Pain in the proverbial neighbour

After a blissful number of years without hearing a peep out of one of my neighbours, this neighbour has now complained to council twice about my garden in the last couple of months. The first was about my lawn not being mowed - it was the first time in 8 years I had let my lawn go unmowed for more than 4 weeks (too busy inspecting houses!). The second complaint was about 'weeds' around my shed which I would hardly call overgrown and they are not weeds anyway - just ground cover. I also have some branches that encroach over his fence line but still away from his building.

Anyway, my question is whether I am obliged to do anything? My garden is fairly neat and tidy and the neighbour is simply nit picking because of my refusal a few months back to bow to his demands of going with a Colorbond fence rather than timber.
 
I don't really think they can make you do anything. I'm surprised that the council even bothered to tell you about the objections.
 
Hi,

The next time the council comes around explain the circumstances and the reason for the complaints.

If you feel they are unreasonable, and I would consider a complaint that the grass hasn't been mowed in four weeks to be just that, then I would start talking vexatious complaints and harassment.

The council should then advise the whinger that they have spoken to you and the petty complaints must stop or you may be entitled to take legal action.

Just my opinion
 
Fair dinkum, have some people got too much time on their hands?!?!.

Why not go and have a friendly chat with your neighbour and tell them to get stuffed while you're there.

Regards
Marty
 
I understand growing weed can be very problematic when the police come around - even if they are being used for ground cover....oh not that sort of weed? :D

Cheers,

The Y-man
 
Well I have actually been on the recieving end of this and I did complain, this was after asking them 3 times to do it. I do think my neighbours garden was a little bit more extreme. The grass was over 1.2 metres high and it was that dense it had ripped a number of pailings off the fence we shared ( that is another discussion in itself). It actually was at the stage where it was damaging my property and causing a fire risk, the council passed me onto Govt Housing and they sent a person around with a ride on mower and wippersnipper and cut it in 20 minutes. Rang me and said they have warned the people about there obligations and there risks of not maintaining the property and have not had a problem since.

Jezza
 
Can i ask why you went with a timber paling fence rather than a colorbond?
Very small price difference, no?

I much prefer the look, I like that you don't have to clean cobwebs off them, they don't dent and the majority of my yard is already fenced with timber.
 
My question is whether I am obliged to do anything?


You mean like, nitpicky lawyer type stuff where some authority comes and strongarms you into doing something you refuse to do ?? No....you're most welcome to live in an ever increasing hovel if you so wish to score a point against your neighbour. Garbage notwithstanding.


Of course, you could spend 20 minutes mowing the lawn once every 4 weeks, or you could spend hours and hours writing letters to council, writing posts on forums asking their advice, all the while refusing to budge and living in squalor. You can really show everyone just how many rights you really do have.


I suppose you've already made your choice, so get that pen out and really start cranking along, and while you're at it get out there and really make a mess of things garbage. In the nd, you'll get your way, and you can really show that pesky neighbour of yours just who is boss.


If you haven't noticed garbage, I'm on your neighbours side in your little ta-da-ta.
 
You mean like, nitpicky lawyer type stuff where some authority comes and strongarms you into doing something you refuse to do ?? No....you're most welcome to live in an ever increasing hovel if you so wish to score a point against your neighbour. Garbage notwithstanding.


Of course, you could spend 20 minutes mowing the lawn once every 4 weeks, or you could spend hours and hours writing letters to council, writing posts on forums asking their advice, all the while refusing to budge and living in squalor. You can really show everyone just how many rights you really do have.


I suppose you've already made your choice, so get that pen out and really start cranking along, and while you're at it get out there and really make a mess of things garbage. In the nd, you'll get your way, and you can really show that pesky neighbour of yours just who is boss.


If you haven't noticed garbage, I'm on your neighbours side in your little ta-da-ta.

Did you miss the bit where I mentioned that my lawn IS well kept and mowed religiously? I like how you've managed to turn this into a personal attack without ever having seen my garden.
 
Okay, i'm in the middle.

Who cares about the lawn - it's not 1m plus high so no biggy.

Although, depending on how much the overflow of the plants are onto my side of the fence, and where they were, it would annoy me. Eg. If i had a driveway there and the overgrown tree was scratching my car as i try to back up - that would annoy me, but if it was only my house i wouldn't care.
 
If i had a driveway there and the overgrown tree was scratching my car as i try to back up
You're legally entitled to trim back any vegetation encroaching onto your property, so you could just cut that back, anyway, rather than complaining about it. :)
 
Did you miss the bit where I mentioned that my lawn IS well kept and mowed religiously?

Actually, yeah mate I did miss that bit....probably cos you didn't write it.

What I read was what you wrote, particularly this bit ;

I had let my lawn go unmowed for more than 4 weeks (too busy inspecting houses!).

Anyway, I'm sure the people that didn't ruffle your plummage, adequately answered your detailed legal question and you're well on your way to victory. ozperp looks like she's well onto the case. You'll be fine now.

Oh, and don't be too sure I haven't seen that atrocious garden of yours. Yours is the one at # 57, two down from the corner with the low unpainted picket fence. I can see why the neighbour is complaining though, Harry in # 59 is very neat and clean. Just try a bit harder and you'll get there eventually.
 
Oh, Dazz, if you think 4 weeks is a long time between mowing the lawn, you'll be glad that you're not our neighbour! :eek:

Admittedly, we have Sir Walter soft-leaf buffalo grass, and it tends to mostly get thicker rather than grow up, so it doesn't get more than about an inch or so high, regardless of the time between mowings. I assumed from garbage saying that it still looked OK that he may have similar grass. :)

It's ideal for women who a) like to have a tidy garden but 2) are too clumsy to use instruments with the ability to harm oneself (as I'd inevitably be the first person to lose a foot whilst mowing the lawn :eek:), and 3) have husbands with higher priorities. ;)

PS There is a house a couple of blocks from us - which thankfully we don't have to pass to get to our home - which annoys me and causes me to pity the nearer neighbours; I must get some photos. It's in a street of middle-upper but really well-kept houses, mostly of older folk. The home across the road always looks immaculate; the grass looks like a bowling green. Then sticking out like a sore thumb in the middle of this otherwise-lovely street is a total tip. It is apparently owner-occupied; they must have hoarding problems or something. I'll try and get some photos today.
 
Actually, yeah mate I did miss that bit....probably cos you didn't write it.

What I read was what you wrote, particularly this bit ;

Clear as day mate. Here's what I actually wrote.

it was the first time in 8 years I had let my lawn go unmowed for more than 4 weeks (too busy inspecting houses!)

I don't know how I've managed to get up your goat, but don't waste anymore time responding to this thread. Bye.
 
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