Help: Big problem with noisy neighbours

katie1234

unfortunately i have no advice for you because im in a similar situation myself and cant seem to have got anything to work either. my problem is more the fact that i have extremely thin walls in addition to noisy neighbours. we hear every conversation, drunken night out (since were woken at 3 in the morning from squeeling), phone call, toilet flush, bedroom acrobatics, washing machine and meal cooked. weve been round several times when noise levels get to much only to find the woman that owns the house is an ignorant B****. we paid for a land search to find out if she owned the property and unfortunately she does. i dont want to complain to the council as if anything is documented then it will become a problem with selling the house. it definately impacts on your life not only due to the lack of sleep but the added stress it causes. i sympathise with your problem but its nice to know your not alone in your battles. this may not be much use for your kids but earplugs have made such a difference and if all else fails could be worth a try.

warehouse

Well I wonder if he reads this forum :eek:.

Got home from work today and he had been over to apologise at lunchtime. He told my wife that he had fallen asleep and had not heard me knocking on the door, but heard me knocking on the wall. It sort of threw me as I was ready to go for it the moment I got home. I think he realised just how angry I was last night.

Anyway, when he got home from work I went stright over there. I thanked him for apologising but explained that a line had been crossed last night and that the noise was causing the whole family an issue now. Basically once I started I kept cool, (just), but was absolutely firm that this nuicance must end now. I also explained that we expected to be able to enjoy our life in peace and that I would be knocking at every problem. I also invited him to do the same if our kids were being too noisy in the morning, but said that the chances were slim as we respected our neighbours quality of life too much to let the kids run riot.

It ended with another apology from him, and him saying that he really didn't realise the issues he was causing as they'd never had a complaint before. We shook hands and I left.

We shall see. I appreciate every single comment on this thread so far, and know that some of you have it much worse than we do, but it opened my eyes that we can't sit here and take it anymore, and we won't. I also intend to contact the relevant people and ask for formal advice, plus I'll now be keeping a log starting from last night and today's events.

warehouse

katie1234 wrote: »

unfortunately i have no advice for you because im in a similar situation myself and cant seem to have got anything to work either. my problem is more the fact that i have extremely thin walls in addition to noisy neighbours. we hear every conversation, drunken night out (since were woken at 3 in the morning from squeeling), phone call, toilet flush, bedroom acrobatics, washing machine and meal cooked. weve been round several times when noise levels get to much only to find the woman that owns the house is an ignorant B****. we paid for a land search to find out if she owned the property and unfortunately she does. i dont want to complain to the council as if anything is documented then it will become a problem with selling the house. it definately impacts on your life not only due to the lack of sleep but the added stress it causes. i sympathise with your problem but its nice to know your not alone in your battles. this may not be much use for your kids but earplugs have made such a difference and if all else fails could be worth a try.

I'm sorry to hear that Katie. Normal family life involves noise, but if your walls are so thin that you can hear the toilet flush then you can't expect much respite ever.

My sister also has thin walls and very noisy teenagers next door, and has had to resort to earplugs. I have tried to use them before, but it made me mad that I had to, and stopped me sleeping . I understand what one earlier poster said about tuning into the noise after a while.

warehouse

dander wrote: »

You are living in a house where your own children can't sleep and you are too afraid to do anything about it? How can it get worse?

Afraid is the wrong word here, (wary would have been better), but other than that you are spot on. It took an absolutely awful night and to see one of my own kids crying to stand up and do what should have been done years ago. It is done, we shall see, starting tonight.

dander

Wow, well done! Sounds like a really positive step forward. I'm sure the worst part is making the first complaint and hopefully you can sort it out between yourselves and not have to raise anything with the council, which is far better for everyone. :beer:

donnaessex

I'm really pleased with the outcome - thanks for the post Warehouse.

suisidevw

Yup, nice one Warehouse, top outcome.

Mar10_W

ritesh wrote: »

I sympathise comletely with you. No one should have to live to this kind of behaviour. They should respect noise levels especially when they know you have young children.

You could always borrow my very large speakers, plug them up to a decent system, place speakers an inch away from the walls, put the music on highish volume and you and your family spend a quiet night out else where. Be sure to keep all windows thoroughly shut!

You can do this most nights, through to ealry morning and i am sure that when they have had enough they will be round knocking on your door. You can decline to answer ;-)

Just a suggestion, by the way

hope it all works out well for you

I had to do this a few times in my old place, and it works! Its like everything in life i think. If you stand up to people you will usually get something resolved! Dont be bullied!