trouble with the neighbours

[betterman]

my neighbours have been selling cheap fags and tobacco for as long as i can remember, i knew this before i moved in next door to them and have not had a problem with it as i have known these people since i was a kid.

just last week my sister in law came to visit about 9 in the evening and stayed for about 30 mins, the following morning my neighbour knocked the door and said that my sister in law was parked over his drive that previous night, so i said ok i will have a word with her when i see her next, with that he turned to me and said quite abruptly "well i hope you see her before i ****ing do", i did not like his attitude so i pointed out that every single day off the week upto 6-7 times a day people who are going into his house to buy his cheap fags and tobacco are parking over my drive, yet i have never complained, and told him he was being petty.

so a couple of days ago the customs and excise knock his door and confiscated all his fags etc.., and guess who he is blaming for grassing him up? yes me.

it was not me.

i dont really care what he thinks has i am moving in 2 weeks, but he is telling people that it was me, is there any thing a solicitor could do if i were to contact one and tell them all of the above? any help appreciated.

[Ethel]

No. You will not get legal aid, and it will be a pointless exercise.

Libel or slander is harmful if it damages the reputation and is untrue. The defence is that the person honestly believes it to be true.

So your neighbour would have a defence, and really how can it be damaging to your reputation to be a 'fine, upstanding citizen who won't turn a blind eye' so to speak.

A solicitor could send a letter, costing you between �50 and �150 but if your neighbour ignores it, there would be nothing you could reasonably do.

[Doc Spock]

I take it you are a non smoker then.

[betterman]

i just dont want to be labelled a grass when it wasn't me, if it was then fair enough.

[saxy_jag]

Given Ethel's answer, I guess you might have a case for slander (I believe it's libel if it's written, slander if it's spoken) if anyone he told was to assault you or damage your property because of what he said, as well as your having a case against those people directly.

It will all come out court, and he'll most likely find out then who grassed him up, but if he causes you any distress over the matter, either before, during or after his 'trial', then you should report him immediately.