Apologies in advance for the long post.... Mods I wasn't quite sure if this was the right place to put it, so please feel free to move if it's not...
Anyone have any ideas on how to deal with the following scenario?
My hubby and I spent a number of months renovating an old house. This, naturally caused some problems with the neighbours as there were noise issues. We kept to the hours of work on the planning (0730-1800hrs Mon-Fri & 0800-1300 on Sat) on all occasions except for three times, twice when there was plastering being done and they couldn't stop mid way through and once on a Sunday when we had a gas leak and we had to call the plumber around.
We moved in approximately 2 months ago, and all has been quiet. We have spoken to the neighbours on one side, and they seem happy that we are quiet and normal, and that there is no longer any construction noise. They even called over with a bottle of wine, which was a lovely gesture and very welcome.
Over the last few weeks I've noticed that bread has been thrown over the (other side) neighbours wall into our yard and onto our flat roof. When I've seen it I've swept it up and thrown it back over the wall. I'm not a fan of pigeons, I consider them vermin, although I have no problem with the neighbour feeding them on her own property if that's what she wants to do. I'm also worried about the bread attracting rats, as I live in an urban area and I'm sure there are rats everywhere, so I don't want to encourage them.
This evening I noticed more bread thrown on the roof so I got out to sweep it up and spotted the neighbour in the upstairs bedroom, looking out with the window open - I suspected she had just finished throwing out the bread as it hadn't been there thirty minutes earlier. I asked her if she would mind feeding the birds on her own property, to which she replied "the birds were there before you came along" and then went on to rant about the 9 months (it was 7 actually, but I didn't want to go splitting hairs) of work on the house.
I apologised and said that I understood it must have been difficult, but at the same time we needed to get the work done. She continued to rant at me and told me that if she wanted to feed the birds she would and if some of her bread "fell" onto the roof (which could only be reached from an upstairs window), then what could she do? And yes, there are plenty of rats around here but not to worry about it as we won't be around here much longer (I'm not sure if this was supposed to be a veiled threat).
There was no more talking to her and she shut the window and went off. But I'm not really sure how to deal with the situation now. Her main aim is obviously to annoy us, and now that she realises it's working she might step up her game. I don't want to get into a conflict or a tit-for-tat situation.
Is there anyway you can deter birds from your property, short of using a scarecrow?! Perhaps something they don't like the smell or sound of?
Cheers for any suggestions, I don't think the option of talking to her will work, which I would consider under normal circumstances. If she is still this annoyed 10 weeks after work is finished, I think it will take another while for her to calm down.
Pia Bang
Anyone have any ideas on how to deal with the following scenario?
My hubby and I spent a number of months renovating an old house. This, naturally caused some problems with the neighbours as there were noise issues. We kept to the hours of work on the planning (0730-1800hrs Mon-Fri & 0800-1300 on Sat) on all occasions except for three times, twice when there was plastering being done and they couldn't stop mid way through and once on a Sunday when we had a gas leak and we had to call the plumber around.
We moved in approximately 2 months ago, and all has been quiet. We have spoken to the neighbours on one side, and they seem happy that we are quiet and normal, and that there is no longer any construction noise. They even called over with a bottle of wine, which was a lovely gesture and very welcome.
Over the last few weeks I've noticed that bread has been thrown over the (other side) neighbours wall into our yard and onto our flat roof. When I've seen it I've swept it up and thrown it back over the wall. I'm not a fan of pigeons, I consider them vermin, although I have no problem with the neighbour feeding them on her own property if that's what she wants to do. I'm also worried about the bread attracting rats, as I live in an urban area and I'm sure there are rats everywhere, so I don't want to encourage them.
This evening I noticed more bread thrown on the roof so I got out to sweep it up and spotted the neighbour in the upstairs bedroom, looking out with the window open - I suspected she had just finished throwing out the bread as it hadn't been there thirty minutes earlier. I asked her if she would mind feeding the birds on her own property, to which she replied "the birds were there before you came along" and then went on to rant about the 9 months (it was 7 actually, but I didn't want to go splitting hairs) of work on the house.
I apologised and said that I understood it must have been difficult, but at the same time we needed to get the work done. She continued to rant at me and told me that if she wanted to feed the birds she would and if some of her bread "fell" onto the roof (which could only be reached from an upstairs window), then what could she do? And yes, there are plenty of rats around here but not to worry about it as we won't be around here much longer (I'm not sure if this was supposed to be a veiled threat).
There was no more talking to her and she shut the window and went off. But I'm not really sure how to deal with the situation now. Her main aim is obviously to annoy us, and now that she realises it's working she might step up her game. I don't want to get into a conflict or a tit-for-tat situation.
Is there anyway you can deter birds from your property, short of using a scarecrow?! Perhaps something they don't like the smell or sound of?
Cheers for any suggestions, I don't think the option of talking to her will work, which I would consider under normal circumstances. If she is still this annoyed 10 weeks after work is finished, I think it will take another while for her to calm down.
Pia Bang
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