New Neighbor Problems?

Question

Last month we got new neighbors on our block. They live right across the street from me. First they never cut their grass so it's just growing higher and higher. They NEVER watch their kids. Everytime I try to pullout my drive way they are playing in the middle of the street or they left their bikes and toys in the street. They blast music at all kinds of hours. They have alcohol bottles on the sidewalks. They have cars parked infront of my house sometimes and yes we approached them. They even got a violation but that has changed nothing. I will not move because we own the house and the neighbor would be good if it weren't for them. What actions should I take next?

Yes me and the rest of the neighbors talk to them about their kids. The next day they were back playing in the middle of the street with their toys.

Yes they're renting the house and we don't have a neighborhood association group...yet. I am not the only neighbor sick of these people.

Answer 1

1. They are renting the house, so talk to the landlord. Complain like crazy, everytime they litter and everytime they blast music at all hours.

2. Call the police if you have a noise ordinance in place. As well as for the littering.

3. Call CPS since they can't stop their kids from playing in the streets.

IMO the streets are public so they CAN park in front of your house, or anywhere. BUT I understand the irritation at this because of all the other issues with them.

Out of spite I'd take your SUV (if you have one) and drive over their bikes "oops I didn't see it". (OK I really wouldn't do this but the urge is there).

Answer 2

You have a common problem, people are very inconsiderate when it comes to neighbors. If they rent, I would suggest the neighborhood put together a petition and speak to the landlord. If they own you have a bigger problem on your hands. If that's the case, and you have spoken to them, run over the toys in the street, call the cops for loud or disturbing parties, and call your local department for child services when the children are not being watched. As far as the lawn, if they like living like that there isn't much you can do, check into your city ordinances. They say the USA is a free country, but there aren't very many things we don't have laws against.

Answer 3

I think you need to call call call. When it is likely they are drunk and the kids are running wild, and loud music is going on, call the cops. Keep calling until you get calluses on your fingers. This is a matter for the police, not you.
The kids being in the street unsupervised is child endangerment. You might try getting the Department of Child and Family Services involved here too.
Someone needs to show them that the way they are living is not acceptable or courteous to those around them.
There may be a city ordinace that would make them cut their grass. Call your city hall and give the address of the property that needs a trim, a city worker will come by and give them a time limit to get it done, or the city will do it and charge an outrageous fee. One time is usually all it takes to make people step in line and do their own grass from then on.

Answer 4

Rather then talking to them write them a letter but make sure you keep a copy of it.
Try going to city hall and/ or the police show them the letters and any pictures you have I.E. toys in the street, alcohol bottles on sidewalks, cars in front of your house blocking your drive.

As far as the loud music check With your local laws and see what the cut off time is and if they go past it call the cops EVERY time they go past that time. Have the other neighbors make complaints as well. If they are renting call their land lord and tell them what's going on. The land lord may not know they are disturbing y'all. I'm sure if the land lord gets a lot of complaints he'll get tired of it and kick them out.

When I had the problem with toys in my yard and street I took them and wouldn't give them to the kids. On occasion I gave them to unfortunate kids that would take care of it.

Good Luck

Answer 5

I'm not sure if there's any one action that will result in a major change in behavior of your neighbors. I would suggest continuing the complaining and calling the police whenever they violate any type of village/city ordinance. The squeaky wheel gets the oil. I would assume that if there are enough complaints against the tenant something would have to be done about it. Have you tried complaining to the landlord about their tenants? Try getting all of your other neighbors involved too. The more people that complain the more likely it will seem that it's not some grumpy neighbor.

As far as the toys in the street, I wouldn't pay any attention to them. If they get ruined, that's not your fault. If they are in your yard, take them and donate them to charity. Those kids obviously don't deserve to have toys if they can't take care of them.

Answer 6

If only the perfect neighbor exists! Okay, you didn't say how old the kids are. Older kids don't need to be watched every second if they know what is expected of them in terms of safety and their parents' rules about playing outside. If they're old enough to be playing outside w/o adult supervision then they're old enough for you to say something to them if their toys are out in the street or they're doing something unsafe such as playing while cars are approaching. I would say something to do them and then follow-up with the parents. Calling cps is serious but by all means call if the children are too young to be left outside unsupervised.

As for cars parked in front of your house -- the street is usually public property, i.e., belongs to the city. Anyone is allowed to park on a street as long as it's not in your private driveway. If they're parking in your private driveway, then you certainly have a legitimate complaint. Call the police and have them towed. If they're parking on the public street, I don't believe there's any legal action you can take. If they do this constantly and they're not using the street in front of their house when there's obviously space, then that's something you would need to talk to them about. It's a matter you hope everyone in the neighborhood would be respectful of.

As for the other matters such as alcohol bottles and loud music, then definitely call the cops on that.

Answer 7

Do you have any type of neighborhood association on your block that can take legal steps to enforce the rules? Did these people buy the house or are they renting? If they're renting, you go to the landlord. If they bought the house, there still must be city codes that they are violating and the violations need to keep coming.

Answer 8

I'm sorry you're dealing with this...I'm sure it's frustrating. They sound like renters because I doubt they would act that way if the home/neighborhood value was of fiduciary interest to them.

I let my kids play in the street in front of my house (ride their bikes, skateboards, etc...) but they know better than to leave their stuff in the street...and if they forget, they've got myself and my husband to remind them. Kids have to have somewhere to play and it isn't safe to ride your bike through the neighborhood anymore, so out front it is.

I would continue to complain...contact the county or other local government to see if you have some recourse.

Good luck!

Answer 9

If they are renting, find out from Whom they are renting and send photos to the owner so he knows what his property looks like at this time. He maybe able to do something for you. I had a neighbor tht was like yours and I contantly stayed in touch with the owner of the house, after enough of not getting them do clean up their "act" the owner evicted them for violating the terms of the rental agreement.

Answer 10

Hey! that might be my uncle Joe...........lol

Make sure you talk to them about it again, and be cool about it. Sometimes if you approach inconsiderate people like that the wrong way, it makes things worst.

Check your City's website, there might be some kind of violation they could be breaking by not keeping up with the house. Try to get in touch with the landlord and voice your concern to them to.