OT: Get off my Lawn!

[Carsalesrgood]

Need some advice,

In February the house next door sold, and the guy who bought it is renting it out. There is currently 9 people living there all between the ages of 30-40, all Indian nationality (not that it matters), and only 1 has a job. Keep in mind, its a 4 bedroom house.

Lately, my neighbor on the other side of me and I have noticed that they will be out wandering, talking on their phone, and walking through both of our backyards. When we catch them we will signal them to get off our property but I don't think they get the hint.

What should I do? I don't think talking to the landlord will help, as we are currently fighting with the city because they wont mow their lawn and they keep making up excuses on why they cant get their mower over there.

 

[Chitowncy]

I would start with a polite conversation with them to make it clear that you'd prefer they stay off your lawn, but at least give some at least passable reason like you have sensitive plants or something. I don't think escalating it immediately is the best choice. Just try to be neighborly first (introduce yourself, maybe bring them a welcome gift to the neighborhood) to butter them up, and then if that fails you take it to a higher authority.

I hope this is common sense with people, but you usually get better results if you start with kindness first and voluntary compliance rather than involuntary and forced compliance.

 

[isufbcurt]

Need some advice,

In February the house next door sold, and the guy who bought it is renting it out. There is currently 9 people living there all between the ages of 30-40, all Indian nationality (not that it matters), and only 1 has a job. Keep in mind, its a 4 bedroom house.

Lately, my neighbor on the other side of me and I have noticed that they will be out wandering, talking on their phone, and walking through both of our backyards. When we catch them we will signal them to get off our property but I don't think they get the hint.

What should I do? I don't think talking to the landlord will help, as we are currently fighting with the city because they wont mow their lawn and they keep making up excuses on why they cant get their mower over there.

This is the exact reason I moved to the country, to get away from neighbors like you.

 

[Macloney]

Call the landlord, let him deal with it.

Also, some cities have ordinances that allow for a maximum number of non-related people living together. Find out if yours does.

 

[Carsalesrgood]

I would start with a polite conversation with them to make it clear that you'd prefer they stay off your lawn, but at least give some at least passable reason like you have sensitive plants or something. I don't think escalating it immediately is the best choice. Just try to be neighborly first (introduce yourself, maybe bring them a welcome gift to the neighborhood) to butter them up, and then if that fails you take it to a higher authority.

QUOTE]

I have done this, unfortunately there English isn't very good but there is landscaping between our houses, and they literally have to walk around the landscaping to get to my house, let alone walking across my whole yard and being in the other neighbors.

 

[Carsalesrgood]

Call the landlord, let him deal with it.

Also, some cities have ordinances that allow for a maximum number of non-related people living together. Find out if yours does.

Yes, West Des Moines did, but the law just got reversed by Branstad last week.

 

[SwirlyBird]

I think a swift kick to the midsection each time they're on your lawn will get the point across.

 

[Carsalesrgood]

This is the exact reason I moved to the country, to get away from neighbors like you.

I get it, I'm really not a ****, but when people are standing 3 feet outside your living room window its kinda weird.

 

[Macloney]

Shoot em with rock salt

 

[3GenClone]

Have you thought about motion-detectors? Lights at night and sounds during the day. Not sure if you have kids, but maybe look at building a battery-powered Arduino PIR sensor and you could hide a few throughout your yard. That would be a nice do-it-yourself project

 

[3TrueFans]

Barbed wire

 

[wxman1]

I would assume there is a city department that would handle housing issue complaints like this but I wouldn't hesitate to call the police. Work with your other neighbor who is complaining as well and the next time you notice it take pictures (that may help keep them away as well) to document it, call the non-emergency number and just ask to have an officer stop out to discuss a trespassing issue. Be civil but firm.

Most cities also have rules regarding grass length so you could make a complaint about that as well with the city.

 

[jcyclonee]

Our neighbors have a similar family that lives behind them. They used to raise chickens in their basement. One weekend, they were having a big celebration and butchered the chickens on their deck. The neighbor had the police talk to them about it and they haven't done anything similar since. It is a nice family living there and just talking to them probably would have worked, but that's no guarantee that it's the same as your situation.

 

[Carsalesrgood]

I would assume there is a city department that would handle housing issue complaints like this but I wouldn't hesitate to call the police. Work with your other neighbor who is complaining as well and the next time you notice it take pictures (that may help keep them away as well) to document it, call the non-emergency number and just ask to have an officer stop out to discuss a trespassing issue. Be civil but firm.

Most cities also have rules regarding grass length so you could make a complaint about that as well with the city.

Good advice, we have called the city about the lawn, believe they have 1 more day to mow it before they get fined and the city contracts out the mow

 

[coolerifyoudid]

Need some advice,

In February the house next door sold, and the guy who bought it is renting it out. There is currently 9 people living there all between the ages of 30-40, all Indian nationality (not that it matters), and only 1 has a job. Keep in mind, its a 4 bedroom house.

Lately, my neighbor on the other side of me and I have noticed that they will be out wandering, talking on their phone, and walking through both of our backyards. When we catch them we will signal them to get off our property but I don't think they get the hint.

What should I do? I don't think talking to the landlord will help, as we are currently fighting with the city because they wont mow their lawn and they keep making up excuses on why they cant get their mower over there.

Have you talked to them or is there a language barrier? Are you intimidated to approach them? Chitowncy's advice seems the best if the ability to communicate with them isn't the issue. You could always offer them use of your mower once or twice or offer to mow their lawn to be neighborly. If that doesn't work, it's easy enough to cut off since you control that part of the situation anyway.

I'm a little curious why their nationality doesn't matter, yet you brought it up anyway. Would it be different if they were all white guys that looked like Eminem? Cuz that would scare the hell outta me.

 

[Carsalesrgood]

There is a language barrier, have tried to show them where there property ends, but with so many of them living there, I don't know if its the same one that is the problem every time or not.

 

[Carsalesrgood]

I brought up the nationality because I meant to say there was a language barrier.

 

[Macloney]

Have you talked to them or is there a language barrier? Are you intimidated to approach them? Chitowncy's advice seems the best if the ability to communicate with them isn't the issue. You could always offer them use of your mower once or twice or offer to mow their lawn to be neighborly. If that doesn't work, it's easy enough to cut off since you control that part of the situation anyway.

I'm a little curious why their nationality doesn't matter, yet you brought it up anyway. Would it be different if they were all white guys that looked like Eminem?

Because everybody knows that Indian guys are notorious for not cutting the lawn and standing on other people's grass when they talk on the phone, that's why.

 

[JP4CY]

Does your neighborhood have a covenant that prohibits renting?

Put these signs up btw:

 

[Macloney]

There is a language barrier, have tried to show them where there property ends, but with so many of them living there, I don't know if its the same one that is the problem every time or not.

What, because they all look alike? Unreal...