Thread: Neighbours Trying to Ruin Halloween

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I just posted this in my blog but I thought I'd share it in the forum too because I thought it was so outrageous. We were growing out the grass in the yard for Halloween (we usually grow it out every year and the neighbours all know this by now), we knew it needed a trim and did that a couple days ago...today we get a letter from the council....they have "Size" issues (one of our unfriendly neighbours reported it to them). If we don't cut it to 4 inches or less before 1st November 2010 then it is up to a $10,000 fine...and a $160 fine if we didn't reply to the letter...so up to $10,160 for a few inches? Well it's 1 inch over at the moment so we have to go recut the whole thing, the mower wasn't working at the time and it's a large yard so it had to be done with manual tools (we left it for a couple weeks longer than usual because we've been unwell for nearly five weeks and only started to recover a week or so ago).

They're also complaining about the backyard but I don't even know how they can know about the state of the backyard in the first place? We can't cut the lawn at the moment because a massive tree fell down a couple weeks ago in one of the big storms and we can't get rid of it, it's way to heavy and paying hundreds of dollars for its removal is not an appealing option somehow. I'm thinking it's time for the axe to come out.

Does anyone else have neighbours like this? Who try to make things difficult at this time of the year when they know you're so busy with Halloween preparations?

angelique_nm

That is INSANE! And wth is wrong with people? Sheesh! How is it even legal to make those kinds fines??

I don't understand why this would even be handled in this horrible fashion. If someone has a problem with a neighbor, shouldn't they go and talk to them about it first before reporting them to some authorities somewhere? I mean, come on handling things from the beginning with demands and threats is hardly the sort of thing that inspires a community spirit.

If I were you I'd respond to the letter telling them that they should really consider sending out a friendly reminder notice (letting you know they've been snooping around your backyard lol) BEFORE they send out their threatening letters. :P

First of all Angelique, I'm so glad to hear that you're feeling better now in time for The Big Night!

After what you've been through these past weeks, don't let these killjoys spoil it all for you! You didn't mention whether you knew which neighbor complained, but everyone seems to have a busybody like that on their street, no matter where they live. A regular Gladys Kravitz, if you will.



Anyhow, just wanted to say hang in there girl and we're pulling for ya.

That really sucks, but I'm also somewhat surprised the city is actually jumping on it. In our city, we had a home two houses over that had grass three FEET tall and numerous calls for a real nuisance got us nowhere.

Sorry to hear your neighbors and council are *****.If you lived in the US, I'd have some useful tips for fighting back but I don't know anything about Australian law so i don't know if I've got anything useful to offer. I hope it works out for you.

Nothing surprises me at this point, people need to learn to worry about themselves and not what everyone else is doing. The world would be a much better place.

that sucks Is there anything you can do about that?
10,000... Unbelievable! Take care!

Wow over 10,000! Thats aggressive!
I thought Our HOA was bad. Here you get a warning letter we have up to 3 warnings and then a $20 fine.

As for the neighbor.... I feel for you.
My first house we had the neighbor from Hell! I remember how life can be when you have some one like that next door.

It's like their jerkiness is a their disease and these people are determined to make everyone around them as miserable as they are!

Don't let 'em get to you Angelique. Stay positive

Penn and Teller did a good Bull Shot episode on these Nazi type home owner associations. I hadn't and would not live in a neighborhood with such an association. Not knowing how these might work I would assume that if there isn't any stipulations in your mortgage contract, or in some sort of agreement with this association... ASS being the operative word here with them you should include a "kiss mine" in your reply letter.

I am sorry to hear that. That fine is outragious. It our first year in a neighborhood with an HOA. I just said to my husband last night, "Do you think they're going to say anything about our decor?"