Thank you everyone. I know this guy's in the wrong here, but I'm with you, Tangutica, on not knowing how far he'll go. He's played the 'I've got kids' card-- I've seen his kids. They're teenagers. If they're so delicate they can't handle a bark at 10:30 at night, then he seriously needs to get them some medical attention and not live on the street in Scotland with the most urban foxes anywhere. As far as I know, the kids are fine-- I've not met them.

He's new-- he moved in while we were away in France. We own our flat. Our dogs are well known and well regarded in the area. No one has ever had a problem with them. They bark only when things happen in the close or the street, just like normal dogs. I'm hoping the police will see it that way. But if he threatens me again, I do think I should call them to talk about my options.

I don't even know if the guy is staying in the property legitimately. The owner (who is lovely) has moved out & the flat hasn't been sold (couldn't, until the roof work was finished, which is only just has been). I don't know where these people came from, but we've been here for years and it's a bit much having this newbie screaming up the stairs at me. I'm afraid to take them out at night. And what about the lady with the little kid on the ground floor? She can't be too happy with him yelling and being all aggressive.

I don't want to overreact, but this is seriously bad.

Thanks Tessabelle-- I'm going to have my phone on Record every time I go out. That way if he shouts at me I have it live, time, date, and geo-stamped.

Think about involving the Council & getting an ASBO the link is to a Scottish advice centre BTW

How about talking to the other neighbours? Maybe he's harrassing them for some other strange reason, too. Then a joint complaint surely would be helpful.

Or maybe some other neighbour gets along well / good enough with him to have a word with him, telling him to calm down and that none of the other residents mind your dogs behaviour.

I'm totally with you about having a chat with the police. It all sounds a bit strange how he's suddenly moved in there doesn't it, you never know, he could even be squatting! Have you got a contact number for the lady who owns the property at all, as that would be a good starting point. I do hope she hasn't let it out and you're stuck with them for a year or longer, cos nowadays, I think they have to sign up for a year to rent don't they?

I'd feel very uncomfortable living around this aggressive man and why should he upset you and your routine when you own your flat

Good luck with greeting the dogs tonight I hope it doesn't set him off and I hope he doesn't harrass you even more.

My neighbour lets her dogs out at 11pm and they both bark and race up the top of the garden where the fox lurks late at night, but then that's life isn't it, I live with it, I wouldn't dream of complaining about it. My dog barks profusely out the front when anyone dares to walk along our little sliproad, even the neighbours can't come home and park on their drive without her barking, but they just laugh at her and tell her to be quiet and then she shuts up. To have a legitimate complaint, barking dogs have to be constantly barking which gets annoying, so you've got nothing whatsoever to worry about imo.

According to the Dog Warden that contacted me about the complaint about my dogs barking it is 20 minutes or more contstant barking

Sounds like a good idea.

Love the recording idea! you clever cookie!

I own my flat too, but it's leasehold and there is a 'management' company for the 6 flats, 4 of which are rented out; do you have something similar?
My upstairs neighbour is pretty unstable and I know that if things were to worsen with him (noise disturbance/behaviour) then I wouldn't hesitate to contact the company director to speak to his landlord. Similarly to you though, the woman downstairs is very lonely and likes nothing more than to make life difficult for people. on the odd occasion that I have to have the dogs at the flat with me I am utterly paranoid about 'upsetting' her. She came up to my front door once to have a pop about something else and Bentley, sensing her anger, tried to protect me. She contacted the management company to complain that my dogs were defecating on the grass at the front of the flats which was making her sick....which was ridiculous as they hadn't actually pooped anywhere near the flat for weeks (I love my well trained poopers! ) I actually won't leave my flat if she's outside as I don't want to interact with her, missed my train to work the other day as I was waiting so long!

Just realised you're in Scotland and I know property is different for you....really hope you can get this sorted

Ha! I don't think I could get them to bark for 20 straight minutes if I tried. They wouldn't do that even when the roofers were here, and they're certainly not used to guys pushing wheelbarrows past our top-floor windows and banging around like crazy!

Apparently he is a friend of the owner. My husband has his e-mail address, and has made gentle queries. The owner lived below us for years and never had a problem with the dogs; neither do the ones across the hall from him. I haven't seen them much yet since we got back (still have to give them their France goodies for watering our plants!) but I don't think they'd be too keen on shouting up the stairs. As for the ground floor lady, I just hope he isn't bullying her. She's a quiet sort of person and though she often has family around it's just her and her little boy, who must be about 4.

I've been avoiding him-- taking them out earlier. We do go out once a week and one biweekly for a gaming night with friends, usually getting back around 10:30; that's a perfectly civilised time, isn't it? Then it's the both of us, though. I do not feel comfortable using the stairs at night on my own, not even strapped to three dogs. They certainly would bark if some huge guy came out and yelled at them.

Good to know he hasn't a leg to stand on. I think we'll stick with the gently, gently approach and see how it goes from here, but I won't hesitate to call for help if he gets worse/stays awful.

Thanks Tessabelle! As it is our building is unfactored-- the owners manage it ourselves (kind of difficult, as only one of us-- us-- actually live here). We do know the owner of the downstairs flat, and he would never countenance obnoxious behaviour, but we've only had brief contact with him of late. We've only just returned from 2 months abroad. Nice welcome home, eh?

I totally hear you about not wanting to leave. I was supposed to be going around to a friend's last night but didn't, as it would have meant coming up the stairs on my own at around half ten. My husband was there, but someone will woof as soon as they hear me on the stairs and it's a question of who gets to the door first, him or me. So I didn't go.

Mine won't poop in the garden either-- not unless they've got the squits, and the big one not even then!

Thanks everyone-- this guy's making me sad and you are helping me feel better.