Neighbors who don't care about their property

[lacrosse_lady72]

While there are plenty of things around my house that I hate to do, I do them because they are necessary. It's great that you can hire someone to do your yard since you dislike lawn work so much, but to say that you wouldn't do it if you didn't have the funds seems pretty selfish. Not taking care of a yard affects everyone who lives near you.


Taking care of the exterior is part of being a responsible home owner.

Oh I know 100% how selfish it is and I don't need anyone telling me it is but, it's a good thing it's not a problem. Neighbors can't really see into the backyard anyway, well... I think one can his house is far enough away.

There are things I hate doing around the house also, and I do them because they are necessary. Yard work will never be one of those things.

 

[Disney Doll]

You know, when I was in high school, I played sports, was in numerous clubs, participated in the school play, the school service club and worked part-time on the weekends. My brother kept essentially the same schedule. And yet we were still expected to keep our bedrooms relatively neat, participate in the upkeep of our family home, both inside and outside, which included lawn care in the summer and snow removal in the winter. I find it kind of amazing that high schoolers today cannot possibly be expected to do more than go to school.

OP, most towns have what they call a "Blight Officer"...usually associated with Planning and Zoning, but sometimes associated with the Tax Assessor. I'm guessing if you call your town/city hall and explain the situation, they can point you to the person you need to speak with.

It's quite simple IMHO. People are certainly more than within their rights to live in their homes any way they choose, untill it impacts me and infringes on my right to enjoy my property. If they are physically or financially unable to care for the home they own, then they should get a home that they are able to care for properly and not make everyone around them deal with their mess.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My home exterior was an eyesore until recently. No money to fix a laundry list of must do items. Once one thing was fixed/replaced...it would start a chain reaction of work.

I felt bad for my neighbors. Things were clean...but until they could front me five figures to do the work, it had to wait unt WE could afford that.

Our lawn has been maintained by lawn service...but all else...weeding of the garden for example and trimming of plants did not get done b/c hubby was out of town and I was pregnant and stuff just sucked for 5 months.

Sometimes it is obvious when a home/yard is deliberately unkept...as in the people just don't care. And sometimes it isn't. Given that the neighbors share opinions in this one....my only guess is thAt at a minimum, noone bothered to try and get some "details" from the neighbor in question.

For example..we had a questionable neighbor once. He lived across the street and had questionable behaviors. Well, I never asked. In that case it was a good thing. One day the house was being fixed up. Turned out his landlord had enough of him. And it turns out he was a druggie. Turns out also that his backyard was littered with needles. The new home owners found them. And that landlord? It was his momma. She kicked him out on his keester.

Two different scenarios...of why the homes looked the way they did. You can't tell just by looking at the exterior. Neither of our homes is in bad a shape as you descibe.

We do have one or two "jungle homes" in my neighborhood. But they are landscapes that way and at the very least minimally maintained so as not to be hazourdous.

 

[Tink888]

Well, as a homeowner I can see both sides. It is annoying to step outside and have the house next to you be an eyesore.

On the other hand, it's their property and if they don't want to take care of it, pay for upkeep, or decide to paint it bright orange, that's their right to do so as long as they aren't breaking any laws. I couldn't imagine myself personally living in a plan with an HOA because I wouldn't like all the rules so by not living in one I also take a chance that my neighbor's might be like yours.

I do agree with the other poster that you really shouldn't judge or make assumptions about them without getting to know them or the facts.

Some of the nicest people I've known weren't the neatest and I've also known lots of folks with immaculate exterior and interior homes whose lives were a mess so appearances aren't everything KWIM?

You can't always control what other people do but you can always build a really tall fence!

 

[bicker]

I hate when people who have no idea what others lives are like make judgement calls. Who in the world gave you the right to judge other people????

Very wise words to live by, and they pertain to just about everything in life.

Taking care of the exterior is part of being a responsible home owner.

Gotta say again: I love living in a condo!

 

[stsomewhere]

Our city has a "pride program" and grants for low income to fix houses. You may want to look into it. also, we can call the Pride hotline to report any houses that need to be adddressed. The city will send someone out to warn the home owner. They will have a set amount of time to fix it,

 

[Jennasis]

Well, I cannot mow my lawn. I'd LOVE to, but my doctor has forbidden it until MAYBE August. I had back surgery in April and he won't let me pick up the weed-eater or get on the riding mower yet. It kills me because I LOVE to mow. We have a massive farm (25 acres) of which about 4-5 acres have to be mowed with the riding mower. I put on my ipod and just cruise around for a good two hours, 3 days a week.

But I can't do it for now. I hate seeing the tall weeds and such. DH works 8-5 monday through friday and then comes home to do all the other work around the farm that I am not allowed to do, so I hardly expect him to mow.

We can't afford a lawn service or to have anyone come and do it. So we will suffer until I get the greenlight from the doc. DH does get to it when he can, just not every week on schedule like I used to do.

Just saying, there COULD be physical reasons that aren't readily apparent. I look just fine walking around. I can even do some normal stuff.

 

[Disney Doll]

Chances are though, your unmowed 25 acres is not really affecting anyone, since, if you have 25 acres, there's not anyone that close to you. And a transient lack of lawn/home care is different than years of it.

Realistically, if I lived next door to someone who had always kept their home relatively nicely and suddenly the place was going downhill, I would go over and say "What's going on? Can I help?".

That does not sound like the case with the OP. It sounds as if she lives next door to slobs.

 

[C.Ann]

In have to start by saying threads like this really make my blood boil. How in the world do you know they are physically fine and they can afford the upkeep because they have nice cars and the teenagers could do the work?????? Do you live with them? Are you their accountant, Doctor, mother, minister????????

We drive nice vehicles because OUR JOBS MAKE US AND PAY US CAR ALLOWANCE!!!!!! IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH WEATHER OR NOT WE CAN PAY FOR HOUSE UPKEEP. I have arthritis and have had 2 total knee replacements before I was 50 and will soon have a shoulder and hip replaced. I look fine, but I guess if I were your neighbor and didn't keep my yard up that is no excuse because I LOOK HEALTHY.

Sure they have teens that should be caring for the yard because they have nothing else to do. They aren't working 2 or 3 jobs over the summer to pay for school or they aren't spending their days caring for aging grandparents.

I hate when people who have no idea what others lives are like make judgement calls. Who in the world gave you the right to judge other people???? If it bothers you so much, why not be a good neighbor and offer to help out?

Two things I thought of right off the bat.. "Nice cars" does not equal cars that have been paid for.. They could be on the brink of losing them..

Secondly, "physically fit" does not cover depression - which can cause people to let just about everything and anything go to heck in a hand basket.. Just the mere mention of the fact that the OP said they "never come outside" kind of screams "depression" or something else along those lines.. Also, if they are having money troubles, that too would contribute to depression and the lack of desire to do even the most routine things - like cutting the grass..

The OP has no solid info on these people - other than hearsay from other neighbors - who may be biased against them as well due to the condition of their property..

It sounds like the OP has never even spoken to these people - so maybe that would be a good place to start.. Dream up a reason to go next-door and strike up a conversation.. If the subject of the house and/or yard comes up, ask them if they need a hand with anything.. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar..

At least give them the benefit of the doubt before you condemn them..

 

[worm761]

Either go next door and offer to help or call the city to find out what steps you need to take to report it.
I had a neighbor call my landlord once when I was renting. My lawn got a little high. Nothing major and even she didn't have a problem when she saw it. The neighbor just didn't like me. He called for everything. Anyway, I simply explained to her that I was waiting for my father to do it and if he didn't have time in the next few weeks I would call a lawn service. I have mowed exactly ONE lawn in my life. It put me in the hospital. Turns out, I am highly allergic to grass. Go figure. So, I don't do lawn work. I get a rash just watering the garden.
So there could be a reason but I doubt that there is a reason that every person in that house cannot mow a lawn.