My Mad Parents and Their "Mad" Neighbour

So my mad parents have been living in peaceful harmony with their neighbour until I got a text from my mum last week saying their neighbour of well over 15 years had gone "round the bend" and was threatening legal action on my parents.

What happened was that my dad drove onto her half of the driveway between the two houses as my sister's idiot boyfriend had parked his car in front of my dad's and then went on holiday. My dad did the decent thing and went round to apologise and she then yelled at my dad saying he had done it more than once. Their neighbour then a few weeks later posted a letter through the door and said she would be contacting her solicitor over this. Mum and dad started to panic (our family is good at that) and immediately lowered the portcullis and declared her a "loon" (not to her face of course but to me)

I told my mum that she should just let it all blow over and she would eventually come round (my neighbour did and I think we are on good terms again). But I have now received word that this neighbour phoned the police and they came round to have a go at my dad. Basically saying don't do it again.

Their neighbour lives on her own and I do wonder if she hasn't seen the bigger picture...but my parents are easily “excitable" and have started taking pictures of her leaving her house and driving over her own lawn.

In the meantime I have to put up with this. Don't get me wrong I will listen to someone moaning once or twice but I am starting to wonder how far this has gone and what the hell my parents can do to make things a mend.

Sigh....any advice?

 

Being objective, I know how frustrating it is when people encroach on your territory. Next door's granddaughter seems to believe that if the half of her Micra that she is in is clear of my drive, then I can still get in and out. She is obviously oblivious to the existence of the rear 50% of her vehicle

But, these are not things to rage about, and its certainly not a matter for the police or threats of legal action. Your parents' neighbour is just being a silly sausage.

If the olive branch hasn't been accepted, and this kind of aggro still goes on, then if I was a sensible man I'd speak to a solicitor with a view to getting a restraining order put on this woman, but as I'm not a sensible man, I'd probably just by the cheapest old banger I could find, immediately declare it as scrapped, and park it on her drive in the middle of the night and deny everything, not that I'd really do that sort of thing, because that's very, very naughty.

 

Try to find her a boyfriend.....it will give her something to do as she will be that busy getting wined and dined she won't be running to the window every five minutes to check where your dad's car is.

 

I'd just draw a line of Death.

http://adst.org/2013/04/crossing-qaddafis-line-of-death-april-151986/

 

There is (or was when I got done for it) an offence of taking a vehicle more than X metres on to private land (can't remember what the distance is, and I think there's a minimum number of vehicles).

Also, if anybody starts using your property for access you need to get them to ask in writing for permission to do so otherwise after 20 years they (and their successors in title) will have acquired a legal right of access over your land (prescriptive rights).

 

Pretty much! My parents also have a habit of blowing things out of proportion too.

I'm not getting involved but was amazed that the police showed up. So grabbed my box of popcorn.

 

Write a book - it will be a best seller - I loved the first installment!

 

Keep a dairy and write down things that happern, just in case things get nasty even cctv
we had nasty neighbour, and it all started over a small thing and we at 18 years of hasle


not say it will be

 

How old is she? Dementia perhaps?

 

One thing that did concern me about your post was the that your parents had started taking photos of her coming and going. If my neighbours started taking photos of me on my property I would be worried. It could be construed as harassment by them. Taking photos of her on their property is a completely different issue.
Could you call in on her and have a chat and get her side of the problem.

 

I have every sympathy Jungle Jane, I have encountered it with a young couple
My Niece was moving into their new home, which happens to have a double driveway a side each with the house next door
I took a van around with white goods, next doors drive was empty, so I drove up it, then went and knocked on the door to advise I would just be half an hour as dropping off some goods

Flipping heck, they went ballistic, and they did not even have a car
(Turned out the reason the house was sold was because of the friendly neighbour :-( ) They even go out and ask people NOT to park on the road outside THEIR house, IF it did not cause my Niece more grief I would park on the street outside their house, every visit

Jack McH

 

Are they sure it wasn't a Police Community Support Office which called (PCSO)?

It would be the more appropriate person to turn up seeing as it is a neighbour issue as opposed to a criminal one.