I'm a noisy neighbour

Julesiep

My hubby and I bought our first house 3 and a half years ago. It was badly decorated and we have been slowly doing it up off and on since as we found out I was pregnant a few weeks after buying. The walls are concrete and therefore even hanging a picture involves the use of a high powered drill but we have always done any banging and drilling between 4 and 6pm weekdays when hubby finishes work. Also this is only occasionally maybe once or twice a month. Only twice has it ever been on a Sunday. Once when we first moved in and hubby was putting up a shelf and we were not aware that the walls were concrete. Our next door neighbour complained, we apologised and stopped. Then again on the 27th March when the cooker went and the electrician needed to chase around the socket to get to the wiring. It was an emergency and the only day he could come at short notice. It took 20 minutes max. Ok perhaps we could have gone round to warn her but tbh she is not very approachable having banged continuously on our walls when our baby cried and even gone as far as phoning the police because we were having a domestic (hubby wasn't even at home!)

We received a letter last week from environment health re noise complaint particularly on sundays. I wrote a note to my neighbour saying "please come round if you want, to discuss the noise because so far we have not received any complaints. Thanks." She never came round. The environmental health said we could do diy up til 8pm on a week day which even I think is quite late. So last night at 17:45 we were scraping some plaster off the walls ready to re-tile and after 5 minutes she came hammering on the front door swearing and giving us the v saying she had phoned environmental health I said that I knew and they had said we could do diy up til 8pm. She continued to swear saying thats bull. Then came the ultimate threat "I will ring social services next I heard you shout at your daughter on sunday". She probably did because my daughter was about to touch the BBQ.

This is a lady who never mowes her lawn, has a dirty sofa in her front garden and last year set fire to her back garden in an attempt to clear the dried grass she had not mowed. Only stopped because my hubby went round and put it out in his flip flops! Our gardens are tiny and the house would have caught fire in no time especially as they are made with wood cladding. I don't know were to go from here. This is just going to spiral out control. We used to live next door to boys who had parties til 6am everyday so I know about noise complaints but this woman doesn't want us to make a sound who can live like that!

Any suggestions as we are still only on the first room and have four more plus the hallway to do. This could go on for years.

moneysaverboy

Poor you having to deal with such a horrible woman. To be honest, I reckon just ignoring her might be best, and maybe contacting environmental health and explaining to them how upset you are to recieve such a letter when you're already being careful not to cause noise late at night etc. and if she comes on your property again swearing and being rude, ask her to leave and if she won't call the police after all, she's tresspassing if she won't go when you ask/tell her to do so. Most of all, good luck with it!

Sublime_2

She sounds like a neighbour from hell, you have my sympathies. I agree that you should put your side across to the environmental health, and definitely call the police if she barges in on you again.

Shes being unreasonable, and you are going to have to fight your corner. Start keeping a notebook, of any incidents, as that can be very helpful. Dates, and times of any work you are doing, perhaps with video footage, plus her response. Might sound drastic, but its what is called for. Do not let her win, fight back.

Errata

Ignore her, she's plainly not a well woman. Don't get involved in any dispute with her which you'll have to declare to any buyer in the future if you decide to sell.

paddy's_mum

Errata wrote: »

Don't get involved in any dispute with her which you'll have to declare to any buyer in the future if you decide to sell.

Good advice as to the ignore aspect. Unfortunately, it looks as though a dispute has already kicked off if the OP has received an 'official' Environmental Health letter and has had the Police (presumably) looking into the non-existent domestic disturbance.

I think I'd do what others have already suggested - keep accurate notes and otherwise try to ignore her. You may think it wise to go and talk to your local Police and see if they might be prepared to warn her off making spurious complaints before she finds herself in court accused of harassment.

I've never been able to understand how this sort of neighbour believes they can substantiate such complaints - what tired parents do you know who deliberately make loads of noise late into the evening, wake the baby and then have to walk the floor all night!

Good luck and hope it all puts itself right soon.

edphill

For what little it is worth, I agree with the below. I am usually one to go on the charm offensive outwardly, and record everything so you can back everything up in case anyone comes knocking.

Always argue from a position of strength (as you seem to be), because she won't ever be able to do anything if you are the right side of the law. This is much harder than it sounds though...

Plus, how can she possibly be angry with someone who greets her with a smiley "hello, how are you Gladys" each morning?

If all else fails, she sounds quite old and will definitely have high blood pressure if she gets that worked up about nothing; maybe you won't have to put up with it for too long after all...

paddy's_mum wrote: »

Good advice as to the ignore aspect. Unfortunately, it looks as though a dispute has already kicked off if the OP has received an 'official' Environmental Health letter and has had the Police (presumably) looking into the non-existent domestic disturbance.

I think I'd do what others have already suggested - keep accurate notes and otherwise try to ignore her. You may think it wise to go and talk to your local Police and see if they might be prepared to warn her off making spurious complaints before she finds herself in court accused of harassment.

I've never been able to understand how this sort of neighbour believes they can substantiate such complaints - what tired parents do you know who deliberately make loads of noise late into the evening, wake the baby and then have to walk the floor all night!

Good luck and hope it all puts itself right soon.

paulofessex

Keeping a log of work you do and any reactions is good advice as per poste above, as your neighbour will be asked by the Council to do the same, that way the Council can look at them together.
Sounds drastic l know, but also consider getting a cctv camera that plugs direct into TV/Video/DVD and place it near the front door either in or out just so the neighours actions can be caught on film so the Council can also see howshe deals with this alleged incidents.

Julesiep

Update

Just received a letter from said neighbour saying that she has contacted environmental health re last night and they agree it is an act of provocation so further action will be taken against you. It goes on to say that she is sad we are not good neighbours and we have disturbed her with shouting in the night (I work nights!) and drilling.
"Maybe when your house is compulsary purchased by environmental health you will realize what you have done"

paddy's_mum

Julesiep wrote: »

Update

"Maybe when your house is compulsary purchased by environmental health you will realize what you have done"

Man, has she got a screw loose! She's living in dreamland. If someone from EH actually said that, they'll be out of a job tout suite. Do you know how hard it is to get any council bod to commit to anything?!

Take the letter to the Police and to the Council as your evidence that this is a campaign of harassment and malicious complaints against you. Take your employment contract - show that you cannot possibly be doing all that she states you are at the times she alleges the nuisance is happening.

You need to nip this in the bud now before her antics start to affect your own mental health. Believe me (and I'm sure others on this forum will agree with me) living with the stress of a screwball, unpredictable and vindictive neighbour has to rank high on the list of life's almost intolerable stresses. You've done the wisest things so far so don't stop now. You MUST protect your own position.

As a matter of interest, did the sellers of your house have problems with her in the past? If so, did they tell you about them? I find it unlikely that this is new behaviour ... keep us posted but for your own sake, take preventative action. Good luck.

Edit to add: I'm truly not being nasty but it occurs to me to suggest that you check out whether there could be any truth whatever in her allegations that there is noise in the night since your yourself are not there! I'm not for one moment suggesting that your husband is up to anything wicked or monstrous but could he perhaps be having a mate or two round for an illicit beer, a few games of poker or some other naughtiness? You need to be on very solid ground - for heaven's sake, don't lose that letter since it may prove to be the most unassailable piece of evidence that anyone could possibly have given you.

adouglasmhor

Get a solicitor to get an interdict against her for you using her letter and her previous behavior as evidence to justify this, Include all her previous acts, banging on walls etc. This will give you more ammo to use to back up your side of the story to police and other authorities next time she starts her nonsense.

Julesiep

Our house was a repossession so unfortuantely we never got to speak to the previous owners. I have left a note for the lady who lives the other side of me and is lovely, she has lived here for years.

I have contacted the police and they are visiting later. I have phoned EH who advised that as long as we stick to the advised times it should be fine but they are duty bound to investigate all allegations. I have also left a message with my HV regarding the threat of Social Services and she should be ringing back later.