Neighbor problem

[Grant Lamontagne]

I got a letter from the city today saying that one of my dogs barked too much one day and upset one of my neighbors.  I got a second letter from the city stating that my dogs were unregistered with the city and that I need to purchase a license for them.

I've always had (or at least thought I had) a good relationship with my neighbors, offering to help with anything they are doing or may need help with.  I go out of my way to pick up packages for them since I am at home most days to save them having to go to the post office to pick them up.  I also take ALL of the garbage and recyclables out, that belonging to myself and my upstairs neighbors, just to try and be neighborly.  I would have figured that if anyone had an issue they would have come to me, but no one has ever mentioned the dogs being an issue in the past.

As I live in a townhouse/fourplex the complaint could really have only come from one of three people, and the next door woman and upstairs couple are the prime candidates as the other one is not directly in contact with us.

If it was the people upstairs, I am tempted to contact the city about their excessive abuse of cannabis and the smell that  permeates our apartment as a result, or the loud, aggressive fighting between them.  If it's the woman next door, I will lodge my own noise complaint about the very loud, lengthy and disturbing noises that keep us awake on nights when her boyfriend visits.

I am very tempted to send a mass email to all of the neighbors and suggest strongly that they should perhaps talk to me directly in the future, rather than involve the city, and express my disappointment that they did not come to me directly in the first place.

I am also tempted to sit outside and have a direct discussion face to face with people, but that may be seen as aggressive.

smurf I hate people.

Def

[Mechanickal]

I think it's a global problem.
2 days ago I told my girlfriend that people these days have an attitude like "everything and everyone needs to take MY oppinion, needs and comfort in mind and do everything they can to ensure it! What will I do in return? Smurf off!"

[styx]

Want me to sit outside and talk face to face with people? I do a killer Russian accent

Everything else is actually a pretty good idea. even better if you could actually zero in on the culprit

[Grant Lamontagne]

I'm sure after talking to each of them I would be able to figure out which one it was.

It just annoys me that people pull this smurf.

Def

[magentus]

Bad news Boss. As usual though, you'll be the better man and deal with it responsibly and fairlyand that's why we all think the world of you.

I hope your crappy neighbors rise to meet you at your level by doing the right and neighborly thing and sort smurf like this out like adults in the future. 

[Don Pablo]

Seems like you still have the high ground. 

I hope that you can resolve everything without having to resort to the big guns. 

[Grant Lamontagne]

This is the email I am thinking of sending:

Hello all,

First off, allow me to apologize if my dog(s) have ever disturbed any of you.  That is absolutely unfair to you, as dogs were not your choice but mine, and it is not right that my decisions affect you.

That having been said, I would also like to communicate my extreme disappointment in whomever felt it necessary to lodge a complaint with the city rather than discussing the issue with me directly.  You all have my phone number, email address and you know that I am home quite often, and am happy to answer the door and discuss any issues directly.

According to the letter from the city of Ottawa, the complaint occurred on November 22nd.  This is December 4th- had the issue been communicated to me at the time, it would have been dealt with at the time, not almost two weeks later.

While modern day society may be getting more and more faceless, I would have thought that we would have all known each other well enough that involving the city was unnecessary.

None of us are perfect, and the best way for us to coexist is to be straightforward with each other rather than escalate things into an official matter.  I do not believe I have ever been disrespectful to any of you, and I would appreciate similar respect from everyone else here in return.

Oh yeah, and with regards to me licensing my dogs in the city.... I am technically not a resident of this city.  All of my information shows that I am still a resident of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and the lease here is in Megan's name only.  Not that my dogs have ever been registered in Halifax either.... government gets enough of my smurfing money, I am not paying them for the privilege of having dogs too.

Def

[Aloha]

Thats disappointing.  Just when you think you are being a good neighbor this kind of BS happens.  I always like to begin with diplomacy then annihilation  .  Good luck.                       

[Nix]

Halifax is a great city.

But, to the point, let me recommend patience, respect, and compassion.

Yes, it's some low smurfin' smurf to stoop to filing a complaint with the city as opposed to speaking to you directly. Sad.

But resist the temptation to stoop, in turn, to that person's level. There is no need for 'retribution'. There is no need to lash out. Only for pity.

Perhaps he or she is uncomfortable with confrontation. Perhaps he or she is intimidated by your noble being.

His or her actions are within a reasonable scope of action. Reasonable, although you and I would chose a different course of action. And that's sad for that person. But there it is.

I would recommend taking a high road. Consider sending each neighbor a card. In said card, apologize for any inconvenience and welcome him or her to address any concerns with you directly. They can do this because you value them all as neighbors and wish for a harmonious community. You are just that great, Def.

People; can't live with 'em; can't dispose of all the bodies easily enough. I feel ya brother, but don't let 'em bring YOU down. 

[ironraven]

Grant, do you need neighbors?

I'm not saying move. I'm just saying there are alternatives.

[raistlin65]

Sorta building on what Nix said, I would skip saying this,

"That having been said, I would also like to communicate my extreme disappointment ..."

If they are going to feel bad about it, they are more likely to if you don't act like they did something wrong. Better is to blame it on the city, and just apologize, and hope for the best.

Now if it happens again, then I would even get irate. But for the initial contact about this, I would give them a chance to feel guilty and avoid putting their back up more than it might be already. Blame the city, saying the city said your dogs are too loud. Tell them you want to know if and when the dogs are loud so you can fix it because you are sorry. Even complain that you are worried about getting fined by the city. Just don't point a finger at them.

[Nix]

 

[G-Dizzle]

You have to license your dog? That is the most ridiculous bullsmurf i have ever heard. Sorry for your neighbor issues Grant. Send an email! Maybe take some of these wise folks advice about patience but i would make sure you get your point across as well

[Grant Lamontagne]

Grant, do you need neighbors?

I'm not saying move. I'm just saying there are alternatives.

Shoot them?

More and more I want to get a motor home and head out on the road.

Def

[Nix]

There's a lot of appeal to the open road and the bivouac with it's campfire. But....it's becoming harder to find any more. Even in Canada.

Take a deep breath. Recognize that not everyone has your sense of equanimity and balance. It's all OK, and we'll still end up having fun. Don't let a single person or a few people dictate how you move through this world. Sucks to be them. Good to be you. It's all good, brother. Really. 

[Blackbeard]

One of the reasons I left my last appartment was noise and bad indian food smells. the back of my building had a patch of ground with no trees and it resembled a small football field and kids would play there every day, the noise was ever present in my apartment due to crap comnstruction, I was going out of my mind. I did everything I could yo get rid of them, but to no avail, would walk around with earplugs or blast music to drown them out.

 I suspect your neighbor called the police and they suggested they go through the local gov't.

I have some sensory issue and sounds, smells really bother me and I have issue with my fingertips/nerves.

I don't think it's a good idea to narc on your neighbors, they may seek revenge and you don't need a war.

So my issue was kind of the reverse of yours, best advice would be your more passive ideas and feel them out, or if you think the harassment wont stop, maybe find a better place to move to.

[Old Boy]

My pet peeve at work is that people do not bother giving you the courtesy and respect to talk to you face to face and give you the opportunity to improve. Instead they go tell your boss behind your back.

I try to tell them to at least talk to me first and if we disagree or if I am obstinate to go ahead and tell my boss.

But it never works. I think it’s human nature for people to try to take the easy way out.

Sounds like your neighbors are in a bad situation anyway. It will sort itself out.

[pomsbz]

Perhaps it's time to get moving on the whole MTO island idea already? 

[Syncop8r]

I agree with Nix also. Your email would just antagonize them more.

Dogs have to be registered with the council here.
My neighbours (not sure which ones) have dogs that bark at EVERY LITTLE smurfING SOUND. I close my car door - they bark. And they are about 40m away. Sick of it.

EDIT: so smurf can't be in capitals? 

[Etherealicer]

Halifax is a great city.

But, to the point, let me recommend patience, respect, and compassion.

Yes, it's some low smurfin' smurf to stoop to filing a complaint with the city as opposed to speaking to you directly. Sad.

But resist the temptation to stoop, in turn, to that person's level. There is no need for 'retribution'. There is no need to lash out. Only for pity.

Perhaps he or she is uncomfortable with confrontation. Perhaps he or she is intimidated by your noble being.

His or her actions are within a reasonable scope of action. Reasonable, although you and I would chose a different course of action. And that's sad for that person. But there it is.

I would recommend taking a high road. Consider sending each neighbor a card. In said card, apologize for any inconvenience and welcome him or her to address any concerns with you directly. They can do this because you value them all as neighbors and wish for a harmonious community. You are just that great, Def.

People; can't live with 'em; can't dispose of all the bodies easily enough. I feel ya brother, but don't let 'em bring YOU down. 

We should not discount option 3: Maybe she/he tried direct communication with others and failed. At one point he/she just gave up on direct communication. I mean lets face it, there are plenty of people out there who will reply to "your dogs are really noisy" with "smurf off".

[Blackbeard]

One issue is that this is a residence that allows pets, so this is really the only recourse this person has, as he/she knew what they were getting into when they moved in...this being said other people may have taken a more sinister route and vandalized your vehicle.

[lister]

Want me to sit outside and talk face to face with people? I do a killer Russian accent

I also do a nice Russian accent! Well, it's a Slavic accent as I keep telling people but they just wont listen. Anyway, MTO "Russian" mafia to the rescue! 

 

[ducttapetech]

Maybe it is time to bring the SOSAK Hit Squad out of retirement.

[Gerhard Gerber]

smurf I hate people.

Humanity in general continues to disappoint 

 

[styx]

Want me to sit outside and talk face to face with people? I do a killer Russian accent

I also do a nice Russian accent! Well, it's a Slavic accent as I keep telling people but they just wont listen. Anyway, MTO "Russian" mafia to the rescue! 

 

Exactly. Now we should stop watching John Wick

[Grant Lamontagne]

Perhaps it's time to get moving on the whole MTO island idea already? 

Funny you should mention that- I found a nice island about 100kms away from here.  It's roughly 86 acres and (supposedly) has some of the best cave diving in North America.  It's a hop, skip and a jump from several airports (both international and smaller, local airports) it's inland and sheltered, little to no development and an hour's travel from Algonquin Park, perhaps the most famous park in Canada.

Still, at half a million dollars or so, it's still a bit out of the MTO budget.   

Def

[pomsbz]

Perhaps it's time to get moving on the whole MTO island idea already? 

Funny you should mention that- I found a nice island about 100kms away from here.  It's roughly 86 acres and (supposedly) has some of the best cave diving in North America.  It's a hop, skip and a jump from several airports (both international and smaller, local airports) it's inland and sheltered, little to no development and an hour's travel from Algonquin Park, perhaps the most famous park in Canada.

Still, at half a million dollars or so, it's still a bit out of the MTO budget.   

Def

hmmm, what's the tourism possibilities there? Half a million might not be that bad for an investor. I'm sure we could pull it off between us somehow.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Due to the cave diving I hear it is already a popular spot for people who are into that kind of thing.  I'll see if I can find the link.  If every member here out in $100 we could absolutely realize the dream of Multitool Island. 

Def

[Don Pablo]

If it was assured that it would lead to having our own island, I'd fork up more than 100. 

[Smashie]

Perhaps it's time to get moving on the whole MTO island idea already? 

Funny you should mention that- I found a nice island about 100kms away from here.  It's roughly 86 acres and (supposedly) has some of the best cave diving in North America.  It's a hop, skip and a jump from several airports (both international and smaller, local airports) it's inland and sheltered, little to no development and an hour's travel from Algonquin Park, perhaps the most famous park in Canada.

Still, at half a million dollars or so, it's still a bit out of the MTO budget.   

Def

hmmm, what's the tourism possibilities there? Half a million might not be that bad for an investor. I'm sure we could pull it off between us somehow.

Hell I'd be in for that!