Hi, I’ve had a bit of a horrible incident with one of my neighbours and I’m not sure how to proceed.
For context, I live in a small apartment building in East London. Most neighbours are just a little odd, except this guy.
He’s an extremely aggressive and threatening person without any reason to be. Like, it’s almost comical how much he puts on. He has two dogs which are also extremely aggressive, poor things. There have been many violent or near violent incidents with him and others in this apartment, and he is known to police for other things too.
I’ve been frustrated with him for a huge variety of reasons since moving in, but I’ve always been too scared to approach him for stuff like: blasting music on weekday nights, smoking weed all day with windows open (we live above), and most recently, putting a padlock on the communal parking lot. The building manager has said it’s not allowed and they would remove it, but they haven’t yet. I don’t drive but I’m allowed to access it and I have family who have wanted to park there who haven’t been able to. This is also the second time.
Anyway, today I went to take out cat poop and I saw that the building door was ajar. I don’t live in a safe area and so I always close it fully. On my way back, he approached me from the local park with his two dogs and told me not to shut the door. I asked him why and said he could bring his keys and he told me not to speak to him “like that”. He closed the distance and his dog bit me. I told him that it bit me and to keep it back and he said “that’s what you get”. I was pretty scared so I ran back into the flat and slammed the building door. I actually broke the window frame I did it so hard, which is stupid of me but that’s on me.
He then followed me to my flat and threatened me by saying “I better hide”, and started knocking on my door. I obviously didn’t answer as I was very scared.
What do I do? I intend to call the estates manager and be fully transparent. He approached me and I take full responsibility for the door breaking. My girlfriend is scared that it won’t be safe to go out, and I 100% agree, but I think that it’s always been dangerous because of him.
Update: I tried calling 101 but found it faster to submit a form with the Met online. Thank you all for the advice, I’ll try keep you updated.
Update 2: he also called the police (which they said was weird) and two officers showed up. Apparently they have dealt with him before, and he’s a confrontational asshole, but a) dog bite didn’t cause a wound so they don’t really care, apparently the dogs “aren’t aggressive” which is a weird thing to say when I’ve just gotten bitten in public without even looking at them and they try to attack me every time I have seen them, (probably think I’m pathetic cos they are small) and b) they can’t do anything further since his threats were apparently “red mist”. Essentially they will log it but do nothing, they’ve told us both to just not interact.
Update 2.5: thought I’d break it into another chunk: the landlord/estate is totally on my side, my understanding is they want him evicted and will give me a no fee break clause, but waiting til I get that in writing to celebrate. Also not charging me for the door which I’m grateful for. Thank you all for your support, and fuck off the assholes being condescending about me not knowing to contact the police because they’ve done essentially nothing.
Update 3: so we informed our landlord that we wanted to end our tenancy early. They asked us to stay as we are good tenants and that they will deal with the issue. We assumed this meant that they were going to evict this guy, but wanted to check, and they essentially said “if it gets worse, we will”, which is honestly ridiculous as worse would be me getting hospitalised, which I’m not waiting for. So we are now hunting for new places, worried about the next few weeks/months until we can get out of this contract. Hopefully they don’t change their mind and make it much harder for us to leave, still waiting on the break clause conditions.
Update 3.5: I’ve also filed a complaint with the police. I really believe they scoffed off me getting bit because the dog was small and didn’t wound me, which I think is really irresponsible.
31 comments
His dog bit you and you haven’t called the police?
So you were verbally abused, threatened, and he got his dog to bite you…
…and you haven’t rung the police yet?
Tf? Call the police. Like now
He sounds like a nice chap. Have got any CCTV in the communal areas?
Others have said already, but 100% speak to the Police as quickly as possible.
This guy sounds like a nightmare, furthermore from how you describe him, it would not surprise me if he’s also dealing drugs, I always am Sus of people with those kind of dogs anyway. If you are not getting anywhere with the powers that be, you might be best looking to move, I have had nightmare neighbours, as have friends of mine, and have found you never get any help, so moving is often the only way.
Why do people ask questions on here that have the most basic answers, obviously phone the police.
Are you that socially inept?
Call the police and report the dog bite. They should take the poor things off him before they end up killing someone and getting put down purely through the actions of their owner.
I would also report everything else to to council, police and the landlord.
I used to smoke weed everyday when I first moved out but I was at least friendly and respectful with neighbours. This guy sounds like a right prick. If he’s threatening you then this should be taken seriously by the police.
Also if you want to be really evil and get your own back you could buy some surstromming online and pour the whole thing out outside his front door. Bonus points for smearing it into the creases of the door.
For context surstromming is fermented herring in a can and is banned on most airlines due to the smell and is used by cleaning companies to test their products.
If this was me I would have lost it with them by now I’m amazed you let it get this far.
At every such incident please call the police. If he ever knocks on your door again, call 999.
Report him and his dogs for being dangerous to the police and RSPCA(I know they’re useless but these dogs need removing). Report him to whoever is responsible for your housing aswell for his behaviour sounds like an accident waiting to happen.
Guy sounds a right cunt. Has 2 dogs. One of which bit you.
I’m gonna go out on a limb here and assume u/BullyWatchUK would like to see this thread
Do you have at least one friend who is also a bit of a loose cannon and yet slightly larger or more technical? could you introduce them?
This is exactly why I agree with the renting system in the US bad evictions and the landlord knows about it but in the UK you can just move somewhere else and start tormenting those neighbours instead
Police.
Also council about the dog and the harassment
You r really blessed lol
I’ve dealt with problematic neighbours/housemates before and honestly moving has usually been the easiest solution for me, sad though it is to say.
At least in your case you have people on your side, but evicting someone can be a very long and slow process, so it’s really up to you if you want to keep living next to someone who has literally threatened you and could be mentally unstable for more months.
I’d probably start looking for somewhere else, especially as you have a no-fee break clause (I’d try and get that in writing too tbh). It’s shit and you shouldn’t have to but the anxiety of living around someone like that would make it hard to enjoy where I’m living.
I shared a house with an abusive person for about 18 months and it gave me residual anxiety for years afterwards. The day I moved out was such a happy one.
You have my full sympathy dude. I’d don’t have aggressive neighbours. I get on well with the left side and I get on well with the right side. Don’t have any in front or, at the rear.
The last place we lived was a semi. The guy thought he was **BIG SHOT,** worked for the Forestry commission.
Really, he was just a small short weedy little shit. But then again, **BIG SHOTS** usually are, aren’t they?
This bush in his front garden was dying, he accused me of killing it when I used weed killer on out gravelled garden.
**WE FELL OUT.** That was on a permanent basis, loq.
PS.
Loq, mean’s laughing out quietly..
So, it’s gonna take years to get him evicted. With 100% of the required evidence and 100% cooperation from everyone involved, even himself, it takes years.
Move. Move house. Run away. Leave.
He is not your problem.
I’ve read your edits, and it’s exceedingly frustrating that the police have cuffed this job.
Now that the immediate issue is over, you now need to start an Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) diary. First, have a look on your local councils website – they might have a specific template that’s required.
Then, starting from ***NOW***, every single time he’s aggressive, swears etc report it individually as ASB to the police. Ensure you get a separate incident number for each incident (1). ***DO NOT*** ‘bulk report’ at the end of the day/week/month. Get as many of your neighbours involved as well, and they should follow the same process.
Once you receive an incident number, report each individual instance to your building manager. Again, do not bulk report – regardless of how irritated your building manager gets over the flood of emails. Get your neighbours to do exactly the same.
There are ‘community triggers’ for ASB, and your council will have a process – the more evidence you have the better. If you’re allowed a ring doorbell for your property, install one.
(1) Say he is aggressive at 12:03hrs you should report him immediately. Don’t wait until he’s aggressive at 14:35, and 16:14 as this will then generate only one incident number. The fewer incident numbers/evidence you have the longer it’ll take to deal with him.
> He closed the distance and his dog bit me.
Report to the police. The dog will get put down.
Everyone downvoting this poor guy needs to move next to an insufferable cunt
You call the Police if someone is threatenening you.
Not 101, but 999
You’re being actively threatened and even assaulted by a dog.
Was there a mark, can you take a photo of the damage, is there cctv of him following you in etc
Get evidence and get him locked up the battery charge being the main thing right now (battery is like assault, but includes a physical attack)
Start recording next time an interaction takes place.
I don’t mean shove a camera in his face, I mean a discrete audio recording. Put your voice memo app on the front page of your phone, next time you think an interaction is going to happen – record it. Discretely, if he notices he could overreact.
Not sure why people are being so condescending to OP, he’s obviously not from the U.K. (apartment, poop, parking lot) and so might not be aware of the way these things are dealt with.
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I don’t know how long it will take for society to understand that the only appropriate thing for animals like this bloke is the same thing we do to violent dogs. He’s never going to change, he’s a danger to the humans around him, he just needs to be put down.
FFS call the fucking police and have the beast destroyed before it kills a child
Hopefully the 2 dogs can then go to a loving family
Perhaps like other people have suggested just move, I would suggest taking some self defence classes like boxing or kick boxing, might not be your type of thing but you will be very surprised at how friendly and welcoming these places are. You can then approach these sorts of situations with a bit more confidence in the future. Good luck!
Some people just are simply ass wholes.
But is he knocking on your walls?
In hindsight, maybe if you explained to him that you would help him with request but because of security issues you’re not going to, and if he has any problems with that then to take it up with the landlord. It depends on how much you like the place but it seems you’re happy to move on. If you see him again just be courteous. Record any bad behaviour in a diary for your landlord.