative with a unmufflered Harley and matching leathers/outfit.
Reportedly only took one loud arrival with some superfluous engine revving on her driveway for the neighbours behaviour to completely subside.
Can one hire a Harley/ Harley owner?
We’ve one of the Rebels living nearby and have had no noted urban crime for over two years.

A shotgun would fix the problem

thoughtpod said :

I’ve always wondered why we try to tackle these as individuals. Basically, these people are intimidating you with the threat of escalated harassment and potential violence. The system can’t act swiftly because it is not geared to taking these type of people and dealing with them coersively.

But what if you got yourself, your neighbor, their other neighbor, and the one further on, the four behind their house, the ones across the road, and a bunch of others, as well as a few (burly) friends, to take a community action. To all walk up to their door as a group of 15, 16 pissed off people and let them know that when they mess with anyone, they mess with everyone, and you expect them to shut up and behave.

Unfortunately, all these people understand (in their unsophisticated way) is brute power…so why not show them that you can harness the community to intervene.

I had basically the same people living next to me, and while the situation resolved itself (they were moved out), I always wondered why I’d never done this.

I think this would be a more effective approach. OP wouldn’t need to threaten anyone or break the law, but if all the neighbours showed up and made it clear that they’d had enough and they would no longer tolerate their behaviour, the jerk-offs might get the picture.

thoughtpod said :

But what if you got yourself, your neighbor, their other neighbor, and the one further on, the four behind their house, the ones across the road, and a bunch of others, as well as a few (burly) friends, to take a community action. To all walk up to their door as a group of 15, 16 pissed off people and let them know that when they mess with anyone, they mess with everyone, and you expect them to shut up and behave.

Unfortunately, all these people understand (in their unsophisticated way) is brute power…so why not show them that you can harness the community to intervene.

We’ll give you the sack, but you have to supply your own doorknobs.

Wow, I think the most surprising part of this article was the point where this is a private rental. Definitely call the owner and real estate agent. If they’ve only just moved in they would definitely want to know.

I genuinely thought this story was going to end with “it’s a government or community organisation house”. In which case you’re almost stuffed, unless you manage to get a petition of 350 people to get the arsonist scum kicked out by marymead like we did.

Tetranitrate said :

I don’t understand why so many people here seem to think that the landlord or RE agent has some kind of responsibility – it’s as though you expect them to be like parents or something.
Where does this ridiculous idea come from? the notion that tenants are like children and if you ring the ‘parents’ they’ll sort it out.

Tenants don’t have any less rights here than owners and if there are noise issues your recourse is the police and the courts. You are talking about adults who are responsible for their own actions, not school children. “handing the bill to the real estate agent” is the pinnacle of absurdity here, they’ll rightly tell you to F— off.
Police, AVOs, a current affair – whatever.

Because its basic human decency to not rent to a shitbag. If you own or manage the property, you have a responsibility to the community.

I’ve always wondered why we try to tackle these as individuals. Basically, these people are intimidating you with the threat of escalated harassment and potential violence. The system can’t act swiftly because it is not geared to taking these type of people and dealing with them coersively.

But what if you got yourself, your neighbor, their other neighbor, and the one further on, the four behind their house, the ones across the road, and a bunch of others, as well as a few (burly) friends, to take a community action. To all walk up to their door as a group of 15, 16 pissed off people and let them know that when they mess with anyone, they mess with everyone, and you expect them to shut up and behave.

Unfortunately, all these people understand (in their unsophisticated way) is brute power…so why not show them that you can harness the community to intervene.

I had basically the same people living next to me, and while the situation resolved itself (they were moved out), I always wondered why I’d never done this.

If someone told me that one of my tenants was behaving like this, and I was able to verify this, I’d throw the tenants out on the street.

I don’t understand why so many people here seem to think that the landlord or RE agent has some kind of responsibility – it’s as though you expect them to be like parents or something.
Where does this ridiculous idea come from? the notion that tenants are like children and if you ring the ‘parents’ they’ll sort it out.

Tenants don’t have any less rights here than owners and if there are noise issues your recourse is the police and the courts. You are talking about adults who are responsible for their own actions, not school children. “handing the bill to the real estate agent” is the pinnacle of absurdity here, they’ll rightly tell you to F— off.
Police, AVOs, a current affair – whatever.

Has anyone thought of what the really sad part is? When the OP is finally successful, these reprobates will just move on to another neighborhood and make somebody else’s life miserable. The behavior won’t be modified.

I feel for you. I dislike neighbors who don’t have basic respect. I would suggest installing some video surveillance on your property so that if they do enter it to do damage you will have evidence. Keep a diary / record of what happens.

I had to put up with neighbour who had been sub-leased the rental property: no agent checking. He had excessively loud parties till early in the morning as well as facing a three year jail sentence for getting herion through the post. I had to get the owner into the legal process of a damages claim threat before they kicked the unwanted tenant out. The owner was shocked at who was living there, but did nothing and it took three months before the neighbour left dumping many large furniture items in the entry drive: moved at peoples’ cost. It took nine sleepless months.

Nan212 said :

Calling the police is not really an option. They don’t like getting involved in ‘domestics’.

Total rubbish .. police are well trained to appreciate the severity of domestic disputes and the impact they can have on the neighbourhood; this isn’t the 1960s. If safety is a serious concern, you should always call the police.

Keep a record of everything; events, when police came – names of officers etc.

Oh and …

arescarti42 said :

Masquara said :

Phone the real estate agent and say you are considering going to the media (and naming them on RiotAct) if things aren’t sorted to the neighbourhood’s satisfaction and that in future if they fight so as to put you in a state of fear for your life and property, and your children’s wellbeing, you will decamp to a hotel for the night and sue them through the Small Claims Court for restitution. Raise the issue with your local members and the relevant minister. Send the real estate agent a bill for fixups for any damage to your property caused by those tenants.

Good luck with that. You do realise that the owner and real estate agent are in no way legally liable for the behaviour of the tenants, don’t you?

I’m pretty sure that most landlords, even if they don’t care about neighbours, do care about the value of their property and having drop-kicks like this ripping up carpet and smashing walls will, one would hope, stir them into action.

I’ve been through a neighbourly issue regarding a dog that did not want to stop barking. The house was also rented. Not to go into it too deeply, (my post about it is already on RA), the real estate people who are a well known mob whose catch phrase was at one time ‘….Mr Hooker, you’re the best…’ were so uninterested it was simply astounding. In the end my correspondence with them bears out that they told us that their tenant is entitled to peace and quiet. And this after it was revealed that they weren’t even meant to have a dog on the property. So they were already in breach of the lease.

Suffice to say, real estate agents make a big song and dance about vetting prospective tenants, but when push comes to shove, even in high rental demand climates they are still unwilling to assist. I ended up asking for the tenant to be told he could not come onto our property due to his threatening behavior and my concern for my and my sons’ safety They did do this but it raised no alarms with them. Totally totally hopeless.

However, to be fair to the owner, I believe the correct course of action is to go to the agent first. If you have no luck, go to the owner. Oh, and record the goings on as well – keep a diary and record with your phone or similar. At least then you won’t have to go through the rigmarole of it being disputed by the tenants.

I wish you luck. Let us know how it works out.

arescarti42 said :

Just out of interest, which region do you live in, and is the neighbouring house public housing? (apologies to those public housing tenants who are good neighbours).

Belco, Page specifically. The neighbouring house was a private rental. I saw it on allhomes a couple of months ago. That doesn’t discount the possibility of it still being public housing tenants. I find it extremely hard to believe that people like that would be able to continue to get properties for rent without being stamped on some kind of blacklist.

Human trash. Get rid of them. Go to agent, if they refuse to act then name and shame here. Call owner and if they are a dbag as well then take action into your own hands. Go provoke them into beating ou then take them to court.

Best thing to do is call the police and report every time it happens. Keep a diary of all the incidents. Email the real estate and document every thing. Document, document and document. Tell the real estate it has under a month to get things sorted. If you have no joy in that way, then contact the owner and back up your story to them with all the emails to the real estate agent and all the police report numbers.
Good luck.

Masquara said :

Nan212 said :

Calling the police is not really an option. They don’t like getting involved in ‘domestics’.

That is nonsense. Police have been given intensive training regarding domestic violence for some years now; there is a domestic violence unit and the police will charge a domestic violence perpetrator regardless of whether the victim wishes to press charges. Times have changed.

Thank you for reading my mind,i really didn’t want to type all that out

arescarti42 said :

Masquara said :

Good luck with that. You do realise that the owner and real estate agent are in no way legally liable for the behaviour of the tenants, don’t you?

They do to some extent – the quiet enjoyment clause in the standard tenancy agreement goes both ways – neighbours have a right to expect that you will behave in a way that will not disrupt their quiet enjoyment. You can’t enforce it if the owners are bastards unless the EPA or Police get involved, but if they are a tenant, subject to the tenancy tribunal and law, you can do a little more to change the situation.

good luck with this one – it is one of the burdens of living in suburbia unfortunately.

Nan212 said :

Calling the police is not really an option. They don’t like getting involved in ‘domestics’.

That is nonsense. Police have been given intensive training regarding domestic violence for some years now; there is a domestic violence unit and the police will charge a domestic violence perpetrator regardless of whether the victim wishes to press charges. Times have changed.

Masquara said :

Phone the real estate agent and say you are considering going to the media (and naming them on RiotAct) if things aren’t sorted to the neighbourhood’s satisfaction and that in future if they fight so as to put you in a state of fear for your life and property, and your children’s wellbeing, you will decamp to a hotel for the night and sue them through the Small Claims Court for restitution. Raise the issue with your local members and the relevant minister. Send the real estate agent a bill for fixups for any damage to your property caused by those tenants.

Good luck with that. You do realise that the owner and real estate agent are in no way legally liable for the behaviour of the tenants, don’t you?

“What can I do?”

Move. Unless you can get them to move, it’s the only reliable way to make it stop. Any other routes you take, short of burning their house down while they’re inside, is only going to result in your car getting keyed, windows smashed, house egged etc.

Just out of interest, which region do you live in, and is the neighbouring house public housing? (apologies to those public housing tenants who are good neighbours).

You and your family shouldn’t have to put up with that crap! You say you have the owner’s phone number? I think I would be calling them and asking them to give their agent a ring.
Calling the police is not really an option. They don’t like getting involved in ‘domestics’. And the neighbours from hell would probably know who called them anyway, making things worse for you.
Been there, done that. We ended up selling and moving, but I understand you might not be in a position to do that. Good luck!!!

I’d try getting in touch with the owner of the house yourself. In my experience it’s 50/50 as to whether the real estate agent cares about the behaviour of the tenants, just so long as the property is rented.

Who knows what damage is being done to the property itself. With any luck the owner cares enough about their investment to take some action.

“Reason with these people” ? Stuff and nonsense. Phone the owner yourself as well as taking it up with the real estate agent – put it in writing, including advising of the likely effect on your young children and that you will investigate what steps you can take if the agent doesn’t fulfil their obligations to you as a neighbour. Phone the real estate agent and say you are considering going to the media (and naming them on RiotAct) if things aren’t sorted to the neighbourhood’s satisfaction and that in future if they fight so as to put you in a state of fear for your life and property, and your children’s wellbeing, you will decamp to a hotel for the night and sue them through the Small Claims Court for restitution. Raise the issue with your local members and the relevant minister. Send the real estate agent a bill for fixups for any damage to your property caused by those tenants. Talk to all the neighbours about coordinating a formal complaint, and phone the police every single time there is an incident. Are there children in their house? If so, formally advise the child welfare people.

Mate I’d be contacting the real estate agent. In writing would be a good idea. Keep calling the cops, I am sure they will know them by now as frequent flyers.

The real estate agent would already have the owners number…. I am not sure if know the owner well…maybe you can call the owner and let them know what’s happening…tell them you’re also going to contact the agent….. If I was the owner I’d be p’d off about the house being trashed….

The council is also an option for the noise, rubbish etc….though on a Friday or Saturday night with the noise the police are the best bet…….

I’d recommend not confronting them when they are off their tree. Obviously they are drop kicks, but you don’t want anything t happen to yourself…especially with kids in your house.

I am guessing that you own your place or are locked in renting etc where you are…. I feel for you guys…. Long term if it doesn’t sort itself it may be better to relocate….at least for the kids sake…..

……I often think that people of like this (your neighbours) are the types that continue to breed the following on bogan population…… If only the cycle could be broken!…..

Good luck mate..

As the owner of a couple of investment properties I would LOVE that a neighbour rang the real estate agent to report tenants that would in all likelihood damage the property as well as annoy the cr@p out of society. The agent is probably totally unaware of what is happening, and should be given the opportunity to deal with the issue.If the agent didn’t deal with it quick smart (ie < month), as an owner I would like to be told. And if that was the case, the tenants, and probably the agent, would be given the flick at end of lease.

Sounds like you live next door to me