would you have complained? (neighbor's pool)

CdnFarmGirl08

So our neighbors put up a small pool. I would say it was about 8 ft in diameter and probably 4.5 feet deep. They propped a chair beside the pool for their kids to get in and out of it. They do not have a fence around their yard and neither do we.

According to our city by-laws, any pool deeper than 3 feet needs to be in a fenced in yard for safety. I was pretty worried that N would notice it and run to it when we were outside. I know that he is never outside by himself, but I was still pretty nervous that he would get by me and get there. He sometimes plays on our higher deck (with stairs to the bottom) by himself in his sandbox when I'm making supper, I just keep the door open and I can see him from our kitchen.

My sister was also very worried so she phoned the city and reported it. The city went to them and told them they had to remove it or put up a fence. They didn't argue and took it down.

My husband says we shouldn't have said anything, we never let N play outside by himself anyways. I was also concerned about all the other kids that are in our neighborhood.

So S12- what would you have done?

cmarie520

I would have done what your sister did. Pool safety is not something to mess around with. Their kids, your son and any neighbor kids are at risk with an unfenced pool.

juliane2004

Same as cmarie.

CdnFarmGirl08

Thanks for the opinions. I was going to phone but she beat me to it. I told her I went to call and then noticed the pool was down. She said she was the one who called.

BeebopandBuddy

If there was no law, I wouldn't have done anything, but, since the law is on your side anyway, why not err on the side of caution?

Holly_1007

I probably would have addressed it with them first, but I'm friendly with all my neighbors.if they blew you off or ignored your concerns, then I would have called it in. Regardless, what's done is done, and at least you weren't the one that reported it, so they can't try to hold it against you.

CdnFarmGirl08

They aren't the friendliest of neighbors, and I'm pretty sure it's a rental house as well. They won't know who called it in so I'm not worried about that.

AKB090609

I would have reported it as well, I would hate for something tragic to have happened. There is a reason for those rules and we need to help keep all kids safe when we can.

Hyaline

If I was at all friendly/civil with them I would have mentioned it myself, instead of phoning the city to kind of rat them out.  It's nice that they were just warned, but they could have been fined and there's really no need to force that as a neighbor if it was an honest mistake. 

I think I would have nicely said "Hey, nice pool...chatchatchat....yeah, we were thinking about one like that in a few years but saw that the city ordinance is that they need to be fenced in....chatchatchat....okiedokie, have a good one!"  If after the "friendly reminder" they didn't take care of it or say that they would, pronto, I would be calling.

I do honestly think it's a little douchey to call in something on an otherwise friendly neighbor...have cahones and talk to them first.  Unless they're douchebags and/or potentially dangerous.

Eastie156

I absolutely would've called the city. How about another neighbor's kid could've drowned in the pool as well? I think it's really awkward to have to tell your neighbor that they need a fence around a pool, they should know this. Also, who props a chair beside a pool to help their kids get in and out? Isn't that what ladders are for? Honestly, they don't sound very bright.

tinyhumantoe

I wouldn't have called.  I don't know what I would have done, because I'm not good at speaking directly with someone either.  I probably would have let it go and kept my eye on it.

If I noticed that it was becoming a danger (kids wandering around), I would just have to grow some nuts and say something to them or call.

MarisaKathleen

I wouldn't have called. I think it's a dick move to call and complain when you can go over and have a conversation.

My SIL has a pool and a giant trampoline in her backyard.  You can't see them from the street, but you can see them from the neighbor's homes.  They take their pool ladder in and out every day because one of their neighbors mentioned that it would make them more comfortable since she has kids at home during the day.  It works for them.

hmp1

We live in an area of few fences so I get the fear. We are close with all our neighbors and would have said something about it being unsafe and illegal. If they blew off my concerns, I would have called.

hmp1

MarisaKathleen said:

I wouldn't have called. I think it's a dick move to call and complain when you can go over and have a conversation.

My SIL has a pool and a giant trampoline in her backyard.  You can't see them from the street, but you can see them from the neighbor's homes.  They take their pool ladder in and out every day because one of their neighbors mentioned that it would make them more comfortable since she has kids at home during the day.  It works for them.

Meh, plenty of people have never talked to their neighbor. I don't think it is a dick move to call when they are doing something illegal and dangerous. I would bet the city gave them a warning to remove it and not an actual ticket. So what's the harm.

CdnFarmGirl08

No they didn't get fined. Just asked to remove it. We have never talked to them before, they just moved in about 3 months ago. We don't talk to many of our neighbors.

I probably should have said something but didn't really want to rock the boat so to speak as their child potentially is in my class next year.

tinyhumantoe

CdnFarmGirl08 said:

No they didn't get fined. Just asked to remove it. We have never talked to them before, they just moved in about 3 months ago. We don't talk to many of our neighbors.

I probably should have said something but didn't really want to rock the boat so to speak as their child potentially is in my class next year.

Yah, this makes sense to me.  I would have felt weird talking to them about it, too.

Hyaline

I hold the line on douchey move.  I've never spoken to some of my neighbors, either, but I'd at least have left a note or something before calling them in.  You could even send a letter introducing yourself and expressing your concerns (and saved a copy for yourself in case anything went down later).  Just because they were NOT fined doesn't mean they couldn't have been.

As for "they should have known" yeah, sure.  They should have checked pool ordinances before putting one up.  But I lived most of my life in rural unincorporated "county" that didn't have rules like that.  Before moving to a town I might not have considered that a fence would be required, just because it's outside my experience.  If I made a newbie country bumpkin in the big city mistake, I'd rather a neighbor nicely say something than call the city on me.

Holly_1007

In addition to what hyaline said, what if they had ordered some sort of fence and it just hadn't been installed yet?

hmp1

If I lived in a house for 3 months and the first time one of my neighbors spoke to me was to tell me I had an illegal pool in my yard, I would peg them as the grouchy neighbors. A letter would rub me the wrong way too because why couldn't they knock on my door or catch me outside. If you want to be a nice neighbor, introduce yourself to your neighbors when they move in. A call into the city is confidential so it could have come from anyone, and in this case it did come from a non-neighbor.

I deal with illegal pools in my line of work a lot and never once have we had the city issue a fine without a warning, and that is all over the country. Regarding they could have been waiting on the fence, then don't fill the pool. You can have an empty pool in your yard.

Hyaline

hmp1 said:

If I lived in a house for 3 months and the first time one of my neighbors spoke to me was to tell me I had an illegal pool in my yard, I would peg them as the grouchy neighbors. A letter would rub me the wrong way too because why couldn't they knock on my door or catch me outside. If you want to be a nice neighbor, introduce yourself to your neighbors when they move in. A call into the city is confidential so it could have come from anyone, and in this case it did come from a non-neighbor.

I deal with illegal pools in my line of work a lot and never once have we had the city issue a fine without a warning, and that is all over the country. Regarding they could have been waiting on the fence, then don't fill the pool. You can have an empty pool in your yard.

Well, yeah, if they were all "RawrRawrRawrYou should know you need a fence RawrRawr!"  But someone saying "Hey, so sorry I haven't said Hi yet....chitchat...I'm worried about your pool because there's a city ordinance and I wouldn't want you to get fined, I assumed you didn't know because you're new"?  Never in a million years would I think poorly of them.  As for the letter, yeah, I think that is a little passive aggressive, but I'd probably figure they were busy.  Or, well, I'm busy.  I'm at work most of the day.  They aren't just going to "catch" me.

And *you* know fines are unlikely.  I don't think most of us here posting "Hellz yeah I'd call in!" know that.  I think it's cruddy to rat someone out under no assumption that they'll get a friendly warning first.

OceanLover26

I'd just go tell them myself during some chit chat.  Sometimes our neighbor will come over and be like "is it a burn day today? I thought it was tomorrow"  while MH is out burning leaves or whatever.  We talk with all of our neighbors regularly though, so stepping out and talking would be our first idea. 

hmp1

Not changing my mind on this one. Want to be a nice neighbor, meet your new neighbor when they are new and it is just an introduction. Introducing months later at the same time as pointing out something wrong with their yard, not going in my nice neighbor bucket.

tinyhumantoe

Dangit.  I have a neighbor that moved in a couple months ago.  I had good intentions, but never went down to say hello.  OOOOPPPSSS.  You're making me feel guilty hmp!

hmp1

tinyhumantoe said:

Dangit.  I have a neighbor that moved in a couple months ago.  I had good intentions, but never went down to say hello.  OOOOPPPSSS.  You're making me feel guilty hmp!

Don't feel guilty. Not saying you need to meet your neighbors. I'm just saying don't disguise a complaint with an introduction thinking it is less dickish than just calling the city. But if you want to, do it. I have always known my neighbors everywhere I have lived. This time we are particularly close but I have always at least known their names from introductions.

tinyhumantoe

hmp1 said:

tinyhumantoe said:

Dangit.  I have a neighbor that moved in a couple months ago.  I had good intentions, but never went down to say hello.  OOOOPPPSSS.  You're making me feel guilty hmp!

Don't feel guilty. Not saying you need to meet your neighbors. I'm just saying don't disguise a complaint with an introduction thinking it is less dickish than just calling the city. But if you want to, do it. I have always known my neighbors everywhere I have lived. This time we are particularly close but I have always at least known their names from introductions.

Haha I know what you were saying and I do agree with you on this topic

But I really do need to go say hi to my new neighbors. They're a couple doors down, but still. I got on Pinterest for ideas and never made it out, haha.