Neighbor Keeps Calling Police on You For No Reason? Do This!

You may be having a relaxing day at home when suddenly you hear a knock on the door and see that it’s the police. It turns out that someone’s made a complaint against you (again) and you keep on wondering what you did wrong. Why does this keep happening? Why does my neighbor keep calling the police on me for no reason?

If your neighbor repeatedly calls the police on you for no legitimate reason, the first thing you might want to do is try talking to that neighbor to discuss any issues he or she may have with you. If proper communication doesn’t work, legal action may be necessary, especially if harassment is involved.

If dealing with an obnoxious neighbor who keeps calling the cops and reporting you without a valid reason is stressing you out, it’s time to take action. This article will provide you with some form of help on how you can deal with the situation, starting from the simplest form of communication to taking the matter to court.

IMPORTANT: Please note that tips explained in this post are not meant to substitute legal advice. It’s still best to consult an attorney.

How Do You Deal With Police Calling Neighbors?

The problem of having neighbors call on you is quite common. If you do a simple search on “my neighbor keeps calling the police,” you’ll likely find stories on forums from people who have dealt with this problem. 

Most of the time, these are noise complaints reported, but then many would argue that the noise wasn’t loud enough to disturb anyone. Still, a neighbor can report you if the “noise” you make seems to be getting on their nerves.

Many others experienced being reported even for the simplest of things, like having a girlfriend over or simply just how a person looks. There are als some who  are being falsely accused because a neighbor generally doesn’t like them. In this case, how do you deal with someone who can’t stand your presence and seemingly wants you to be in trouble, out of the way or embarrassed? 

There are several possible ways to address the situation:

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Talk to Your Neighbor

The very first thing you don’t want to do is to be too reactive to your neighbor’s complaints. Instead, remain calm and be civilized as much as possible. You might want to empathize with the neighbor first, acknowledging the fact that they must have been so upset to make a police call.

Then start asking for details as to what their problem is. For instance, you may want to ask the date and time of when his issue with you happened. Ask them in what way did your actions affect them. Sometimes, your neighbor might knock on your door and tell you outright that he or she has a problem with you.

If both of you can’t talk it out at that moment, you might want to leave your contact number with your neighbor to make it easier for them to notify you if they don’t like what you’re doing, such as playing music loud enough for others to hear, bringing friends over and having drinking parties. In general, just be a nice and polite neighbor, even if they may not be so nice to you.

Talk to the Police

Take a trip down to the police station and talk to someone in charge. This way, they’ll know that you are taking things seriously and you want to solve an issue. Review the report your neighbor made and ask the supervisor what you can do to remedy the situation. When doing this, always remain calm and act professionally.

Document Your Interactions.

Keep proof of all your interactions with your neighbor. You can write it down, have a voice recording, or install a CCTV camera for more solid evidence. This proof can be taken to the station as you converse with the police, as in point #2.

Move Out

This may be the last resort but some people with neighbor problems will find it easier if they move out. That way, there’s no stress of having to argue with a neighbor or getting regular knocks on your door. If you’re one who doesn’t want to go down without a fight, this option is not suitable.

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Can You Sue Someone For Calling The Police On You For No Reason?

You can sue anyone you want even if it’s groundless. But the question is, can you win the lawsuit? Will it be worth spending thousands of dollars working with an attorney to put an end to the problem?

Suing your neighbor for calling on you may not be the best and first option to fix the issue. But when talking didn’t help, you can get the authorities involved. However, be sure that you are able to provide documents or recordings that should support your complaint. 

Explain to the authorities all the steps you’ve taken just to avoid going to war with your neighbor. You can even enlist the help of your friends or other neighbors who have your side. If you are renting, try to see if the landlord can also support you.

Ask the authorities if individual complaints against your neighbor is necessary. On the other hand, you can file a lawsuit against said neighbor if he or she is starting to harass you.

Do Police Tell Who Called Them?

What if the roles were reversed? You may be thinking, “I called the police on my neighbors.” Will they know it’s me who made the call? Will the police tell? If it was you who made the call, don’t worry. Your neighbor or anyone you complained about will not know that you made the report.

Police officers who drop by the location will not mention your name specifically. Instead, they will say something along the lines of “We’ve received a complaint…” without naming names. 

If you worry about giving your real name to the police, rest assured that no one is likely to find out or the police won’t purposely reveal it. So, you can and you should give your name.

In some instances though, neighbors may find out that you called the police on them. Either the police told them (inadvertently or intentionally), or someone else caught wind of it. It’s good news if your neighbor won’t do something about it other than talk, but it is possible that harassment could result.

If you have a neighbor who is usually hot-tempered, and he learned that you called the cops on him, he could go after you. Worse, you might be dealing with threats and taunts. If that’s stressing you, that’s the time to get the police involved.

How Do You Get A Neighbor To Stop Harassing You?

If you’re being harassed by a neighbor, whether you’re the one being called on or the one doing the report, know that there are actions you can take to make the harassment stop.

• Communicate – This should always be the first step in every dispute. Both parties can come to an agreement or compromise if they only talk it out properly.

• Get Help From the Landlord – If you live in an apartment and have proof of the harassment, you can always talk to your landlord and ask for help. Your landlord could force evict someone because of their unpleasant behavior. Your landlord can also bear witness to the harassment should this escalate to court.

• Seek Mediation – When talking won’t do anything, it’s best to consult mediation experts. This would be the next step to take before you take things to the next level – a legal case. Sometimes mediation can produce quicker results at a cheaper price.

Conclusion: What To Do If Someone Keeps Calling The Police On You?

Conflicts with someone who lives close to you can be both annoying and stressful – the latter of which is more pronounced if you recently moved in. You would want to know by all means what to do if your neighbor keeps calling the police for no reason.

When dealing with situations like these, remember that it’s best to remain calm and humble. Communication or talking it out with your neighbor will be the first step to resolving the issue. You might also want to reevaluate your actions and be honest with yourself. If communication doesn’t work and you are certain you didn’t do anything wrong, you might want to turn to mediation.

Know that suing your neighbor for repeatedly calling on you will not only cost you money but also your energy. Winning a lawsuit is not guaranteed as well. However, if your neighbor starts harassing you because the police can’t do anything about their reports, that’s when you start taking legal action.