Nosy neighbors and our broadband connection

This is terrible!! Cripes!  I hope the solicitor can help sort this out.  I agree with Dennis.  Once your out of there I would name and shame them. I am not sure if anyone else here would know..but is there some form of "Watchdog" where you can put the hideous details on for others to see? or perhaps write to your local newspaper?

As for them urinating...next time they slip it through the letter box..I would pepper spray the end of it....see if they do it again,  the filthy buggers 

Details of this sort fo thing can't be published until there is a prosecution.  Until then, it is just hearsay, and no newspaper woudl touch it for fear of libel.

Vicky

My flatmate has a garment storage bag which seems to be the source of the foul smell.

Haven't heard anything from the landlady in regards to the keys, but wasn't really expecting a response.

My flatmate has a garment storage bag which seems to be the source of the foul smell.

Haven't heard anything from the landlady in regards to the keys, but wasn't really expecting a response.

What has their behaviour towards you been like since the Police visit? Was this incident after the police visited? How revolting of them! 

What has their behaviour towards you been like since the Police visit? Was this incident after the police visited? How revolting of them! 

The police visit didn't seem to deter them at all, since they have entered several times since then.   

The police visit didn't seem to deter them at all, since they have entered several times since then.   

I am so sorry 

You know what...I would get the locks changed...no matter if its breaking the contract...this is disgusting and you can not continue like this.  Keep the reciept so your solicitor can get a refund for the costs.

Sod em...this is beyond contracts now.  This is personal safety and privacy at stake.

Find a 24 hour lock smith and get it sorted tonight.

Seriously...I would be breaking down mentally now and I am a battle axe 

I was thinking about how you said the landlady didn't respond about the keys. I would write a letter informing them that you intend to change the locks and if you don't hear anything back within 24 hours then you assume she is ok with that and you are going to change them. Something to that effect. Maybe send the letter registered or whatever you do over there to have a record of delivery. CC it to your solicitor.

I can't believe how bad it's gotten! Seriously. Who pees in someone's house?! What kind of neighbors are these???

Change the locks. Your apartment is not safe. In the US, and I am guessing in the UK, the landlord cannot prevent you from making repairs if delaying those repairs would put you at risk. Normaly, you would deduct the cost from your rent payment (make the landlord fight for the money), but since you prepaid it will be a little harder. I cannot believe that given the past events that it would be you who would be found in breach of contract.

Who pees in someone's house?! What kind of neighbors are these???

I think it was in retaliation of calling the cops.  Of course, I also think it's done with the full knowledge of the landlord since an inordinate care has been taken not to damage anything that's their property.  Our sabotaged mailbox miraculously mended itself two days after the flap was ripped off.

Your landlord is almost certainly in breach of the contract now.  This should be your chance to escape from the contract.

Vicky

Turn the garmet bag over to the cops, and talk to the solicitor about getting out of the contract.  This is ridiculous (their behaviour not yours).  I'd talk to the police and let them know you are considering changing the locks when you turn in the garmet bag.  Tell them you feel unsafe and it is the only way to protect yourself until your solicitor can make an arrangement with the landlord's regarding the contract.  Surely, if the police know you are feeling unsafe about living there without changing the locks, you'd be okay to do so.  I'd also turn over the note to the police about the neighbors having the key if you haven't done so already.  Actually take a copy of it, one for the police and one for the solicitor. 

Just read all this and... my God how terrible!!! So sorry you both are going through this! I'm sure you're doing everything you can right now. I'd be on the phone with the police, any neighborhood help lines, city council, solicitor, any group or organization with the power to intervene! Your demented neighbors are clearly becoming more aggressive the more you try to protect yourselves and the police need to do something about this, more than just 'talking' to them.

Wonder if you can both leave the flat and be sure they see you leave, then one of you sneak back in a window and wait for them to break in. Catch them on video. Ugh, how sick these people are!!

Wonder if you can both leave the flat and be sure they see you leave, then one of you sneak back in a window and wait for them to break in. Catch them on video.

I was wandering that myself?

I have a strong suspicion that our landlady is reading this thread since I got an extremely polite and carefully worded email from her a short while after I posted here.  They're Americans, there are other Americans in the building, this board is public and well-known in the expat community... and she's basically telling me to take a long hike off a short pier.

Regardless, I want to thank everyone who's dropped by with a word of advice or support.  You've all been immensely helpful in keeping us sane and we're taking action, which will hopefully resolve our situation, but under the current set of circumstances, we probably shouldn't make any further public updates.