Loony Neighbours

[IBM]

We've got a housing association building next door to our house, populated for the most part by some very nice families. Unfortunately, one of the apartments of the top floor is occupied by a Somalian gentleman of uncertain mental stability who has taken to throwing all kinds of crap onto our roof at various times of the day & night.

We've had bags of rubbish, a sleeping bag, and various other bits and bobs find their way onto the roof at times in the past, but so infrequently that we never did anything about it. But I came out of the house at 6.30am a couple of days ago to see a broom, a mop and a plastic bag get thrown onto the roof. The plastic bag and mop came straight down, with the bag splitting upon to spray wet toilet paper (bag was full of it) all over the garden and fence - not used toilet paper, but disgusting none the less.

Then this morning a glass bottle came down off the roof (don't know if it had just been thrown or just dislodged from a previous resting place) and shattered all over the grass.

I'd spoken to some of the residents and they tell me they've complained dozens of times, but the housing association can do nothing about it. By all accounts the guy dumps furniture in the gardens and on the street, chucks stuff out of windows, pisses in the corridors, and has been physically violent with the couple who live next door. I spoke to the housing association rep and they say they're attempting to do something about it, but it's exceptionally difficult to get someone evicted from a property, especially if they're considered 'vulnerable' by the police.

Personally I don't think he need evicting, I think he needs sectioned, but what can I do about it? I'm writing a formal complaint with a request for a formal response, and will chase it up, but with two kids running around, I'm just concerned from a Health & Safety point of view. If the kids are running around in the garden and some more glass gets chucked, the next thing coming through that apartment window will be the occupier.

Ah, the joys of ranting.

[dave87]

Sounds like fun IBM

What do the police say? I'm sure he must be committing some sort of offence by throwing detritus from his window? Especially on to someone else's property

Mention the kids too - might get them round quicker.

[Stringent]

I doubt the police would be interested and refer you to social services of some kind.

[IBM]

Yup, that's why I went straight to the housing association. I'm keeping a record of the stuff that ended up on the roof, and then in the garden in case there's any need to press criminal charges, but I seem to recall reading somewhere that while it's relatively easy to prosecute someone for public littering, doing so for littering on private property isn't quite as simple....

Figures.

[jimbouk]

Bill the housing assosiation for professional clean up? I guess you don't want to be picking up the 'icky' stuff yourself and things like broken glass are just dangerous.

[mycarsavw]

...but I seem to recall reading somewhere that while it's relatively easy to prosecute someone for public littering, doing so for littering on private property isn't quite as simple....

There's a difference between littering and (possible) criminal damage

[mediaboy]

There is, however, a fine line between lying and creativeness.

If damage has been caused (finger's cut, windows damaged, housing structure weakened) then it's criminal damage.


Or you could try harrassment charges. It's harrassment of your neighbours and you by a mentally unstable person who persists in various practises which you have asked him to stop... or something along those lines. Make the facts fit the charge.. be creative... but don't lie.

[Virtual Monkey]

Make sure to take pictures of the stuff he throws on the roof if you can. Hope it gets sorted mate!

[Lucio]

Getting someone sectioned is kinda hard, the most common way if you're not a relative is for the police to turn up and he continues to behave in an irrational manner.

Unfortunately throwing rubbish isn't really a sign of insanity....

[Jay]

bang some heads!!

[Mblaster]

Throwing the stuff back through his closed window may have the desired effect, although that is a risky strategy

Sure the police will be able to do something about it, but they probably won't bother unless you've exhausted all the other options first.

[Jay]

The police will do nothing for you... they never do. I have BAD neighbours and the Police will never help me in any way. I had to do it myself in the end. Its a sorry state when you have to do stuff like that.

[Steve]

Getting someone sectioned is kinda hard

I thought you just rang NHS Direct?

[Behemoth]

Having lived with someone who has mental problems I know how IBM is feeling. It's very frustrating to see these things happen, the person I was living with (my ex gf) would trash the kitchen when she got angry, the people in the flat below thought we were greeks she got through that many plates and cups and glasses.

She'd even throw them out onto the street at passers by when she got really angry, one of the passers by happened to be me one day as I was making a swift withdraw from the flat, thankfully she missed.

Getting mentally ill people sectioned isn't easy, because I know from experience that some of them (not all of them) can hide how they are feeling and put on a very good act and make it look like they have it all switched on and are under control when in reality they spiraling out of it but refuse to let others see it, hence why my ex never got sectioned.

I once had the flat under siege by the police and an armed reponse unit because she had taken a pill overdose and had charged at me with a knife, but when they got her to hospital she somehow managed to get away with being sectioned and they let her go on the premise that she saw a councilor the next day to asses her mental state, she breazed through it and for about a month she remained pretty normal before she started slipping into her old ways.

Still anyway think I've gone a little off topic there, sorry guys.

Best of luck though IBM like I say I do sorta know how you feel about bad neigbours as we had those when we lived in a small village years ago. The kids were always out kicking footballs at our garage door, walking over my Dad's car, and their parents were a usless cunch of bunts and the police when called did sod all, they were about as much use a chocolate tea pot.

[Koolpc]

Petrol bomb his flat!! lol

Or, go to his flat, knock his door and throw loads of the rubbish back into his flat! Gee, i would call on that guy for sure.

[Behemoth]

Petrol bomb his flat!! lol

Or, go to his flat, knock his door and throw loads of the rubbish back into his flat! Gee, i would call on that guy for sure.

But why should the op have to pick up and handle this guys rubbish ??? Seriosuly it shouldn't be happening, if the guy in the flat can't control himself and the housing association refuse to do nothing about it then perhaps a call to the council or maybe even social services ??