Never start a War with the neighbors-Advice Needed

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Quote:
I'd set up a camera. They aren't that expensive and you can't talk your way out of them when it goes to court. It would be a worthwhile investment.

 

[Reinbeau]

This isn't about chicken laws and how to change them, so RR is the right place for it. I agree with reporting all this to a higher authority within your city - the 'code enforcement' people had no right relaying information to the owner against which the complaint was being lodged.

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

Quote:
Don't back down but don't pay a lawyer if you can do it yourself.

1. did he look over your fence? that is illegal. (4th amendment) and it was fought and won in court but I cannot remember the case name.
2. didn't you have an inspection done when you bought the house? it would show if it was illegal construction since there wouldn't be a permit and usually the seller would have to straighten everything out not you.
3. Calling the police about their music is fine but code enforcement is asking for trouble.
we all have bad neighbors, (mine have thrown large rock at windows trying to break them) but at least they are renting! and don't forget about fair housing you might be able to get them with that.

ETA: do not do anything on the phone or in person because code enforcement officers lie. do it all in emails or in their office where it has to be recorded.
My family has been fighting with the city for almost 2 years so we have gotten very good at it.

 

[PineappleMama]

Agree with the others. You need to find the actual code, since you're getting different opinions from different workers. Ask them for the EXACT code that you're violating, then find a copy of The Code and look up that number... around here they read like a card catalog... 458.246(a) and whatnot.

Once you know what the ticket is actually FOR then you will know if you're actually violating it.

Second check on the timeframe... is this your duty or the previous owner (as others said). As you said, that has already been documented, and NOT punished, what's not punished is allowed yes? Also, see if there is a statute of limitations on things like that. You said they 'found' it in 2003... that's 7 years ago... IF (big if) there's a SoL on permit citations then you might be off the hook, but you have to FIND it. Again, search The Code.

Third, check your city, county, state and find out if there's anything on the books that protects the 'tattlers'... I can't for the life of me think of what that's called... when you turn someone in, then your job can't punish you? I swear I've seen this somewhere but my mind is just woogie today. Maybe retaliation? That's CLEARLY what this is... if there is anything on the books about it then it might offer you some relief... I doubt it, since you aren't having a problem with the city, but with a specific neighbor, but worth a looksie, maybe.

I'm just curious... would my plastic Little Tykes plaything also need a permit? Never would have thought so, but now you have me wondering. That thing is a heck of a lot more likely to survive a tornado then the cheapo metal shed that's on our property. Granted, it might be blown down the road... but it would most likely survive... not like the metal that would be stripped, sheared, smashed...

 

[twentynine]

I kind of find these nieghbor threads funny.

had a big long response typed out but I decided it probably was not constructive.

But I got one piece of advice here, words of my old PawPaw.

Boy becarefull when you throw a cow turd in the air, it's liable to come back down and hit you in the face.

 

[NateinFL]

I appreciate the honest advice on here. Very, very helpful. I'm going to try and get it out of my head for the rest of the day since I'll be down there dealing with it in the morning. I will bring up Statues of limitations, retaliation, etc. I'll ask to have a look at the specific codes. I'll have the emails printed out. I'll have appraisals, inspections, etc. in hand and plead for their help. I'll let ya'll know the outcome. The citations did only give me 10 days to correct the problem but I was told I might end up having to go in front of a board and ask for special considerations.

 

[Tracie70]

What a big mess.... The advise that I can offer would be first and foremost, look for a lawyer that is not close to this situation and has a free consultation. Call or go to him and ask his/her advise. Even if you have to go to another county, even if the laws from county to county are a bit different, you still could get some good solid advise and it would be free. Also when asking advice or talking to someone in a higher authority try to use that good ole' empathy thing. I noticed over the years when you explain something to someone you get a better reaction if you try to get them in your shoes, using them as examples. Come right out and say if you had these obnoxious and crazy people living next to you how would you handle it and what should I do now ,bit. I also agree with one of the other answers, document everything, and video tape as much as possible. It sounds like they will give you a whole bunch of good junk on them for court or the cops just by being their arrogant selves. They sound like real doozies. I also agree that even though they don't look like it they could have a boat load of money. It sounds like they have some friends that hold high positions in the town so them having some money isn't a far cry. Perhaps you should think about small claims court. And if you do win the case and you sue for it, they will have to pay for the court fees. I see it on the judge shows all the time. I hope this all works out for you and this is just so terrible that you have to go through this. What do your other neighbors say about there unruliness and there lack of cleanliness of there property. I am sure if there bringing down your housing cost it must be affecting others also goes for the noise. Good luck to you

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I wish you the very best luck tomorrow!

 

[PotterWatch]

Not having things permitted that were there when you bought the house can create some problems. We had issues with things in our place not having permits when we were doing a remodel on our place. Luckily, the code enforcement person and the inspectors who came through were nice about it and we were able to get it all cleared up without too much trouble. They could have made it worse for us, but they gave us a break. Hope it all works out for you!

 

[Laurajean]

Sorry this is so long, but I read your post earlier and have really been thinking about it throughout the afternoon, trying to know exactly how I felt about your situation.

I realize it's a little late for this lecture, but: I don't agree with what you did at all. When you first wrote about them, you said they were coming and going all the time, blaring their music, dogs tied to trees, etc. Only when you couldn't get them to turn down the music did you call code enforcement about their porch. Code enforcement obviously has nothing to do with their music being loud, so there would be no point in complaining about that to them as you said. So to me, what you did was very vengeful. You just wanted them to get into some sort of trouble because they were annoying you with their music.

Calling code enforcement about their porch because they made you mad with their music is not only inappropriate action, but it's pretty counter productive, as you now know. Not only will the music still be loud, but now they have it out for you. The only thing worse than loud neighbors are loud neighbors who are mad at you. I just feel that your actions were uncalled for and inappropriate to the situation. And now you are shocked and upset about your porch being reported in return. Your own title sums it up best. You started a war with your neighbors. You started it. Believe me, I really do understand having lousy neighbors that are offensive and loud. I've lived in many places over the years, and many were apartments where the music was literally on the other side of the wall keeping me up all night. I get it, I really do. But ethically, I think it's your obligation to take appropriate action, whatever that may be, but it should be legal recourse at least relevant to the offense.

I'm a little confused on one thing: You said these neighbors have a friend in code enforcement. You also said "Turns out they didnt have permits for the front or back porch or for their shed. They are probably going to pay bigtime for it." Well, if they have a friend in code enforcement, why are they in such trouble? Wouldn't their "friend" make sure your report on them got overlooked? I'd say they don't have that good of a friend if they are still in trouble.

Okay, so assuming for whatever reason they need to fix their porch now, and you do too, since they are requiring you to (or tear it down and you want to keep it), how about this: Why not go over to them and apologize, yes apologize. Kindly explain that you were frustrated with their music, and in your frustration, you took the wrong course of action (because it was the wrong course of action), and that you regret what has happened to them and yourself as a result of your poor choice. You even said yourself you "didn't mean for it to come to this" when they got in trouble, so why not be honest. AND THEN: Now here's the crazy part that will make you gasp: Suggest to them that you would like to help them rebuild their porch (labor not money) and you would like them to help you re-build yours (labor not money) and you would like to work together and close the chapter on this ugly mess.

The worst that can happen is they will tell you to bleep off, and continue as things are now. The best that can happen is that they may take you up on it, and you both get new porches. The war ends, and who knows, they may respect your honesty and attempt to reconcile so much that maybe, just maybe, they'll turn their music a little lower in the future.

If you start lawyering up and starting a legal battle, what's very likely to occur is the same thing that happened already. They will do the same, and the battle will continue and they will make your life a living hell. I think your best recourse at this point is what I said above. Even if you do not want to rebuild the porches, at least apologize. You did handle it wrong. I totally understand your frustration as I said, but you should never have called code enforcement. So why not apologize? Not for being bothered by their loud music, but only for how you handled it. It's amazing how even the roughest toughest people will suddenly turn human when a person is standing at their door with sincerity and nothing to gain.

I wish you luck.

PS: By the way, just to share: My neighbor a few houses up has a huge monster truck that is unbelievably loud. It makes those loud Harley's look like a whisper. All conversation is totally drowned out when he drives by, and he deliberately hits the gas intermittently to make it louder in a lame attempt at showing it off. This same neighbor has two huskies that frequently get loose and have killed virtually everyone's chicken on my road. I have to build an expensive predator proof run and cannot free range my own chickens because of him, so I understand the frustration of a thoughtless neighbor. So why haven't I complained? Because someday I will do something that he might not like, and when I do, I expect it to be overlooked based on my tolerance of him. I am having a shed installed next week which I do not plan to get a permit for since I am way out in the woods and only the people on this road will see it. Had I complained to him about his truck or dogs, he might drop a dime on me about my shed. So every time he gasses his stupid truck passed my house, I cringe but then try to think of it as money in the bank; like "neighbor credit", lol.