Neighbours driving me insane

strangerica

Hi,
Well where do I start?
The sweet old guy that used to live there died and the house was sold to a management company. That company in turn now rent it out.

The tenants there use the farmers field as their own private rubbish dump. I've seen them do it after their all night parties that keep me awake. They pick the beer can and bottles up and throw them all into the field. They also throw full bags of rubbish, toys, paint tins, an old computer monitor and all manner of unknown stuff.
This I am sure is illegal so I spoke to the police. They told me to speak to the council. The council told me they can't do anything as it is private land and I should speak to the farmer. The farmer said it is too costly for him do deal with so he just leaves part of the field.
Everyone I have spoken to I have remained an anonymous voice on the phone.

My other concern is the irritating erm...music...bass...bass...bass...
It's not only the bass but that is the worst.
I tried the police and was fobbed back onto the council for that aswell. The council put me through to Environmental Health but they said they need my name and address but I am too scared that the yobs will find out and make life worse for me and my family.

Can anyone advise me on either the litter or the noise please.

Thanks I really needed to get that off my chest.

Sorry. I forgot to say that I don't actually live next door to them. Their next door neighbour is a timid 86 year old and I live next door to him. He must be mortified.

DebtHater

strangerica wrote: »

The council told me they can't do anything as it is private land and I should speak to the farmer.

Wasnt like that when we had issues with a neighbour and their loud music.

One call to the council got me put through to the environmental services, who have a DUTY to intervene regardless of who owns the property/land.

Our land here is all privately owned as are the properties - the council still got involved.

Malory

Have you spoken to these neighbours? Are they aware that their behaviour is bothering you?

Has the 86-year-old man next door told you that it is bothering him?

Why do you assume that the neighbours would intentionally want to make your life difficult or cause trouble for you?

strangerica

Malory wrote: »

Have you spoken to these neighbours? Are they aware that their behaviour is bothering you?

I have not spoken to them myself but I know 2 people that have.

Malory wrote: »

Has the 86-year-old man next door told you that it is bothering him?

Yes the 86-year-old man next door has told me that it is bothering him and he also said he is afraid of what they might do. For example in recent weeks several cars in our street have been set on fire and the post office was broken into (again).
So that is what this area have become like.

Malory wrote: »

Why do you assume that the neighbours would intentionally want to make your life difficult or cause trouble for you?

I only assume because of their behaviour. They hang around in a large imposing group of youths. They swear and shout loudly when drunk and I am generally a scared person anyway so that doesn't help.

peachyprice

strangerica wrote: »

I tried the police and was fobbed back onto the council for that aswell. The council put me through to Environmental Health but they said they need my name and address but I am too scared that the yobs will find out and make life worse for me and my family.

The council noise abatement team cannot help you if you don't give your address, how do you expect them to investigate if they don't know where you and your neighbours live?

redpete

Originally Posted by strangerica
The council told me they can't do anything as it is private land and I should speak to the farmer.

DebtHater wrote: »

Wasnt like that when we had issues with a neighbour and their loud music.

It is the complaint about the rubbish that this comment applied to, not the noise.

strangerica

peachyprice wrote: »

The council noise abatement team cannot help you if you don't give your address, how do you expect them to investigate if they don't know where you and your neighbours live?

My hope was that the council would send someone to the house where the noise is coming from to investigate and ask them to think of others.
They could also keep a record of how many complaints they recieve for that property and then take action.
If they sent someone round to ask all the neighbours in that block (6 terrace houses) (including me), then I would say something in confidence. At least that way there'd be no way of knowing it was me that made the complaint as I'm certian that more people would say something if the council started asking.

peachyprice

No, they will come to you initially to see how the noise is affecting your address, you will then have to keep a diary for them of when the noise is and how loud it is, they may also give you a monitor to record the noise aswell.

It's not a case of you phoning the council and the council knocking on their door, there is quite a lengthy process they have to go through before they can take any action against your neighbours.

The council will not tell them who has made the complaint, but they need to know who you are to ascertain the complaint is genuine, not just malicious.

So without you giving your name and address there is nothing the council can do unfortunately.

strangerica

peachyprice thank you for your explanation. I had not concidered that a complaint might not be genuine and now have an understanding why it is how it is.
I am not a brave person by any standard so all I can do is hope that someone else has the guts to put in a complaint about the noise.
I really feel very sorry for the old guy next door to them.

strangerica

I've just had a thought (difficult with all the noise, but a moment of quiet give clarity).

Is there any sort of governing body that can put legal pressure on the landlords to sort out the noise and litter problems. There should be some form of agreement that says landlords must insure that their tenants should respect the local people (property owners) and land.

PZH

peachyprice wrote: »

No, they will come to you initially to see how the noise is affecting your address, you will then have to keep a diary for them of when the noise is and how loud it is, they may also give you a monitor to record the noise aswell.

It's not a case of you phoning the council and the council knocking on their door, there is quite a lengthy process they have to go through before they can take any action against your neighbours.

The council will not tell them who has made the complaint, but they need to know who you are to ascertain the complaint is genuine, not just malicious.

So without you giving your name and address there is nothing the council can do unfortunately.

As above, when I complained about my noisy neighbour, I was told to keep a diary of times, noise levels (or nuisance caused), and how it made me feel at the time.

They also sent a letter to the neighbour warning her that they had received complains and that they were monitoring things. It also stipulated what the consequences would be of any action (Court costs and fines and the right to enter the property to remove stereos, etc)

When I complained for a second time (because things did not change), the council gave me a "rapid response" number to call to catch her in action with the unbelievably loud music.

Fortunately, it never came to that for various reasons. But, the council were very good and it was all kept anonymous.