My Neighbour Is Invading My Privacy

[1PrincessPink]

My neighbours are watching everything I do and taking notes. I am not doing anything wrong, just doing normal things like parking my car on my drive, doing my garden, going to my bin etc. However, they watch and take notes. I have had solicitor's letters telling me that they are watching me and alleging that I am doing very very minor things such as starting my car and then going back into the house. Should I consider Protection from Harassment?

[factor-fiction]

It must be disconcerting. It's easy to say this when it's not affecting me, but I suggest you just ignore them and smile at how much money they are wasting on solicitors

[Zacs-Master]

What exactly are you being accused of in these 'solicitors' letters?

[bednobs]

idiots. However, what they are doing is not illegal

[bookbinder]

If you leave your car's engine running for no apparent reason, that could be what's irritating the neighbours. Otherwise, you should ignore the letters from the solicitor. He's just making a few quid out of them next door, and you won't have anything to fear.

[woofgang]

I would be doing lots of smiling and waving. If you feel like it, have a camera with you and photograph them watching you. Ignore the solicitor's letter.
btw, if you start your car and go back into the house leaving the engine running, and its stolen then the insurance company won't pay up. not relevant to your Q but i thought i should mention it.

[Bazile]

Get a camera , stand outside their property ,take pictures and pretend to record stuff in your note book .

Lets see what how they feel about it

[1PrincessPink]

I am being accused of harassment. I have "stared at them"; stored my bins on my path and not "in my garage" (I couldn't get them in my garage and they may attract rats in there); I have started my car, then turned it off and gone back into the house to harass them.

[VHG]

Surely the letter from the solicitor is harassment enough. I think that alone deserves a call to the police.

However it may be hard to PROVE your other accusations if the neighbours deny it.

Of course it may be that the police think YOU are being paranoid, by accusing neighbours of watching you and taking notes (I am not saying you ARE paranoid, but the police could consider that you are).

Starting your car and going back into your house it not the most sensible thing to do, and I think leaving an unattended car with the engine running is against the law, but that hardly sounds like something the neighbours should be too concerned about.

I bet they are at home all day and have nothing to do. We had an old couple who lived next door to us and the husband was a bit like that.

Once a taxi driver parked in our road to have a sandwich and take a break, and my neighbour went out and told him he was not allowed to do that and that he should move on.

I think SOME older people get like that.

[Zacs-Master]

I take it they are retired (?). I'd go down Bazile's route.

[1PrincessPink]

No Bookbinder, I didn't leave it running. I think its when I forget my Satnav or leave it in another bag and have to go in to get it.

[bookbinder]

Are they retired/pensioners? That could be at the root of all this. Some pensioners have nothing useful to do, once they leave paid employment, so they find 'entertainment' in watching what the neighbours get up to, such as storing their bins on their paths (you subversive neighbours, you!).

[boxtops]

If you have a solicitor of your own, I'd be tempted to take the letter to them and ask them to write a response. One should be enough.

[1PrincessPink]

I did not leave the car running. The solicitor's letter says that I started the car, then turned it off and returned to the house. This is harassment? I am ok that they are wasting money, but it is the endless coming out, taking notes, photos of my bins etc. They are annoying me.

[craft1948]

I'd buy a dummy CCTV camera and point it at their house............

[boxtops]

that's why I suggest you get your own legal advice, just for your own peace of mind.

[boxtops]

They must be very sad bitter people, to have nothing better to do with their lives :-(

[1PrincessPink]

Actually, they are not retired. I know that they do not like us because we are from a European country not Britain. We have lived and worked here for 20 years without any problems from anyone else.

[boxtops]

I still say, get your own solicitor to respond to the letter.

[LochNessMonster]

Take your letter to the police and explain what has been happening. They will investigate and if recordings of your activity is found or they are caught doing what there doing whilst police visit you can have some evidence of harassment.

[Hypognosis]

There was a change to the highway code a few years ago, so it is now illegal to leave a car unattended with the engine running.

The circumstances of a car accidentally slipping into gear or kids off the street jumping in and playing with the controls are seemingly improbable but I think that was the thinking behind it.

Other than that, you're neighbour's behaviour is just wierd. Was there some kind of falling out?