Urgent advice needed - how to evict livery from hell

Oriel

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We've ended up being duped into offering a 'port in a storm' to a livery by another local YO. Turns out they are certainly not the decent types she said they were!! :mad:

We need to get them off the yard ASAP for various reasons - not least of which is for the sanity of our other liveries.

We haven't given them a contract (which we would do in normal circumstances) as it was never going to a long term stay.

Problem is that they are extremely abusive/aggressive. Over the last few days I've had abusive texts and phone calls right up to late evening. She really is a vile woman.

I know people will say tie the horses outside the yard and lock the gate but I've a nasty feeling we'd end up breaching a law of some sort.

Can anyone offer advice on what to do to evict her from the yard? We've already told her she and her friends and family are not to come onto the yard - they can go straight to the field to do their horses but that's all.

We'll probably have to enlist the services of a solicitor - can anyone recommend one who is experienced in the sort of situation who is in the West Sussex area?
 
Speak to the police about the abusive calls and messages. Tackle it a bit laterally. Once you've spoken to the police you might be clearer on how to get her off.
 
Erm, could you take the advice of the police before you do anything? That way if they note you may have issues then you might be halfway to having them help you if it goes wrong- good luck I don't envy you!
 
Try CAB or if you are a gold member the BHS helpline. Check your household insurance to see if you have legal cover under your house insurance as well.

While taking legal advice, and if this woman is as awful as you say. I would tell your liveries to take all non essential items home, and ensure everything else is heavily padlocked. Quite frankly if she is that vile I would also be padlocking stable yard gates as well. I would also be having words with the other YO but suspect she might well have said they were fine to get them off her back.
 
hope you get something sorted soon. I have a feeling the only way of doing it quickly would be illegal tactics. We had a woman from hell renting one of our fields who didnt think she needed to pay rent, feed her horses or fix any fences and this is someone involved with a GB TEAM i was shocked when i found out. I have to admit i was at the point of dumping her horses in a farmers field and changing the locks on my gates but luckily she bu@@ered off of her own accord.
 
I'd be interested to know the police's view, I had a similary nasty woman here and the only way I got rid was telling her honestly that I was coming home to load them up and take them back to a field she was still renting (she only had 3 days left on the lease but it was technically still hers) her horses were so 'precious' and couldn't possibly be handled by anyone else she had taken them all by the time I got back.
 
Crikey, I would definitely get advice from the police and keep a log of the abusive texts and calls etc. They will be able to give you advice and maybe have a word. What a horrible situation, I think I would be having a word with the person who lumbered you with them . Good luck
 
I can't see what law you'd be breaking tying them up outside your own yard. I'd get the police involved. Good luck it sounds a nightmare :(
 
I have considered the Police route but I'm of the impression that unless she's committed a criminal act - say assaulting me - that they wouldn't be able to get involved.

I've stored the abusive texts but unfortunately the phone calls weren't recorded. In the end I ignored them but she kept ringing from other phones and hiding her number. She's an absolute nightmare.

Its the worst time for it to happen as I'm alone during the day as I'm housebound after being thrown by my horse into a solid fence and broke my pelvis - I won't be up and about properly for weeks. I've never laid eyes on her but I she thinks she knows me and sends really personal (totally untrue) texts... Its bizarre I feel abused in my own home by her!

I would still like to discuss with a solicitor - can anyone recommend one? I think the BHS only give advice but can't actually act in any cases.
 
In what way is she vile? I'd be very cautious in the sense that if she's evil then she may harm the horses. Or she may harm your house etc! What ghastly people. Definitely get the police involved because they will be able to track anything happening Ie abusive text etc which will have more against them if you end up in court :eek:. Perhaps as others have said phone BHS they may be able to recommend you a good lawyer in your area .
 
aww poor you this sounds awful, i would maybe give few days notice and explain if not moved off yard you will be getitng the police involved, maybe enough of a scare tactic to get them to move on!! have to say dont have huge amount of faith in poilce when it comes to horse matters am afraid but still be worth a phone call to see where you stand!! agree with getting other liveries to take all valuable stuff away and lock gates yard etc as much as physically possible. do you have any friends who are quite 'strong' that maybe be able to help deal with them, or at least give you some support?? hope you manage to get sorted out xxx
 
Thank you.

We've had 'difficult' people on the yard before (and have always dealt professionally with them to achieve a resolution) but in the normal course of events I wouldn't have even considered her as a livery had we met beforehand.

Unfortunately we took the other YO's word as being true. I'm surprised that the other YO acted in the way they did as they are VERY well known in this area - obviously a lesson learned.... the hard way!!
 
there was one at the first yard i was at.
The owner told her that if she did nt remove her horses by a given date then he would drop them off at her house.
The morning of the given date she removed the horses herself.
We all worry about being legal or doing the correct thing...but when you are dealing with people who dont worry about such things then desperate times call for desperate measures.
When you think about it if you can t get any help from the police then will the police really get involved when you take it into your own hands?
In this case the yo would actually have carried out his threat...but you might not have to go that far!
 
We had one of these situations, they really are council scum and generally they are all mouth!

Tell her to get her nags off your property by Monday morning or you will be tieing them up on the road outside. Make it very clear this is not a threat and then FOLLOW THROUGH WITH IT on Monday.

This is the only way to deal with these scum. Give the police a call (NOT 999) and log this as a potential issue. Supply them with all the details you have of this things adress, telephone number ect

Tell your liveries to keep everything locked up and to be vigilant.

I wouldnt be worried about the 'legal' implications. Its your land and your rules. These people rarely play by the rules and i doubt they can even spell the word 'legal'

Good luck and be tough. Do NOT be a victim.
 
I'm sure that the BHS helpline would be able to point you in the direction of a solicitor.

Poor you, it must be worse if you are laid up injured.

In the meantime, could you put the horse(s) in a seperate field away from the yard - even if it means putting in another gateway to the field, so she does not have any excuse to come on the yard and bother other people?
 
The police should be able to give you advice on what you can legally do in the situation if you can get the number for your local neighbourhood bobby they will probably come out and have a chat to you - even her seeing their car in the drive might make her think twice about being so horrible in writing!

BHS can advise you also on what is within your rights - maybe try a letter of abandonment tied to their gate that states if they remain on your property 'uninvited' past x date (it the date of notice you have given them) you will take ownership and dispose of them as you see fit.
 
Are you in a rural location? In our area we have a police officer who deals with things like this. He is a rural officer and he tends to be very much on the side of livery owners/farmers/land owners etc...Might be worth finding out if your local Police force has someone like this - Would be worth getting them onside. If you are in Northants I have the details for our officer. Like others have said you just have to stand your ground. If theres no contract can you not accuse her of fly grazing? May be a way to have them removed xx
 
So sorry to read about your accident and the situation. If you contact a local solicitor, if they are not specialist in the field you want they will put you in touch with someone who is.

The NFU can give legal advice if you are a memember.

Dealing with abusive people is not only a problem in the horse world it happens everywhere, and the police often have trained people to help with such problems.

The old arguement is often that people do not know they are causing up set, so one way to start to let the woman know she has overstepped the mark is to write to her putting clearly down your expectations whilst she is on your property, how she will behave to you and your liveries, use of abusive language etc. Once you have evidence that you have let her know your standards and expectations it may help with resoltion in the end. Ideally you need to get her to sign a duplicate that she understands your standards. You would also need to record that she has no contract and that it is a temporary arrangement for a maximum period of whatever you did agree.
 
Sending abusive texts IS an illegal act. You definitely need legal advice.

ET, I must say, I'd be tempted to drop the horses back off at the other YO's place - she got you into this mess!
 
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I had a family like this. They sound related.

I stabled the ponies and wouldn't let them turn out, they had to find alternative accomodation urgently. Shame for the ponies, but they had a pretty ***** life anyway sadly.
 
Hi, thanks very much for all your advice.

I've just phoned the Police. An officer will come over to me tomorrow to take the details and hopefully we'll go from there.

Thanks again
 
Sending abusive texts IS an illegal act. You definitely need legal advice.

ET, I must say, I'd be tempted to drop the horses back off at the other YO's place - she got you into this mess!

Yes, absolutely! This is what I'd like to do but I feel there may be repercussions

One of the problems is that she's been evicted from at least 3 yards and there is a blacklist that goes around the area so when she calls I expect a lot of yards will be 'full' when in fact they're not.
 
Speak to bhs. The lack of contract means that they actually have rights beyond some contracts. They need reasonable notice which I was told was the payment period, from the end of the current payment period. So if one month, one month plus remainder of current month.

Get everything in writing. Apparently text is not sufficient. We were told it had to be a letter , I think signed for (possibly recorded).

If shes harrassing I'd get a restraining order
 
Give her notice to leave your yard...

After you have heard what the ploice have to say I'd do this^^^ Give her 2 weeks to find alternative accoumadtion. State the reasons for the notice eg abusive texts and on police recommendations. State what costs are outstanding and need paying and state costs per day of notification period which are to be paid in cash prior to leaving. Say that on the 14th day of notice if horse has not been collected you will be retaining her possessions untill she pays bill and leaves.

Then go from there.
 
I have considered the Police route but I'm of the impression that unless she's committed a criminal act - say assaulting me - that they wouldn't be able to get involved.

I've stored the abusive texts but unfortunately the phone calls weren't recorded. In the end I ignored them but she kept ringing from other phones and hiding her number. She's an absolute nightmare.

She is breaching the harrasment act.... you can get her warned under the harrasment act, its your yard there is no contract you can ask her to leave as soon as you like.

You can ask the police to attend to prevent breach of the peace also

Ring in on the non emergency number or pop in the station and spea to them about the harrasment and the options

:)
 
Id speak to your local community police officer, show them the nasty texts and tell them youre wanting her off youre land for fear of assault
Id give her one weeks written notice to leave the yard, it was a temporary set up that has now come to an end, if you feel it is required, arrange for your local community police officer to be there when you give her the letter.
 
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