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I rent a terraced house, with shared walls, I moved in six months ago. One of my neighbours is excessively loud, playing loud music at all times of the day and night. I am not a very social person, so I don't really have any interaction with any neighbours, including this one. Two months ago, I reported the noise violation to the council, and received no response until this week (which I will address later in this post).
A few weeks ago, I heard running water in my neighbour's home over the course of several hours, and noticed their car wasn't home. I assumed there was either a water leak, or someone fell in the shower or bath. Partially out of concern for their safety and partially out of concern for structural damage to both our homes, I called the police and reported that no one was home and I heard water running. The police arrived and broke down their door, a reaction I did not expect, I assumed they would just contact the landlord and try to obtain a key. The leak turned out to be nothing serious. Two days later, they came home and saw that their door had been broken down by the police. Since then, they have been giving me angry looks whenever they see me outside.
The situation really escalated the other day. I received a letter from the council saying they are investigating the noise complaint, and the neighbour received the same letter. I was in the park walking my dog right by the house, and I heard someone yelling. I turned around and it was my neighbour, irate about being reported to the council. I said nothing except mentioned to him that I'm moving in three weeks. He responded by telling me to 'watch my back', and that 'all the neighbours think I'm a pedophile.' This accusation is completely untrue. I am not a pedophile, I am a married man (he is aware of this), and I've never even had a child in my home. My wife was on the phone with me when this confrontation happened and heard the entire thing (she and I do not currently live together most of the year since she is American).
Because I take these sorts of accusations very seriously, I contacted the police and informed them that he has been spreading false rumours with neighbours and threatening me, and that I am concerned for my safety, since there are people who will attack someone they believe to be a pedophile. This morning, the police visited my home and informed me that my neighbour called the police and accused me of threatening him with a knife (another untrue accusation). I do own a knife, but it never leaves my home, as I told the police. My neighbour did see the knife once, I was using it to remove dead plants from the garden when I first moved in and he came over for a drink. The police asked to see the knife, and I showed it to them voluntarily.
The police officer said they are making further inquiries into that matter, but I am worried about the threat of being arrested due to his false accusations. I'm planning to visit my wife in a few weeks, and an arrest means I will likely be denied entry into the US and won't be able to visit her for a very long time, if ever. I am worried that he will have false witnesses making false accusations against me, especially if he is friends with some of the other neighbours and has already been spreading rumours about me.
I'm not sure what more I should do at this point. There was one person who was a witness to the confrontation, she was at the bus stop and would have seen/heard everything, or at least could verify that I didn't threaten him with a weapon. I don't know her, but I was able to give the police a description of her. I have been completely forthcoming with the police, and I've decided to record any further conversations this neighbour and I have, but I don't know what more I could do to protect myself from such accusations.
A few weeks ago, I heard running water in my neighbour's home over the course of several hours, and noticed their car wasn't home. I assumed there was either a water leak, or someone fell in the shower or bath. Partially out of concern for their safety and partially out of concern for structural damage to both our homes, I called the police and reported that no one was home and I heard water running. The police arrived and broke down their door, a reaction I did not expect, I assumed they would just contact the landlord and try to obtain a key. The leak turned out to be nothing serious. Two days later, they came home and saw that their door had been broken down by the police. Since then, they have been giving me angry looks whenever they see me outside.
The situation really escalated the other day. I received a letter from the council saying they are investigating the noise complaint, and the neighbour received the same letter. I was in the park walking my dog right by the house, and I heard someone yelling. I turned around and it was my neighbour, irate about being reported to the council. I said nothing except mentioned to him that I'm moving in three weeks. He responded by telling me to 'watch my back', and that 'all the neighbours think I'm a pedophile.' This accusation is completely untrue. I am not a pedophile, I am a married man (he is aware of this), and I've never even had a child in my home. My wife was on the phone with me when this confrontation happened and heard the entire thing (she and I do not currently live together most of the year since she is American).
Because I take these sorts of accusations very seriously, I contacted the police and informed them that he has been spreading false rumours with neighbours and threatening me, and that I am concerned for my safety, since there are people who will attack someone they believe to be a pedophile. This morning, the police visited my home and informed me that my neighbour called the police and accused me of threatening him with a knife (another untrue accusation). I do own a knife, but it never leaves my home, as I told the police. My neighbour did see the knife once, I was using it to remove dead plants from the garden when I first moved in and he came over for a drink. The police asked to see the knife, and I showed it to them voluntarily.
The police officer said they are making further inquiries into that matter, but I am worried about the threat of being arrested due to his false accusations. I'm planning to visit my wife in a few weeks, and an arrest means I will likely be denied entry into the US and won't be able to visit her for a very long time, if ever. I am worried that he will have false witnesses making false accusations against me, especially if he is friends with some of the other neighbours and has already been spreading rumours about me.
I'm not sure what more I should do at this point. There was one person who was a witness to the confrontation, she was at the bus stop and would have seen/heard everything, or at least could verify that I didn't threaten him with a weapon. I don't know her, but I was able to give the police a description of her. I have been completely forthcoming with the police, and I've decided to record any further conversations this neighbour and I have, but I don't know what more I could do to protect myself from such accusations.
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