Reply With QuoteMove.
Moved into a rented flat a few months ago, knew something was a bit off with the upstairs neighbour, on Friday I found out I was right, got a knock at the door from the police, asking to have a look in my flat as the neighbour had claimed I was hiding her ex/partner in my flat, so he could break into her flat later that night, I let them look.
She had barricaded her door, police were with her for nearly 2 hours, I went up to talk to her today, found out today she is a paranoid schizophrenic, obviously the police were not aware of this at first (not sure if they became aware as they never got back to me).
My worry is, she could have this time, or could in the future, claim anything, from sexual assault, even guns etc etc the police might not take the time to knock at my door next time!
Two questions, should I be concerned for the future and should I have been made aware of her condition from the agent, before I moved in?
I feel guilty asking, as sick people need to live somewhere, but when her paranoia directly involves me, it makes it a bit to close for comfort.
Move.
I wouldn't worry to much. Obviously she could potentially claim whatever she wanted and the police would 'have a look' so to speak. But this last incident will be recorded with what she alleged and what actually happened and that would be checked whenever any new calls were made, so the police have an idea of who/what they're dealing with. If it happens again I would guess they might still knock and with a roll of their eyes says "not hiding any killer rapists again are we sir/madam?" If it starts to happen frequently speak with the police and voice your concerns. If she began to really cause an issue the police would look into any offences she would be committing - mental illness generally isn't a defence to commit offences. HTH.
Treat her as you'd treat anyone else and as you'd like to be treated. But politely decline if she invites you in or to dinner. Or if she knocks on your door and you are home alone for your own peace of mind and possible accusations of who knows what.
Ben
Originally Posted by VDG
Yep that's the plan, will take time to find a new place tho, just furnished this place with new carpet/blinds etc will take a while before the funds are available for another move.
Slightly miffed, if the agent knew, should they have disclosed such a condition?
Lots of books available via Amazon if you wish to find out more about the subject. I have known a schizophrenic for over 45 years and his behaviour and habits can be very difficult to try and understand. Never lend your neighbour any ££ … and try and be polite at all times.
dunk
Is she fit?
My advice is to try everything in the linked thread to really wind up your neighbour.
http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php?326944-Neighbours
nope!
Why would the agent know? It's not a crime to be mentally ill!
As said above, be pleasant to her and get on with your life.
My advice is to try everything in the linked thread to really wind up your neighbour.
http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php?326944-Neighbours
Remember laughing at some of those suggestions, who knew I would have the opportunity to put them in action.
Poo through the letterbox
She doesn't work, so a possibility the agent might know.
I'm always pleasant with neighours, didn't stop me getting police to my door tho, hence the concern.
RUN!!!!!!
PMSL
PS it's not the accusations you should be wary of, it's the psychotic behaviour as it can be really unpredictable with little warning signs unfortunately.
Last edited by VDG; 15th March 2015 at 23:30.
PMSLyou must have missed this thread (post 14)CaptainSlow My advice is to try everything in the linked thread to really wind up your neighbour.
http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php?326944-Neighbours
I suppose it easy to get on my high horse when I'm not living next door to her!
My neighbour's daughter suffers from schizophrenia and we did have a couple of problems with her but generally it was ok. Hope you don't have too much grief.
Sorry. It was indeed a flamerPMSL
PS it's not the accusations you should be wary of, it's the psychotic behaviour as it can be really unpredictable with little warning signs unfortunately.
yep, guessed it was something like that, totally understand.
Cheers.
I've seen it, I actually think Poo through the letterbox is becoming a default forum advice
If you're determined to stay there, get yourself a meeting with the local Police Commander (normally Supt/Ch Supt) and express your fears and tell them about the previous incident - he/she might not know about it. Get him to record a note of the meeting and ask him then to raise the concerns you have as an impacted person at a Case Study meeting with the Health and Social Work Seniors.
Speak to the local plod neighbour officer too and get him to know you! Sadly local plod will be the first responder NOT those who really ought to deal with such people. The social integration policy of such unwell people is national policy irrespective of the impact it has on locals or communities.
Good luck - not an easy situation you're in!!
Jim
Thank you, very useful info.
Hope it works for you Jegger
Get the meet soon is my opinion.
Jim
If the possibility of casual coitus isn't realistic, I'd move.
Thanks.
I'll call into the police station and have a word.
Very frustrating, as this is the first flat I have felt I wanted to stay long term, hence spending on carpeting etc.
There is a noise issue too, she sleeps during the day whilst I'm working, then bangs around during the night, banging cupboard doors etc.
Mental health isn't a crime, but when you've sat having a cuppa with the police for the seventh or eighth time the fun starts to wear thin, I speak from experience, no amount of being polite or reasonable can prepare you for where it might go.
So, you only have her word she is a paranoid schizophrenic, the police spent 2 hours with her, they should inform the Community mental health team as she could be on a treatment programme, contact them if you are feeling worried for your safety.
If she is known to mental health team they can give you a number to ring in a emergency if you feel unsafe or in danger.
A care plan should have be made which will look at how her needs should be met, she should have regular contact with the community mental health nurse.
If there's any emergency or you do feel a very real personal threat she could be held under section 3 MHA so don't worry, this may have already been passed on to the team for them to deal with.
I wouldn't be moving yet if I were you. If you've been there a few months and this is the first problem give it a little more time.
I think it would be highly inappropriate for you to be informed by the estate agent of your neighbours medical condition.
As others have said, treat them as you would wish to be treated, be polite etc. does she have family who visit her to whom you could talk, they may be able to provide you with more information to inform any decision you may make.
Be thankful you don't own the place and move out. My in-laws have had to move due to a nightmare neighbour, she watched them, noted what they were doing and called the police for crimes such as their cat going on her yard. She recently put a wall of sand around the courtyard (about 6inches high) after a tiny bit of fluid was spilt from a car being tinkered with to prevent the drainage system being poisoned, she previously accused MIL of putting Murcury down the drains and claimed to have a lab report to prove it. Mildly amusing to an outsider but who knows when a fruitcake will finally go postal?
NOT to worry you but,,,,, we ended up with 2 police cameras covering the front of the house with a panic button linked directly to the police, I was attacked twice by the poor fella, once with a Vodka bottle and once with a house brick, once you get to know a few of the regular police officers they'll no doubt give you their opinions of care in the community, had we been renting our house we'd have been off like a shot but at the time that wasn't an option.
Had a similar-ish problem in the past.
First rule - never buy anywhere with a flat above you unless it's been that way for a long long time and you get to sample the noise and access issues in a real life test. My last gaff was a ground floor flat with someone above - a succession of undesirables were housed there for about a year at a time, as it took that long to get them evicted.
Even if the loveliest, most considerate person in the world moves in above, you'll still hear doors slamming, cupboards going, washing machine spinning etc.
As has been mentioned above, the thing to do is report everything and eventually the police will either put a 'cries wolf' flag on her or refer her.
On a related note my brother is a mountain rescue doctor and they frequently get called by a young lady who deliberately takes herself off into the hills dressed in summer clothing then phones the police to rescue her, hiding from the rescuers. Last time the police formally advised the MRT not to go and get her but as it was around -4 and falling they phoned her on her mobile and said "If you don't make yourself known when we find you, you will die tonight on the hills". Seemed to do the trick.
Every time she called it in it would take 12 - 15 volunteers away from their dinners/families/social events, mobilise three vehicles with attended fuel costs and take 6 hours to get wrapped up. What do you do in those circumstances?
Anyway, stick with it and see how it goes. Keep a log of noise and / or crazy events as the police or associated teams may want to see it. Good luck :)
A) Why should they know and B) Would you want them disclosing your medical history (whatever it was) to the world?
Just keep out of her way. If you get another knock from the Police, be polite and invite them in, but follow it up with a call to the station to report you're being harassed by your neighbour who is making false accusations against you and wasting police time.
Not perfect, but I can think of worse things than a mentally ill neighbour...
M.
Yes this can happen sometimes, I volunteer in a RSU (regional secure unit) for MIND and some of our residents can be challenging.
We had a chap who escaped then caught held again under the MHA sentenced in court sent back to us then removed to one of the high secure units, it took 8 Police in body armour to remove him, we had to close down both wards while they did this, we have to call the police several times a month for assistance, so they are more involved than what you think.
(This maybe not the case for all officers as there area may not include a RSU).
My point is, some Police know about care plans for people covered by the MHA this should not have happened but it dose, so I would question the Police and the way they went about gathering evidence when all the evidence needed to remove the person was in a file somewhere.
Unless this person has been in or attended hospital/referred by any other organisation for mental health issues he is not on the Radar.
The Vodka should give you a clue about his attitude problem.
Last edited by Fords; 16th March 2015 at 15:34.
I'm pleased and impressed that you volunteer to work in that challenging environment, Yes the Vodka was the real key, he was on quite a lot of medication and of course the Vodka didn't really help, these events were over a four year period, I don't recall anyone ever mentioning any options other than keep a diary, record phone calls and don't delete texts, he was incredibly manipulative, making accusations to the police of harassment, assault, vandalising our cars and far worse.
Funnily enough I don't hate the guy after all he's ill, but sitting here typing this has just brought back what a dreadful terrible four years that was.
Thanks all for the advice, had another chat today and she is very apologetic, will see how it goes and keep my options open.
It may be default forum advice but requires a degree of flexibility which few of us possess.I've seen it, I actually think Poo through the letterbox is becoming a default forum advice
I'd have thought in North Yorkshire you'd just call the local Witchfinder General and accuse her of having a 'familiar' (a black cat) or of curdling your milk with her evil eye and she'd find herself in the ducking stool in no time flat.
I'm pleased and impressed that you volunteer to work in that challenging environment, Yes the Vodka was the real key, he was on quite a lot of medication and of course the Vodka didn't really help, these events were over a four year period, I don't recall anyone ever mentioning any options other than keep a diary, record phone calls and don't delete texts, he was incredibly manipulative, making accusations to the police of harassment, assault, vandalising our cars and far worse.
Funnily enough I don't hate the guy after all he's ill, but sitting here typing this has just brought back what a dreadful terrible four years that was.
Hopefully street triage will be rolled out country wide pilot schemes are talking place, this could save a few quid and a lot of Police time/effort. More importantly try to stop people in your situation suffering to much.
http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/ne....htm?id=301548
If so smash the granny out of it then claim she's a nutter if it goes pear shaped?
Just move ... Do you really want to become embroiled in all this with regular meetings with police, social workers, etc.?
It´s a pain in the arse but in your shoes I´d move. The noise issue (probably the least worrisome) likely won´t abate. Do you want to live with a time bomb above you....
I once attended an incident where the paranoid schizophrenic neighbour threw thinners over the guy who lived below her and set him alight.
Move ASAP, as much as I have sympathy for people with mental illness, Schizophrenia is one of the worst ones, I lived next to two different people with this condition in the past, and although most of the time they were cool, when they did go off the handle (not taking meds) they were nuts,
one sitting on the stairs with a knife, the other burning bibles at 4am I his back garden.
A trend?
''Its not me that a nutter, its all my neighbours'' is how I read that...
no, not at all, my current neighbours are a joy, and many of my past neighbours have been fantastic, especially in Scotland were I am from. It was only when I first moved to London, that I came across these stricken individuals, sadly a sign of the times as well, were a Labour Government had abandoned them to 'Care in the Community'
''Its not me that a nutter, its all my neighbours'' is how I read that...
''Its not me that a nutter, its all my neighbours'' is how I read that...
She did say she had not taken her meds!!!
I really don't want to move (like the flat and cost of moving again so soon), but she was at it again this weekend, banging continuously on the floor till 4am.
I have a meeting with the LL on Friday, not holding much hope on that.
Last edited by jegger; 24th March 2015 at 04:32.
thanks to the previous Labour government and their nanny state/care in the community policies, she is heavily protected, the minute you try and kick her out, the landlord will get a ton of grief, from her Social Worker/Mencap/Consultant, all stating that to move her will be detrimental to her mental health,
he will also know that the cost of taking this to court and probably losing is going to be steep,
I said it once, and will say it again, move ASAP and take the few hundred quid on the chin, don't think about it, just do it, its coming up on spring, a lovely time to view a couple of flats, maybe with a bigger garden/extra room/bigger study.
life is just way too short for this.
Soundood´s right! I´d chalk this one up to experience- maybe look for a top floor flat in future. You can´t change the situation of having her living above you in this instance you can only change your relationship to the situation ie move.
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