What to do about nightmare neighbors?
Recently, some of you offered advice to fellow Wonk reader Mr. Baltimore about his neighbor dilemma. He likes his next-door neighbor and doesn't want to damage the relationship, but he's getting tired of frequent renovation noise.
Here's a bigger problem for your collective smarts, posed by "no name":
My mom's neighbors are the craziest folk you'd never want to meet. They've robbed her home, left dog feces on her front door knob, shot at the cameras outside her home, shot at the guy installing for the second time the cameras outside her home, they use her outside water spicot and have caused her paveway to rot, they park their cars in her drive, they've threatened her life and have falsely accused her of things she hasn't done.While in court, they lied while under oath and made her look as if she were some old, crazed woman in need of psychiatric care. If it were me, I know i would have committed suicide a while ago. I don't know how she puts up with it. They've even repeatedly slit her tires and had their children dump trash into her back porch and then, call the sanitation department on her. She's called the police. She's hired a lawyer, but still these insane neighbors seem to be winning.
Where's the justice?
Any suggestions? What can a law-abiding person do, short of move?
Categories: Neighborhood and neighbors
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Comments
Maybe she did something to upset them?
It sounds like the neighbors are taking whatever retaliation waay overboard, but perhaps she upset them somehow and they're angry.
I hate suggesting that she apologize, but has she tried talking to them to find out what the deal is?
Posted by: Justine | October 20, 2009 9:06 AM
While it may not be successful in this case, when people have conflicts with neighbors, they should consider community mediation as an option.
Here are two local places:
Community Mediation Program, Inc.
www.communitymediation.org
The Conflict Resolution Center of Baltimore County
www.crcbaltimorecounty.org
Posted by: AlisaBS | October 20, 2009 9:14 AM
That is unbelievable, but I guess nothing is anymore. Something needs to be done because that is no way to live and it will continue until she does something.
She should get the cameras placed on the inside of the house so they can not be tampered with. Then, once they are on video she can take that and get either charges pressed or even a restraining order so all she has to do is call the police when there is an incident (even parking in her drive). This happened to my aunt, not as bad, she got them on video, called the police, the people were arrested and forced to pay for the repairs. Then when they parked on her driveway she called the police and the car was ticketed and towed.
Posted by: M | October 20, 2009 10:32 AM
"M" is right... Document everything. Take pictures of every piece of damage. Even if it doesn't prove who did it, it will prove that it's not made up.
Posted by: bluzdude | October 20, 2009 1:55 PM
What a nightmare. I'm glad your mother had an apartment to go to. My first thought was she should just move or, perhaps in this market, rent the place out. Irrational, nasty people are not about to change their stripes. Calling the police in whenever necessary is appropriate and will create a record to refer to, but may only give the neighbors reason to look for more sneaky, subtle forms of revenge and can contribute to the police, too, falling in with "she's a crazy old lady" syndrom.
Posted by: lis | October 20, 2009 2:55 PM