[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Thanks for the thoughts guys. I'd really like to share with you the stuff we have been putting up with, but if there is even a skerrick of a chance the tenant reads it here, then there will be consequences.

We tried pleading to the rental agent, with no success. They actually had the gall to tell my wife, to her face, that they were getting kickbacks out of this arrangement and that they did not care what impact it had on anyone else around the rental property. Unfortunately, I think the rental agent is actually sympathetic to the tenant.

We then tried pleading to the real estate principal, trying to touch a vein with the impact it has had with our child, hoping that they, as a parent themselves, would have some empathy. All to no avail. They actually lied to our face about what they knew and would do about it.

As a last resort, we even did some detective work and worked out who the landlord is. We then wrote them a letter, again hoping that we'd be able to get an empathetic ear. All we got was a phone call from the estate agent on their behalf telling us that the landlord was unhappy that we had invaded their privacy.

The police and council are an option, but again, if the tenant finds out who has instigated any action, it would most likely come back to bite us. The police are already aware of the tenant and most of their actions. Unfortunately, they are only interested in the bigger stuff that they can't do anything about at the moment. The other bits, whilst illegal, appear to not be of concern to them just yet.

The council may be an option, but, from previous experience, it is a time-consuming process and one that involves commitment from most, if not all, the neighbours. And I'm not sure that would happen as some of them may be even more intimidated than we are.

With respect to an earlier question regarding the lease period, as you can see from above, there is no way we would approach the agent to find that out. Nor do I think they would tell us, given our history.

With respect to buying the property, I looked at it as a win:win situation; I could move the tenant on and pick myself up a decent investment property at the same time. Albeit one that may not be as profitable as it would otherwise be given that I may need to pay a little bit more to purchased it in the first place.

Anyway, no matter what happens, life will go on and we'll come out of this stronger, more knowledgeable people. Even if that is just an insight as to how the other half live.

Cheers.