Victim Of Harassment By Neighbor (Wilmington, New Castle: real estate, rent, condo) - Delaware (DE) - City-Data Forum

cgerlach1 · 10-28-2011, 08:01 AM

Unknown to me at the time, the former owner of my house and her Realtor who lives on my street, complained to all the neighbors and friends about our real estate negotiations. By the way, we paid more than the house was worth. When we arrived to our new home we were surprised by the cold reception we received by some of our immediate neighbors. It turns out that prior to moving into my new house my reputation was destroyed along with my good name. Preconceived notions are difficult to dispell. One neighbor has taken it upon herself to destroy my life with her malicious gossip. Although she harasses me she called the state police to say I was harassing her. Now I'm cast in the role of perpetrator yet I'm the victim. I've never even had a traffic ticket and I'm 50 years old let alone a police officer in my house speaking to me as if I'm a child. I'm in Looneyville and I hate being maligned, but I want it to stop. I'm told that I'm not allowed to look at her or walk my dog in the direction of her house, she lives across the street and we have sidewalks. I'm supposed to walk in the other direction where there are a dozen houses being built and nothing but construction and mess. My 7 pound pup is scared to death of all the trucks and noise. The police told me that if she says I gave her a dirty look, that if she decides it's a threatening look, I can be in trouble with the law. She is always on her porch and I like to sit on my porch when the sun is out. Is it really against the law to look at someone who says you looked at them cross? I'm not stupid, just ignorant to the law in this situation since I've never had a problem like this in my life. I'm a model citizen cast in the role of creep. What should I do?

Just1Lion · 10-28-2011, 08:45 AM

this sounds ridiculous. there is no law about looking at someone. i would stare her down each and every day. can i ask what these people said about you to tarnish your reputation? i have a similiar problem with my next door neighbor.

buddybree · 10-28-2011, 08:52 AM

I spent seven years living in a neighborhood in a similar situation. After moving, due to my husband's job, we never again in the last 14 years and three neighborhoods encountered that kind of treatment. In my experience the best solution is to move. I know closing costs are expensive but speaking from experience, peace is priceless.

kaj215 · 10-28-2011, 09:07 AM

Do you actually know if this "police officer" is really an officer? It sounds as if the "officer" is just a friend of the neighbor. Because there is nothing they can do about a dirty look. There is no crime there.

I'd also consider going to the police station to inquire about this officer. Possibly make a complaint about how you were treated, and what was said to you. You may want to look into that. And if you find out that this officer is impersonating, oh well, that could be quite a fun situation!

And you can walk your dog along with my two little rascals (well, not little, a bit bigger than yours!) And we can walk right in the street right in front of her house...nothing she can do about walking in a public place!

cgerlach1 · 10-28-2011, 09:14 AM

She says that I'm a mean person from Pennsylvania who harassed her friend the former owner of my home by negotiating the details of the sale. The former owner took all the curtains and rods some walled mirrors and lied on the disclosure about water damage. We have 9 thousand dollars worth of damage due to a previous leak that was patched and hidden. She just hates my guts and tells people to stay away from me because I'm slick and may cause them harm. I don't know what else she says but she is a bully playing mean girl to my new girl. Maybe she hates me because I'm thin and she isn't. I don't know exactly what else she says because I don't ask, I hate gossiping and don't want to discuss this. Well, no one will even talk to me but a few people did tell me she was writing trash about me on Facebook. I saw some of what she wrote and it was just nasty and mean. When the market gets better I will move. Like I said, I paid too much for the house and can't get what I paid for it only 5 months ago. Plus I put in 10 grand in improvements thinking this was my retirement home. Ugh!

cgerlach1 · 10-28-2011, 09:23 AM

Thanks kaj215. He is a state trooper for sure. He said that he hoped talking to us both would put an end to the childishness. He said that he can't tell me to not give her a look but if she construed the look as threatening I could be in trouble. I put in a call to him to ask exactly what the deal is so I'm awaiting a return call. He agreed that the situation is like a soap opera. you should see all the houses going up. Your house is moving along, there are workers there now.

retiree2011 · 10-28-2011, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cgerlach1

Unknown to me at the time, the former owner of my house and her Realtor who lives on my street, complained to all the neighbors and friends about our real estate negotiations. By the way, we paid more than the house was worth. When we arrived to our new home we were surprised by the cold reception we received by some of our immediate neighbors. It turns out that prior to moving into my new house my reputation was destroyed along with my good name. Preconceived notions are difficult to dispell. One neighbor has taken it upon herself to destroy my life with her malicious gossip. Although she harasses me she called the state police to say I was harassing her. Now I'm cast in the role of perpetrator yet I'm the victim. I've never even had a traffic ticket and I'm 50 years old let alone a police officer in my house speaking to me as if I'm a child. I'm in Looneyville and I hate being maligned, but I want it to stop. I'm told that I'm not allowed to look at her or walk my dog in the direction of her house, she lives across the street and we have sidewalks. I'm supposed to walk in the other direction where there are a dozen houses being built and nothing but construction and mess. My 7 pound pup is scared to death of all the trucks and noise. The police told me that if she says I gave her a dirty look, that if she decides it's a threatening look, I can be in trouble with the law. She is always on her porch and I like to sit on my porch when the sun is out. Is it really against the law to look at someone who says you looked at them cross? I'm not stupid, just ignorant to the law in this situation since I've never had a problem like this in my life. I'm a model citizen cast in the role of creep. What should I do?

Boy, you sure have my sympathy. I live in a condo next to a woman with a lot of mental problems and it is a living hell sometimes. Only good thing is, I sell next year and hope she gets someone as horrible as she is, though not too many like that around. It sounds like you live in a nice area, if there are lots of new homes being built. I don't know about the laws where you are, but it seems to me you can walk on a public sidewalk or street anytime you want. I would think you can't say anything to this nut, but I don't think you do anyway. I would gets your rights clarified - maybe there is something like Legal Aid where you are, with low-cost legal advice. You should definitely be able to walk down the street where you live.

James420 · 10-28-2011, 02:07 PM

I thought stuff like this happened only in Arden and North Wilmington, ones full of stuck up idiots and the other is filled with weirdos. I guess it happens everywhere. The civic association President where I live has spent about 3 years in Delaware and has tried some of this stuff, he even complained about the shed color in my back yard ( I rent btw) and I've never told him this so I could keep laughing in his face. He's a crotchety old man from Connecticut. We had my sons birthday at my house a few weeks ago and he called the cops saying we were too loud. Fact is the party was inside because of rain and there was no music. He lied. The best part was at my house were two state cops and one Wilmington cop who were at the party, you should have seen the look on his face when the cops dressed in plain clothes from my house went to his house with the New Castle County cop. Hysterical to say the least.

I was hoping he'd keep it up so I could take a dump on his front porch, hmmmm I still might. I can't stand a new comer who brings baggage from another state with him, if it was so great where you lived why did he come here. That old dude hates when I say that to him.

cgerlach1, don't move yet give it some time. Living well is the best revenge.

tickyul · 10-28-2011, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cgerlach1

Thanks kaj215. He is a state trooper for sure. He said that he hoped talking to us both would put an end to the childishness. He said that he can't tell me to not give her a look but if she construed the look as threatening I could be in trouble. I put in a call to him to ask exactly what the deal is so I'm awaiting a return call. He agreed that the situation is like a soap opera. you should see all the houses going up. Your house is moving along, there are workers there now.

Is there any LEGAL documents relating to this tiffle you two are having, such as a restraining order, pending charges or something along that line?

I mean, sure do your best to avoid this nutball, but hey, you can walk and look wherever you want as long as you are on public property or there is not a legal order for you to avoid certain areas.

This cop my be feeding you a line a BS just to make his job easier, I have experienced this:

In a neighborhood I used to live in, some guy got his motorcycle cover stolen. I had one just like it, no big suprise, it was a very common type cover. Well, this guy who got his cover stolen...........saw mine.........haha, and said that it was his and I had stolen it from him.......he called the cops and told them this. The cops said "just give him the his cover back.............haha, I said "right on..........NO WAY, that is MY cover".......nothing they could do except leave.

nuts2uiam · 10-28-2011, 07:26 PM

Just a thought to protect yourself. Keep a journal of events that relate to her harassment of you, keep it factual and write it on a pad that has tear off sheets, make sure to date each entry or sheet. For example, if you were to walk your dog by her home and she threw a rock at you write it down. Then once a week (more often if something egregious happens) send your self a letter that you take to the post office and have hand canceled. ( I had the back envelope seal also canceled) When you receive it back do not open it just put it away for safe keeping. The hand canceling is important because that way you are sure the date is readable. If, down the line you ever need documentation, you can at least prove you have a chrono of what happened that could not have been made up after the fact.

I was told to do this several years ago by a HR director when we had an employee who we suspected was trying to get fired so she could claim age discrimination. I guess she thought as a woman I would be a sympathetic ear as she took multiple days off for nonsense. Ultimately, the letters I mailed myself were turned over to HR to be used in her case, which by way she did file and she lost.