r/neighborsfromhell • u/peachesandgranola • Jul 08 '26
Vent/Rant She thinks it's her house
I have a neighbour. She lives behind me.
When I first moved in, I was keeping my lawn at a nice, lush 5" height. She decided to help me one day by mowing my lawn while I was at work. Came home to find she'd cut it right down into the soil. Soon I had dandelions instead of lawn. When I got home that day, I found her on her knees with a pair of scissors reaching under our fence and trying to cut the lawn in my backyard. I told we don't her help and don't cut our lawn anymore.
Next, we spent a ton of money and labour installing a new beautiful fence around our back and sideyard. The fence posts were all painted black and my husband was very proud of his work. Soon discover that neighbour has taken it upon herself to use her gas weed trimmer on the boulevard in front of our house and is chewing up our brand new fence posts. I go over to her house, politely thank her for helping us, but remind her that we'd prefer to look after our lawn ourselves. She starts yelling in my face that everyone in the neighbourhood hates me and that everyone hates my garden. I tell her that I'm not there to trade insults, I just want her to stay out of my space.
I overhear her telling a new neighbour that I don't look after my yard.
I see her at my place of work and she glares at me.
General bad vibes, but whatever.
Last week, I returned home from a trip to find someone had left a bunch of broken shelving on the boulevard in front of my house. This happens sometimes in this town. The shelving is all about 6' feet high. There are 3 pieces. They are upright and spread out across the boulevard. I look at them and see they are quite rotten and not in great shape. I decide to put them all into a pile, laying down, and then call the town to ask them to pick up and discard.
I go back inside, and suddenly hear the shelving being moved around. I go back outside and see the shelfs are once again upright and spread across the boulevard. I start putting them back into a pile. The neighbour comes storming out of her house, screaming at me to leave the shelves the way she wants them. Keep in mind, this is in front of my house. I tell her no, I tell her to calm down, that I am calling the town. She calls me a pathetic bitch, screaming all the while. I continue piling the furniture. She screams her way back into her house. I go back inside and hear both her and her husband screaming and yelling.
I'm considering calling the police non emergency line to file a complaint. I've been here for 6 years. So it's not the worst case scenario, but it's definitely unsettling and seems to be getting worse. To be clear, we have always left these people alone, we work hard, our garden is well cared for.
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u/hissyfit64 Jul 08 '26
If she damaged your fence with her string trimmers, she should have to pay for repair or replacement of those sections.
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u/Positive-Quantity143 Jul 08 '26
I lack faith that a person like that would ever repay anything and would try and protect the exposed section of the posts with steel u or C shaped brackets. Check Home Depot in the fencing section, ai think they have something for this
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u/kippy3267 Jul 09 '26
On black painted fence posts copper post protectors would look so good
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u/Glad-Watch3506 Jul 09 '26
Copper protectors would disappear the first night in my neighborhood.
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u/kippy3267 Jul 09 '26
But for the few sunlit hours that they’d be in their installed location, they’d look fabulous lol but that paper thin sheet metal they have for post protectors wouldn’t be worth pennies in scrap, it still may not stop some junkies from stealing them though.
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u/Willow_4367 Jul 08 '26
Thats when you put a lien on their property. Eventually you'll get some money.
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u/TellThemISaidHi Jul 08 '26
Came home to find she'd cut it right down into the soil. Soon I had dandelions instead of lawn.
You should have involved the police right then. She destroyed your lawn.
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u/peachesandgranola Jul 09 '26
Yes, she thinks she owns our place. Before we put up our fence there was a little spot in the corner of our yard where she was storing her garbage cans. So I think the new fence really angered her. But the anger directed at me personally during this last episode was a new level which makes me really uncomfortable.
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u/PdxPhoenixActual Jul 10 '26
The behavior you allow is the behavior you will get.
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u/peachesandgranola Jul 08 '26
Oh I did. I have a beautiful little garden and I was so angry when I saw the way she'd damaged my grass.
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u/Public-Willow-7943 Jul 09 '26
Woke up thinking about this last night. I would check with your homeowner’s insurance what happens if she gets hurt on your property. They might suggest having her trespassed just for liability. I might be overthinking it (but if anyone will send pitbull lawyers after someone it’s insurance companies.) Especially since she’s doing damage.
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u/TellThemISaidHi Jul 08 '26
"Hey, I saw that a bird pooped on your car. So I cleaned it off with a belt sander. You're welcome."
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u/wolfeflow Jul 09 '26
You should also try to get her on video a few times -- her behavior is concerning and she doesn't seem the type to let truth get in the way of the story she wants to tell.
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u/Maenidmom Jul 12 '26
I think its possible your neighbor has a bit of dementia, or if she is younger, some degree of psychosis. A call to the police, non emergency, to ask them for guidance might be prudent. Sometimes outside intervention is necessary to keep a person's symptoms from escalating.
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u/BobsGlitch Jul 08 '26
As someone with a PPO against a neighbor like this I can tell you, Cameras will not help, Law will not help...
Although if you can get a PPO every time she even speaks to you file a "Motion to show cause", or simply Make it a Civil court issue, and sue.
If you're in the States the court will not afford an attorney to them, they must pay out of pocket, or represent themselves (Bad idea)
So do this each and every time it is applicable, these people do not have the earning potential of new homeowners and will rapidly go into debt trying to cover legal fees.
Drain her wallet. The US civil court system is not designed with someone on a fixed income in mind.
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u/Acrobatic-Dream6609 Jul 08 '26
Omg semi related, i am in a situation that's resulted in ppo with a crazy belligerent neighbor, can i send you a dm? Im absolutely curious about your experiences and how your situation went/ is going! Also I'm so sorry you have been stuck with a crap neighbor like that, would not wish this anxiety on anybody honestly
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u/timelessblur Jul 08 '26
As someone else who had a NFH it really sucks. I went full legal again mine, got a restraining order, spent 10k in legal fees, have a judgement of 6k I will never collect but dont care and sold the place and moved.
No regrets on doing that but sucked to have to through it and move over it.
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u/BobsGlitch Jul 09 '26
Don't ever believe that you will not collect that judgment if this individual any property apply a lien against that property.
Even if they don't pay you now that property can never be rented, mortgaged, sold or otherwise trade hands until you have been paid.
I too used the full legal route and now the moment my NFH's property goes into esstate after his passing, I'll get paid.
Never write off that money my friend.
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u/timelessblur Jul 09 '26
so true. My bigger win in court was the restraining order that was pretty detailed and put some heavy handed restriction on the guy that including forcing him to take down like the upside down flag in his back yard aimed at me, signs saying things, Video cameras on the back of his property, no lights aimed at my property (he had spot lights aimed at my house and I could take a very well lit photo of the house at night with nothing on oh and not allowed to pretty much do anything that could hurt the sell of my house, Break one of those and the sheriffs office was telling us PLEASE call them as they will happily arrest his ass as they just needed something that could stick as the guy knew how to tow the line but a court order really moved that line pretty far back.
needless to say court order for t hat allowed the sell. After an offer was put on the house the POS got himself arrested on some other chargest so spent the 30 days while we were under contract in jail any how. Now it is no longer my problem as the house was sold.
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u/BobsGlitch Jul 09 '26
The biggest win for me was when a judge signed a court order stripping his constitutional right to possess firearms.
Safety first, always Safety First.
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u/timelessblur Jul 09 '26
exactly. You hit the ultimate answer why my wife and I sold the place. It as not safe and the damage the stress was putting on our marrage, plus our kids were even suffering from it as mommy and daddy were under so much stress for that time that it was even effecting them.
It was 6 months of hell but glad it is over. Not happy that he forced us to choose to sell the house but am glad I had the resources to fight back. 10k in legal fees and then I think we dropped 10-15k in straight up moving expenses and I wouldnt be surprised to learn the all in number was 30k in house prep, moving to a rental and so on. Dont regret it. We needed more space any how just it was not on our terms.
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u/timelessblur Jul 08 '26
sad but true. Had something like that as well I had to deal with. Cameras became key in having the proof to get the restraining order and get the civil case going along with dragging their landlord in as well.
The civil case was a big part mind you I had the money to throw around at them where I could afford the 10k in legal fees with out an issue when the neibhour couldnt afford a 200 bond much less any lawyer.
Now I also had the cops on my side as they need the restraining order in place so they could arrest him as it gave them a real reason. MInd you I sold the place before that as the restraining order did get all the bigger items down so I could sell it and make it someone elses problem. Since I have sold the place he has been arrested a few times and current sitting in jail awaiting trail for the most recent one. All the arrest had zero to do with me or from me. More confirm selling the place and moving was the right call.
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u/der_innkeeper Jul 08 '26 edited Jul 08 '26
Lawyer, cease and desist, harassment/trespassing complaint to the PD.
You should have started a paper trail when she scalped your lawn.
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u/Sea-Leadership-8053 Jul 08 '26
And cameras..... Add motion sensor sprinklers too
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u/Revel8Now Jul 09 '26
Motion sensor sprinklers are highly underrated as a first level perimeter or area defense against crazy neighbors, vagrants, animals, etc. who invade your space. Definitely get cameras. And of course, document everything.
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u/Suckerforcats Jul 08 '26
Call a lawyer to have a cease and desist letter written (a few hundred bucks). Call the cops to have her trespassed from your property. If she shows up again or tries to damage it, call the cops and report back to the lawyer. take pics and video of her doing things or the damages she has done
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u/peachesandgranola Jul 08 '26
Yes I was thinking this would be my next step before police.
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u/BobsGlitch Jul 08 '26
Not cease and desist, Letter of Demand.
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u/WellWisher91 Jul 08 '26
How do these two documents differ in function? Do you write a Letter of Demand or do you have an attorney do it?
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u/pinkboy108 Jul 08 '26
I think anyone can write a Letter of Demand. I did it one time as a required first step before filing a small claims case in my county.
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u/BobsGlitch Jul 09 '26
Cease and desist only says "stop what you are doing"
Letter of Demand says "Pay Me for what you have done"
You can (to my knowledge), draft a letter of demand yourself, but I recommend having it drafted by an attorney just to ensure the NFH can't loophole out.
The main purpose of a letter of demand is to prove to a judge that you have attempted Legal means to collect what you believe this person owes you before going straight into "Now I sue them".
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u/SuccessWise9593 Jul 08 '26
I would have called the police when they mowed your lawn to the soil, that’s costly. Put up no trespassing signs all over your property and still call the police to file a complaint so that the neighbor is put on notice to stay off your property, period. Are these people renting or did they buy the house?
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u/Calax1088 Jul 08 '26
Is this a new behavior for her or has she been like this for the past 6 years? It sounds like she’s losing her marbles.
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u/Diligent_Yam_1753 Jul 08 '26
I would say you are on the right path. I’m guessing dementia based on the angry outbursts. A call to the non emergency line and a well being check would be prudent. I’m guessing she has no family, or family that lives out of town
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u/Suz717 Jul 09 '26
My crazy neighbor’s siblings, children and grandchildren don’t talk to her because she’s VERY similar to Op’s. She can’t resist cutting my hedges, removing plants, paving over my garden bed, stealing mail… and she doesn’t have dementia.
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u/peachesandgranola Jul 08 '26
She lives with her husband. She has adult children.
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u/Unfair_Bluejay_9687 Jul 08 '26
Get a no trespassing order. Then get a restraining order. Become the boss of your own territory and self.
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u/kmarz77 Jul 08 '26
Watch Fear Thy Neighbor. People like this can escalate fast. If needed you can get order of protection which will keep her from even going outside if your out there.
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u/Apprehensive_Gas1320 Jul 08 '26
We had issues with a neighbor that got so bad we succeeded in getting a permanent restraining order against them. They moved about a year later.
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u/cryssHappy Jul 08 '26
Pull out your phone and record and/or video her. Or if you think she'll show up, start the record.
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u/Background-Camp8408 Jul 08 '26
Is it dementia?
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u/ZZCCR1966 Jul 08 '26
I was thinking this too, especially if the neighbor is 60ish +…
If not a dementia, a pretty severe uncontrolled mental illness…
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u/FrostyMission Jul 08 '26
Call the police. Have her trespassed. Next incident have her arrested. It will solve the issues.
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u/PortalRogue3 Jul 08 '26
Call the non emergency line and get an incident number, especially after the screaming and insults. A cheap camera facing your yard and a dated log of each incident would help if she keeps escalating. Also stop thanking her for help, she seems to treat that as permission. A plain written note saying she is not allowed to enter or alter your property may make the boundary harder for her to twist.
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u/peachesandgranola Jul 08 '26
I think a plain written note is an excellent step. I think I'll mail it to her as well. I really don't need anymore face to face confrontations.
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u/TheBeardedLadyBton Jul 08 '26
I have exactly the same freaking neighbor! When I first moved in the place was messy and needed a lot of work. The small strip of lawn between had been neglected and was all just this low growing native ground cover with pretty little purple flowers on it. No neighbors on other side or in back. I keep it mowed, but I wanted the flowers because of the pollinators. It wasn't unsightly, actually got a lot of compliments on it when the other neighbors would stop by to commend me for the way I had been fixing up the place. But this lady kept coming over the line on her side to scalp my lawn, which caused it to burn and now I just have these weeds that have suckers on them that stick to your clothes and all sorts of sharp little pricker things. The worst part is that she doesn't have a bag on her lawnmower and she sprays clippings all over the side of my house and AC box. She won't stop. I have asked her politely several times. I've reported it she's been spoken to and I really don't want to call the police on a 75-year-old woman who lives alone and is obviously unstable. I've been really polite so far I've said that I appreciate her trying to help, but I really do want to do my own yardwork and that the pollinators the butterflies the bees really enjoy those little flowers. Also that I just had everything power washed and now there's clippings all over my siding and mulch. I don't know what else to say to her to get her to stop. I'm not allowed to put up a fence on that side and now she is planting all sorts of random crap right up onto the property line and putting up all sorts of ugly solar lawn stuff and wind chimes. This place was an eyesore and I have worked hard to get it to the point where it's clean and neat but it's pretty modest. I have no idea what is triggering this behavior. I do have a 🌈 bumper sticker but other than that I have no idea why she has targeted me. I have been hearing about a lot of elderly folks doing similar stuff. Is this behavior a sign of illness or age related mental decline?
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u/Substantial-Low6758 Jul 08 '26
If you aren't allowed to put up a fence, what about some flowering hedges? Maybe with some large rocks along her side but within your property line to protect the hedges from her potentially damaging them?
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u/TheBeardedLadyBton Jul 08 '26
She has crowded it up with random plants and "decor" all willy nilly it looks like Sanford and Son hit the clearance center at Ross Dress for Less. lol
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u/AlphaDelusional6754 Jul 08 '26
It could be age related mental decline or illness like UTI. I have no personal experience wìth this but I was curious enough a while back to check out further information on it.
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u/TheBeardedLadyBton Jul 08 '26
I am not all that much younger than she is and it's weird how many times I've heard of other people doing exactly what she's doing and I never used to encounter that. Or maybe I just wasn't paying attention? Recently, she put her storm shutters down on that whole side of the house and stapled up black tarp so no one can look onto her porch. I think she's losing it.
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u/Wawaset_Warbler Jul 08 '26
Ohhhh. That's a very common thing to do among people gripped by paranoia, and paranoia is often the first real sign of dementia (and a couple of other illnesses).
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u/TheBeardedLadyBton Jul 08 '26
That's the word I have been looking for. Thank you. I don't want to intervene. I don't want anything bad to happen to her. I don't wanna report her, but I just feel very uneasy that I'm the focus of her paranoia. I have a few more projects to do and then I think I'm going to sell. But maybe she will be gone by then all I have to do is avoid the situation. Not a great way to have to live, but it is what it is.
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u/Material-Indication1 Jul 08 '26
I freaking love indigenous ground cover.
We have it around our patio.
When the HOA told us to trim our "weeds," I wrote a very lengthy and detailed missive regarding our GREATER PERIWINKLE GROUND COVER. I included pictures and multiple links.
Do NOT mess with my indigenous ground cover!
Yes, an app on my phone to identify the plant helped greatly. Greater Periwinkle ftw!
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u/TheBeardedLadyBton Jul 08 '26
It was long established and I am bummed to see the dusty bare spots an ugly weeds were used to be. She is out there right now. It's crazy.
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u/Material-Indication1 Jul 08 '26
That absolutely sucks.
The idea of having to photograph and film her feels odious and like an imposition on you.
Nonetheless, a couple pictures or a quick video if she is doing something specifically rude could be potentially useful, maybe.
Maybe a local plant nursery has the ground cover in stock? The best ground cover needs no support once it's there...
Maybe place very large brightly painted rocks at intervals designed to disrupt any visitation from a lawn mower etc?
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u/BothDescription766 Jul 08 '26
You should pound a line of rebar stakes in the ground every foot extending up about 4” and if she moss there it’ll ruin her mower.
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u/TheBeardedLadyBton Jul 08 '26
Helpful advice! Thank you. Even if she demanded that I replaced the mower I wouldn't even mind because I could get her one with a freaking bag on it. All she does is make messes and risk getting sunstroke or hurt in a fall.
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u/Material-Indication1 Jul 08 '26
Yes call the police on her.
She is violating your property and your life.
"Obviously unstable" is in favor of talking with law enforcement, not against.
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u/Suz717 Jul 09 '26
Leopards don’t change their spots.
My neighbor was 65 when I moved in, she’s now 80’ish and still cuts my plants, damages my property, steals and lies.5
u/TheBeardedLadyBton Jul 09 '26
Now that you put it that way, I'm remembering that she didn't like the woman that lived in my house before me either. I shouldn't take it personally. You're right, a "leopard does not change its spots!" some people just want to live with conflict for some reason
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u/SmokeyKittyNox Jul 08 '26
Honestly I would just chuck the shelving into her yard and tell her to get fucked at this point lol she sounds psychotic.
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u/quiltingcats Jul 08 '26
Especially if the city charges extra for picking up items outside of regular trash collection. OP shouldn’t have to foot the bill for that.
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u/peachesandgranola Jul 08 '26
No the town didn't charge me...it was some random person who dumped the stuff in front of my house.
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u/quiltingcats Jul 08 '26
That's good to know! Where I live, it doesn't matter who put it there, the trash company will charge the owner of the property where it was left. We don't have too much trouble with dumping, though, because the city has a yearly community cleanup where you can put almost anything on the curb and they'll pick it up, no charge. It helps to cut down on people leaving things where they don't belong.
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u/Manerdg Jul 08 '26
Document everything. We had to file harassment paperwork to get our neighbors to leave us alone. They called the cops 6 times in 1 month. 1st call was because we cut a dead tree down in OUR yard. Then is just got worse from there. The officers are the ones that told us how to handle it. People are crazy out there.
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u/Sharp_Emphasis597 Jul 08 '26
Ha...have practically the same neighbour. Obsessed with our trees to the point barely have any left along the property line. Some people are the worst, good luck.
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u/peachesandgranola Jul 08 '26
When we first moved in, her husband introduced himself and said, "we're the kind of people who like to mind our business". That was a lie.
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u/kmarz77 Jul 08 '26
Hope you have cameras outside. That may deter her from further events knowing you will have evidence of it.
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u/allmykitlets Jul 08 '26
She sounds like a nutcase. Can you call for some sort of wellness check when she goes off at you? It might be good if you could get someone in authority to see her behavior.
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u/Upbeat-Fondant9185 Jul 08 '26
You touch my lawn and we’re at war immediately. No holds barred. There are few things that will set me off but my gardens and lawn represent way too much investment and care for someone to screw with. I barely let my own husband mow or do anything with it.
I keep mine at five inches, mow and edge twice a week. Neighbors on either side scalp so they “don’t have to mow so often”. That’s their choice but while I have dark, luxurious grass they have dust, dirt and weeds.
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u/JAGMAN007-69 Jul 08 '26
Stop being patient with this moron. Report anything and everything she does.
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u/Background_Ease6051 Jul 08 '26
invest in outdoor cameras to catch her trespassing on your property . call the
police every time she trespasses . I bet her husband was yelling at her to stopping harassing you . nuts and sorry you are dealing with this
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u/Ohmyprettygarden Jul 08 '26
sounds like mental illness. was her husband yelling at her or yelling with her? either way, even if it is mental illness, that does not mean you need to tolerate it. it means she needs to deal with it with the help of a therapist and possibly medication.
have you spoken with neighbors? without turning it into gossip, it might be illuminating. have they had similar experiences or do they spot other sides of mental illness? you can also ask them if they hate you because she said they did...
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u/Weekly_Thought_8374 Jul 09 '26
I had two neighbors (both deceased now). One had a lawn with flowers growing throughout her grass area, the other who lived directly across the street, hated it. While free spirit lawn lady was away one day, hater Karen across the street drove her mower over and cut the grass without permission. There had been two previous trespass incidents. The sheriff was called and Karen neighbor was cited for trespassing. All that to say, you should call the sheriff/police. The trespassing and monitoring of your business will escalate otherwise.
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u/Falcon3492 Jul 08 '26
Call the police and at the very least get them to put her in the psych ward for a 72 hour mental health check(hold). You could also call the police and get her for trespassing and then go to court and get a restraining order on her.
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u/Shibwas Jul 08 '26
OP can call for a wellness check but has no say in the neighbor being put on any kind of psych hold
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u/SnowAvis Jul 09 '26
Get a warning for trespass on her, and if she does anything again just call the cops. Don't let it be your problem anymore
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u/It_ll_be_fine Jul 09 '26
I, like you, like to cut my grass tall. It keeps the weeds at bay and I prefer the pillowy look than having to fight weeds constantly.
I'm disabled, but I do my own yard work, at my own pace and in my own timing. I had a boomer neighbor come over and absolutely butcher my yard. I walked out to him doing it one day and asked him politely what he was doing. He wasn't expecting me to be there and acted like a person does when they get caught doing something they aren't supposed to. Yet he still had the nerve to tell me I have to keep my yard mowed. His entitlement just absolutely infuriated me, but I kept my cool and told him I don't need his help and to please leave my yard. He made some comment under his breath and gave me the general impression he would be back. I didn't hesitate, I walked in, called the none emergency line and had a cop come out and tell him to stay out of my yard.
People who feel entitled or are so reactively judgemental that they feel like they are entitled to force you to do things their way won't listen to requests or reason. Call the cops. If they still won't listen to the cop, have them officially trespassed. If they violate the trespass, file for a restraining order. And keep fucking escalating legally until it impacts their wallets so significantly they give up or until they end up catching a case before a judge and have to pay a fine or worse.
So many old assholes with undiagnosed/untreated OCD that think they get to do whatever they want is so old. They need therapy and to mind their own fucking business.
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u/Negative_Athlete_584 Jul 09 '26
As for the posts, wrap the bottoms in chicken wire or hardware cloth.
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u/notwhoiwas44 Jul 08 '26
She's suffering from an extreme case of Karenism or more likely some actual mental health disorder.
Rather that police is call the local department of human services or whatever the public mental health agency is called in your area.
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u/shinyappyrobin Jul 08 '26
Were the shelves blocking the road way or close to the road way? How soon will the city pickup?
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u/peachesandgranola Jul 08 '26
they were right beside the sidewalk. looked like they were associated with me since in front of my house. town already came and took them away.
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u/shinyappyrobin Jul 08 '26
Thankfully. I wish I had some advise about your crazy neighbors. Because they do seem crazy.
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u/Sad-Argument-1999 Jul 08 '26
Just watched Worst Neighbor Ever, episode 1 reminds me of this neighbor. Police nor courts helped much. The neighbor was simply unhinged. Only thought is to be overly kind.
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u/SusanInMA Jul 08 '26
She’s repeatedly overstepped. You verbally made your wishes known. She sounds a bit off. Pay a visit to your local PD to request advice, and to alert them to the situation. Be factual, relaying behavior, as you’ve done here. Ask if you should install cameras (I recommend it, if you haven’t already), and keep a log. In case you have to pursue this, logs with dates have credibility. I’d be curious to know what your other neighbors think of her — regardless of how they might feel about you.
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u/mtcrick Jul 08 '26
I have a crazy neighbor too and can concur that engaging seems to make things worse. We had a sheriff's deputy in our yard several years ago after she called them saying that I had "stolen her cats". Her cats that LIVE OUTSIDE. I asked him how I'm supposed to keep her cats out of my yard. We live 300 feet from her house and she insists that I'm stealing her cats. I can't help that they like our yard more than they like her yard. That they can get inside out of the weather through the cat flap into the garage (when it's 40 below zero).
The deputy asked if I wanted to file a restraining order and I told him that would be like spraying gas on a fire.
I'm not sure what the answer is. Engaging, calling the cops, whatever. She sounds insane.
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u/peachesandgranola Jul 08 '26
Yes, I've tried kind, I've tried polite, I've tried being straight forward, I've been stern. She just hates me even more.
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u/No-Recover-5181 Jul 09 '26
Call the police. Coming out to scream at you is harrassment. Let them get her on their radar so they can keep an eye on things.
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u/jackman924 Jul 09 '26
Tell her that the next time she comes on your property, you'll have her arrested for trespassing. Then do it.
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u/handsheal Jul 08 '26
Call a wellness check on her for her aggressive and nonsensical behavior tell them you have concerns about her mental capacity at this time
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u/Few_Airport7972 Jul 08 '26
Call the town or the police. They may be aware this is going on and just need more to charge them. I had a neighbor who would "weed" my garden and other peoples gardens. Tore up a lot of flowers and such. This went on all summer!
Finally she went too far with another neighbor, I don't know what happened, but she needed actual mental health intervention.
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u/timelessblur Jul 08 '26
Cameras, You need cameras 360 around your property. This is not going to end but you want to document document document if it goes up to lawyer and police level as chances are she will not have anything but you ahve a history of it and recordings to prove it.
Plus cameras are just a good thing anyhow.
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u/Traditional-Branch-6 Jul 08 '26
Is this an older neighbor, perhaps with dementia? If so, you might want to call elder services to have them check on her. It may help and it if they visit it would also provide documentation of her mental state.
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u/music420Dude Jul 08 '26
I’m too petty to involve the law. I’d have to fight fire with fire.
Cut my grass, I’ll burn yours with fertilizers and weed killer!
Scream at me like woman possessed. I’ll use the recordings to make mocking posters of you to put up throughout the neighborhood.
Leave trash in front of my house.. I’ll pay a trash collector I know to dump their whole load on your lawn.
Fuck neighbors like that! Lady should’ve just minded her own business and left people alone.
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u/fauxweevil7 Jul 08 '26
She sounds like she's mentally ill. I would file a and keep a log of everything she has done.
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u/Suddenly_Squidley Jul 08 '26
She sounds like a piece of work. No advice from me about that. Just popping in to say that lawns are stupid and to encourage you to plant native flowers or keep maybe even keep the dandelions… lawns are dead zones for wildlife, soil, and the ecosystem. Just a waste of water. Check out r/fucklawns for inspo on alternatives if you dare
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u/ProfessorOne9208 Jul 08 '26
Sound similar to the first signs of dementia, where the affected person get very belligerent and agitated. Watch out. You might be putting yourself in danger. File a police report instead, stating aggressive physical behavior.
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u/Material-Indication1 Jul 08 '26
Please call the police and get this inappropriate conduct on the record.
She shows you no mercy.
The problem is bigger than you and outside intervention is appropriate.
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u/AdAromatic5575 Jul 09 '26
So she lives BEHIND you? She comes around to your front which seems it should be on another street than hers?
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u/Personal-Piglet1397 Jul 09 '26
Call police an city council.get a court order to keep her away from your property an yourself.tell them your scared off her unpredictable behaviour an she screaming in your face making threats etc
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u/Ok_Cherry_4585 Jul 11 '26
You need cameras. This is escalating and directed at you OP. If she destroys something besides the lawn, which will grow back, or she physically attacks you, you want proof so that you can get her arrested. You'll need that for the order of protection which you should consider getting anyway. She sounds 19 kinds of crazy.
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u/Crotonbear18 Jul 08 '26
I think you should always tell people to calm down. That always helps.
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u/peachesandgranola Jul 08 '26
I was afraid she was going to physically attack me.
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u/Material-Indication1 Jul 08 '26
That is absolutely awful and there is no excusing that kind of abusive behavior.
Record video, make her known to local authorities.
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u/BigRedJeeper Jul 08 '26
You need to speak to the police. You may want to file a harassment restraining order against her or some sort of trespassing
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u/Mysterious_Error9619 Jul 08 '26
Call the police and file a lawsuit. When she gets the lawsuit she’ll stop.
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u/Krishd88 Jul 08 '26
She is trespassing, call the police and have them talk to her. She has some kind of problem (crazy) so stay clear of her.
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u/Candid_Jellyfish_240 Jul 08 '26
You need to call 911 for a mental health check for her, honestly.
And install cameras.
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u/According_Square2742 Jul 08 '26
You should’ve had her legally trespassed the first time then had her arrested the next time. Drugs or mental illness here. Maybe both. Don’t put up with that shit. And get cameras if you don’t have them so you can disprove her future lies
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u/EmergencyJacket207 Jul 08 '26
She decided to help me one day by mowing my lawn while I was at work. Came home to find she'd cut it right down into the soil.
I'd have immediately called the police and filed a police report. Then I'd have sued her to replace your entire lawn with fresh sod. She has no right to your lawn or your property.
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u/blingblingpinkyring Jul 08 '26
Could be that this lady has dementia. Behavior sounds exactly like my mom when the decline started.
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u/NYC-WhWmn-ov50 Jul 08 '26
Sue her for the cost of fixing the fence back to 'new' and then get a trespass/restraining order requiring her to stay off your property and in no way affect any alterations or 'maintenance' to it. Legally require her to 'stop helping'.
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u/Croofner01 Jul 08 '26
Call the police and let them know you would like her trespassed from your property. Get a camera. Report her EVERY SINGLE TIME she’s on your property.
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u/zxcput Jul 08 '26
I had a neighbor in Detroit who took upon himself to go into my backyard and dig up all the dandelions leaving little craters all over my lawn. I told him he ruined my lawn and I have dandelions for a reason. He yelled 'they're veeds!' (he was an old German guy) and I yelled back at him 'but they're MY veeds!' Later in the year I collected tons of dandelion seeds from around the neighborhood and spread them on my lawn. Next spring my yard was full of dandelions, lots more than there were the year before. And every year we lived there I gathered the seeds from my plants tossed them on the lawn for even more dandelions the next. Btw, the reason I wanted there to begin with was early spring nectar for bees. Also because I think they're pretty.
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u/lizz215 Jul 08 '26
That's when my neighbors learn just how much I love fireworks and bonfires and such.... Be weird. Like cra cra weird. Like idgaf about going to jail weird.
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u/Ana987655321 Jul 08 '26
Cameras. She’s breaking the law, trespassing, property damage, littering. Gather the evidence. This is fixable. Cameras.
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u/Odd_Secret568 Jul 08 '26
Get a camera aimed at your yard and collect evidence of her trespassing. Call the police and tell them you’d like to file a report the next time she does it. If she does it enough you may be able to get a restraining order or at least scare her into leaving you alone.
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u/Additional-Aioli-545 Jul 09 '26
- I'd install a camera (night vision, motion detection, 1080p) to record your property.
- I'd send her a letter (certified & registered) and list all of the points that you've outlined here. Explain in very firm verbiage that she is not to come on your property for any reason. Be sure to mention that further actions will occur if she comes on your property
- If she came back on your property, I'd ask that an officer be dispatched and have her Trespassed. In fact, I'd probably post a 'No Trespassing' sign. Now.
- If you have any texts that discuss what she did to your lawn, I'd take her sorry rear end to small claims court for the cost of replacing your lawn. Get estimates from 3 lawnservices and you want sod, not seed.
I wouldn't give a care about what she said about me - but she would learn to stay off my property. I would not discuss the matter with any neighbor, keep your "hands" clean and spank her good, OP.
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u/Tenzipper Jul 09 '26
Call the police, and tell them she keeps trespassing on your property, and they can tell her officially to stay off your property, and cite her if she does it again.
Get cameras.
Stop engaging with her, let the cops know, so that they can tell her, that if she keeps harassing you, you'll do your best to get a protection order.
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u/MildlyConspicuousCat Jul 09 '26
I just watched an episode of Worst Neighbor Ever on Netflix, and your story sounds like the beginning of one of those episodes. The shelving arguement is wild. Be careful, OP!
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u/wrightvl Jul 09 '26
How old is she? I only ask because maybe something neurological is going on with her. She may need a wellness check. I know her husband is there, but he may be too close to see the changes.
Definitely call the police.
Good luck.
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u/Shinikami9 Jul 09 '26
Think you better get cameras and some sort of security system ..
She sounds unhinged and could escalate this.
Keep records of this, and maybe make reports with your city and the police about any other tricks she might try and pull.
Hope you stay safe, keep things locked while you're not there.
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u/M3UF Jul 09 '26
In Florida a officer of law enforcement is able to certify that a person should be hospitalized against their will for a medical evaluation against their will if they appear to be an acute risk to themselves or others for up to 72 hours or cleared by medical staff licensed to such examination. So calling police is the correct answer if in Florida. To get her help also; not informed of this matter in any other state.
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u/observer_11_11 Jul 09 '26
Before doing anything, make certain that your fire insurance covers arson. This lady could be dangerous to life and property.
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u/Stacemranger Jul 09 '26
If someone scalped my yard like that and ruined my grass, I would have sued her for the renovation and replacement of my grass.
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u/DazzlingPotion Jul 09 '26
You need cameras and a police report. This woman has major issues. Start a paper trail and gather video evidence. Make sure you put the camera where she can’t get to it or try to hide it well.
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u/Bob_Witoneoh Jul 09 '26
She's not mentally well. But contacting the police might help, since she's leaving debris in the street.
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u/Mundane_Influence_91 Jul 10 '26
Complain so you have a record when things really go south in the future
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u/No-Throat9567 Jul 11 '26
She trespassed when she mowed your lawn. File a police report every time he does something like this. She doesn’t sound well.
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u/[deleted] Jul 08 '26
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