My neighbour is a pain in the butt

anoneemouse

The neighbour concerned is a pain in the proverbial and not the type to respond to polite requests - to put it mildly:mad:

He has been disturbing my home 24/7 for over a week now with noise - my bedroom at that. It's only a low-level noise - but constant and disturbing my sleep. The noise sorta goes "beep..beep.beep..beep...beep", silence for about 5 seconds then repeats. I can't keep on using earplugs (and they don't block it completely anyway).

HELP! I need my sleep:eek:

Its something "mechanical" he's using obviously. I don't think it's a smoke alarm, as it doesnt sound quite like that. I think it might be some sort of security device he's rigged up - as he's positively paranoid on these things

He won't deal with it if I ask I know for a fact - so I need to take "official" means to deal with him and make him stop this noise.

Help - what do I do now?

What help could I get from the Council - Environmental Health officers or the like? (NB: he owns his own home).

What does the law say about the right to peace and quiet in your home?

Any other suggestions?

Reggie_Rebel

Just call Plod and tell them the burglar alarm is going off, they'll get peed off coming round every twenty minutes and tell him to switch it off

fluffnutter

You do indeed have some protection from the law with regard noisy neighbours, but don't expect a quick or painless solution. You need to gather evidence and then present your case to the local authority. In this case, you need to record every time you hear the noise, how long it goes on for, what type of noise it is, and how this affects you. If you can record it, great. Present this to the environmental health department at your local authority. They're obliged to investigate although I couldn't possibly predict the outcome.

None of this provides a particularly swift solution to your problem and I really feel for you. As someone who turns into a complete fascist at the slightest noise I can't control, I empathise with how terrible this can feel. The ideal solution, of course, is to talk to your neighbour. If you're adamant that won't help, then I don't see what else you can do. One other suggestion... earplugs? Here's a linky to the ones I find the best.

Edit: just re-read that earplugs don't help much, but it's still worth trying different kinds.

judy2357

anoneemouse wrote: »

The neighbour concerned is a pain in the proverbial and not the type to respond to polite requests - to put it mildly:mad:

He has been disturbing my home 24/7 for over a week now with noise - my bedroom at that. It's only a low-level noise - but constant and disturbing my sleep. The noise sorta goes "beep..beep.beep..beep...beep", silence for about 5 seconds then repeats. I can't keep on using earplugs (and they don't block it completely anyway).

HELP! I need my sleep:eek:

Its something "mechanical" he's using obviously. I don't think it's a smoke alarm, as it doesnt sound quite like that. I think it might be some sort of security device he's rigged up - as he's positively paranoid on these things

He won't deal with it if I ask I know for a fact - so I need to take "official" means to deal with him and make him stop this noise.

Help - what do I do now?

What help could I get from the Council - Environmental Health officers or the like? (NB: he owns his own home).

What does the law say about the right to peace and quiet in your home?

Any other suggestions?

Is he the sort to play a games console, could it be a noise from one of the games, I know my son has one game that sounds like a doorbell, if so it may be just a case of him turning off the sound. I would suggest speaking to your neighbour and explaining the situation in a calm pleasant manner and you may find he/she is unaware of the trouble this is causing you.

fluffnutter

I do find some people strange. If it's keeping the neighbours awake, it must be keeping him awake as well!

caz2703

fluffnutter wrote: »

I do find some people strange. If it's keeping the neighbours awake, it must be keeping him awake as well!

Not necessarily. I was woken by a fire engine (no sirens, just lights) 2 weeks ago and also by a neighbour crashing his car last week yet my husband and 18 month old slept through oblivious.

NeverInDebt

Why not have a word with him politely. If its low level and its some entertainment he is watching a slight decrease in volume may just help. If its not that then still have a word keep polite at all times

katerinasol

I do still think it's worth talking to him, if just to say you tried. I was watching a police show the other day where they said people don't bother dealing with their own problems anymore and expect the police come out for the smallest disturbance. It is worth keeping a noise diary (like someone before me suggested) because otherwise the council will have no proof but asking your neighbour what the noise is and if he can turn it down might be worth a try? It doesn't hurt to ask.

KxMx

His landlord and Environmental Health are the places to contact.

fluffnutter

caz2703 wrote: »

Not necessarily. I was woken by a fire engine (no sirens, just lights) 2 weeks ago and also by a neighbour crashing his car last week yet my husband and 18 month old slept through oblivious.

Despite people's perceptions to the contrary, children rarely awaken due to external noises. And men don't go to sleep as such, they pass out.

Jeff_Bridges_hair

Are you sure its nothing faulty in your house first? That would be rather embarrassing if it was.. I had an incessant double beep once for about a week - was a Dect phone running out of battery that had fallen and lost somewhere..