Woman scared to use own garden after neighbour’s terror campaign

It’s important to build a relationship with your next door neighbours, after all you might need them every now and again.

One woman now claims she’s been living in fear after her “entitled” neighbour started harassing both her and her dogs simply for using their own garden. She says she has spent the past 10 months treading carefully, steering clear of her neighbour wherever possible and worrying about what might happen each time she allows her two young dogs outdoors.

Detailing her ordeal on Reddit, the homeowner revealed the troubles began after her neighbour constructed a makeshift patio just a foot from their shared fence.

Due to its proximity, she says she can overhear every conversation they hold, while the neighbour’s dog routinely barks along the fence line.

Her own two young dogs are still undergoing training and occasionally bark in response, though she stresses she is working diligently to address the behaviour.

Nevertheless, she insists the barking is not the genuine issue – it is how her neighbour has responded.

According to the woman, the neighbour has repeatedly yelled at her dogs to “shut up”, hurled objects and rocks through gaps in the fence, sprayed her dogs with a clear liquid on several occasions and even sprayed her while she was standing in her own garden.

She further alleges he has been overheard muttering “f***ing dogs” whenever her pets are outside.

Initially, she opted not to confront him as she despises confrontation – but after being sprayed herself, she resolved to report the incident to police. She says officers attended the property, but the neighbour failed to answer the door.

He subsequently claimed it had merely been his children playing with water.

Months later, she said the identical incident occurred once more.

This time, the neighbour allegedly maintained he had simply been emptying pool water, despite being aware that she and her dogs were standing on the opposite side of the fence.

Eventually, her husband approached the neighbour, explaining their dogs were still undergoing training and requesting he cease throwing items towards the fence.

The neighbour seemed to agree – but merely days later, the woman says the neighbour’s children were again hurling rocks through gaps in the fence while her small dogs were standing close by.

Concerned one of the rocks might strike them, she asked the children’s mother to intervene.

She also highlighted that residing in a neighbourhood means accepting a degree of routine noise.

“Their kids make noise, their dog barks and my dogs bark sometimes too,” she said.

She contended that because they opted to construct their patio directly beside the shared fence, they couldn’t anticipate complete peace and quiet whenever she was utilising her own garden.

The woman says she now cautions the family she’ll contact the police if another incident takes place and has already lodged one formal report.

Without security cameras monitoring that side of the property, however, she fears she has scant evidence to demonstrate what’s been occurring. She explained that she only permits her dogs outside long enough to relieve themselves, monitors them constantly and steers the animals away from the fence whenever they respond to the neighbour’s pet.

Despite doing everything possible to prevent confrontation, she acknowledges the continuing situation has left her perpetually anxious.

She said: “I genuinely try to be considerate. Their noise doesn’t bother me – it’s their attitude that they can be loud but I can’t.”

Now she’s appealing to others for advice on how to stop the alleged harassment and finally feel at ease using her own garden once more.

In response, one user said: “Cameras are guaranteed to escalate this further. I’d say put up a privacy fence or plant a climbing vine in a trellis to block the view/provide some sound privacy.”

Another added: “Your husband doesn’t sound very supportive. Go buy the cameras and install them yourself.”

And a third suggested: “Get a camera and document everything, it’ll help if you have to report them.”

While a fourth slammed: “Your husband is part of the problem. Put up the camera.”

In the UK, dealing with neighbour disputes can begin with a simple conversation. Have a polite face-to-face conversation when you’re both relaxed, write down exact dates and times of every incident and how it affects you.

You can also look at your property deeds or Land Registry titles if the argument is about a boundary or a fence. If this doesn’t work, ask a neutral third-party mediation service to help you and your neighbour reach an agreement without court.