[FOURALLOFUS]

Hi! I am looking for suggestions or opinions - to make a long story super short, my next door neighbor, since the day I moved in, has advised me of what I can and can not use to clean, wash, treat, etc. on and in my property to prevent bugs - which seem to be coming from her house - due to her "allergies". She seems to be selectively allergic to anything and everything a normal person would use while I have tried to be sensitive to her request, she has no respect for ours. She has used bleach on the front porch/patio knowing I have 3 young children that play on our side of the porch, she has burnt candelas that she knows irritate my respiratory ailment, and the secondhand smoke is so unbearable, that I can not open my windows. From what I know about people with asthma and all the ailments she claims she and her family have, she should not be alive with the cleaners and what not she uses, but if I spray Raid to prevent the bugs from entering my house due to her poorly kept property, she verbal attacks my, cussing me, and has candelas threatened me with filing a criminal complaint. The police and board of health have already been to another neighbors house due to her complaints, and state she must take us to court - there is nothing the police can do, but they have asked us to let her know when we are treating our property -- while I can respect this, she does not do the same in return, so I have finally decided since she is not my landlord/mortgage holder, I do not owe her anything. Is it illegal to use an over the counter bug spray (Raid) that states is not harmful to animals or pets on the can? Can I file a complaint or press charges against her? She seems to be big on protecting our environment, but sees nothing wrong with smoking, allowing her children to smoke, burning strong scented candelas that do nothing but bother a few of us that have respiratory problems, clean the patio (cement) with bleach (only when the young kids 1,2,5 are outside)?
Now mind you, we live across the street from a huge open field which gets landscaped and up kept by the township, but this doesn't seem to bother her asthma or ailments, but god forbid Terminx or the Lawn Doctor come our, she literally goes crazy screaming profanities.
Any suggestion? Moving is not an option for us, nor is it for our neighbors.
Just an FYI - we are the 5th family to move into this house with in a 5 yr time frame - apparently we know wy now.
Thanks!

[rsain2004]

Are you in an "attached" house, purchasing or renting?

[Synnen]

Call your landlord.

In many cases, the landlord is responsible for removing pests, and then she can complain to HIM about the allergy issues.

[FOURALLOFUS]

Are you in an "attached" house, purchasing or renting?

We are in a townhome as a lease/purchase tenant.

[rsain2004]

Perhaps whomever you are leasing from could help... If you can, keep a logbook (a spiral bound notebook will do) recording the details and date/time of each incident. Video recording would help... Any public disturbance should be reported. The only solution, as she has obviously "won" several times before you moved in, is to prove you are tougher than she... That means use the legal system, she's afraid to... Act in accordance with EPA and local codes when using chemicals. She must adhere to local housing cleanliness requirements. Review your leasing agreement, and avoid giving her any "stones" to throw at you. Keep records and seek legal relief if you plan on staying there... Good luck...

[jb348956]

There's nothing illegal about using over the counter bug spray. If she does not honor any of your requests don't honor any of hers. Let her try to take you to court and the court would laugh at her. She sounds like a bully and she is only trying to intimidate you with this talk of filing criminal complaints. You can't have a criminal complaint without a crime so just tell her to buy a gas mask or hazmat suit, and go on with your lives as if she does not exist, that will really piss her off.