Our problems with neighbour started the day we took possession of the house 3 years ago. We turned up to open the house so removalists could get in and the neighbour was over with phone in hand saying she has called the police as it is a vacant house and she has caught us trespassing and breaking in. To say we were gobsmacked is understated!
We told her that we are legally entitled to be there as we are the owners and that she was the one trespassing and that unless she wants to be the one charged when the police arrive, we suggest she leave. It has gone downhill from there!
We live in a rural residential area on 5-acre blocks. You can't really see most of our neighbours' houses due to bush and trees.
Our car is too loud (we had a vintage race car, road licenced and certainly wasn't as loud as some that drive down our street). We unloaded it off the truck and my husband drove it around the subdivision and before he had reached the end of our street, she was over screaming about the noise. We have too many visitors. A visitor's dog barked during the night, rubbish on her verge had to have come from us, our tractor is too noisy, etc., etc .
We live on a bush block and have been clearing bush and burning heaps, planting trees, pruning trees, raking up leaves etc trying to make the place as fire safe as we can make it. We are legally allowed to burn in fact our local council ask people to clear their blocks and to make them fire safe as possible.
We advised her in writing that we would be burning heaps, etc., whenever the weather is dry and fine. We try and only burn when the breeze isn't blowing directly over her place but the breeze drops or changes direction slightly and we get complaints about the smoke. It is more than complaining now. She is entering our property and screaming profanities at us.
We have now received a letter from her telling us we are bad neighbours and she will be glad when she can get rid of us. She admits to taking photos of us and documenting everything we do so she can build a case against us to force us to move. We own this place so I don't see how she can force us to move.
We have spoken to our other neighbours who don't have an issue with us, haven't noticed any noise coming from visitors and who all commented on how nice we are getting the place looking. And as for smoke, they all said we live in a rural area and for 2 months of the year. Most people are burning and tidying their blocks. Not an issue as far as they are concerned. Long story that isn't going to end anytime soon, unfortunately!
We have tried our hardest not to aggravate her but this taking photos of us working on our block and documenting our movements is a violation of our privacy. Tonight we were sitting out the back of our house with a small fire ( We have a small screened area out the back with a small fire pit, the ones you buy from Bunnings and some chairs) with some friends and there was a flash of light and she was over here taking a photo of us by the fire!
There was no noise, friends had come for tea and we were sitting out by the fire chatting and drinking coffee. So how do I handle this?
We are not doing anything illegal on the property (or anywhere else for that matter).Should I get a lawyer to send her a letter to stop, ignore her or what?
Sorry that has been bit of a saga.
We told her that we are legally entitled to be there as we are the owners and that she was the one trespassing and that unless she wants to be the one charged when the police arrive, we suggest she leave. It has gone downhill from there!
We live in a rural residential area on 5-acre blocks. You can't really see most of our neighbours' houses due to bush and trees.
Our car is too loud (we had a vintage race car, road licenced and certainly wasn't as loud as some that drive down our street). We unloaded it off the truck and my husband drove it around the subdivision and before he had reached the end of our street, she was over screaming about the noise. We have too many visitors. A visitor's dog barked during the night, rubbish on her verge had to have come from us, our tractor is too noisy, etc., etc .
We live on a bush block and have been clearing bush and burning heaps, planting trees, pruning trees, raking up leaves etc trying to make the place as fire safe as we can make it. We are legally allowed to burn in fact our local council ask people to clear their blocks and to make them fire safe as possible.
We advised her in writing that we would be burning heaps, etc., whenever the weather is dry and fine. We try and only burn when the breeze isn't blowing directly over her place but the breeze drops or changes direction slightly and we get complaints about the smoke. It is more than complaining now. She is entering our property and screaming profanities at us.
We have now received a letter from her telling us we are bad neighbours and she will be glad when she can get rid of us. She admits to taking photos of us and documenting everything we do so she can build a case against us to force us to move. We own this place so I don't see how she can force us to move.
We have spoken to our other neighbours who don't have an issue with us, haven't noticed any noise coming from visitors and who all commented on how nice we are getting the place looking. And as for smoke, they all said we live in a rural area and for 2 months of the year. Most people are burning and tidying their blocks. Not an issue as far as they are concerned. Long story that isn't going to end anytime soon, unfortunately!
We have tried our hardest not to aggravate her but this taking photos of us working on our block and documenting our movements is a violation of our privacy. Tonight we were sitting out the back of our house with a small fire ( We have a small screened area out the back with a small fire pit, the ones you buy from Bunnings and some chairs) with some friends and there was a flash of light and she was over here taking a photo of us by the fire!
There was no noise, friends had come for tea and we were sitting out by the fire chatting and drinking coffee. So how do I handle this?
We are not doing anything illegal on the property (or anywhere else for that matter).Should I get a lawyer to send her a letter to stop, ignore her or what?
Sorry that has been bit of a saga.