Noisy neighbor on benefits- would council do anything?

Leighthal

Idiophreak wrote: »

I'd have thought that trying to contact the landlord would be a good start - if they get on the blower to the council and say they've been getting complaints and want it sorted, the council would have to do something...that's if the ll gives a rats a$$, of course...

Well if I was her landlord and I'd had the rent paid direct to me(through the council scheme) for the past couple of years without any comeback then I would'nt give a toss.

Smudgewell

Hi Robin,

I totally sympathise and know exactly how you feel. Reading your post took me back to the situation we were in 18 months ago with horrible neighbours who stayed up all night going out of their way to make our lives hell and then peacefully sleeping it off during the day when we were out at work.

Anyway, putting in my pennyworth here there's lots of advice and support available from a lovely website (despite how it sounds) called the 'Neighbours From Hell Forum' here. I really recommend this place if you have problem neighbours as there are lots of people there who have been through the same experience and managed to resolve the issue by going through the proper channels. They now make it their mission to help others stand up to problem neighbours. I am sure they will be able to help you and give you lots of support and encouragement too.

I truely hope you manage to sort this out.

olly300

Leighthal wrote: »

Well if I was her landlord and I'd had the rent paid direct to me(through the council scheme) for the past couple of years without any comeback then I would'nt give a toss.

You sound like you are being rude but to be honest in those council schemes, the council is the one responsible for the property i.e. responsible for the tenants behaviour, maintenance on the property therefore contacting the owner of the property is a waste of time as it's the council who are legally the landlord. .


OP I sent you a PM. Unfortunately some councils are better than others and if you can't convince your neighbours to help out then you may be stuck.

bazzais

If its only now and again maybe you could buy some 20p earplugs? Or turn your own tele on low to cover the noise?

Failing that go to your council, they are sound nazi's more often than not. Infact any sound that 'disturbs' a neighbour can be acted upon, there is no 'sound limit'. My neighbours are anti sound altogether, they complianed about the toilet flushing and that was enough for me to have a vist off the council sound officer and a warning.

If all else fails wake them when they are asleep. Just wait a few hours after the music stops and put your music on and do the hoovering then send you dog and kids (if you have them) to play in the garden. Thats enough to wake any day sleeper up.

Saying that its never worth playing hard ball with party heads - they will always win. The average joe needs to sleep a good 7 hours where as a party head (noisey neighbour) will get by on 4 hours of total unconciousess) - go see your council!! They can enforce a ban on noise. I know, when I was younger I was banned from owning any amplification equipment in my gaf including tvs, radios and a hifi. Luckily I can still flush my bog though cos that was thrown out (not the bog, just the case - cos that would be silly).

Leighthal

olly300 wrote: »

You sound like you are being rude but to be honest in those council schemes, the council is the one responsible for the property i.e. responsible for the tenants behaviour, maintenance on the property therefore contacting the owner of the property is a waste of time as it's the council who are legally the landlord. .


OP I sent you a PM. Unfortunately some councils are better than others and if you can't convince your neighbours to help out then you may be stuck.

Sorry if I was abit blunt.But I guess I was just trying to point out (like you have)that contacting the LL would probably be pointless, if at all even possible.

RobinC_2

Hi, thanks for the replies, for the info penguine, and smudgewell for that website, I'm going to get on it today.

bazzais- the suggestion about earplugs, three reasons why earplugs aren't the solution 1) I find them uncomfortable and dislike using them 2) you can still hear the boom, boom, boom 3) I never know what nights she is going to play her music and because of reason #1, I don't want to go to bed with earplugs if they won't be needed.
Besides, why should I wear earplugs?! She SHOULDN'T be playing music between 10 and 8a.m. in the morning!! Or if she does, so low no one can hear it.

I'm going to call the Council, Housing Dept. (as people have said, officially the Council IS her landlord) and see what they have to say, if they'll have a talk with their lovely "tenant". If not, follow penguine's suggestion.

As mentioned, it's gotten better the last year (9months) or so, so recently I've been logging complaints with EO but a new "wave" seems to have started up again. Unfortunately, the neighbour on the other side won't get involved.

Our LL actually put the house we are living in up for sale last June ( only four people have looked at it). So, one day we will have to move out when it sells(although for the VERY reasonable rent and perfect access for O/H to get on the motor way to work , we are staying. Although, trust me, I've threatened O/H many times that I'm leaving!
God help the people that buy this place! Well, hopefully, they'll be very sound sleepers! All the people have been young couples with a kid though, maybe they'd get more results having a little one.

Thanks everyone.

RobinC_2

Didn't proofread my above posting well enough- since things have improved, I've logged complaints with EO --- but haven't had letters sent out because she was making more of an effort and I didn't want to pi$$ her off.

I was unaware that when one sells a house, you have to tell of disputes? I never told our LL about these issues. When he put the house up for sale, he or estate agents never asked us about this issue. Hopefully, it won't be a problem....

neverdespairgirl

I would hate to wear earplugs at night, it would make me feel very insecure in case something happened that I would want to be woken by.

PasturesNew

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

I would hate to wear earplugs at night, it would make me feel very insecure in case something happened that I would want to be woken by.

Yes, me too.
Hearing is there to alert the human to danger.
I am always awoken at night if there is an unusual noise outside. The brain learns what noises to expect and is on alert even though you're asleep.

Also, earplugs would make me want to fiddle and itch my ears/the plugs like crazy. I'd be laying there, being fully aware of their existence, it would consume all my thoughts and keep me awake.

And then the fear of missing something important. A danger noise. The door handle being tried, strangers outside whose tones aren't quite right, a window smashing ... and god knows what going on next door.