Problems with Neighbours and Tenants? How Private Investigators and Security Professionals Can Help

When Neighbours or Tenants Create a Disruptive Environment

Living in close proximity to others comes with its fair share of challenges. While good neighbours or tenants can make life easier, the opposite can just as quickly make it unbearable. Problems arise across all types of housing: strata complexes, rental properties, and even private residences. Repeated noise disturbances, aggressive or antisocial behaviour, people coming and going at all hours, misuse of surveillance cameras, littering and hoarding are just a few common concerns.

In many cases, landlords, neighbours or strata committees are left to manage these issues themselves. But, without proper evidence or support, they can easily spiral out of control. Government bodies like NSW Fair Trading recommend communication first, but when that fails, more formal action may be necessary.

The challenge? Many disruptive behaviours are subtle or happen when no one is watching, making them hard to prove and even harder to resolve.

Common Scenarios Where Problems Arise

Every situation is unique, but we’ve noticed some recurring themes across our 40+ years in the industry.

• Tenants or neighbours breaching bylaws: for example, hoarding that blocks common corridors, excessive garbage and vehicles parked outside designated areas.
• Large numbers of visitors or party behaviour late at night causing noise, disturbance and disturbance of amenity. Noise complaints are one of the most frequent issues in strata living.
• Harassment of neighbours, either direct or via visitors. This may include threats, intimidation, harassment, stalking, frequent disruption or damage.
• Tenants or neighbours installing cameras in common areas or adjacent property without legal entitlement, or using them in ways that constitute invasion of privacy.
• Antisocial behaviour stemming from mental health or substance abuse issues which may escalate into property damage, threats or general disorder in the community.
• Landlords or owners losing control of their property or reputation because of problem tenants or neighbours who exploit the lack of monitoring.

Why Evidence and Professional Intervention Matter

When you have a neighbour or tenant creating issues, informal efforts often fail. Talking to them may not help. Strata committees or landlords may issue notices, but without strong supporting evidence, the behaviour often continues.

Professional intervention can result in two benefits: the gathering of reliable evidence and the implementation of preventive or corrective mechanisms. A strata bylaw or rental agreement might allow for a notice to comply, but if the resident or tenant simply ignores it, enforcement becomes difficult.

Here’s where a security professional or private investigator can help:

• Monitoring or surveillance: this involves discreet field work to capture repeated patterns of behaviour, including disturbances, unauthorised access and visitor traffic.
• Installing CCTV: video monitoring systems (covert or overt as lawful) can be installed to record infringements or show the scale of the problematic behaviour.
• Conducting risk assessments for the property or complex: identifying weak spots, access points, criminal risk (such as illegal trade or trespassing), or the risk/consequences of certain antisocial behaviours.
• Vetting tenants or neighbours: background checks can reveal prior complaint history, tenancy references, known associations and more.
• Preparing professional reports that can be used by landlords, owners corporations, lawyers or police: reports can be backed up with timestamped footage, images and witness and visitor logs.
• Working with allied professionals: investigators and security agents can liase with security providers, strata managers, legal advisors, local police or councils to tackle the problem and arrive at a solution

Our Experience

At Lyonswood, we’ve had our fair share of experience dealing with neighbour and tenant related matters across Sydney and around Australia. In one case, we worked alongside a legal team to collect video evidence of a tenant’s repeated breaches of by-laws, which ultimately led to their eviction. This outcome was only possible because of a measured and well-planned investigative approach.

Every situation is different, which is why we begin by closely examining the specific problem at hand. Once we understand the circumstances, we draw on the most appropriate methods. That could mean installing temporary surveillance in a shared area (with approvals), interviewing witnesses, surveillance or running detailed background checks to uncover past incidents or relevant associations.

We also understand that not every matter requires covert tactics or surveillance. In many cases, clients just need a professional, third-party assessment to confirm what’s going on and assess potential risk. For landlords, this might mean checking the history of a problematic tenant before renewing a lease. For neighbours or strata groups, it might mean helping build a documented pattern of behaviour to present to a tribunal or council.

Importantly, we don’t work in a silo. We’re experienced at collaborating with other stakeholders. In the past, this has included solicitors looking to submit evidence in court, a strata committee trying to enforce by-laws, and even a security firm implementing security measures and deterrents on-site. This kind of coordination can be key to achieving a meaningful resolution. Because of our extensive experience and our national reach, we have a keen understanding of local laws and best procedures in the jurisdictions we operate. Our team ensures that every investigation is conducted legally and ethically to give our clients peace of mind and actionable results.

Preventing Problems Before They Escalate

Prevention is almost always preferable and more cost effective than responding after the fact. Here are some basic measures that residents, landlords or committees can take:

• Ensure that tenants or residents are aware of bylaws, house rules and the consequences of breaches.
• Regularly inspect common property. This may include visitor logs, CCTV footage and parking usage.
• Limit unauthorised access to the complex. Use controlled access, visitor sign in, and install CCTV at entry/exit points.
• Conduct periodic background or tenancy screening when a new occupant moves in.
• Monitor noise, visitor traffic or unusual patterns, especially if residents complain.
• Engage security or private investigation services when troubling signs first emerge rather than allowing problems to worsen.

Your Next Step

If you’re dealing with any of the above in Sydney or elsewhere in Australia, chances are we can help. With over 40 years of experience, Lyonswood Investigations combines security and investigative know-how to protect communities and property.

Contact us today for a confidential discussion about how we can protect you and your community.