Our immediate neighbours, the Brauns were thrust upon us in the autumn of 2016 and as you will read, if you continue, it has not been a happy experience for us, my wife and me, or any of the other families living in our quiet little close.
The patriarch of the family is a Jekyll & Hyde, on the surface a really pleasant, approachable and welcoming individual but, beneath the surface, vindictive, and devious usurer. We came to realise just how manipulative he could be and how his friendly, caring persona was just a front for his narcissism, entitlement and arrogance.
Mr Braun has had confrontations with other neighbours, some of them, extremely heated and loud. He seems to view everyone as inferior and will argue, often irrationally and belligerently with anyone that disagrees with him. The happy, smiling, friendly persona soon changes!
He, Mr Braun, is on record as saying "I am friends with my neighbours and respect my neighbours"" and "Our visitors disturb no one". Unfortunately, in our experience, nothing could be further from the truth!
He appears to have nothing but contempt for his neighbours and equally, the law. Laws do not appear to apply to him and he will do what he likes and will not be told that he is wrong. Any disputes end up with him playing the victim and blaming everyone but himself, including his own wife.
He has accused me of "Having no manners", "Sexual Abuse" of both him and his wife and my wife and me of being "Scum" but, if you read on, I'm sure you will see that my wife and I are not the guilty parties!
We have lived in our property since 1984 and have seen many families come and go over the years in the house next door and we have had excellent relations with almost all of them until the Braun family arrived. Our neighbours have included a farming couple, a Japanese family, a US Air Force Officer and his family, a Police Sergeant and his family, a couple going through a divorce, a technician working for the RAF, a plumber and family and now, the Brauns.
We welcomed the Brauns and found them pleasant and friendly and when the dust had settled after their moving-in experience I had a chat with Mr Braun to explain the ins and outs of our shared driveway especially the need to keep the access to the garages and most importantly, the street, clear at all times. We have a "right of way", as do they, over the main part of the drive and Mr Braun was only too pleased to assure me that they would never cause any problems... it took just 2 days for the first of multiple abuses of the "Right of way" to take place!
Since they moved in we have suffered continuous blocking of the shared driveway, disruption caused by an almost constant flow of contractors, builders and visitors, vehicles driven across our land, destruction of a professionally laid driveway, rudeness, belligerence, insults, rubbish dumped on the driveway and so much more.
All of the examples and incidents related here are fully documented and evidence has been collected in case we ever end up having to take our neighbour to court. Believe me, we have considered taking legal action on many occasions and we are advised that we would have really good case but, we are not vindictive people and prefer to sit it out, letting him dig an even deeper hole.
My wife and I are not alone as our neighbour has, for various reasons, upset most of the residents of our street and our other neighbours are fully aware of what has transpired between the Brauns and ourselves. Mr Braun does not help himself as he drives like a maniac up and down the close.
This whole experience has caused my wife and me extreme stress and upset over the years.