Advice on complaining neighbours

Waxhead321 · 15 March 2017 at 7:10PM

Had a visit from council yesterday because someone has made a complaint about noise and that i work on my own car on my driveway.

We have recently just changed the bathroom suite and been slowly improving the home entirely over the year. As there was no carpets apart from the dog wee stained one in the hallway. Tabacco stained ceilings, mold in bathroom, over grown garden full of rubbish. You get the idea.
Its a council property and everything has been given the ok
I understand if there was drilling everyday, but a paintbrush or roller is hardly causing noise. If anywork is carried out it would be a weekend as i work full time. Also as i used to be a mechanic i work on mine and partner car. Servicing, repairing ect. Yet again i would understand if there was banging or a grinder going all hours but im only using hand tools no air tools or impact guns ect.

Ive even worked on our neighbours (who we think has made the complaint) car replacing a turbo on it. Our other neighbour doesnt have a issue as he talks to me everyday and never has a issue with us and is happy to have us as neighbours.

I dont know whether to approach the neighbours and bring the issue up or just leave it.

d0nkeyk0ng · 15 March 2017 at 7:26PM

What did the person from the council say in the end?

AFAIK, there should be no problems with you doing the house up or even working on your car, as long as you do it during reasonable hours (I think 7am to 11pm). Any sort of building work, renovation etc is going to create noise.

glasgowdan · 15 March 2017 at 7:48PM

Just carry on your life as normal and try to put this complaint to the back of your mind. It really doesn't matter. If someone is genuine they'd ask you personally about the noise rather than phone the council!

frugalmacdugal · 15 March 2017 at 8:05PM

Hi,

did council give you a warning about any future activities?

Next time 'Turbo' wants you to look at his car, tell him you're only allowed to work on your own cars.

FreeBear · 16 March 2017 at 12:26AM

d0nkeyk0ng wrote: »

AFAIK, there should be no problems with you doing the house up or even working on your car, as long as you do it during reasonable hours (I think 7am to 11pm).

If there are children next door, 11pm would be unreasonable in my opinion - Even without kids, I'd still consider such a late finish to be unacceptable.

For weekend work, 8am to 9pm on Sat and 9am to 6pm would be more reasonable if there is hammers & power tools involved. That said, I'd try to finish noisy work by around 6pm regardless of which day it is.

d0nkeyk0ng · 16 March 2017 at 8:24AM

FreeBear wrote: »

If there are children next door, 11pm would be unreasonable in my opinion

This is what I was referring to:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/noise-nuisances-how-councils-deal-with-complaints
To deal with complaints about noise that’s louder than a permitted level at night (from 11pm to 7am) councils can issue a warning notice.
They can issue warning notices for noise at night without it being a statutory nuisance.
The warning notice must tell the recipient:
that the noise is coming from the premises between 11pm and 7am

that the noise exceeds, or may exceed permitted levels as measured from within the complainant’s dwelling

that the noise must be reduced to below the permitted level in a specified period (this must be at least 10 minutes after the notice is served and must end by 7am)

what time the notice is issued

elsien · 16 March 2017 at 8:43AM

I thought that was for businesses, not people in their own home.

And it's not enforceable if the council don't want to, as I found out when I complained about a local superstore being revamped with loud noise all night for several weeks in a row - the council had given permission as they couldn't do the work during the day.

Gloomendoom · 16 March 2017 at 8:49AM

FreeBear wrote: »

If there are children next door, 11pm would be unreasonable in my opinion - Even without kids, I'd still consider such a late finish to be unacceptable.

If noisy work was going on between those times every weekend, it would probably drive me insane.

I have had planning approval for a job on my house and, as a condition, work at weekends is restricted to Saturday mornings only.

Norman_Castle · 16 March 2017 at 10:35AM

Waxhead321 wrote: »

I dont know whether to approach the neighbours and bring the issue up or just leave it.

Depends on your relationship with the neighbour. If this has gone on for a year it could get annoying for a neighbour. You could mention that the decorating is taking longer than you hoped and you will be happy when its done.
Painting may seem quiet but repeatedly moving step ladders can be noisy depending on the properties and floors.

If you always stop by a certain time, 4-5pm? this will give the neighbours predictable peace and quiet in the evenings.

The complaints about working on the car may be just because they find your diy noise annoying.

Davesnave · 16 March 2017 at 10:42AM

Gloomendoom wrote: »

If noisy work was going on between those times every weekend, it would probably drive me insane.

I have had planning approval for a job on my house and, as a condition, work at weekends is restricted to Saturday mornings only.

But the OP isn't suggesting work is going on at those times, nor are they doing work that involves planning permission, so far as I can tell.

OP, it's likely the green-eyed monster responsible, and possibly not even the person next door. You are conspicuously competent and keen to improve your life chances, which can cast you in a negative light, according to some people's twisted vision.

Just stay cheery with everyone. It annoys the hell out of the nay-sayers and wasters!

Annie1960 · 16 March 2017 at 9:01PM

If you want to remain on good terms with everyone, then perhaps put a note in all letterboxes stating what work you are doing, what hours there may be noise (as someone above said, predictability is important), and when you expect the works to be finished.

That's what people around my way tend to do, and it seems to work well. People may be more understanding if they know the end is in sight.

Advice on complaining neighbours

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