To resent our benefit claiming neighbours?

[kerala]

I worked really hard for 6 years for the deposit to this flat. DH is still slaving away doing 12 hour days (at least) to pay the mortgage and support us.

Our noisy neighbours have been given the flat next door to live in by the council. It is the same as ours. They spend the afternoons messing about in the garden with their DCs, drinking stella, smoking hash and destroying the peace of the neighbourhood. They keep fighting dogs because the council pays all the vets bills for them.

My DH would love to spend time at home with us. but trots off everyday to work. I used to consider myself a left wing guardian type but beginning to resent the thousands I have paid in tax so my neighbours can loll around in the sun all day. They are all able bodied and we live in London so cant believe there no jobs they could get.

[newlifenewname]

I don't think comparing ourselves to others for the sake of analysing what we aren't fortunate enough to have/do is ever helpful. We rarely know the full facts and worrying about it just makes us more bitter.

[EscapeFrom]

The council doesn't pay the vet's bills of the pets of people who claim benefits.

Maybe you would feel happier if you lived next door to some really unhappy people instead?

[edam]

YABU, I'm afraid. You don't really know what their situation is and why they aren't working (or even if they are - maybe night shifts?). Just be glad we live in a country where there are benefits if, God forbid, anything happened to dh to affect his ability to earn a living.

I bet you wouldn't really like the reality of life on benefits either, have known people on benefits due to ill health and they have really struggled.

And I just don't believe the vet bills, that's not something councils cover. Do you mean they've taken their dogs to the PDSA charity?

[CharleeWeasley]

I don't think the benefits should be a issue here unless you know them personally then you can't judge thier situation but i agree there is no need to cause a great disturbence in the neighbourhood why don't you vomplain to the coucil if they are that bad.

[kerala]

Hmmmmmm

To us spending time together is more important than material things. Maybe dh should stop working and claim benefits too so we can see more of each other?

[newlifenewname]

Indeed. After all it would be your choice just as it is theirs

[EscapeFrom]

Well yes, Kerale, maybe you should.

[Desiderata]

Does this noise run on into the night?

[expatinscotland]

Having shite neighbours sucks.

[EscapeFrom]

Then people could come and start bitter and snide topics on the internet about you! Who needs pride and your own, owned house when you can be happy in the knowledge that plenty of people think you are scum?

[persephonesnape]

and then i can work even harder and pay more tax, and see less of my children, to support you and your 'layabout' husband as well.

i think you're being a little bit unreasonable, but not a lot. you don't knopw if they have any disabilities that you can't see and that prevent them from working.

I'm back at work today after three weeks off and feel liek goingh back home to my back garden and playing with my kids as well.

[LIZS]

How long have you been there ? Presumably they are either in "social housing" on a newish development or you purchased an ex council property ? I think you are jumping to conclusions about the vet's bills and probably don't know the full facts althgouh I can see why you may be irritated by their apparent lifestyle but maybe you are stereotyping them. If you have a complaint about their noise, drug abuse or the dogs by all means lodge a complaint with council or police.

[Tortington]

yes stop working claim benefits - i mean this working for al iving lark is soooooooooo over rated - much like OWNING your own flat........SOOOOOOOOOOOOO over rated.

i mean the pension you get when you retire with work is sooooooooooo over rated. the self worth confidence soooooo over rated. the conribution to society to enable to truly deserving to get access to the NHS and other benefits ............god this country is the pits.................. i mean the really rubbish thing is that when you die your children will get cash from the flat to enable them to have hopefully an easy ride on the property ladder .........yeah but fuck it.......... bottle white lightning, no hopes , dreams, prospects, no social concience or pride. yeah they so have the better life.

[WaynettaSlob]

Well I know I am going to be in the minority, but on the face of it YANBU - it would annoy me too (I know there could be legit reasons etc, but without knowing them, we are judging on the basis of what we see)(and isn't that part of the joy of MN??

[Saturn74]

What is that most irritates you about them?
If it is the noise, and the noise is at an unacceptable level, you can report them to the council.

However, if you are irritated because they spend their afternoons in their garden with their children, I think you're just going to have to put up with it.

What do you mean by 'fighting dogs'? If they really own dogs that they allow to fight other dogs, you can report that too.

[margoandjerry]

I don't think you are being unreasonable but you might be wrong about the dogs. I have never heard of the council paying anyone's vet bills.

[GoingThroughChanges]

Not many parents have the time/take the time to spend an afternoon in the garden with their kids these days, so well done them

Don't be too judgemental

[EscapeFrom]

You know, I don't know one person who doesn't hate being on benefits. Not one.

But it's comforting to know that when I finally manage to get a bloody job, and some childcare to fit around a job, maybe maybe then the assumptions about what an easy life I have will stop.

[onlyjoking9329]

Kerala, think yourself lucky that you don't live next door to us. think how annoyed you would be to listen to my kids giggling all day long, i am sure the squeekyness of the trampoline would drive you mad, that and the certain knowlege that you personally paid for it out of your taxes
you see on the surface we are just a normal family two adults and three kids, we don't go out to work we survive on benefits and we have a shiney new car outside. BUT life is not that straight forward.

[Kathyis6incheshigh]

If they are spending time with their children whilst drunk and stoned that's hardly quality time though, is it GoingThroughChanges?

[sheepgomeep]

i hate being on benefits
I've never been so poor in my life

[kerala]

Am happy for them playing with the children in the garden of course am not a total meanie! Its the gangsta rap/rubbish over the fence/dog fights I dont like. Have spoken to them about it but been told to f off.

FWIW they told me the council pays for their dogs.

Just seems odd that people are given flats in central London. Never mind - they are moving on soon as they are having another baby so being given a bigger house.

I always understood life on benefits was very hard am not totally naive and believe people that need help should get it. I used to do high street law and worked with alot of benefit claimants. Just this lot are driving me mad!! And hard to ignore and live and let live as I usually do due to the noise.

[niceglasses]

The noise has nothing to do with them claiming benefits. Get a grip. How prejudiced can you be?

Separate the noise issue from your class prejudice and deal with it.

[kerala]

The class prejudice thing cuts both ways. They shout abuse to us along the lines that we are "posh c*" because we have a window box...

Also we are hardly "posh"!

[eleusis]

Kerala,
I too work hard for a living. (12 hour days are common) And I too resent people who are perfectly able to work but can't be bothered and get tax payer support to fund the things that the people paying taxes can't afford (like staying home all day to play with the kids).

However, I don't know these people or their circumstances so can't comment. I suspect, however, that your neighbor knows how you feel and told you that the council pays the vet bills just to piss you off.

I would prefer that benefits were effort based for those able to work and not need based. So, help them if they are making an effort to support themselves. The current system just promotes people staying on benefits.

I know it's not much money and I know some people don't enjoy it. But clearly for many people it is simply a way of life. It's all they know, and they don't really strive to get out. Why they feel this way I could never even begin to understand.