Number for Environmental Health - neighbours!!

Zoetoes

I've got out of bed to get the number for Environmental Health but can't find it! I live on the Wirral, have tried the Wirral council site but no number.

My drunken next door neighbour is again sitting out with a couple of other blokes, all drunk, fire going, actually sawing wood for the fire now! This is a regular thing, fire going til all hours, noisy outside then when he finally goes in the house they start shouting in the bedroom (not sexually, actually shouting at each other).

What can I do? I've really had enough now. Can I phone the police for something like this? If I do can I just go back to bed and let them deal with it or will they insist on coming to see me? That would mean being up until they finally arrive which could be ages.

shellsuit

zoeleigh wrote: »

I've got out of bed to get the number for Environmental Health but can't find it! I live on the Wirral, have tried the Wirral council site but no number.

My drunken next door neighbour is again sitting out with a couple of other blokes, all drunk, fire going, actually sawing wood for the fire now! This is a regular thing, fire going til all hours, noisy outside then when he finally goes in the house they start shouting in the bedroom (not sexually, actually shouting at each other).

What can I do? I've really had enough now. Can I phone the police for something like this? If I do can I just go back to bed and let them deal with it or will they insist on coming to see me? That would mean being up until they finally arrive which could be ages.

Zoe, you can ring the Police on 709 6010 and ask to be put through to the Birkenhead Bridewell ~ I'd ring them if I were you, it sounds horrendous!!

Whereabouts on the Wirral are you?


EDIT, The number for Wirral Enviromental Health is 691 8628 (just asked OH and he has a card with the details on)

Zoetoes

Thank you.

The whole family is up now, next door are in and out shouting at the top of their voices at each other, about 6 of them shouting. My 7 year old is up.

I'd rang the police earlier and they logged the call but just rang them again and they're coming out.

Will keep you posted.

shazrobo

hope you get this sorted soon, must be really horrible for you and your family to experiance this (((big hugs)))

Zoetoes

Not long got up! Rang the police to find out if they'd been to see the neighbours from hell but they haven't, said they've no powers and if neighbours tells them to go away they have to!!! What is the world coming to??

OH and myself have just been round to neighbours but he wouldn't get out of bed, got his 17 yr old daughter to come to the door and say he's out. She said her mum will be in later to speak to, the mum is the gobby one who will handle it you see.

So will have it out with her later, OH won't be here though so got to make sure it doesn't get heated because of my littleun.

shellsuit

Bloodyhell Zoe, why should you have to do the job of the Police?? :mad: :mad:

All they had to do was go round and tell them to keep the blinkin noise down!!

Ring the enviromental health number and see if you get any joy with them.

Good Luck with it x

Benny24

There is something the police can do.....have a word with them. It's all it takes. If you are able to video some of the antics the family get up to then do. Keep a diary, and get hold of the EWO's.
Good Luck

anglo1967

My hubby is a policeman and he said that apparently that the EHO has power. Apparently the Police only have power if there is a curse word said and someone heard it - but that person has to be outside because it is heard in a public place.

If it is from house to house than unfortunately that doesnt matter. Section 5 offences, public order offenses which cause harm and distress, involve being in a public place. You cant be done for a section 5 if you are in your own house. Even if the police decided they would go and visit, which they would normally not do, it would not be an emergency, it would be considered a grade 3 or 4 which means a phone call or a visit, no hurry, in 3 or 4 days.

I think its a load of c***p that the EHO, if and when they visit, would prob only come during business hours. :mad:

What you should be doing is log EVERYTHING you can with exact times and dates, when the noise starts & ends, etc, and when you spoke to the police or EHO. The EHO will then have more grounds to keep visiting the house with an accurate account of events. Also, if they are in a council owned property, you should also be calling the council to let them know what is happening.

The EHO has the power to confiscate a stereo/ etc that is causing the disturbance, in which case they can ask the police to accompany them if they think that its going to get a bit hairy. Thats normally the only time the police will get involved. I think its stupid, but the police powers just dont extend to dealing with that. Dont blame the Police, my husband for one always says that he is stifled from his lack of powers sometimes :mad:

I know its tough for you, just hang in there & hopefully it will work out soon ...

anglo1967

Oh yeah - Police only handle a breach in criminal law, which doesnt handle neighbours who arent sociable, if that makes it more clear..

Gingernutmeg

We've been dealing with a noise issue recently and it's one of the most incredibly frustrating things I've ever experienced. The police (apparently) don't have any powers to deal with noise per se, so you HAVE to go through the EHO who in my area are worse than useless. We've kept the diary etc but the EHO say that they have to witness the noise to prove it's a nuisance ... fair enough, but they'll only come out Mon-Fri 9-5 and then they say that noise during those hours can't really be considered a nuisance :mad: And they definitely won't come out at the evening and weekends (which is when the worst of the noise is) so because they can't/won't witness it it's therefore not a problem :mad: :mad: Eventually we managed to prove there was a nuisance and the EHO agreed, but then we got a letter saying that as the noise only affects us they weren't going to ask the culprits to do anything :mad: :mad: :mad: I feel like I'm living in 'Alice in Wonderland'!!

Anyway ... rant over lol. The best thing we've found is to be very polite and persistant with the EHO. It's also helpful to keep going above whoever you end us dealing with - our 'policy' now is that each person gets two chances, and then if we hear nothing or letters etc aren't sent, then we go to their boss and so on. It annoys them no end but eventually you do get something done, even if it's only to shut you up so you leave them alone

specialK

Just keep hounding the council and EV. But be aware that these days, there needs to be more than one complaint before they take action. It can be seen as a hate crime if it's one person complaining. This is what I was told by my council anyway.

I would not hold out with the Police either, they basically don't come out unless you have been threatened, even then it can take days for them to arrive.

A few years ago there were youths outside my house, showing of with a gun. I rang the Police to say I did not feel comfortable with them outside my house and I had 2 small children. They asked if they had threatened me, I said no, they were too busy looking at the gun to notice me. They said oh, they have not actually pointed it at you, there is nothing we can do then! Even one time, just before midnight there was a little girl sat on my front wall. I rang the Police and told them and that I think she lived around the corner, they said why is she there?? Again, they said there was nothing she could do if she was in no serious danger.

I had a bollard thrown under my car last year whilst driving by youths. I was livid, as I was just under 3 months short of 2 years no claims as a new driver, the damage caused was £2500 or there abouts. The Police wanted to come and see me 4 days after the event, then waiting for them on the day, they did not show. I rang to enquire and was told that they had cancelled, 2 days earlier, news to me!

I don;t mean to sound doom and gloom, just keep on hounding them then they will do something, if only to stop hearing your voice.

What about their landlords, are they private or council, you could contact them as they could be breaking the rules of their tenancy.

Hope you sort it out.