# Unbelievably feral neighbours



## traceya (Apr 26, 2010)

I've lived in my lovely little house for almost 19 years and it WAS a wonderful neighbourhood.
Then the feral pack of so-called human beings that call themselves a family moved in next door two years ago.  Since then it's been a constant barrage of arguments, late night parties, fist fights on the front lawn and they do not keep this feral behaviour to themselves - oh, no they spread it around the neighbourhood harassing any one they think is 'in their way'.  

They've broken windows, let down car tyres, beat up our elderly neighbour across the street - tried the same with my husband but he's worked in security all his life and knows boxing and many forms of martial arts so now we just get verbal harassment.  

Our local police force charge them with a variety of charges but local magistrates just keep letting them go because they are of 'sub-par intellect' so they end up with probation or bond.  It's driving me crazy, especially after this mornings 4AM free for all that has turned into an all day police hunt for the primary miscreant.

I so totally need a holiday - somewhere with a nice beach and warm water and pina colada's on tap


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## jeffcdo (Nov 13, 2010)

So....what do they think of the contrast ratio on your new Kindle?


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

Tracey, I feel for you.  We've had the unruly teens and loud music as well as unruly teens in cars blaring loud music .... but nothing on the level of your neighbors.  I think the biggest problem we've had was a deep-night paint ball battle with all of our yards apparently part of the game court.  It took the police moments to arrive and clear out that fiasco of teen testosterone fest.

Its sad the police give your neighbors such a long leash.  If you'd like, I can send some of the Dallas PD over to assist you ... instill a little fear of Bubba in them. ...


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## farrellclaire (Mar 5, 2010)

I can relate.  If I had the money, I'd move as quickly as possible.  It's awful when a few screwed up crazies make life awful for everyone else.  I don't have any advice apart from trying to keep a distance from them and not letting it get to you.  Stay as calm as you can.  I haven't actually figured out how to do that myself.


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## Holly A Hook (Sep 19, 2010)

I understand what you're going through.  A few years ago we had some bad neighbors across the street from us which ruined the whole summer.  Basically that house was where all the annoying people in the neighborhood hung out to do drugs, blare loud music, and be annoying.  They'd play football in the street and terrorize the old woman next to us.  The cops got called a lot of times on them.  Finally, after the whole gang of them egged every house and car on the street, the management kicked them out.


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## Markus_Kane (Sep 10, 2010)

Have you tried other avenues? Contacting a friendly city council member or writing a letter to the editor about the magistrate's inability to protect the community, for example.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

I agree with with Mr. Kane.  Perhaps a friendly visit to the magistrates to explain the rest of the story might not be a bad idea.  I don't know how the system works in your area, but I have found our local magistrates to be very approachable.
Good luck. 
deb


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## cc84 (Aug 6, 2010)

We have just got some new neighbours that are already stressing us out also. Like you, we've lived here about 20 years. It's a quiet area and our neighbours have always been kind and great. Then a couple of months ago the old lady opposite us died so the council (some houses here are rented off the council some are privately owned) moved some young idiots in. 2 lads and a lass (young, late teens early 20's). They stay indoors with curtains drawn all day, then on a night they argue and shout. Their next door neighbour, who i've known since we were kids, is getting really annoyed. They keep her up when she has work. Yesterday they set a fire in their garden which filled her place with smoke, and she just came out of hospital after an asthma attack. They take drugs also. 

Worst of all, they have two dogs, and their neighbour heard them go mad at one and kick it because it peed on their floor, they hardly let them out. My mum has heard them fighting with the girl that lives there, really shouting at her and calling her names. I hate trouble and i hope they dont last long around here.


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

cc84 said:


> I hate trouble and i hope they dont last long around here.


One of the things I like about our neighborhood is that the majority of us just want a nice peaceful place to live. Any time anyone has a loud party on a week night or too late into the weekend, we all call the police to make noise complaints. No one minds a party on a Saturday, but blaring music outdoors after midnight is another story altogether. Loud renters will move away rather quickly. Loud home owners learn quickly to abide by our community standards.

What surprises me, though, is the number of people who need to have the police stop by 3 or 4 times before they learn to be respectful of others.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Your stories of unruly neighbors make me remember why I love living in the boondocks. The only neighbor for a couple of miles lives 1/4 mile away, and isn't home very much. When he is there, he keeps to himself.  Shhh, the joys of living on a farm way out in the country.

I am sorry to hear that you all have to deal with such unpleasantness. It's a shame that the legal system allows troublemakers to get by with repeated warnings. Good luck.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Geoffrey said:


> What surprises me, though, is the number of people who need to have the police stop by 3 or 4 times before they learn to be respectful of others.


Actually, they never learn to be respectful, just how to not be noticed by the cops.

Tracey, hope it works out soon.


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## cc84 (Aug 6, 2010)

Cindy, i'm coming to live with you!  

Your area sounds nice Geoffrey. Most of our neighbours are like that also, but i guess sometimes, every place has to deal with bad neighbours. We hand some strong winds the other night, and their fence had blown loose. Now, for the lady that used to live there my dad would have gone to strengthen it so it didnt blow right over and she would have been very grateful. He was going to do it for this lot and had to be warned not to because they would see it as him interferring and would have started arguing or worse.   That was the wood they were burning in their garden.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

cc84 said:


> Cindy, i'm coming to live with you!


Just like Motel 6, I'll leave the light on, cc.


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## traceya (Apr 26, 2010)

Thanks all for the support - they do rent so I might have a word with the rental agency and we have our local MP who lives close by so maybe a letter would do some good there as well.

I'm extremely fortunate in the neighbourhood as not only is the husband well capable of 'defending the castle' as it were but Shayla my little baby girl who wouldn't hurt a fly [well maybe a fly] but she can be absolutely vicious about defending me and once took a huge chunk out of the eldest son's leg when he was bailing me up in the carport.

I'd just hate to have to move because all our other neighbours are great and this house is perfect for us. {sigh}

I'll work it out eventually I guess


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## DLs Niece (Apr 12, 2010)

I too feel for you.  We are in a similar situation, but without the physical violence. For 20 of the last 24 years it has been a quiet dead end street with respectful neighbours and little traffic.  Then retired couple directly across from me moved away and was replaced by a late 40s  early 50s woman and her trailer trash daughter. There are fights in the front yard at all times of the night and the language is abhorrent. On top of this, they have 5 dogs (which is against the bi-law) that scrap, howl and bark all night long. We haven't been able to have our windows open at night in over 4 years.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

DLs Niece said:


> On top of this, they have 5 dogs (which is against the bi-law) that scrap, howl and bark all night long. We haven't been able to have our windows open at night in over 4 years.


I have neighbors with dogs like this. More than once I have gone over at 2am and beat on their front door until someone answers to tell them to get the dogs quiet. and it's usually the night before a major exam. Midterms week it happened twice, and the second time, I told the guy, "Look, next time I won't come over, I will just call the police, and the home owner" (as it's a rental). And since I know he has extra people living there that aren't supposed to be, it has been MUCH quieter this month.


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## LCEvans (Mar 29, 2009)

Oh, no, Tracey. How terrible for you. Bad neighbors can really make your life miserable and it sounds like yours are not only bad, but they're into revenge. I would think that if they're renters it might be possible to get the landlord to evict them. My parents have a summer home in the NC mountains and a few years ago they had neighbors who were pretty violent. They stole some gas from an old man's truck and when he went over to tell them he'd seen them do it, one of them beat him to a pulp. The old man ended up in the hospital and he lost an eye. Even worse, the bad neighbor called the police and reported that the old guy had started a fight with him and he was defending himself. The neighbors who witnessed the fight were afraid to testify as to what really happened because the bad guy threatened to burn their house down while they were at work. Eventually the charges were dropped against the poor old man, but the whole neighborhood lived in terror for another year or so until those people were gone.


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## HelenSmith (Mar 17, 2010)

Tracey, I'm really sorry to hear it. I think that contacting the rental agency and your MP sounds like a good idea.

I hope it works out (and... hello! I keep bumping into you this week!)

Helen


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## Tracy Falbe (Jul 4, 2010)

traceya said:


> Thanks all for the support - they do rent so I might have a word with the rental agency and we have our local MP who lives close by so maybe a letter would do some good there as well.
> 
> I'm extremely fortunate in the neighbourhood as not only is the husband well capable of 'defending the castle' as it were but Shayla my little baby girl who wouldn't hurt a fly [well maybe a fly] but she can be absolutely vicious about defending me and once took a huge chunk out of the eldest son's leg when he was bailing me up in the carport.
> 
> ...


A _word _ with the rental agency? I don't know what the procedures are in Australia, but I would go straight to lawsuit. The landlord needs to know that he or she will be liable for all property damage and criminal consequences. Ask for payment of damages that have already happened. SEriously, go straight to lawsuit of some sort. Don't be shy.

Also are your loser neighbors on some kind of welfare? They don't sound like the sort to have jobs. Alert whatever government agency is sending them a check. _That _ might get their attention.


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## ak rain (Nov 15, 2008)

as great as this advise is its your back that you need to protect. be carefull of angry people
Sylvia


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## traceya (Apr 26, 2010)

ak rain said:


> as great as this advise is its your back that you need to protect. be carefull of angry people
> Sylvia


That's been my biggest fear but it's just gotten completely out of hand so I've talked to the other neighbours and we're all writing a joint letter to the MP, the landlord and Centrelink - where they get their welfare money.

Hopefully we'll be able to sort something out.


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## Pushka (Oct 30, 2009)

Tracy Falbe said:


> A _word _ with the rental agency? I don't know what the procedures are in Australia, but I would go straight to lawsuit.


Nope, that isnt going to work in Australia. However, you do need to contact the owner of the property or the Property Manager and complain to them. And if you do it as a group you wont be singled out, but there is always that risk unfortunately. Centrelink wont really give a toss though. It isnt their issue, unless they are rorting. Maybe you could contact Centrelink anonymously if you think they might be claiming benefits they are not entitled to..........


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## traceya (Apr 26, 2010)

It's all just so depressing and since I've been sick it's really getting under my skin as I'm supposed to be getting lots of rest.  And, of course, bad news always comes in threes so I got the neighbours, my weird blood problem and today found out that I'll have to have my baby Shayla put down - vet says there's nothing more they can do for her, gave me a couple of days to think about it but I can't bear to see her suffer so I guess I'll have to do it.

I think I need a stiff scotch or something


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

traceya said:


> It's all just so depressing and since I've been sick it's really getting under my skin as I'm supposed to be getting lots of rest. And, of course, bad news always comes in threes so I got the neighbours, my weird blood problem and today found out that I'll have to have my baby Shayla put down - vet says there's nothing more they can do for her, gave me a couple of days to think about it but I can't bear to see her suffer so I guess I'll have to do it.
> 
> I think I need a stiff scotch or something


Tracey, I'm really sorry to hear that you're going through so much. Hang in there, and know that your fellow KB members are here for you. I'll keep you in my prayers, unless you object.


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## traceya (Apr 26, 2010)

Cindy416 said:


> Tracey, I'm really sorry to hear that you're going through so much. Hang in there, and know that your fellow KB members are here for you. I'll keep you in my prayers, unless you object.


Cindy prayers are always welcome - I'm praying every day believe me but sometimes God answers in His time and not ours


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## drenfrow (Jan 27, 2010)

Tracy, what an awful thing to go through.  I can't think of much worse than not feeling safe where you live.  I grew up in Houston and was happy to move to a smaller community.  Now I'm in the middle of nowhere and my close encounters with rattlesnakes suddenly don't seem so bad.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

traceya said:


> Cindy prayers are always welcome - I'm praying every day believe me but sometimes God answers in His time and not ours


I feel the same way. Consider yourself on my prayer list.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

{Hugs Tracey} Sending positive thoughts to join the prayers.


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## traceya (Apr 26, 2010)

Thanks again everyone for your support and prayers.  Two of the family were carted away this morning in handcuffs so let's hope this time they stay put away.


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## Brenda Carroll (May 21, 2009)

Geesh, Miss Tracey, that neighbor sounds like the neighbors I grew up with. Incredibly, I was related to all of my neighbors growing up... uncles, cousins, aunts, grandparents, sort of clannish, you know? Anyway, I had one uncle who was particularly rowdy when he was 'in his cups' and giving one of his infamous parties, we would have to spend the night on the floor below window level because he like to shoot his various and sundry weapons in random directions, which sometimes meant through our windows. I know some will think this is an exaggeration, but alas it is the truth. 


Spoiler



Eventually, the old goat kicked the bucket.


 The moral of the story... well, it speaks for itself. Currently, I can see only part of one neighbor's house from my own and this was one of the selling points of the property when I bought it. Good luck with those idiots. It is a shame that good people often end up suffering at the hands of thoughtless morons.


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