Complaining Neighbours

[Woolgatherer]

It might be worth a pre-emptive strike. We had problems with our neighbour, and since we'd already been reported by him for dogs barking (whilst I was away lambing with said dogs!) we knew that he'd toddle off to the authorities. I rang up the council, arranged a meeting with the appropriate person, he came out (with a couple of colleagues), I fed them tea and lots of cake, explained that I was concerned because we'd taken all steps to not be a nuisance but this one neighbour wasn't happy with us. Could they suggest anything we could do? They said they were happy that we were trying to go about our business without upsetting people and told me not to worry. Never heard anything more about it.
Sometimes if you get in first and ask the authorities for help, you show that you're a reasonable person and the other person isn't. Especially if they then go in ranting.

 

[caveman]

Would it be possible to attach notes to an adjacent property's file at the land registry, that would show up in searches by potential buyers, to advise that the property borders a farm yard and citing the potential consequences?
Would such an exercise be cost effective and a "money in the bank" pre emotive action?

 

[Jon.S]

Ensure silage is fed an hour earlier in the morning to ensure a nice early start.

All staff feeding cattle must be dressed in appropriate attire, preferably a mankini in order to provide suitable footage for the video camera. Safety wellies must also be worn.

we have a couple who moved into a cottage in the middle of our ground. The woman who lives there loves to have a rant about anything and everything as her great grandfathers 4th cousin 3 times removed once visited a farm so therefore she is an authority on all things agricultural.

She was having a proper rant about something last year and when she paused for breath I just said to her "god your sexy when you're angry".

Seems to have cured it.

 

[Dry Rot]

Re guns.
Put all those of yours, your dad and anybody else close in storage with reputable gunsmith...... then have your confrontation.
Two things.
They are bound to report you threatened them with a gun.
They will not have video evidence of same....... although they've videoed everything else.

Did this my self when trouble kicked off with family.
Sure enough. They reported me.... but the old bill knew better.
At the end of the day....... it was damning evidence to discredit the web of lies they they had fabricated about me.

That sounds like a good idea except you do not need to threaten anyone with a gun or even have one to be declared a "threat to public safety", it just needs for you to be suspected by the cops that you might be. It now appears to be government policy to seize guns at every opportunity on the slightest excuse.

Since the story of my guns being seized got around*, I have been approached by others in similar situations. The classic case is where a professional gamekeeper was SUSPECTED of falsifying game returns. He hadn't been charged and hadn't been to court. His guns were seized and his certificates revoked so his means of making a living were taken from him. I've seen the correspondence and discussed the case with my MP. I told my MP quite plainly that he wouldn't get my vote as the police action (which he condoned) flew in the face of democrasy and was the actions of a police state. Apparently, there is "more to this" which cannot be disclosed to the public. So not just a police state but a secret one at that! Don't vote SNP.

*Note: For those who don't know the story, I held an Open FAC for nearly 60 years, have never been convicted of an offence, nor been in trouble. I was not told why my guns had been seized for ten months and have never been told who made the complaint. My guns and certificates have since been returned and I have had an apology. Three out of four of my complaints to independent investigations were upheld. A further complaint about possible cronyism/corruption has been made to the chief constable. I think they will find they should have seized my pen!

 

[Dry Rot]

Filming/being abusive over a fence would almost certainly constitute harassment or a breach of the peace. Remain calm, do not retaliate, and report to plod demanding an incident number. There should be a Community Police Officer specifically trained and delegated to deal with situations like this.

 

[Darranfarm]

Dash cam fitted in the loader to record them?

 

[Exfarmer]

You do not need a law to allow something. You do need a law, plus a legal precedent, to disallow something.

Absolutely correct.
English law is built upon the presumption that everything is legal unless parliament has ruled against it.
This is the opposite to Napoleonic law across much of Europe, where anything is legal only, if parliament has sanctioned it.
this has what has caused so many issues with signing up to European Human rights legislation. In Europe you will have to prove that parliament has sanctioned your actions, any flaw will be self defeating, whereas here ,lawyers can use this legislation to find a myriad of flaws in rules designed to prevent abuse of this privilege.

 

[Dry Rot]

Absolutely correct.
English law is built upon the presumption that everything is legal unless parliament has ruled against it.
This is the opposite to Napoleonic law across much of Europe, where anything is legal only, if parliament has sanctioned it.
this has what has caused so many issues with signing up to European Human rights legislation. In Europe you will have to prove that parliament has sanctioned your actions, any flaw will be self defeating, whereas here ,lawyers can use this legislation to find a myriad of flaws in rules designed to prevent abuse of this privilege.

Interesting. Is Scots law based on the Napoleonic principles?

 

[Pilgrimmick]

Interesting. Is Scots law based on the Napoleonic principles?

Scotland is a police state. Devolved power to Miss Krankie, and the police just do their own thing, not constrained by the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, as the police in England and Wales are!

 

[Exfarmer]

Interesting. Is Scots law based on the Napoleonic principles?

Scotland was part of the UK 60 years before Napoleon was born, so no. But I am no expert on Scottish law, or English

 

[Flossie]

She was having a proper rant about something last year and when she paused for breath I just said to her "god your sexy when you're angry".

Seems to have cured it.

I know of a farmer, many years ago, that did similar to a female neighbour who was ranting about mud on the road. He was a little more blunt perhaps....."God woman, you are ugly"

 

[Pilgrimmick]

Scotland was part of the UK 60 years before Napoleon was born, so no. But I am no expert on Scottish law, or English

Scottish law is and has always been different from English law, some UK laws apply, but many do not. An example is trespass. The Scots have long been very proud of the laws on Scotland, and rightly so. However there seems to be an undercurrent of Police abusing powers and politicians changing laws for political gain, that undervalues the whole thing. The checks and balances in English/Welsh law are not there in Scottish law, where the Police are assumed always to be in the right.

 

[joe soapy]

Taking guns seem standard practice now, not sure what it really achieves other than to sour relations with plod, they took mine but left the shotgun cartridges, also took no notice . the rather large machines nearby. Not sure i would like a straw stack tooo close to my house either. Worst is i can be a lazy bas....d sometimes and forget to clean the trailer after shifting sludge.
Then there is the question of just how much a dispute can devalue a house, or 6 houses in our case, 1 for sale now , might have to make an offer on it

 

[Dry Rot]

Taking guns seem standard practice now, not sure what it really achieves other than to sour relations with plod, they took mine but left the shotgun cartridges, also took no notice . the rather large machines nearby. Not sure i would like a straw stack tooo close to my house either. Worst is i can be a lazy bas....d sometimes and forget to clean the trailer after shifting sludge.
Then there is the question of just how much a dispute can devalue a house, or 6 houses in our case, 1 for sale now , might have to make an offer on it

I find the idea of seizing a farmer's guns rather insulting. IF we were so inclined (and I can't think of any farmers who might be), do we have no other or better means of causing destruction? Will they seize fertiliser and heavy machinery next?

 

[Storeman]

Here is a copy of the advice sent out to police officers from the ACPO after too many incidents of police thinking they can stop people filming in a public place. The long and short of it is, they can't stop you, nor can they delete any images.

 

[joe soapy]

I find the idea of seizing a farmer's guns rather insulting. IF we were so inclined (and I can't think of any farmers who might be), do we have no other or better means of causing destruction? Will they seize fertiliser and heavy machinery next?

Some boys down xxxxxxxxxx xxxx tried out the fert recipe, i heard that they got told off, the result was rather better than they anticipated.
Years ago i was welding up the fert spreader and blew a hole in the roof

 

[An Gof]

My neighbour lives in the middle of our village , spread 104 loads of slurry fortnight ago.

You stayed there counting loads all day?

 

[Exfarmer]

Would it be possible to attach notes to an adjacent property's file at the land registry, that would show up in searches by potential buyers, to advise that the property borders a farm yard and citing the potential consequences?
Would such an exercise be cost effective and a "money in the bank" pre emotive action?

This would only be possible when selling a property and even then have I believe, little or no effect.
As many are aware , issues like church bells having been silenced when a Newbie moves into the former next door vicarage means the law is interpreted irrespective of " the blooming obvious". Sadly it seems buyer beware, has been eclipsed by Health and Safety and other issues

 

[Dog Bowl]

Many thanks for all the replies so far!

So, this morning we had it happen again. This time it looked like the wife was knelt down behind the wall with a phone, on the end of a selfie stick, poked above the wall. She stayed there filming for about 30 mins whilst i was feeding out from the clamp.

Now, I'm feeling a little wound up, anxious and worried about all of this. Frankly she can't do anything, but I am certainly feeling a little harassed by all of this. I assume she is trying to build up some sort of portfolio of evidence against me?!

So, how do I move things along from here? Do I have a valid case of harrasment in this circumstance? Or is this just not enough evidence to worry about? I managed to get a few photos, albeit a little low quality as was zoomed in, of the phone being held above the wall. Is this enough?

 

[tje]

Why worry ?

If it was me ..i would assume the woman had mental health problems ....