I just want to have the right to not fear for the security of my house

[rogue]

Sounds like someone may be watching his house.
Move your stuff, no use having paid for it to have it ripped off. Also buy some really good locks for your bedroom doors, maybe even a door brace. Buy some good shades for the windows so he can't peek in on you. Also maybe some alarms on the doors and windows, this way at least you'll know someone is in your house.

Stop worrying and start doing something.

[uncle]

Sharky,[list=a][/list=a] Man,I remember that stuff happening last year very well.I particularly liked Guohuen's suggestion, but believe it would cause some sort of retaliation. I really liked RD's suggestion, mental warfare is sometimes the best. About 10yrs ago I had someone siphon my truck dry 3 nights running I was so pizzed I was going nuts. I also had a pretty good idea of who did it so Iwant over on the neighborly pretence of telling them to keep an eye on there vehicles,then told them that I hoped the gas hungry SOB would come back to my place.I told them I'd be on top of my house with my bow and my hunting broadheads waiting for them. Never had another problem.[list=a][/list=a] You could also bar the gate and put a really mean azz dog in your yard(i've got 3) but then mine are to warn when bears are around. [list=a][/list=a] Most of the time these people fix themselves you just have to give them a little nudge.[list=a][/list=a] Respects and luck Bob B.

[Laughing Cow]

Sharky.

At the moment I see a few options for you:

1.) Move = recommendet.
2.) Get the Insurance.
3.) Fix the gate & get extra protection/early warning system like a nice big doggy to roam your garden. Your local equivalent of the SPCA or animal shelters might have some nice ones.
4.) Burglar proof the house
5.) Add motion sensor lights to the exterior of your House. You should be able to get them at most good DIY stores.
6.) Add a light to all gates/entry-points of the property that can be activated either via sensor or a switch on the inside of the House.

Option 4 might set you back more than option 2 though.

Either way I would do nothing to antagonize your neighbour openly.

Option 3, 5 & 6 are 100% legal non-agressive and will reduce your insurance premiums quiet a bit too, especially when combined.
But check with your landlord first, he might even help pay for some of the stuff.

Just some thoughts.

[Sharky]

Hi guys, thanks for your replies. I'll go into more detail for you all

a) We do indeed have a motion sensor light at the back, and the door is quite sturdy - although it is made largly of double glazed glass and the door is the thick 'plastic' type. From the back you can see into the kitchen (no curtains, it's kind of a wierd setup). From there you can see into the living room via an archway.

b) I can't move. I am bound by a contract. I have rent to pay every month. If i moved, i'd still have to pay rent.

c) I can't afford insurance. Although, i will be trying to get some asap. My problem is that it's so expensive. I'll make it a priority. I also take my laptop with me everywhere anyway.

d) The landlord refuses to put up a burgular alarm, and no matter of pleading will talk him into it.

e) The individual doors to the bedrooms have sturdy locks. I don't really think i could kick it down. I dunno though, i suppose if you're IN the house then you can just take the whole door handle of with a screw driver? Can you unlock the door by doing this? Or i supposeuse a crowbar or something?

f) I am not allowed to add to any locks or change them.. which leads to a very bad next point...

g) Before we moved in, the landlord had a stroke of genius and gave the neighbours a key as the lady next door was 'cleaning the house' before any tenents moved in. So for a period, the next door neighbours had access to the house. I am in the only person in the world who has a back door key - no one knows where the other one is. Apparently it's usually left in the kitchen in a draw. Sound suspicious? Worse, is that she also had the front door key - she could have easily got another key cut. However i insisted on the landlord installing a bigger lock at the bottom, so even though they might have one door key, they don't have th eother. Nothing's happened as yet.

h) The neighbours themselves have a mental dog in their backyard - it did a pretty good job of fending off the police round the back of the house when he was pretending he wasn't in.

i) I never, ever, open the curtains in my bedroom, even though i am upstairs. However i've purchased a blind that i am gonna put up in the archway between the living room and kitchen - so no one can watch what's going on in the living room, although the kitchen will be there to see.

j) I am going to kick the estate agents/landlords arse and get him to get the gate fixed.

k) Royal Dragon, your suggestion was quality, good work my friend.

l) GDA i've tried that tactic, they are monosyallabic.

m) Rogue, can you get door/window alarms that you can fit yourself? Like cheap things that scream when the are not in contact? That would be cool. I'm more worried about the security when someone knows/thinks we are all out. Although a noisy alarm might scare people.

Thanks guys

[Sharky]

And the motion sensor goes off every 2 seconds (it's nearly always on) as there a cat that always wonders into our back yard

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by Sharky


b) I can't move. I am bound by a contract. I have rent to pay every month. If i moved, i'd still have to pay rent.

How nice is the landlord? you may be able to negotioate that one. A friend of mine was burglarized twice last month. When she went to the office about it, they let her break her contract and she moved.

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by Royal Dragon
You could also make THEM paranoid by going over ther house very politely and tell them (As a waring of course) That a detective was knocking on your door asking questions about them.

It won't do anything productive, but it's a fun mind game to play, and it makes you look like you are on thier side because you warned them about the cops snooping around. in the mean time you can enjoy the fact that they are suffering with fear and paranoia that is not justified.

good one

[Sharky]

OH MY GOOD GOD. WHY THE FUCK ARE GIRLS SO STUPID?

I come home in the pissing rain, at 1:10am (if you remember i let the girls i live with go to the library - they said they'd be back for like 8:30 so at about 6:30pm i left to goto the library. I double locked the door (i'm teh only person i trust with the main door keys - the others only have 1 door key) and they came back early).

SO anyway i come back and what do i find? One of the dumbfuck bitches has left her keys in the front door key hole, dangling with a big keyring for all to see. It's a good job i was the first to spot them.

I went MENTAL but didn't shout at anyone. I was too angry. I thought the point that she had left them in the door would make her feel bad enough. All i did was give her her keys back and quietly say 'you muppet' - she goes 'oh no' and then carries on texting on her phone.

Silly cow.

I am so angry with her, i don't want to speak to either of them, dopey bitches. I'm worried about house sensor alarms and carry a maglite out of paranoia, so no one can break in, and what do they do? GIVE them them fucking keys.

It's alright for them. Genuinely, i am the only person in the house with anything of any monetary value over like, 20 quid (their rooms are totally bare, all they do is drink tea, call their boyfriends and fuck about. One of them does a sociology degree, the other does music. That's right, music and sociology students.

Actually my housemate has a MD player worth like £150 which he got for 100. Besides that i am the only one with anything to lose. Maybe if they ever got JOBS and bought stuff for themselves they'd understand.

Retards.

[Sharky]

Even more amusingly, is the fact that a car just pulled up on the pavement (sidewalk) of our road (it's a really busy road) and banged on the door of the neighbours house. They would easily have seen the keys.

We're talking saved by like 15 mins here.

Stupid dumb cow.

[Laughing Cow]

Sharky.

I wouldn't fret too much about the contract,

First contact the Landlord and talk matters over with him if he gets stuborn tell him that under the current conditions you are NOT willing to continue to live there.

If he INSIST that you keep paying the rent till the contract is over. Say fine BUT that he cannot lent the property to anybody else till the contract is over as you are paying him rent.
And that you will keep coming back to check of the place is inhabitated until than you are holding on to your keys.
:P

Remember contract sez that you are renting the place and don't have to live there full-time or even put your stuff in it.

Met many a Landlord that tried to pull such a stunt, when the tenant leaves he collects DOUBLE rent from old and NEW contract. Which is illegal in most places.

They normally try that one on young people whom they see as not having experience in this matters and often for places that are harder to lent.

Cheers.

[Sharky]

"First contact the Landlord and talk matters over with him if he gets stuborn tell him that under the current conditions you are NOT willing to continue to live there."

Technically, nothing has actually happened, i have no grounds for leaving other than paranoia.

[Laughing Cow]

Sharky.

It doesn't matter why you want to cancel the contract.

Simply cite "personal reasons".

[Sharky]

I would like to reiterate that my housemate is a stupid bint.

[Sharky]

OK, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON

You know that car i said pulled up a while back onto the pavement?

Well i heard voices out the front, so i peeked out and saw a police officer in full uniform, with yellow waterproofs on and stuff, come out with a ruck sac full of 'something' and then get into the car - which was NOT a police car, or even the type of car that the police are issued with, it was a bit too old(they change their cards every couple of years), an odd colour, and an odd make.

He wasn't there to arrest anyone - what the hell was a police officer doing at a house for like 1/2 an hour ALONE, and then comes out with a ruck sack, and drives off in a wierd car?

Something wierd is going down.

Help.

[SevenStar]

you've got problems man... if you've possibly got crooked cops there, that means NO support for you from them.

talk to your housemate - she needs to understand the severity of what's going on and your concerns. That may make her more cautious.

reinforce your windows, and upgrade the door and locks to your bedroom.