Sorry another complaint but i could cry

Complaints Corner
21
My Swiss mother in law is 89 but very active & social. She has one dog & when she goes out for the day, she leaves him alone, up to 4, 5, 6 hours. He is fine, used to it and there is no problem. It's your neighbor. Unfortunately these kinds of people are rampant in Switzerland. No idea why, they have nothing better to do I guess. Try not to let it get to you so much, this is what they want.

22
I can do that with my dog. But she is a chihuahua. She sleeps all day that I am there or not. Playing with her means throwing her toy 3-4 times until she is bored and go back to sleep.

And she is only 3.

23
Our dachsie is 16+, but he does bark constantly if we leave him- and he would be a total nightmare if we had neighbours who could hear him. If I was a neighbour of mine- I would complain- but I have no direct neighbours who can hear him- at all. He will be left tomorrow as I go to see the surgeon- and he will definitely bark and bark (he sleeps like a log when we are with him). (we inherited him too late to train him properly- so it is just as well nobody will hear him tomorrow!). Some dogs do bark when left, and if there are several and they set each other off- it could be quite unpleasant for neighbours, even those that like dogs).

24
you must be so frustrated, since you have a child i hope that isn't the next person the complainer goes after. Could get worse, sad to say.

I hope you can figure out who this is and put an end to it

25
Oh, yeah.

This is just begging for a visit from the KESB.

That would really be the kicker.

26
Sad thing, first thing I thought at least it was for the dog I've heard of a few mothers having issues with people in their buildings making fraud calls about babies crying all day etc

27
Hmmm

Yes but i cant see them going after my child we have a glowing report from school she speaks amazing german and lovely polite little girl

28

So true, all depends on the animal. I used to help care for a neighbors dog back home, the dog suffered from severe separation anxieties after being rescued from abuse. Despite going to a loving caring home he really couldn't be left alone without disturbing the whole block. A few of us took turns to mind him when his new owner/parents had to go to work. Good luck with your surgeon tomorrow!!!

29
So its not even 5am in the morning and ive been up all night worrying about this situation ( i hope who it is is happy with themselves ) after the comments im wondering whether to contact the police for harrassment, what are your thoughts? Do you think this would work?

Just for maybe those that dont know about this ive been here 5 years lve never had anyone say anything about my dogs in oerlikon zug and wallisellen but as soon as i moved to wetzikon the problem started, the lady at the the bottom of our flat quickly informed me that English people were dirty then our car was dirty then we put a dog poo ( in seeled up bag in the 'wrong bin' ) despite her putting heep loads of baby nsppies in the bin in the hot summer days! Then our car was unclean in the carpark ( a few mud marks) Then we recieve a dog poo in our letterbox, not the nicest of gifts! then the anonymous calls for 1 year to our flat agency which eventually i cleared up after letters and letters a phone calls, so not happy with that they call the RSPCA ( swiss version) again anonymous person, really now do not know what to do? Im trying to do cluedo, theres 9 flats 4 people moved out so thats 5 ( the woman at the bottom who calls me dirty is still here ) my direct next door neighbour i confronted him directly asking if the dogs were a problem and he said no i cant think he would lie, lady below has a big loud barking dog so i doubt it be her which leaves 3! My life is littetly a living hell, i barely go out only to fitness center and back i NEVER leave my dogs for more than 2 hours, theyve even complsined when weve been in france over christmas ( the dogs with us ) and ive been sick at home all bew year with them im getting so frustrated now

30

relax .... a maddening neighbour again

31
Thankyou, but no i cant about this one, im normally relaxed chiiled out kind if person but when it comes to my animals i am NOT prepared to take this BS, its all i do here! Ive got pictures and pictures of me with them around pffaffikasee, they are spoilt rotten, i am not working at the moment they are never alone for long, in the UK i had a pug and labrador i worked full time for NHS and popped in every lunch ( felt guilty ) gave my neighbour a key to see thrm if there was a problem, here is the opposite and i keep getting this crap, not being funny but they are my only hobby apart from running and im a black belt at tarkwondo lol maybe i rekindle this and kill them ( although they are f**cking anonymous )

Im sorry for the rant anger ect but its tea time 6pm trying to feed my daughter burnt a risotto and some gimp inspecting the apartment ( unanounced ) even checked the dragons vivarium and our tarantulas terrium, totally unfair

32

reminded me of Mrs F... who was sugarsweet to us boys during the day ... and then in the evening wrote complaint letters to the house administration about those noise making boys

33
Sure, that's clear. I hope the inspector was polite, and didn't treat you as guilty until proven innocent.

Does that mean exactly "In this capacity they have the right to unrestricted access to living spaces". Or is there some legal mechanism by which they obtain the right to come in?

34
To be quite honest im DONE with this stupid 'anonymous' person, i mind my oen business i do nothing wrong, at least if they gave a problem why not say what it is and who they are??

Our balcony is covered with a wooden cover, even if our dogs did poo it would be impossible to see, which they do not that is my place to sit spring/summer and keep it nice ( i took the inspector out on it last night to see )

Really are some horrible people about im hoping now this inspectors seen the flat it stops

As for leaving them alone the complaint came through over christmas when we was in france and we took them with us, ive been sick with flu for a week so been in 24/7 and my fella has come out of work to walk them for me so how the hell they been on their own??

Ive just got a bit better and been the gym 2 hours and straight home

35
On the positive side the inspector found no problem in your flat so any complaints they get in future will be ignored.

Hope you have a better day today. I would still try to work out who it is. It's likely this person has done the same to other people.

36
Not sure about this, But are you a member of the Mietverband (Asloca here)- the tenant's association. TBH, I would never live in a flat in CH without being a member, for so many reasons. But this could be one of them.

Now you've had an inspection by the animal people- why don't you go and talk to the Mietverband and ask for their advice on how to discuss the matter with your landlord/agency, whether one of their advisors can come with you to visit that person and then follow up with a letter.

And please, don't take this wrong- I feel for you- but you now need to count to 100 and calm down- if you are that wound up (and I totally get why)- it's not helping anyone. Bonne chance, take care.

(off to see that surgeon now- terrified).

37
Good luck Odile!

38
I'm sorry this is happening to you, it sounds so stressful.

I second the suggestion to join the Mieterverband, they're very helpful and know their stuff.

If you can manage to move apartments, I'd recommend it! From personal experience I know that living in a stressful environment has a much bigger impact on you than you even realize while you're in the midst of it - moving somewhere new would probably have a huge positive impact on you!

39

Wow. Crazy way to live. Along with other posters, if you can move, do it - life is too short. Easy for me to say but you have to switch your mind - if you start feeling sorry for the anonymous person who clearly has no life and/or needs to get laid and/or is just a nutter; then maybe you'll feel a little less stressed. Find the funny side of it all.

Personally I wouldn't fight fire with fire. Instead, I'd go on a charm campaign. Dress your daughter in her cutest outfit, take her along to present a little gift to the potential culprits, muster some basic German to say hello and I'm so grateful for the help you've given us since we lived here (even though you don't really think it)

We had a super grumpy neighbour when we were in an apartment block in Baar. Horrible. Rude. Very much against Auslanders. Our repeated niceness and sickly sweetness and little gifts and kind gestures more or less embarrassed her into coming around. In front of other neighbours I would thank her for being such a kind and helpful neighbour who was working so hard to help us settle into her beautiful country. After an 8 month campaign from us, we become friends who would dine together. Go figure! The best bit - because I regarded all her nastiness initially as part of a game, and I was always thinking of ways to ooze sweetness to her; I didn't get stressed about her bitchiness anymore.

The other thing we did quickly when we moved into our little village - we held a summer BBQ and a winter cakes & tea session and invited every single neighbour. I know its not usual Swiss practice, and maybe they were just curious to see how the foreigners lived, but they came, had fun, and we've actually made some good friends and very helpful contacts from it.

Good luck!

40
And the bit I forgot to add - through it all we've had kitty cats. All used to wandering and very friendly, and we don't contain them just within our property boundaries.

Initially, at both the apartment, and here in the house, we had neighbours who were clear that they didn't like filthy, bird hunting, cats. One even muttered something about the need for poison!

At both locations, we've also distributed little gifts "from the cats" to say sorry for any annoyance/noise/wandering into your house; and we've had no issues or complaints from the cat haters. In fact when one of the cats died last year from a road accident, we had some of those neighbours leaving condolence notes in the letterbox, and this Christmas 2 of them gave new collars as presents.

This might all sound a bit "Pollyanna", but it sure does work around here.