Threatening letter

We objected (successfully) to a planning application to build a huge 3 storey block of flats directly at the end of our garden some years ago. We got a petition together with other residents in surrounding roads and most of us also put our objections on the council website but our full names were not published. If you've received a threatening letter it does sound like a data protection breach and should be reported to the police just to put it on record.

It may be that no-one has released your name and address, but that it is obvious from what you said in your objection. However he got them, threats are a police matter. If you can't face speaking to the police yet, write to them. They will probably send someone round to talk to you about it. Don't worry about being tearful - they see people in far worse states than that!

You could also go your nearest Citizen's advice Bureau, where volunteers will give you advice. Take a copy of his letter and your own objection email so that his version of what you said can be compared with the truth.

Also, most lawyers will give you your first half-hour of advice free. They can tell you your legal position, and can send him a letter in lawyers language (you will probably have to pay something for that, but one letter shouldn't be too expensive) that could take the wind out of his sails and make him think again about bullying someone who is acting legally in commenting on his plans.

If you don't feel strong enough to call the police ask a family member to do it for you. The sooner you have their advice the better you will feel. At the moment it is going over and over in your mind and you need the reassurance from the police to make you feel better. If it is a criminal offence the police will speak to him and stop him doing anything else. Go for it and get someone to call them. They won't mind if you cry, they are used to it.

I've just spoken to the police and they have made a note of everything. When I read out some of the paragraphs in the letter, he laughed and said how ridiculous it was - the bully is just annoyed and angry that he is losing his case and taking it out on me. His advice was to forward the letter to my councillor and the planning committee and not engage with the guy or reply to any of his silly questions and demands, which I'm doing anyway.

To give you an idea, this is some of first paragraph -

'Why is it that you and your neighbour had website access (planning) whereas I as the appellant and others did not - are you or your neighbour employed by the council and is that why you have privileged access? A reply is required - failing which this question will be raised at a higher level and any necessary legal action instigated'

It's a public website!

This sets the whole tone of the letter - there are 8 more paragraphs all demanding answers and threatening legal action if I don't reply.

I feel a lot better now that I've spoken to the police and realised how stupid it all is. They may be sending a PCSO to visit me. It doesn't make me feel any better about continuing to live here though and I feel bad about wasting police time on this pathetic individual.

PS Thank you all for your wonderful advice. I'm new to this and didn't realise just how supportive it would be.

Willow you are not wasting police time. I understand that you are feeling low at the moment for the reasons you have mentioned, but do not do yourself down.

Yours was a right and proper response to an unpleasant and frightening letter and the fact that the police are going to send a PCSO to see you shows that they took it seriously. You are NOT wasting their time.

They were right to advise you to send a copy of it to your local councillor and I would also send a copy to the chairman of the Planning Committee.

keep strong, we will support you.

He is a twerp from the first paragraph anyway - he has exactly the same website access as anyone else and he has used it to do as he lawfully can - to get official permission to do something that will affect others. You and your neighbours have used it to comment on how you will be affected. That is equality! Now the council planning department will decide whether he will be allowed to do it. That is their job.

He is just a loud-mouthed bully who wants his own way without anyone else getting any consideration - his mother shouldn't have indulged him so much when he was a selfish little B.

I've only just seen this thread, and want to say how upsetting this must have been for you Willow10 - but he is a bully and is wanting a reaction.
Well, the best reaction is to inform the police as you have done and send a copy of his letter to the Council Planning Department too.

You are not the only one to object to the tree felling so I hope all your neighbours who also objected are aware of his bullying tactics.

The tree is old and has a TPO so you did the right thing to object. I doubt he will win unless it is in a dangerous state and liable to fall and cause damage.

In our area all comments on any planning proposals are available freely for anyone to see online, letters, emails etc are published in full.
Some time ago we were sent a notification that our neighbours wished to build on a plot of land next to them and we wrote to say we had no objections (it would not affect us much). However, another neighbour objected most strongly, saw our letter online and accosted DH in the street, using foul language and calling us both rude names.
Incidentally, they didn't get permission because of a tree with a TPO on it!
We just ignored it and he didn't speak to us for quite a long time!

and threatening legal action if I don't reply.
On what grounds? He doesn't have a leg to stand on.

I shouldn't wish a branch of the tree to fall on his head, that would not be nice, but perhaps just a large twig …..

As with all bullies getting the matter out into the open by contacting the police is the best response, well done. Also send a copy to the councillor who is dealing with the matter. We had something similar here but the councillor concerned knows how unpleasant the person is so apart from a bit of public bluster it all blew over.
You have not wasted police time....someone over stepped the mark and threatened you, you have a very valid reason for contacting them.
And yes, its always the types who were never told 'NO' firmly as a child you do this!!

My daughter is a local councillor and her advice is this is definitely something your councillor should help you with. Most councillors will respond quickly to phone messages and they also hold regular surgeries where you can meet up with them. If you give them a copy of this threatening letter, they can pass it on to the relevant councillor on the Planning committee

Willow I think you have dealt with this obviously stressful situation very well indeed. Bravo!

Yes, I agree about contacting your local councillor too, excellent idea.

I presume it is too late to affect any decision made by the appeal committee.

Reminds me of someone I knew years ago....very easily annoyed and was always claiming a relative was a barrister.....trouble is he could never quite 'remember' which relative it was!

So the threat is legal action only? Well jolly good, if you ignore him he will pay a solicitor to tell him he has no grounds. Sounds like a win for you.

I wrote two posts earlier but they seem to have disappeared! I'm new to this so I'm obviously doing something wrong.

I contacted the police on 101 and they sent someone round this afternoon - when I was out! They left a card and are coming back tomorrow. When I read out a couple of paragraphs in the letter they thought it was ridiculous ranting from an angry man who is obviously mad at losing his case. He still shouldn't be taking it out on me though and I have apparently done the right thing by forwarding it to the council and planning department. The advice was to ignore the threats and not to engage with him. They also gave me an incident number so at least it is on record.

I feel a lot better now and thank you all so much for your wise advice, I didn't realise how supportive GN would be!

Oops - just found the previous posts!

It takes a while Willow, don't worry about it, we were all new at some point.

So glad you have spoken to the police willow good for you. At least his threats are on record now . What an idiot .

Really horrid for you, Willow, and important that people shouldn’t be discouraged from commenting on planning applications. I think it fair that objectors’ names and addresses are put on the council’s website with their comments - increases public confidence that objections are genuine. In your case this man’s letter should also be made public by the council which may be an effective silencer.

I don’t ageee with names and addresses being published and our LA doesn’t. Enough that the council knows that they are genuine .

Why not, Gillybob? This is surely an exceptional case. More often applicants or objectors are glad to know where support is coming from, and it does keep the responses civil.

Because the person who made the application ( in willows case the bully) is then able to directly confront ( and in willows case threaten and frighten) the objector into changing their mind. Surely Enough that the council knows who’s who .

Report him to the police.

Oops. Didn’t realise there was a 2nd page. Good on you for doing just that. ??