How do I defend against the neighbors?

[MavrickWeirdo]

Since Litigation, Threats, and Violence have already been covered, what about talking to them?

You had every legal right to have the car towed, but did you try asking them to move it first? The benefits of talking to them first are that they might act more considerate, and you might not have to worry about them trying to “get back” at you. Plus if it doesn’t work you can still have the car towed.

Odds are that it is a little late to try and get to know them now, but chances are that it will be different college students next fall. Maybe if they got to know you they might be better neighbors.

(P.S. My downstairs neighbors have turned up their speakers so loud at times that the walls shook, but only during daylight hours. Life is full of give & take.)

 

[Silver Moon]

Have to agree with Mav on this one. My sister has a habit of making war with her neighbors and it only results in disharmony all around. Her neighbors tend to be transient too, but the next ones tend to be like the last, so it's far better to come up with a workable strategy to get along.

 

[Bryon_Soulweaver]

Man, you guys are horrible neighbors.

And maybe a hackysack - do the college kids still kick around hackysacks? Criminy, I'm old...

Yes, yes they do.

 

[adwyn]

As one of those evil landlord types who is paid to evaluate investments like the houses around you, there are a couple of long term solutions as well; you can sue the landlords for maintaining a public disturbance or the like. Laws very by state but nearly every state has them and landlords pay attention to actual threats from attorneys, especially when all they have to do to settle is to get rid of someone.

Change your zoning to prohibit rentals or add an owner occupant requirement. Don't worry about flak from the landlords or renters as they rarely are registered to vote in the same juristiction, something the politicians realize.

For short term I gotta go with the motion sensitive lights - fake cameras with battery operated red "on" lights can also be had for cheap.

 

[pogre]

Keep calling the police, and I mean every time. I guarantee you the police will shut it down by the fourth call or so. Years ago I had a similar problem at another house (I live in the country now) and the policemen gave me this advice. They admitted they get tired of coming out for the same complaints numerous times, but it does work. In my case, they showed up at a party where there was underage drinking and wrote 20 or so tickets.

You're doing the right thing - keep doing it.

 

[LostSoul]

I don't know that there's much you can do. If they want to mess around, they will. They're college kids.

If you don't want trouble from them (they're going to have parties no matter what), go over there with some beer and talk to them. If they're cool, they'll be like, "That guy's cool, don't give him a hard time."

I wouldn't have called the cops in the first place. I would have talked to them. If a car's blocking your driveway, just ask them to move it.

I'm not trying to say that they are right, but if you want to minimize the crap you have to deal with, you'll have to go with the flow.

 

[Chainsaw Mage]

The image of an unemployed guy sitting in his house during the day peering out through the curtains to catch college kids keying his car seems . . . wrong, somehow.

 

[Chainsaw Mage]

- fake cameras with battery operated red "on" lights can also be had for cheap.

I hate to say it, but I want one of these--and I'm not even having a problem with noisy neighbors!

 

[elforcelf]

Claymore mines ;Bengal Tiger traps and Punji sticks.

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

Bengal Tiger traps

Yeah, but do you know much it costs to keep a Bengal Tiger these days?