We brought this home few month ago and recently tried to pave bricks on some parts where have wild weeds and dirt and very ugly. This morning one side of our neighbor messaged me to stop put pavers on his side with this reason: our pavers will flood his property. How can our pavers will flood his property? Said we need to put grass then said even grass will flood his property too. So his assumption is we can’t do anything but sue us. We didn’t put any pavers on that side but only get rid of the weeds and junks for many years there. He even said we need to get the permit. He will sue us and the handymen did some work not on his side. Do we need permission to put pavers compared just weeds and dirt on our yard(has fence)? This is a FL SFR without HOA. Our property is a little taller than his property and he said that happened >20 yrs ago by former former owner to put some dirt around house. He said he complained the former owner to county and county didn’t support him because the former owner didn’t do anything but former former owner for at least 25 years ago. Will this be a fault of us? So manipulate neighbor is bad: my grass need to be take care, why I left my trash bin on out overnight, why my car park on outside.... i even be told I scared his wife because I am a doctor! We are on the process to buy another property and mostly will live and rent this out because this neighbor. We planned to live here for some years to improve the condition and it is very close to my office. Appreciate experienced investors to share your valuable knowledge! If you know good lawyer of Tampa area, could you please share the contact information? Thanks. Huiping

It looks like you might have an obsessive, neurotic neighbor.  There isn't much you can do about that.  It may get worse with tenants.  If his behavior is harassing, call the police and they can issue a "do not contact" order (PA term).  It basically means you and the neighbor don't ever talk to each other.  You have to do your part for it to work.  That's the downside of that approach - you have a neighbor you never talk to.

As to pavers, check with your municipality regarding their stormwater ordinance and if they have a regulation on laying pavers as a structure.  You might have to mitigate stormwater runoff.  The municipality will have the only say in what you have to do.  Your neighbor can always sue you, but a letter from your municipality stating that you are in compliance with zoning is all you should need assuming your neighbor cannot point to specific damage as a result of your pavers.

@Huiping Sheng , the underlying issue is that of pervosity and/or whether an area is prone to flooding.    

I'll spare you the grade-school science...  but some geology accepts rain better than others.  In areas that don't accept water well, there are usually two reasons: 

1) in some cases, the area is already too wet-- think flood zones, wetlands, swampy areas, areas near rivers & streams.  In these areas, "Extra water" pooling up without surface soil for the water to saturate and be held can cause a problem for yourself and/or neighbors down-grade. 

2) In other areas, a certain amount of bare land (grass, soil, etc.) is required to be open to the sky for the appropriate levels of water to seep through and re-charge aquifers.  in these areas, when asphalt, buildings, etc. are laid, the valuable water becomes runoff instead of seeping into the soil and eventually becoming drinking water.  Additionally, that runoff tends to go places where people don't generally want it.  This action can become an engineering nightmare and needs to be mitigated either with drainage and swales, or with landscape architecture such as catch gardens, or rock gardens with berms that are backed by clean soil and plantings that are strategically placed to drink the run off.  

The gray area is this:  DO PAVERS-- with reasonable space between them-- constitute an impervious surface?  This question, as well as the relevant gap between the pavers, etc., is going to depend on your jurisdiction.  Ask someone in your local Town/County planning  office.   The Town/County will also be able to tell you if this guy is fabricating the entire issue.  

You can get around the matter this way:  Ask your Building Supply center for what are called "SEMI-PERVIOUS PAVERS".  these pavers allow water seepage, so the water will go through the pavers, instead of merely around the pavers.  They'll cost a little more, but not too much.  If you want to be a friendly neighbor around someone with this type of concern, then that's the way I'd go.  

You may need to weed a little more, but semi-pervious is the middle ground between the extremes.  

Good luck,

S

Water flows down hill you are not going to change that , the water has been going on his property forever . It doesnt matter what a previous owner did 20 years ago , it cant be proven .  As long as there are no rules against it , you can install what you want its your property . 

If the neighbor is such a pain , and he knows you are a doctor .Tell him you are going to start a halfway house for the treatment of drug addicts after you move out . 

There are usually rules about intentionally directing storm water into neighboring properties, but unless you're doing a HUGE area with pavers, or specifically piping or trenches towards his property, it will be hard for him to prove you're flooding his property.  There's not much you can do about the overall slopes of the area.

Long story short, he seems to just be a pita... and will continue regardless of what you do.  Be pleasant, try to help what you can - but it's your home to do what you want with.

Appreciate every friend from BP!!

Really a pain to face this situation and was threated will be sued. I believe attorney works for money but not who is noisy. He sued few neighbors already from fences to others trees :-( 

We didn't put one piece of pavers yet.

 If we think will hurt him or try to put his house on flood by some pavers, we will not plan this work at all. His behavior helped me to save $ and I will use the $ for more properties. He deserves the side next to us full of weeds and junk.

I definitely will go to county to check this question and situation.

I believe smart people all like to see neighbors to improve the house condition and everyone benefit from those improvement.

Our cleaning and paving definitely touched his weak nerves and we will adjust it.

We will move to next home soon. The tenant will not take care this home like we did. Let him enjoy his new neighbor.

Feel much better when read those messages from BP community!!

Thanks again everyone!

Huiping