Nauseating neighbours

[thunderhorse]

New neighbours directly opposite have bought a field and living in a mobile home. Their Landrover + contractors' vehicles are continuing to leave significant quantities of mud on the narrow lane, so much so that we are now having to park elsewhere to avoid bringing mud up our drive, we can't walk small dogs through the mud slurry, other neighbours are also complaining, pedestrians are clinging to the edges, and the one's opposite say it's not their responsibility but that of the contractors (despite their Landrover in and out several times a day). When they start building, we can only see it getting worse with their attitude.

The Maire has been to have a look, chuntered a lot, but still nothing is being done to either prevent mud on the road, or hold someone accountable for its removal.

Any advice please? Should we go mob-handed to the Mairie? It really is that bad.

[Boiling a frog]

Think of the saying

You cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs [:D]

[Russethouse]

By the time they start building maybe it will be drier weather - no mud.

[Clair]

[quote user="thunderhorse"]The Maire has been to have a look, chuntered a lot, but still nothing is being done to either prevent mud on the road, or hold someone accountable for its removal.

Any advice please? Should we go mob-handed to the Mairie? It really is that bad.[/quote]

The way to ensure there is a record of a problem is to write to the maire.

Each of the neighbours should do so.

This is the only way to ensure the maire and the conseil municipal do not ignore the problem.

[woolybanana]

Take fotos too and a video film so you have real evidence.

[AnOther]

Try to establish exactly who you are taking on before deciding what to do, sure you get my drift [;-)]

Good luck

 

[thunderhorse]

Thanks so far. Got some photos (and the new neighbours are Brits.) To rub salt in, we've let them use our washing machine and shower (they had no water or electric), and now they don't give a monkey's about who they're annoying. And there's a large generator running 18/24. That's really winding up other neighbours that they back on to.

And there's more...!

[AnOther]

Thanks for the further info, a very difficult and stressful situation for you and believe me one with which I can empathise through personal experience.

In UK we sold off a plot of land with planning permission to what seemed to be a very nice couple who turned out to be utterly contemptable of everyone. We too had given them free electricity and lots of other help for a couple of weeks until the services were laid to the caravan they were living in during the build. Sadly, despite best efforts, it ended up in acrimony and solicitors letters and a partial destruction of what they had built because they had also flounted the planning permission. The good bit was that they sold and moved on almost as soon as they had completed the house and although they said it was because they didn't think they could enjoy living there after all which had gone on in retrospect it's pretty clear that this is what they were planning all along. The family who bought it were diamonds [:D]

As difficult and unpalatable as it might be I think in the circumstances you have to at least try to hold out an olive branch to see if the relationship can be rescued because it sounds as if they could be your neighbours for the forseeable future. If your efforts are rebuffed then it may be that you have to consider your own position. Unfortunately moving house is difficult enough at the moment let alone with this sort of thing blighting a property.

Good luck anyway.

[Chancer]

The mud that you describe is part of every day life in my part of rural France, all year round and particularly severe during the recolt.

In all my time here I have never ,ever seen anyone washing their car other than at the car wash, I would say that mine gets washed less than once a year and always looks just as dirty the next day.

In December they started groundworks for a new ZAC very close to me, a procession of tractors with fully loaded bennes passed my property every day carrying away the chalk spoil, there was always chalk dust flying around despite the roadsweepers operating twice a day. During a period of continous rain every vehicle was a muddy white colour and we had to take a bucket and sponge out just to see through the windscreen, after lunch it was in exactly the same state.

Think positively, the building work will finish at some stage but your relationship with your neighbours, good or bad will continue, as has been said you cannot make an omelette ............ [:)]

I recall that Frank Sytner (he of racing BMW fame) didnt do very well when he tried to take action against his farmer neighbour for getting his 7 series dirty.

[thunderhorse]

Limited mud and relatively short duration/seasonal is one acceptable thing. But we have a white-gravelled drive which is being ruined, (all vehicles now barred), and walking dogs with a 5cm ground clearance is a filthy carry on. We're now parking and short-cutting through a neighbour's property. Sometimes live and let live has to come to an end...

The worst part is the newcomers' attitude, and a disinclination to clear the road himself now that he has water at the road edge. I'd even help the blighter, but it's not his problem.

Difficult, I know.

Thanks so far. At least we haven't fallen out - yet.

[Théière]

Negociate, don't fume. Like its easy for me to say, you didn't see me when.......... but that's another story.

Back to you,

Can you gently remind them that you have let them use your services, washing machine and shower etc. "Do you remember when we helped you..........." Then ask if he can be neighbourly and spare an hour to help clear up the mud? Which is his making but your problem. If you can work together so much the better.

Problem is in this weather it will soon be muddy again so a solution will be short term.