Annoying neighbor, what can I do?

12 years ago

Hey all, it's been a long time since I've been here. Don't do much gardening these days.

I need some advise and or input to a problem neighbor.

It all started within weeks after they moved in. It is the man of the house we're having problems with and he is a bit aggressive.

There was no fence so as soon as he got settled in he and his father started putting in a fence. I was happy about it at first but when we walked outside the man said, oh I hope you don't mind that we took a few boards off of your fence to make mine fit. Grrrrrr and it has been like this ever since, he doesn't ask he just does what he wants how he wants to do it.

Next thing that happened was he cut our cable for tv. Oh and to top it off he had no permit to put in the fence. Cable guy comes out lays the cable down but doesn't bury it, another company does that. Well, that company never showed up. So neighbor cuts grass and cuts the new cable with the mower.

Cable guy comes out fixes the cable and the other company comes right away to bury the cable.

So life gets back to normal and all is good, till the next time to mow. Neighbor starts mowing our side where our lawns meet. Not a real big deal big that leaves the weed eating needed to be done and DH can't get to it till the weekend do to work so for two, three maybe four days our yard looks bad with the high grass along the fence and flower bed.

Then there is the watering of his front yard, our front yards are very small and hard to set sprinklers just to water your own area but this guy takes it beyond the boundaries, my side is four feet from my driveway to his side propriety. Last summer he set the sprinkler so high the inside of my car got wet. Now every time he waters both my cars get wet and leaves them looking awful. They look like when you get a light rain with dust and water spots.

I don't want to make him an enemy or on the defensive by making him feel like a target of my gripes, even though he doesn't seem to respect what is your property.

TIA, Barb

Comments (5)

melvalena
12 years ago
Bad Neighbors...GRRRR!

I don't know what to suggest, but I think I'd go ASK him to please not get the cars wet when he waters. Perhaps take some kind of food gift with you? (plate of cookies, a cake.. some fruit??)
Mention that the inside of your car got wet that one time and that you don't like the looks of the water spots on your car. Just ask that in the future he be mindful of how far his water is spraying and that wind can carry it further.
Perhaps that will be all that is needed for that one issue.

The others are done and over with, nothing you can do about them now.
seamommy
12 years ago
Paint your house haze gray, put a bunch of large ship models in the front yard and tell your neighbor you've joined the Navy and have been assigned to a battle group. Have weekly cookouts on the front lawn and invite everyone from the local shelter. Put aluminum foil on your windows and tell your neighbor it's to keep the government spies from finding out about the chicken farm in your basement(this one is especially effective if you don't have a basement). Go out with a tape measure, pencil and pad and measure everything in sight, including your grass, circumference of your trees, distance from house to car, house to tire, house to steering wheel, top of the windshield, etc. Put foil "antennas" on all your tree banches to repel alien invasions. Go outside in the evenings with a couple cases of beer and one of those hats that holds two cans and has hoses that you can suck on to drink. Sing a lot of bar songs. Go up on the roof occasionally and pretend to be an airplane. Write "wash me" in the dust on your own car. Water your garden in an evening gown and tiara. Wear lots of makeup and rat your hair. Paint your hands and feet green. Erect a duck blind in your back yard and camp out there frequently, quacking often to attract prey. Your neighbors will either move away or you'll be so busy acting crazy you won't care anymore what he does. And that's the answer-don't worry about what your nieghbor does! I doubt he's trying to annoy you. There are lot's worse things in life than a spotty car. Cheryl
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carrie751
12 years ago
True, Cheryl, but also easier to say when you are not the one being annoyed. I hope there is a solution to this so all involved can be happy.
denisew
12 years ago
Barb - Check with your city code enforcement about the fence. Also, there may be a code against water runoff from his property. Your municipality might be able to handle some of these issues. Ask him if he knows how to operate his sprinkler system. He may not realize he is damaging the inside of your car with his overspray. Instruct him how to reduce the flow of those sprinkler heads by tightening the screw on top of the sprinkler head. He should also be able to reduce the percentage of water from the irrigation control box. If he is mowing your yard, let him know where the property line is at and ask him to mow only his side. He may feel he is doing you a favor by going over the line, but explain that your husband will take care of your yard maintenance. And, do it all with a smile. It is easier to get a positive response from a gift of candy rather than vinegar. :-)
PKponder TX Z7B
12 years ago
Hi Barb,
It's great to see you posting! Sorry the neighbor is driving ya nuts, I have no advice other than this...it is so much more peaceful when neighbors can find a way to get along. I agree with what has been said about just setting the ground rules with a smile. (maybe cookies too) He needs to know that he cannot mow your yard, sprinkle your car or remove your property without your permission. Maybe he's just lacking in social graces :-)

Pam

Annoying neighbor, what can I do?

Comments (5)

melvalena

seamommy

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denisew

PKponder TX Z7B

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