Just when you think people can't get any lower (new neighbor rant)

[Tempest]

I've lived in the same house for 11 years and have become good friends with my next door neighbor and their immediate and extended family. The couple had their house built more than 60 years ago and raised two boys in the house (one died in Vietnam) and always have their grand kids over to visit and I would take time to entertain them (I think I got the most out the experience).

The husband died several years ago and I was there to help the widow get through it by doing household chores and yard work for her. I've since become part of their family and always invited to their gatherings.

The wife is now in her 80s and no longer able to live alone. One of her grand kids decided they would buy a new house together and have her live with them which meant her house would have to be sold. And this is where the rant starts.


The buyers had an agreement with my neighbor that she could live in the house and pay rent until she could move the accumulation of 60 years out, which was agreed to be the 16th of this month. The agreement also paid the buyer double their expenses for staying in a hotel during this time. On Friday afternoon the buyer told my neighbor she had 24 hours to leave the house. Because the buyer had been difficult during the entire sale, my neighbor decided not to fight it and move. That night the buyer and his wife waited until her grandchildren had left and within 5 minutes were at her door at 11:30pm strong-arming her to make sure she got out by 5pm the next day.

I now have signs in my truck and on my front lawn which state:
The new owners of xxxxx (the address of the house) strong-armed an 85 year old woman out of her home of 60+ years.
FOR SHAME!!!

I also have to find a way of dealing with my new neighbor other than what immediately comes to mind.

It's going to be an interesting next couple of weeks.


Thanks for listening. Just posting this helps.

[MineralMan]

1. Sounds like a very poor start for your relationship with your new

neighbor. Too bad. Disputes between next-door neighbors are always unpleasant. Good luck.

[SpiralHawk]

18. Sounds like what Sen. Juddhead Gregg (R) did in the Granite State

Tossing a sick, elderly widow out on her keester so he could maximaize his cashmoneybucks intake...Republicon Family Values, ya just gotta blow chunks...

[bluestateguy]

2. Just shun him

Have no relationship with your new neighbors. Don't talk to them, don't introduce yourself to them, don't invite them over, don't do them any favors. Just have no relationship with them whatsoever.

[Tempest]

5. I've also talked to all my other neighbors

And they're just as upset because of how much everyone liked and respected my old neighbor. One of them is very religious and said she would bring it up in her church.

The new neighbors will get no welcome from anyone in the area and I'm going to make sure of it.

[cwydro]

69. That'll be "Christian" of them. nt

[XanaDUer]

3. It's not a good start

I would shun them, as someone upthread states. Good luck.

[woodsprite]

4. If it was a signed agreement, I'd go after them.

Can she still do that even though she vacated the property?

[Tempest]

7. They plan to talk to a lawyer next week

But because of the timing, planned I'm betting, the buyer didn't give them much choice so late on a Friday during a holiday weekend.

[Hawkowl]

6. Don't do it around witnesses

Sticking the knife in his neck. :evilgrin:

Seriously though, you have a brand new problem neighbor and you are going to have problems. Good luck.

[Tempest]

8. You know what they say about the difference between a friend and good friend

I'm a good friend. :evilgrin:

[Hawkowl]

11. I hear you.

Being from Chicago, we used that saying often!

[Cirque du So-What]

9. There's still time to edit your post

for intemperate things said in haste.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

10. Agreed.

[Tempest]

12. They just came over

Started in some B.S. and I laid it out for them that I got the story from two sources, one of which I've known for 11 years and has never lied to me before.

While this was going on his wife was screaming using "fuck" in every other sentence.


I plan to find his employer and let him know what kind of a person he has working for him.

[leftofcool]

15. NO, we do not call employers on nasty neighbors

First, it might get you in trouble and secondly, it puts you on their level. Shunning is better.

[Tempest]

17. You're right, and it's the anger showing

I'll probably just lay low and report them for every little infraction I can find.

[snagglepuss]

23. I'm not a lawyer but those signs on your truck might be slanderous.

That said I think they're jerks and shunning sounds like like a good response.

[Tempest]

25. I welcome the attempt at suing me

I have five separate witnesses I can call all with the same story.

Including the real estate agent for my neighbor who said she couldn't believe they would do this to her.

[Posteritatis]

30. Wouldn't the signs have to be false to qualify as such? (nt)

[Tempest]

31. Not only that

But it would have to be proven that they are intended to maliciously defame them.

All I did was put up a sign that summarized the actions that have been verified by five different people involved.

[Divernan]

19. Order them off your property. Call the cops and report threatening trespassers.

Ask the cops what actions you can/should take to keep them from trespassing. Keep a written record of any further contact they initiate, any vandalism to your property, any shouted obscenities, etc., should you end up needing a restraining order.

Be extremely careful that whatever you tell others is completely factual, so you can't get sued for slander(spoken)/libel(written). If you got his employer to fire him, this guy could sue you for loss of income.

Might ask the cops to check these new neighbors out for a criminal record and if they have licensed firearms. If they get drunk or do drugs, they would be very dangerous.

Be careful - they sound extremely and unnecessarily aggressive - I would spread the word to warn others in the community but totally shun any personal contact with these bullies.

[dixiegrrrrl]

21. You bad mouth him to his employer= bad idea.

You may end up needing a lawyer for the outcome of that.

Best idea: former neighbor family get a lawyer and see what grounds they have for breach of contract since new people moved in contrary to agreement.

Pls. tell me the agreement WAS in the purchase contract????

[Tempest]

24. The agreement was in the purchase contract

But after everything they put my neighbor through, she just wanted out.

Her grandchildren said they would contact a lawyer next week.

I talked to my neighbor's real estate agent and she had nothing good to say about the buyers or their agent. She was as disgusted as the rest of us.

[dionysus]

39. "I plan to find his employer " wtf? you're gonna start stalking these people?

:eyes:

[Tempest]

41. Chill dude

It was the anger talking.

[dionysus]

43. okay, just think that's going overboard. last thing you want is a running feud with a neighbor.

[Tempest]

46. I won't deny that you're right

That's why I'm taking the "you do not exist" approach.

[dionysus]

48. that would probably be the best route to take. best of luck, hope the old lady gets justice.

[Jamastiene]

68. Call the police every time they step foot on your property.

If they do it once, they will most likely keep doing it until you have to call the cops anyhow. It's better to get it all on record as soon as possible.

[XanaDUer]

13. I just re-read it

You might want to remove one line.

Other than that, good on you for caring about an elderly neighbor. I hope the new neighbors don't turn into a thorn in your side.

[mahina]

14. Good luck.

Your heart was in the right place to help your neighbor, for sure.

Just heads up though about calling his boss, slander is tough to prove but financial loss as a consequence of what is said makes it easier. Watch out for yourself.

I'm sorry you lost a great neighbor and sorry you have such a lousy person living next door now. No way are they neighbors.

I agree with the other posters. Ignore them. They don't exist.

[Tempest]

16. I have multiple sources who would be witnesses

He would have nothing.

I'm willing to take that chance.

[Codeine]

20. Neighborhood drama is SO not worth it. nt

[kestrel91316]

22. The community needs to shun them. There is a time and a place for it -

HERE AND NOW is the time and place.

No arguments, no fuss, just treat them like they don't exist. If they are nasty or overtly threatening or make trouble, use the law for its intended purposes.

[demigoddess]

55. i agree with you, Shun them totally and

hope they build a big privacy fence. Chances are, if they find no friends in the neighborhood, they will move on in a few years. If antagonized they will stay out of spite. Don;t ever answer the door to them, either.

[ellenrr]

26. I think you did a principled thing. Kudos. n/t

[Tempest]

27. Thanks everyone

I'm going to do the right thing and ignore them.

Whenever I clean out my garbage and yard waste bins, I clean out the bins of the houses around me. Not theirs.

I sweep the gutters starting at houses on both sides of me and across the street. Not theirs. (And yes, I'm anally retentive when it comes to cleanliness.)

I also ask my neighbors if they need help whenever I see them doing something they may need a hand with. Not them.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

35. Good. Don't even acknowledge their existence. Being ignored

drives people crazy.

I totally ignore the moron (and Mrs Moron) across the street who had the snow from his driveway plowed onto my sidewalk last winter . Well, almost totally. One day he got annoyed when I parked my car opposite his driveway on my property (where he plowed said snow) to wash it since that is closest to my outdoor faucet/hose . That day, I advised him to go sh*t in his hat.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tempest]

29. "record their foul mouthed behavior and display on you tube"

Brilliant.

[csziggy]

33. Check the law on recording in your state

Of course, I would think that if any time you think you might have an interaction with them, you hold up the recorder, turn it on, and tell them "This conversation is being recorded" that should be legal. In any case, it would put them on notice you are not going to put up with threats or foul language.

The other thing I would would consider is to keep a phone handy and if they start in again, call the police in front of them. Tell the dispatcher you have trespassers you want put on notice to stay off your property. Use the non-emergency number unless they are actually being threatening or destructive.

[DFW]

32. We had the same problem in Germany

Some elderly neighbors moved down south to be near their children, and asked too high a price
for their house, which is next to ours. It was a nice house, with a nice lawn adjacent to our
house. But because the price was too high, no one bought it. Until: some guy bribed to local
zoning board (all of whom have since been fired for corruption, but too late for our neighborhood).

Suddenly the wreckers were there, the lawn was dug up, and within a year a huge fortress, bigger
by a factor of three than any other house in the area was put up by some guy who inherited a pile
of money from his father who (apparently with good reason) had kept his offspring on a short financial
leash. Our new neighbor immediately cut down a tree on our property (illegal in Germany) "by mistake,"
and then showed up at our doorstep telling my wife why she had to close the gate to our property (we
inherited it from the previous owner, and it is always open) and what vegetation she should be planting
to pretty up his property. Other neighbors have lost the afternoon sunlight in which they used to enjoy
weekends at home outside. They now have a permanent shadow.

We told him he had paid for his property and could plant on it what he wanted, but should divest himself
of any notion he was going to dictate to us what we were to plant.

By the way, we were not the only ones put off by his attitude. His girlfriend refuses to live in his
monstrosity with him, and except for his son, who comes to visit every other weekend, he lives alone
in his 5000 (or 6000 or 7000?) square foot fortress watching his big flatscreen TV all by himself every
evening.

It seems like all this poor clown wanted was to be envied, and he can't figure out why no one does.

[leftyladyfrommo]

34. I hope you have a really high fence

You are going to need it. Those people will always be big trouble.

[Tempest]

36. A high fence covered in ivy

I am so glad I allowed the ivy to grow along the entire length of the fence facing their side.

[leftyladyfrommo]

56. I have good neighbors right now.

I just hate when I have people I don't like living anywhere near me. Makes me paranoid.

[Tempest]

37. New update and it made me laugh out loud

Got a call from a neighbor across the street who is unaware of what is going on asking about the sign because she couldn't read it from her house.

Just after getting started with the story, she interrupted me and asked, "was it those so & so people in the so & so truck?" and I said yes. She then told me she could hear them from her yard talking crap about me (they were loud) and then said "they look and sounded like trailer trash to me". I couldn't help but laugh out loud. And this was coming from a neighbor who was about the same age as my new neighbors (mid-20s).

[ScreamingMeemie]

87. "Trailer trash"...well now then, I don't think very highly of your neighbor

across the street. As one who lived several years in a mobile home, with grandparents and parents who still live in mobile homes... all kinds of good people come from trailers. Sorry, but you lost me with this comment. Good luck with your neighbor but I feel a little bit less sorry for you.

[Curmudgeoness]

38. I don't blame you for being pissed (your name is Tempest after all)

but I think you will live to regret this.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

40. A feud with a neighbor is one of the top 10

least desirable things in life.

[Curmudgeoness]

42. Take it from experience, it is probably the most stressful situations

you can be in. And the worse the neighbors are, the worse the stress. I wish the OP well, but worry.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

61. Some folks thrive on it.

Not me.

[Tempest]

45. Won't let it get that far

They know what I think of them and now it's time to put them on ignore.

Which is a real shame because I'm one of those neighbors who always offers to help out my neighbors when I can. I've built fences, poured concrete driveways, built patios and decks, changed oil and I even rebuilt the pool my new neighbors will be swimming in.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

50. For free?!

You're some kinda neighbor.

[Tempest]

52. I joke I have hyperactive disorder without the attention deficit part

My skin crawls if I don't get so much accomplished in a day. Sometimes that means helping out the neighbors.

I look at is as therapy. After helping out I always feel like after sex, tired and satisfied.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

53. But you pour driveways & build patios & decks & pools ... gratis?

That's some real loving thy neighbor.

[Tempest]

54. That's the way I was raised

Back then a neighborhood more than a bunch of houses with a bunch of people. They were my friends, even the adults, and my clan. Rotating block parties were common on weekends. I remember my dad telling us as kids that helping others would be rewarding in itself.

I've lived a rich life in many ways and I'm sure that has a lot to do with it.


And religion had nothing to do with it. We were not church goers or believers (except for a couple of sisters). We just knew it was the right thing to do.

[ohheckyeah]

65. Would you consider moving next door to me?

:-)

[Tempest]

70. As long as you don't live in a red state

I live in a very conservative city (Bakersfield) but a very blue state (CA).

[ohheckyeah]

77. Oh, well,

shit yeah I live in a red state which explains a lot of my angst. :-)

[lunatica]

44. You are a great neighbor and friend!

Fuck the new neighbors. Let them fend for themselves. You did the right thing.

With a little bit of luck you'll never have to cross paths with them.

[Tempest]

47. Once I learn their schedules I'll adjust mine

So the contact is minimized.

Luckily I can be flexible about that.

[ThomWV]

49. You do not have to "deal" with anything.

It is not necessary for you to ever say a word to your new neighbor and putting those signs out is perfectly childish and if not designed to make you an immediately hated "neighbor" its still going to do just that. Grow up.

[Toucano]

57. +1

It's classy AND childish. It accomplishes nothing positive to put antagonistic signs in ones yard.

[Tempest]

59. You're wrong

The other neighbors have approached me and support calling them out publicly for what they did.

You might bend over and take it up the ass, but I'm not willing.

[MissDeeds]

51. Anyone who would treat an elderly person in such a manner

is pond scum, pure and simple. The manner in which the buyers handled this could lead the dear old soul to have a stroke or heart attack. Bless you, Tempest, for being there for her over the years. I hope you can get the new buyers to see the error of their ways, but I doubt it. People like that have little compassion for others.

I hope she has sought legal counsel since they did have an agreement. It would be nice if the whole transaction was voided because they are in breach of the agreement...but I'm no lawyer.

Best of luck in the coming months.

[Raine]

58. I'm sorry that you have ended up with a neighbor like that. It's hell to have bad

neighbors.I have a horrid neighbor so bad that I had to put in an alarm and a camera system with 4 cameras just to keep the guy off my property. I tried being nice, I tried ignoring him but he only got worse. It got to point the minute I left the house he came onto the property hacking on my trees, stealing things and putting trash in the yard. After a screaming obsenity laden brawl with the guy a couple years ago I got the alarm and camera system. The guy is still an ass and always will be but at least he doesn't dare trying anything with the camera there to catch him.

Good luck to you because seriously you will need it.

[Tempest]

60. The gloves are off

I've gotten calls from two neighbors saying he was standing in the road in front of my house and calling me a pedophile.

I emailed my lawyer to set up a meeting on Tuesday.

I'm going to bankrupt the motherfucker.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

62. If it's this bad on the first day...

[Joe the Revelator]

63. Both parties here seem amazingly immature......

....for real.

[Drew Richards]

64. Listen I have to warn you, this **** can get out of hand real fast and be very dangerous

Do not start anything, and for Gods sake, don't talk smack to your neighbors there is always one that will spread it back to the new neighbors to make themselves feel better or superior to you...

If he is as you suspect it will be no time before he starts breaking the law and damaging/violating your and other neighbors property.

I had a neighbor in SC that was a typical ignorant poor white trash asshole who loved to shoot out my back yard porch flood lights with a pellet rifle every chance he got.
I finally caught him at it and called the police... it was a he said, he said, no proof...

This only escalated his pattern of harrasment and property destruction Windows broken, back door on my garage kicked in, equipment damaged in garage, Car tires nailed, car paint damaged...

I bought cameras and he shot them out from off camera angles.

I bought covers for the cameras and while I was gone at work the covers and cameras were destroyed and littered across the yard. No recognizable photo proof of his face only his or a hoodie type jacket covered face...no proof I could use.

It finally got to the point that I pulled out a 357 and told him one more incident on my property and i don't give a fuck I will kill him and enjoy prison...

The harassment stopped instantly for about 6 months then began again. But I am lucky that the asshole didn't call the police on me for brandishing a firearm in the city limits...I was stupid but I was so pissed off that my riding mower was, well it looked like a sledge was used on it.

Unfortunately I then had a heart attack and thankfully moved away. I pity his new neighbors.

My advise is do a hell of a lot more than just ignore him...

If he is going to be a potential ass get a security camera system recording full time all sides of your home.

As soon as any harassment, civil violations or destruction of property begins contact a lawyer, get a NOTARIZED statement of your complaint and then file it with the police...
This forces the police to open a active file on this neighbor so that complaints will get looked at as a whole and not scattered between detectives.

The notarized complaint comes from a lawyer I consulted after the first call to the police...without you showing you are serious with a notarized complaint the complaint will be filed and ignored...

Drew.

[Selatius]

66. I believe nowadays they sell private security cameras that are very small, easily hidden.

Off hand, I've advised friends on their use, typically around election time because several of them would put up political signs that may sometimes get stolen or vandalized. One yeah, a friend of mine had a college Democrats' parade float parked up next to the house. Somebody touched it over night, but that's a fairly common occurrence out in rural Mississippi. It's a bastion of ultra-right wing thought.

[Tempest]

71. I live in Bakersfield and it's very conservative

During election season Democratic signs never stay up for more than a day so I don't bother putting one up.

A friend was having trouble with his truck getting into so he got a remote camera with motion sensors and caught the people. I borrowed it from him because my truck is parked in the street. I gave up my driveway so my former neighbor could park a POD in it to store their belongings until their new house was available.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

67. Any news?

Stay safe.

[cwydro]

72. Let's hope the OP was not gunned down

in his/her driveway...

[A-Schwarzenegger]

75. We hope the situation has spectacularly

calmed downeth. Maybe a neighborly deck or patio
is being constructed in lieu of disaster.

[Shagbark Hickory]

73. If I were you I'd take the signs down immediately.

I can understand how you feel.

But what you're doing can be considered libel and you CAN get sued for it.
Unless you have really solid proof that it's true...

My advice would be to take the signs down.

TRy to keep a level head about it. There's two sides to every story.

[renate]

74. I would think that if the legal system gets involved,...

... it would behoove you to be the classy one. Shunning but no signs. You doubtless have right on your side, but this has escalated to such a degree that your neighbors' sins might not translate to your getting off scot-free. You could both get punished. Again, you are right and this is all horribly unfair, but your dear neighbor would surely not want you to pay a fine or suffer in any way because of your position in support of her.

Good luck. You're a wonderful friend. And your neighbors are horrible horrible horrible people who deserve every bit of misery that comes their way in the course of their bitter, angry, petty lives.

[Brigid]

76. You've got neighbor problems coming. Big time.

Don't need ESP to figure that out. :scared:

[steve2470]

78. I understand your anger but this is the kind of thing that can get you shot

I would take down the signs, shun them, and give it up to the Universe or your God to handle, if you are spiritual at all.

I see nothing but bad things for both of you coming out of this. Shunning your neighbor and supporting your elderly friend is the best course of action.

[999998th word]

79. Neighbors from hell are the worst, been there

All of us stuck together and 'dealt with it'. Some of our solutions were rather 'creative', and we had some interesting encounters from Chicago's Finest. The local PD did have a fine sense of humor.
Sometimes the local building inspectors can be your friend also ;-D .
Good luck, stay safe, and don't let them bait you. andplease give an update. I like to hear stories, these days especially, about the good guys triumph over bullies.

[Feron]

80. So in other words you only have hearsay and...

decide to insert yourself into the dispute anyway. Even if a source is honest, that source can also be mistaken.

Never ever insert yourself into other people's personal affairs unless there is a real and present danger. You're going to feel awfully foolish if the new neighbors were acting legally or honestly made a mistake. And that's not even touching the fact that you're putting yourself at risk for legal action.

Not to mention that being difficult isn't necessarily a bad thing prior to purchasing a home. It's also wide open to interpretation. A person can be labeled difficult for insuring that the prospective home is sound and has repairs made prior to purchase. And if these people were so awful, then why sell to them?!

I can't imagine why your new neighbors aren't enamored by your community spirit. This thread makes you sound awfully juvenile and petty.

[Codeine]

81. This is honestly none of your business.

Let it go. Probably too late for that now, though.

[CBGLuthier]

82. Too much missing information

Doesn't matter how much they got compensated, how LONG did they live in the hotel. One or two months may be reasonable but why should they pay a large sum of money for a house and then not be allowed to move into it?

You possibly should attempt to MYOB but I guess too late for that.

[Broderick]

83. That was my thought?

They bought the house, made arrangements and worked with the old owners. What is the problem?

[liberalhistorian]

84. Then perhaps they shouldn't have

signed an agreement that said they were to allow the elderly woman to live in the house until Sept. 16. If the OP does, indeed, have all of his facts straight (and we are really only getting one side of the story, so there's no way to know for sure), the new owners are committing a direct breach of contract by demanding that she leave two weeks early and giving her not even a day's notice to do so. If they wanted to move in right away, or earlier, then they shouldn't have signed the agreement with those particular terms. Not only because it's morally and ethically wrong to breach the contract, but such a breach can legally cause the entire agreement to be voided.

Rights and terms of possession are clearly spelled out in purchase agreements, and any violation of them can cause a nullifcation of the agreement itself. If I were the woman's grandchildren, and the facts are as the OP stated, I would most definitely pursue them for breach of contract and attempt to nullify the agreement, and I would demand the return of the monies paid to them to wait until the 16th. In fact, I would have them removed from the premnises, as they legally do not have the right to take possession for another two weeks. If they didn't like the terms, they had the option of not signing the agreement or negotiating terms more to their liking.

I do agree, though, that it was wrong and juvenile for the OP to display such signs and it could really feed the fire, in addition to getting him into legal trouble. Of course, the new neighbors standing outside yelling that he's a pedophile isn't exactly a good thing for them to do, either.

[Amaril]

85. Sorry you're having to deal with this

Having an asshat neighbor is horrible situation to find yourself in -- been there, done that, and it's one of the reasons why I pretty much keep to myself. I'm friendly & courteous to my neighbors, but I don't "make friends" with them.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

86. Have you had the meeting with your lawyer today?

What's up?

[A-Schwarzenegger]

88. Kick for

info?

[999998th word]

89. Kick ^ ?

[A-Schwarzenegger]

90. mercifully fizzled as if

never t'was?
or bodies strewn
'cross the golden lawns
of Bakersfield...