REPOST: Please Help .... Neighbours From Hell!!!!
Joe Hamburger
This is a repost of an item I listed on a number of newsgroups on July 1.
If you have not previously seen the item below, please take a few moments
and read it. I believe it will shock even the most cynical amongst us.
Thanks to all those who gave suggestions both within the newsgroups and to
me directly by email. The suggestions that I received were all great,
however, I've already gone through each of them (the legal and
non-destructive/non-violent ones anyway) without satisfactory conclusion.
The City By-Laws Department does not have jurisdiction over rights-of-way
and can only act when somebody constructs something without a permit, and no
permit was required for the tacky awning these "folks" erected which crosses
the property line. They were able to get these "people" to remove a small
amount of the garbage including the junked auto, but that's all. I even
contacted their insurance company. They are not insured for having knocked
over our fence and close to knocking over a 2nd. If I remove anything that
crosses property lines, I myself may be liable for damages since it is
likely that the removal of the awning will cause damage to their property
and further damage to ours. The major modifications to my mother's home for
barrier free access etc. are already costing $30,000. If I were to take
these bastards to court, up front it would cost me an additional $5K to $10,
although it would be recoverable, but who knows if these "people" have that
kind of cash laying around. At the moment, public outcry and shaming them
may be the only way to get them to accept their responsibility.
This may be a stretch in requesting your assistance. However, my mother, a
79 year old with advanced coronary and vascular diseases, is unfortunate
enough to live next to the neighbours from hell, Kim and Ruhi Snyder,
owner/operators of a Kingston "arts related" shop. Please go to the URL
below and see a sampling for yourself. Your comments, whether you agree or
not, are requested. There is a hyperlink on the page if you wish to email
any comment to me. I don't have an email address for these "people", but
have supplied contact info should you feel it appropriate to provide them
with your comments. I encourage both.
What have they done you may ask? Due to what is indeed a unique issue of
property rights (until 1986 3 adjoining properties were owned by my
parents), access to our basement is via the neighbour's rear entrance.
Additionally, there is an easement (right of way) through the neighbour's
yard, approximately 7 feet, from our property to the street. In turn, the
neighbours are able to continue to have their furnace and hot water tank
located within our basement (why they would want to I certainly don't know).
Anyway, since prior to May 2000, the neighbour's yard has been completely or
near to completely strewn with lumber, metal chards, iron rails, thousands
of kilos of other garbage and included a disabled auto. Most of the time
this area, which is the right of way, has been completely impassable. For
most periods when passage was possible, one had to use extreme caution not
to step on top of lumber with nails sticking upwards and be weary of the
tossed metal shards not to cut one self. Multiple requests (since May 2000)
from myself, my attorney and specific instruction from their attorney
(November 2000) did not encourage these "people" to rectify the situation.
In November, 2000, in the presence of the neighbours, their attorney and my
attorney, the matter of our fence being wholly within our property line was
discussed. They have been aware of this for a long time. Only days of
being reminded in April 2001, they erected a crappy wooden awning in the
rear of their property which came over onto our property. This was done,
obviously, without any approval to do so. More than 2 months have passed
since these "people" did this, it still stands even after having been
directed by myself and my attorney to remove it. With the installation of
the awning, the neighbours bent an exhaust vent at the rear of their
property to discharge whatever it vents over our roof. Additionally, it
appears that the bending of this vent damaged the metal strapping on our
newly installed roof (summer 2000). These "people" refuse to pay to have
our roofer check for damage and repair same if necessary.
Since the fall of 2000, I have been asking these neighbours to remove crap
which they had piled against our fence (and I remind you that this fence is
not on the property line but entirely within our property). In April 2001,
after failing to remove their garbage against the fence, the fence finally
fell over with their garbage laying atop it. This is an older fence and its
health certainly did not improve after being smashed over. These "people"
did re-erect the fence expediently, then proceed to replace all of the crap
that caused it to tumble over in the first place right back against it,
added even more to it including a huge cement step and continued to refuse
to remove it.
Within the last few weeks, these neighbours from hell finally started to
remove a majority of their garbage which has blocked our right-of-way for
years. In doing so, these "people" piled another load of garbage against
another of our fences. This particular fence is also older and already
leaning over into our yard from the weight of their garbage. Knocking over
1 fence isn't enough ... there now going for 2! Actually its 3!! In the
yard of another adjoining property that The Snyders own, there are a number
of extremely long logs leaned horizontally to the ground against a chain
link fence which separates that property from that of another neighbour.
These logs are pushing the bottom of the fence out & up and well into the
other neighbour's backyard.
Finally, and most disgusting of all, I have been trying to have enhancements
made for barrier free access in my mother's home (due to the physical
limitations of her illnesses) and some much needed repair work done. This
work will not only be a great benefit to my mother, allowing her to remain
in her own home instead of having to be institutionalized of sorts, but it
will also be of benefit to The Snyders, neighbours from hell. Actually,
they have also wanted some of this done themselves. They were advised in
November 2000 and many times since that this work cannot start until they
remove all of their illegally stored crap from our basement. In November
2000, these "people" were instructed to do so by their own attorney in the
presence of myself and my attorney. 8 months later I still have no reason
to believe that it has been done. More so, these arrogant bastards had the
audacity in May 2001, after being directed yet again by my attorney to
remove their items from the basement, to tell my lawyer, in writing, that
they intend to install more equipment in our basement.
Well, that summarizes the nonsense, intrusion and destruction caused by Kim
and Ruhi Snyder. Please visit the URL below. Please send your comments to
both myself and them.
Thanks.
Joe
http://members.home.net/mailtojoe/syndersneighboursfromhell.htm
dz...@home.com
seems to be apparent that its not going to change, if the neighbours don't
move, have your mother move.
Do all the other neighbours around have the same problem as yourself, or is it
on a "problem" you have?
"easment/right of way" is enforcable by law. Requirements that brough about
easment are included to be escape in case of fire etc. Theres' plenty of good
arguments that can force them to clean up. Don't just depend on local "city
bylaw officers". Others such as the firedept, board of health, etc. can issue
cleanup orders if your neighbours yard is one that a passing child could enter
easily and get hurt, poisons leaking from garbage, unkept lawns (bylaw) etc.
Dean
dz...@home.com
In article <dxl17.10603$mY2.7...@news1.busy1.on.home.com>, "Joe Hamburger"
Gaylord M. Focker
#1 - Gas and a match would clean that up quickly (except for the metal
scrap)
#2 - Just start throwing YOUR SHIT/CRAP/GARBAGE on his property.
#3 - Build a 10' high retaining wall (cement & re-bar would be best)
#4 - One word, BULLDOZER
#5 - Put a big sign where people can see (FREE DUMPING AVAIL. HERE)
pointing to his place of course
#6 - Another sign (RED NECK TRAILOR TRASH SALE HERE).
Could keep going...
Sorry to hear that man. Check with by-law officers or something, if
not, follow
the advice! Kinda was in the same boat as you, but the city did sweet
f*** all.
I had to sear at him everyday for 5 years for him to wake up. Went from
a guy
having a nice dug up pool, to filling it up with garbage 5 years after.
GOOD FREAKIN' LUCK MAN!
Joe Hamburger
My mother is almost 80 and really is not able to start in a new place. The
neighbour on one side has the same problem but is afraid to try anything
after seeing my 13 month struggle. The By-Laws folks, Fire Dept, etc.,
etc., etc. all have extremely limited jurisdiction. Who saws law and
justice are synonymous???????????????
Joe
<dz...@home.com> wrote in message
news:jvm17.110484$Mf5.30...@news3.rdc1.on.home.com...
Marco
1) Does Tony Soprano owe you a favour?
2) Lease the place to the OPP for a couple of months.
3) Have the crew from FX stage their own version of the EXORCIST on site.
4) Heave a couple of dozen dead rats on their side of the fence nightly.
5) Invite a busload of Hare Krishna's over for a marathon tambourine &
chanting demonstration
6) Go find the richest most influential person in the city and ask him / her
what course of action they would take in a similar situation.
7) Sell the comedy screenplay that you write about the situation to a
producer in Hollywood, buy the entire property in question out from under
the neighbours from hell and evict the bastards!
Seriously, you would think that in this day and age there would be a quick
and legal remedy for this. Good luck!
"Joe Hamburger" <notcok...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:zDu17.10912$mY2.8...@news1.busy1.on.home.com...
> Although I appreciate (sincerely) the advice ....
>
> My mother is almost 80 and really is not able to start in a new place.
The
> neighbour on one side has the same problem but is afraid to try anything
> after seeing my 13 month struggle. The By-Laws folks, Fire Dept, etc.,
> etc., etc. all have extremely limited jurisdiction. Who saws law and
> justice are synonymous???????????????
>
> Joe
>
<major snip>
Joe Hamburger
Thanks for both the moral support and also bringing a chuckle to my day.
Believe me, with this matter and those "people", there are few things that I
find amusing.
Joe
"Marco" <cat...@home.com> wrote in message
news:tEw17.114335$Mf5.31...@news3.rdc1.on.home.com...
Marco
that they can get away with this.Is there no way to light a fire under
someone at the city council or mayor's office to take action on this? Have
the local newspapers, TV, radio, politicians had a chance to run with this?
Are these people really untouchable or what? Please keep us updated on any
further developments. I for one am in your corner Joe.
"Joe Hamburger" <notcok...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:TJH17.11303$mY2.9...@news1.busy1.on.home.com...
Erik T
constant domestic dispute with a psycho rottweiler thrown in for extra
laughs.... or two doors away a crack-pad complete with 24/7 riff raff who often
amused themselves by threatening passersby... or sharing a staircase with the
biggest slobs in Christendom who leave everything from beer bottles to broken
glass to animal (cat or dog? They seem to have an ongoing side-line in animal
maintenance as well as accomodating a 'troubled' Jr high school kid for the
bucks as pathetic as that sounds.... ) seriously, if garbage strewn across the
lawn is as bad as it gets, rest assured things could be far, far worse! As for
a constructive comment, try passive-aggression. Leave a note that you'll be
clearing out the basement on a certin date, give him another day or 2 grace (ie
if you want the basement cleared in 10 days, give him 7-8 days & actually clear
the place in 10 days). It's more than you owe to be sure, but if you haven't
broken any laws yet, why not stay on the high road? Simply put the onus on
finding lawyers on them- clean the place out after double checking you're
legally entitled to do so... as for the fence, the only thing you can do is
erect a strong, high fence and try pretending these people aren't really there.
As for my neighbour problems, I begrudgingly accept it as a hidden cost for a
spacious affordable place in downtown T-O.... and for the record, not one of
the places where I have described living is public nor co-op housing! Erik/
friends of mine have neighbour problems too- <vicious dog owned by a hothead
and his wife>- and said neighbours are cops! So you see, things could really be
a lot worse....