Neighbours making life hellish.

Move on now...is it worth the stress and future potential health and other problems brought on by the stress. Do not see it as them "winning" but self care from your perspective...

Agree with Urmstongran get out of there. I think this has the potential to escalate. If you think of buying another property, chap folks doors ask what the area is like. Another good hint we were given was if you are interested in a house visit the area at night, see who hangs about. If you don't want to chap prospective neighbours doors, ask in the local library or shops what the area is like. You can always say you are visiting etc and ask discreetly. Sorry, but you need to get out of that place.

Horrible bullies.

I agree with Urmstongran and others - sell it and move on. Let the Estate agents handle everything. Life is too short to get aggravated about a second home!

So sorry to hear about this and totally empathise as I had a problem with a neighbour back in the 90s. She made our lives a misery with her complaining and knocking on the wall, peering through the letterbox and giving us the evil eye if ever she saw us. I nearly had a nervous breakdown over it and eventually we moved. We did inform the police and they were aware of her behaviour. I think people who do that have psychological problems and cannot be reasoned with which makes it very difficult to deal with. My partner has a terraced house which he doesn’t actually live in at the moment. He too has a problem with his neighbours who are a couple of old unmarried ladies. When we ever go there to do gardening or work in the house they shout complaints through their window and refuse to acknowledge or speak to us. It’s horrible. I think in your case the only option is to move house, we didn’t tell buyers about the neighbours and I don’t see why you should! I heard the man who bought our house also had problems with the woman but he maybe coped better because he didn’t gave children the way we did. Good luck with it all.

Proving previous owners had problems will be another nightmare in itself. I would get an ASBO and Injunctions placed on them by the Courts. Always play Hard Ball Legally. However, you then run the risk of escalating but secretive and unprovable behaviour. I would sell asap and cut your losses.

Many years ago, something similar happened to a friend. She fought fire with fire. She moved her precious belongings out, and let the house out to six young people ("part-time students") who were asked by her to make as big a nuisance of themselves as possible, in return for very low rent. They signed a vague rental agreement which guaranteed the return of the house after one year.

They were brilliant - loud music into the night, barbecues in the garden, even a wreck of a car on bricks in the front garden. They dealt with the neighbours' complaints by shrugging their shoulders and mumbling something about a landlord overseas.

At the end of the year, my friend was asked by the neighbours not to renew the lease. She said she would unless they agreed to stop their previous antics.

She got on with the renovation works and it's been fine if unfriendly ever since.

Have you arranged a camera?

I can only reiterate what other posters have said about cutting your losses and getting out of there. We lived in our last house for 25 years and for the last 11 our lives were made intolerable by our nosey neighbours. Initially they were friendly. We very quickly realised being friendly was their way of getting to know your business and broadcasting it around the village. They would eavesdrop outside windows that were on the crack. They would stare in through our windows so eventually we kept our blinds down. They used their dog as a reason to follow ambulances down the road so as to find out what was going on. Funnily enough he too had a wheelie bin obsession. They also offered to look after everyone's houses when they were on holiday. I never gave them a key, I'm so relieved to say. Our experiences seem like small potatoes compared to yours and I sympathise greatly.

Put up cameras, keep everything an see a solicitor that is harrassment.

I can only sympathise, there are no easy answers. When a friend was showing prospective buyers around our property I asked him to try and keep them away from a particular neighbour as the neighbour complained about everyone without real justification.

This is definitely harassment; these people have no right to behave like this. In your situation, I'd install a camera, keep a log of all their shenanigans, and get the police involved. I'd also get on with my life. They obviously haven't got anything interesting going on in theirs. I wouldn't deliberately cause an argument but I would stand up to them if I caught them staring into my private property, talking to contractors I'd employed, or other such behaviour. If this is an area you like and in which you plan to spend a lot of your time, then stay there and continue to renovate the house to your taste. You have every right to be there enjoying your life.

My sympathies here. 20 years ago or so we were driven out of our house by hideous tactics of next door neighbours who had wanted to buy our house. their plan had been to buy the house for their adult daughter and son in law but their offer was too low.
Their tactics were so unscrupulous that both I and middle DD ended up on anti depressants and eventually we moved away (stayed with a family member until the sale went through and we had to take a price hit! It was very unfair and at the time made me very angry but your mental well-being is worth more than finances and especially as this is not your main home.

When I first started reading this I thought that it was possibly residents that had been living there for many years and didn't want things to change.
Really can't understand why these people want to control the contractors that you use and so on, beyond the suspicion that your house is wanted (cheaply) for their family members.The fact that they have found out your other address makes their behaviour harassment.
Put the house on the market , and get rid!
Even if police are involved, solicitors letters are sent and possible court cases happen, you will never be happy there after all this. You will most probably be able to find another house elsewhere that you will enjoy and be welcomed .

Yes this is harassment. Do you have a Community Copper at the local police station? As you are on this site could you try Age Concern and see what advice they can offer - www.ageuk.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/ .

And perhaps send a letter to a couple of local solicitors giving the address of the awful neighbours - maybe one of those solicitors has history with them and can offer support. A letter rather than a phone call, along the lines of - "We live at 1 Rose Ave and are having problems with our neighbours at 2 Rose Ave, (give details such as your post) and would like to know if your solicitors can offer any advice".

But, for your sanity, I think it's a sell and move situation. Rotten buggers.

I’d take a guess that they or a member of their family / friends wanted to buy your property before you did and unfortunately through no fault of your own they are trying to hound you out. If it was me (I get severe anxiety too) to be honest life is too short, sell up and buy somewhere nicer or rent holiday homes when you want to be away, much simpler. I really hope you are not in my home county of Cornwall but fear that you may be, this sort of thing is fairly common sadly .

Consider putting it up for auction as long as you get most of your money back the sale will go through quickly. Do not put up a board so they will not know until the deed is done!

Is the second home in a village, an attractive area? Just trying to picture the scenario.

If you do not need the money and you are unhappy, I would say get out of there.

Wow, they must be real saddos if this is their entertainment.

have you spoken to the neighbours on the other side of the people hassling you? Might be worth asking them if they've had any similar problems, then you have a stronger case if you are complaining to the police etc. Good luck. It all sounds horribly stressful.

Inbreds by the sound of it we had the same problem, the family were mink's

There’s only one way to stop a bully and that is to bully them straight back. Keep ringing the police or constant e nails to police every time they harass you. Contact environmental health about the verbal abuse Contact planning about boundary disputes. Get a clear copy of your boundaries from the land Regis and give ALL your neighbors a copy
Finally a stiff letter from a solicitor
Citizens advice will sometimes arrange this for free
Good luck!
Ps. I too have awful neighbors and did all of the above
It worked ?

Hi,
So sorry that you find yourself in this horrendous situation.
I would sell up.
This is not the coward’s way out - it is simply that life is too short and, from what you’ve written, things are not going to get better. It sounds as though they will be continuous trouble and life with stress and anxiety is no fun.
I know you’d lose money on solicitors, estate agents etc, but it just sounds intolerable. I’d buy a cheaper house (to cover the selling costs) in another location.
Whatever you decide to do, very best wishes and hugs sent your way ?

I'm so sorry you are experiencing this. I too have recently become anxious about issues with neighbours and it is really horrible you can't feel relaxed in your own home. I know that some of my issues are due to my own heightened anxiety and I am trying to manage it. But in your circumstances I think I would consider selling up. Yes it looks as though they have won and that's not fair but life is too short and at the moment you are not able to enjoy your home as you should be able to.
Good luck

Whatever you do, it’s going to be a battle of one sort or another, I would seriously sell before things escalate

To those of you who say "tough this out" or "fight fire with fire" I would say that this is unlikely to work.

I have been in this situation myself and the stress of living with it is unbelievable. I am not a person easily intimidated. I've worked with ex-offenders, drug users, with family support in social care, with women and children in refuge or escaping abuse and also with homeless people young and old. I feel I have pretty much "seen it all". I'm usually able to get on with most people and find something in common, I have de-escalation skills and I'm not made anxious easily... However, my neighbours made it nearly impossible to sleep and made me not want to use my (beautiful) garden which I'd previously loved.

I'd say JUST GET OUT.
Your life will be 100% better. Even if it costs you more than you'd like to acknowledge. They are not the winners here if you leave. YOU win your life back.

Good luck.

PS. Just read this back. I think my de-escalation skills need up-skilling now. I'm not as good at it as I once was!!!