Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Help! I've got a hoarder next door!
Has anyone got any advice as to how I might handle the hoarder who lives next door to me?
Without going into detail, suffice to say, things can only get worse. I've had rats in my garden - though I can't prove they came from next door(!) - and my cat is going mental indoors as she can hear ‘something’ behind the wall, er, scratching sounds, day and night.
I've lived with the unsightly, falling-down appearance of his house for years and its impact on the resale value of my property, but vermin is another matter.
I've been in touch with the council before - but didn't get very far.
Any ideas anyone?
It's obviously a very sensitive subject, and I'm at a loss as to what to do, as he owns his property and presumably can do as he likes!
Many thanks in advance.
Tags for Forum Posts: advice, hoarder, homeowner, problem neighbour, rats
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by michaela rourke on
-
Sounds like you're a prime target for a Channel 4 show
-
Permalink Reply by L Griffiths on
-
You can say that again! I remember the documentary about Mr Trebus in Crouch End.
-
Permalink Reply by Shelene Hawkins on
-
I really sympathise with you. I think the best thing is to keep contacting the council (make it your daily routine), and if you can, get the other neighbours (who will be suffering too) to do the same.
Good luck
-
-
Thanks for that. I think you're right. I tried Environmental Health to no avail a while ago and just wondered if anyone else had managed to get them to intervene?
-
-
I don't think it's that difficult to prove that rubbish in the front garden encourages rats in which then EH have to act don't they?. A few years ago there was an abandoned car that was removed. When they cut the roof off with angle grinders apparently the rats poured out.
-
-
Yes, but mostly, it's inside his property - though I'm sure any vermin have house keys.
-
Permalink Reply by pipplypig on
-
That sounds tricky. Is he elderly and have you ever approached him?
You've probably already done this but you could ask him whether he's noticed there's a local vermin problem? Pretend you dont know where its coming from or that its a a universal problem? You could put it in a neighbourly/ friendly way and encourage him to consider putting some traps down in his house and ask him if he needs help organising it? Say you're doing it in your house too.
Depending on how that goes, perhaps in time you could offer to help him organise a large items collection if he has stuff in his front and back gardens that might be attracting the rats?
-
-
Thank you so much for your comments.
The problem is more in the house than outside? For years he would meticulously mow his garden lawn - while there was (literally) rubbish piled up on the floor in his house - I only realised what was going on when I had to pop a letter in his letterbox and saw the debris in his hallway and beyond...
And the lawn-mowing has stopped, too.
He isn't that old, is/was a professional, and highly educated, but you can't communicate with him.
I like your idea of keeping it ‘universal’. I really need the council to intervene!
Thanks again.
-
-
Thank you! Though it's largely aimed at sufferers and their families, Help For Hoarders looks like a great place to start. I think I'll pass this link on to the council…
-
-
Have you had another chat with the council recently? I'm sure they have some sort of responsibility to intervene if vermin becomes a problem and it sort of implies that on the Shelter website:
http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repairs_and_bad_conditions...
Good luck!!
-
-
I'm info gathering at the moment but I certainly intend to pursue it with the council - or anyone else who might be able to help me and my neighbour.
Thanks.
-
Permalink Reply by Straw Cat on
-
Yes, there is a common misconception that all hoarders are elderly Mr Trebus types. Yet I know one who is still youngi-ish, intelligent, and in fact is ... how can I put it - shall we say, active in local public life. He doesn't seem to have any control over or insight into this problem which has made his residence virtually uninhabitable.
Classical dilemma between an Englishperson's home is their castle, and the risk they are causing of fire, vermin, mental torture to next door felines, etc. The link above is very interesting.
© 2024 Created by Hugh.
Powered by
