We live in a rented property in a block of flats: My wife suffers with many allergies, specifically plants and wheat. She has documentation from her hospital consultant. Recently she asked the gardeners, who come maybe once a month, to trim a shrub near our window. One of the buildings Directors was present but made no comment to the gardener. A few days later we receive a strongly worded letter from our Managing Agents forbidding us to speak to the gardeners, and also threatening that should we touch any plants ourselves this would be criminal damage and we might be evicted.
Since then the Directors have deliberately planted at least 6 new plants/bushes immediately outside of our bedroom and lounge windows, we are ground floor
Today they have even installed a cctv camera outside our window, presumably to watch guard over the plants. This bullying is having a toll on our anxiety and will make it difficult to have the windows open during the summer. My wife has lived here for more than 15 years and nothing has been planted before her innocent request to the gardeners
Is there anything we can do?
would be a shame if they were sprayed with a strong weed killer
@trefor1959
Ask citizens advice.
Well the garden is the responsibility of the managing agents not a tenant. So if there is anything about the garden you are unhappy with you do need to go through the managing agent. The gardener isnt paid by you.
You can contact the Landlord directly explaining the concerns you have with the managing agent’s behaviour and/or use the managing agent’s formal complaints procedure but dont hold out too much hope.
You can request cutting back or removal of the new plants citing the Landlord 's duty of care to tenants (there is legislation re health, @David122 may be able to quote, but again unlikely to be successful they will just say close the windows if it’s an issue - tho you can say unreasonable and unrealistic as that harms need for ventilation and reduces the facilities available.
The cctv may be an intrusion of privacy and certainly is affecting your right to 'quiet enjoyment ’ - ask for it to be removed
Keep a written contemporaneous record of all incidents and communications in case you need to make a claim based on harassment. There may be some no win no fee lawyers willing to take it on or if you call the council their enforcement people can order the landlord to sort it out. .
Good luck
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Thank you for the helpful replies
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@Colin3
Not a good idea unless @trefor1959 can be certain that that wouldnt be seen by the cctv..
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I think @David240 idea of treating it as a medical issue is potentially a good one. If you can get a note from your gp about the allergy and send it to the Directors with a request to move the plants on medical grounds, they would be very foolish not to take legal advice on the matter, which should be more objective.
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