She has hoarded herself out of much of the bungalow, and lives and sleeps in the one room, the bedroom wall which adjoins mine. I have had mice in my home due to the state of her property. She sleeps all day and gets up at around 9pm at night rummaging around her hoard, moving things, things crashing and banging to the floor, and then she goes to bed around 9 - 12pm the next day. Her curtains are closed 24/7. She doesn't wash, and she doesn't eat very much she is thin, frail and dirty, and the stench of dogs feces, urine and rotting debris from her property is putrid. When her family does come round they take her out, they do not spend much time in there at all, and leave her dogs locked in the small dark hall for hours, sometimes days and they suffer separation anxiety, and so constantly howl.
I spoke to the family numerous times but they ignored me and ended up changing their telephone numbers. After 18 months I went to my Landlord, social services and the Alzheimer's society. This was when her 50 year old cannabis smoking son came to stay, which then added another problem, my home stinks of cannabis most of the time. The noise recorder went in and she was served a Community Protection Notice, which has already been breached, social services were trying to gain access but the son wasn't allowing her to open the door. Then 5 months later came the lockdown due to Covid-19. I am at the end of my tether, the son is going out most of the afternoon, and returning to the bungalow at night, then sits up all night with his mother while she makes noise all night, but doing nothing to stop her. My bed has been in my living room for 13 months now as it is the furthest room in the bungalow from the adjoining wall. However, the noise she makes is loud, climbing and waded over stuff and slamming the internal doors, it is a compulsive sound, a behaviour she cannot control, she also gets nasty, and has been abusive to me, and she has threatened to attack her son with a knife. I frequently hear her on her mobile phone in the garden accusing family members of stealing money or money going missing from her account, she also thinks people are stealing things from her home and garden. She has already been verbally abusive towards one of my neighbours (this was before I moved here), for which the police were called, as she believed her husband had moved in with her, even though her husband left 10 years ago due to the hoarding. I often see black smoke coming out of the kitchen window during the early hours of the morning, where she has forgotten what she is doing and has gone on to something else. Despite all this social services and my Landlord will not breach the lockdown to take action, even though her own family are not adhering to the lockdown, neither are they safeguarding my neighbour. As a result of lack of sleep, I am sinking into a depression, my asthma is affected by the constant stench of cannabis and I'm at the end of my tether.
If the debris, odor (if there is any), vermin, and other problems render the property uninhabitable that alone would be enough to break your lease. But this is something that you should consult an attorney about. And if you plan on doing this I would write a letter telling the landlord of your intention to do this so it does give him/her formal warning to attempt to correct the problem. (that might mean evicting your neighbor and unfortunately during this time most places have ceased evictions for any reason.)
Again get the Health Department and Building and Zoning (may also be called Code Enforcement in some areas) involved.
((I also wonder if this is rental property does the Fire Department inspect yearly for violations? You might want to call them as well))
"After 18 months I went to my Landlord, social services and the Alzheimer's society. This was when her 50 year old cannabis smoking son came to stay, which then added another problem....The noise recorder went in and she was served a Community Protection Notice, which has already been breached, social services were trying to gain access but the son wasn't allowing her to open the door."
Many have said "Call adult protective services," but it appears that Rose already did that and it isn't helping. Rose should look over her lease, and if she thinks she's locked into it, check with any local renters advocacy group for advice on whether she can break her lease without a big hassle. I would not expect this situation to improve until the other tenant is gone. If this were my situation, I'd move ASAP.
If adult protective services wont help(i have dealt with this in Il. Last year),call the po@ice every time they are being loud or you smell pot-if it's illegal.
You neighbor is not your problem. Let her family deal with her.
If you have a lease and are not simply month-to-moth, you need to send a notice to your landlord stating that he has constructively evicted you by allowing the unhealthy conditions next door, and by refusing to deal with the noise complaints, has violated your rights to peaceful enjoyment of your rental unit.
Under these circumstances, you do not need to give any further notice. Move and clean up your place in a reasonable manner and then demand the return of your deposit as well.
Good luck!
You can’t live like this for sure. Keep at it ...hugs 🤗
Yes Adult Protective Services!!
I had a similar situation, but it was a condo full of young men.
Besides having the police on speed dial, I also went to the HOA board. I explained all that was going on. I also explained how it was lowering everyone's property values! That did the trick!
Maybe talk to other neighbors and see if they are willing to give written testimonies. More ammo for the HOA board!
I'm so sorry that you have to deal with all this and "Lock down ".
Hang in there!!
I realize with lockdown it might not be that easy but my point is even if you get rid of her do you know what will be left behind?
You could call the police when you hear banging that late. Noise that late is a disturbance and the police can deal with it.
You could also call the village or county and talk to someone in the Health Department or Code Enforcement both have regulations on hoarding and if it is bringing in rodent infestations that is a health concern for you as well as your neighbor.
Oh, next time you see smoke...call the Fire Department. Because the next time it might be a fire they have to deal with. And do this every time you see smoke.
Spounds like the family don't care, to them it's a place to sleep?
Hangout....ppl can do what they want, sleep when they want, live in filth too.
Its too bad you didn't have a nice relationship instead. But i've thought it thru & she may be there bothering you for yrs to come, so I would say move too.
But she must get her behavior under control and needs help with her sleeping and hoarding. In addition, I would consider moving.
I wish you the best of luck,
Donna
Instead of calling authorities to complain, call to report a life threatening situation with an elderly neighbor. I think you will get much further in your search for help for the poor woman, than if you make yourself out to be the victim.
My humble opinion only.
Best of luck to you both.