Neighbour behaviour - Harassment / Stalking
Neighbour behaviour - Harassment / Stalking
Author
Discussion

JonRS

Original Poster:

77 posts

210 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
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Don't want to go into all details here, but what action can be brought against a neighbour who has began to stalk myself and wife?

We have been harassed by them for the last four years, but in the last couple of years I have noticed they watch us almost constantly.

For context we live in a rented property overlooked by a block of flats, they can very clearly watch us from their balcony / windows and appear to be doing so whenever we are in our garden, or anytime we enter / exit our property.

Our other neighbours have had similar problems and we have all now approached the police, who don't seem to be massively interested.

We have recorded evidence of harassemet from them to both myself and one of my neighbours. They have previously threatened to attack me and pursued my elderly mother when she left our house.

It has reached a point where I feel something needs to now be done but usure what our next step is?

RSTurboPaul

13,085 posts

287 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
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IANAL

Have you approached the police in writing or just in conversation?

Do you keep a diary / log of all the incidents?


(It has just struck me that meticulously recording one's neighbours to try to form an evidence base may make one look like the stalker... lol)

anonymous-user

83 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
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Harassment is actionable in civil as well as criminal court. You can take your own action, but obviously at your own initial cost.

fttm

4,562 posts

164 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
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Rented property overlooked by flats hmm , have you considered moving ?

JonRS

Original Poster:

77 posts

210 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
quotequote all
We have been keeping a log of certain things they are doing, have multiple police reference numbers, as do our equally harrashed neighbour.

I would rather not move as I am close to my parents, who need our help. Our other neighbour is moving because of this.

It is quite scary to have come home at say perhaps 1AM to find said neighbour is stood in their window waiting for you. This has happened multiple times, and I assume they know when I go out as I have been for run, so no car movement to alert them.

RSTurboPaul

13,085 posts

287 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
quotequote all
Could be worth you and your neighbour drafting and co-signing a letter with all the incident numbers collated and detailed, along with brief information for each incident, to send to the Police to ask at what point an offence will have been committed?


There was always a neighbour who seemed to be at the kitchen window when I was leaving/arriving when I lived with a parent - I just thought she was a proper nosey neighbour, lol.

ISTR that we might have waved at her to make a point laugh


That doesn't help if they are a serial offender who is somewhat threatening, though.

konark

1,238 posts

148 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
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Is this the guy?

scoey1001

921 posts

110 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
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What brought about them threatening you? And what is the other harassment other than looking out of their window at you?

ClaphamGT3

12,234 posts

272 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
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Just give them a cheery wave every time you see them watching you.

People like this thrive on knowing they’re getting to you. Make it clear they’re not

Thankyou4calling

10,971 posts

202 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
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What have they actually done other than looked at you?

0ddball

916 posts

168 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
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Somebody looked at you? Wow, that's not on at all. I'd definitely tell the teacher.

steveo3002

11,203 posts

203 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
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got nosey pr1cks here , would look in your mouth and see what youre eating if they could

get yourself a nice torch and shine it in his face ...evening mate , everything okay? see you again tommorow

LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

225 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
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Pen laser.

bobbysmithy

1,761 posts

70 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
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ClaphamGT3 said:
Just give them a cheery wave every time you see them watching you.

People like this thrive on knowing they’re getting to you. Make it clear they’re not
Except they are.

saladdays

141 posts

94 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
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JonRS said:
We have recorded evidence of harassemet from them to both myself and one of my neighbours. They have previously threatened to attack me and pursued my elderly mother when she left our house.

eccles

14,368 posts

251 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
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Can you persuade your neighbour to get murdered to death by them before they move? The Police will definitely take action then.

Killer2005

20,592 posts

257 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
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If you've got evidence of the harassment then push for the police to take some action. Log everything and any further incidents with the police.

We've had issues (40+ incidents from verbal abuse, nails on my drive, Damaging property, driving into my step sons car) with a neighbour and he now has an harassment warning from the police against him. If he does anything else then the police can take formal action against him and he'll have a day in court.

We did try civil action against him through our home insurance legal cover, but they won't take it on as in the first incident with the neighbour I suggested he should go forth and multiply so the solicitor believes the neighbour could claim against me. Annoying with 40+ pieces of evidence against the neighbour but the police action has been sufficient to shut the neighbour up.

Drumroll

4,517 posts

149 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
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Bit difficult, at what point does looking out of a window become harassment? We have a lovely view from our living room window and we see lots of birds around here too. The problem is when I look out of my window I look across to the house diagonally opposite us. I am aware that to her it can easily look that I am looking at her house.

Because I am aware of this, I perhaps don't spend quite so much time looking out of my window. Others maybe wouldn't be so bothered .

Edited by Drumroll on Sunday 17th January 09:57

anonymous-user

83 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
quotequote all
On its own looking out of their window at you is unlikely to constitute harassment. For example, one of the purposes of either a criminal or civil harassment action would be obtain a restraining order prohibiting recurrence on pain of prison. It would be difficult to criminalise and enforce looking out of your own windows.

OP- how have attempts gone to discuss this directly with them?

Trevor555

5,416 posts

113 months

Sunday 17th January 2021
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OP I had similar once, although no threats of violence, the guy just thought I was a crook, watched everything I did, and took photos.

Unless you've actually done something to upset him why don't you just confront him and ask "what have I done to p.ss you off?"

It'll either get him talking to you, or he'll hit you. If the latter you can then call the Police.

It worked for me, sorted the miss understanding.