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Another Noisey Neighbour
Taz_Sutton
Posts: 135 Forumite
Apologies in advance for the hell of a long post I'm about to write.
We've been living in our flat nearly three years now, and yes we fully understand flats can be noisey, and in the past year and half we've had two neighbours that have slowly driven us up the wall. The First one (before the current one) was a music student, who felt he could have full choir rehearsals (we're talking 15-20 people, microphones, amps, and keyboards - I wish I was exaggerating) in his flat from 10am - 10pm, he would also play bongos into the wee hours of the morning, as well as piano, and blast his own created music through speakers. After speaking to him, and getting attitude on numerous occassions, we finally got the council involved. Sadly by the time he'd moved the council had contacted us to say they'd sent him a letter and they'd let us know when they heard back from him.
About a week later I bump into someone in the hall coming out of the flat below us, he introduces himself as the new neighbour. He procedes to follow me down the street, saying he knew there was noise problems before and if I have any issues with noise to approach him about it and we can come to an agreement. He is also a music student and it turns out a friend of the previous guy living there. This new guy has also found the council letter by the sounds of it as the Council phoned us to say that the tennant we had the issue with doesn't live there anymore and the new tennant has said he's a reasonable and approachable guy, and to tell whoever made the complaint to approach him if they have a problem.
When he does move in, he begins to practise guitar regularly, and we can tell by the noise of it, that he's trying to keep it down. So we don't say anything. He then goes out one day and his mates "pop round" to use his flat for band practice. This includes, an acordian (played full blast) a saxophone, a clarinet and guitars, plus they are singing and stamping their feet and shouting at each other as they can't hear themselves over the instruments. I was in the flat on my own and didn't want to go down, as I didn't know these people (none of them live there and I had no-one to back me up). So I decide to wait till the new guy comes back. When he does come back however he decides to join in! So after 20 minutes I go down and knock. As I'm waiting to answer the door I hear him say "Oh it's the girl from upstairs she's fine about it all don't worry", and then ignores me, I knock again, and then he says to his friends, "She can't complain as long as it's before 9pm" so he finally answers the door, I ask how long it's going to be, and could they keep it down. He tells me it's only been 20 minutes, and I point out they'd been rehearsing prior to him coming home for about 2 hours, and I now had a banging headache. He then calls out "Guys, were you rehearsing" I get a chorus of sorrys, and a shrug off him, he tells he didn't know and then says we need to rehearse one more song and then we're going out anyway. I say ok then, and head back upstairs.
He apologised to me the next day about it all, and said he didn't realise they'd been rehearsing and his friend is aspergers so doesn't know how to behave (he seriously said this). So I fine, ok just try to keep it down please etc.
A few days later he locks himself out of his flat and comes knocking on my door for help. I tell him to contact the caretaker and give him his number. He then asks if I can phone a locksmith for him and wait in as he's got stuff to do!! I tell him I'm going out so I can't.
His new housemate moved in about 2 weeks ago as well, and before he did he asked if he approached me and asked if he could have our key card for the gate, as we don't drive and shouldn't need it. I pointed out that we need it to let shopping deliveries and friends in, apparently he didn't think of that. So I told him to speak to the caretaker about getting another keycard as I know some people have two. He then asked me to speak to them for him and get back to him about it!!!!
A week later after his housemate has moved in, he asks if he can use our parking spec. Our landlord pays £200 a year rental charge for this space and has said that he only wants us using it (as he tried to park there when the guy downstairs was using it) so I told him he can't, he carried on as was until my boyfriend was shutting the curtains one evening and watched him drive into our spec, looked up spotted my boyfriend and revearsed out to find another space.
When the new housemate moved in problems got a lot worse. They went out one night and came back at 3:30am Tuesday morning and partied till 5:45am, I didn't want to go down again, especially after the way he continues to speak to me and I thought well they've just moved in, it must be a one off. Two nights later (Thursday morning) I'm woken up at 5am by doors slamming, he then decides to rehearse his guitar (full blast) in his bedroom, which is under ours, until 6am. My boyfriend sleeps with ear plugs in plus he is a terrible sleep and once woken up he can't get back to sleep so I try not to wake him, so he had no idea this was going on.
Then last night he decided to have his mates over again (Monday night) they started being noisey, shouting, singing playing guitars at 10:55pm just as we were going to bed, by 1:30am I was starting to crack as they were just getting louder and louder. I summed up my courage and went down.
Yes I got a bit hot under the collar, and said you're starting to take the p**s now, and listed off the previous occassions. He replied with those incidents were a week ago, if you had a problem you should have spoken to me then. I can see your tired, emotional and raising your voice and I'd prefer to speak to you at another time about this. I respond with tired and emotional doesn't cut it, I'm exhausted and an emotional person, who's had to sum up courage to come down here. He then proceeded to go on about it being his flat, he can do what he likes, so I pointed out guitar rehearsals at 5am is bang out of order, he just shrugged and went I can do what I like. You should have spoken to me then. He just continued to patronise me and make me sound like I was being unreasonable for knocking on his door and having a somewhat heated word. I eventually head back upstairs and burst into tears, waking my boyfriend who is livid and threatening to go down and have some words himself.
I've been recording all these occassions on council diary sheets to post in, plus I plan to go down later and have the "calm" word he so wants me to have at a later date.
Any advice anyone can offer would be fantastic, I feel like a woman on the edge. It's affecting my work, my homelife, and has even lead to my boyfriend and I to look into moving elsewhere (hence my other house buying thread). I'm on the verge of tears constantly, as this neighbour will not approach me when I'm with my boyfriend. He only ever speaks to me on my own. I've also heard how he speaks to other women. He used to shout abuse at his girlfriend and we could hear it through the floor, then during the first Monday night party, I heard a girl pipe up and he began to shout and swear at her, I heard a door slam and the voices of two girls leaving one in tears.
I honestly don't know what to do, bar report him to the council. Surely it'll just make matters worse. I wish I'd asked him who his estate agent was, when he suggested we had the same one (we don't - we rent privately) as I could report him to them.
So anyway, I'll go back to tearing my hair out. Thank you to anyone who has made it all the way through this long post and has any advice to offer.
We've been living in our flat nearly three years now, and yes we fully understand flats can be noisey, and in the past year and half we've had two neighbours that have slowly driven us up the wall. The First one (before the current one) was a music student, who felt he could have full choir rehearsals (we're talking 15-20 people, microphones, amps, and keyboards - I wish I was exaggerating) in his flat from 10am - 10pm, he would also play bongos into the wee hours of the morning, as well as piano, and blast his own created music through speakers. After speaking to him, and getting attitude on numerous occassions, we finally got the council involved. Sadly by the time he'd moved the council had contacted us to say they'd sent him a letter and they'd let us know when they heard back from him.
About a week later I bump into someone in the hall coming out of the flat below us, he introduces himself as the new neighbour. He procedes to follow me down the street, saying he knew there was noise problems before and if I have any issues with noise to approach him about it and we can come to an agreement. He is also a music student and it turns out a friend of the previous guy living there. This new guy has also found the council letter by the sounds of it as the Council phoned us to say that the tennant we had the issue with doesn't live there anymore and the new tennant has said he's a reasonable and approachable guy, and to tell whoever made the complaint to approach him if they have a problem.
When he does move in, he begins to practise guitar regularly, and we can tell by the noise of it, that he's trying to keep it down. So we don't say anything. He then goes out one day and his mates "pop round" to use his flat for band practice. This includes, an acordian (played full blast) a saxophone, a clarinet and guitars, plus they are singing and stamping their feet and shouting at each other as they can't hear themselves over the instruments. I was in the flat on my own and didn't want to go down, as I didn't know these people (none of them live there and I had no-one to back me up). So I decide to wait till the new guy comes back. When he does come back however he decides to join in! So after 20 minutes I go down and knock. As I'm waiting to answer the door I hear him say "Oh it's the girl from upstairs she's fine about it all don't worry", and then ignores me, I knock again, and then he says to his friends, "She can't complain as long as it's before 9pm" so he finally answers the door, I ask how long it's going to be, and could they keep it down. He tells me it's only been 20 minutes, and I point out they'd been rehearsing prior to him coming home for about 2 hours, and I now had a banging headache. He then calls out "Guys, were you rehearsing" I get a chorus of sorrys, and a shrug off him, he tells he didn't know and then says we need to rehearse one more song and then we're going out anyway. I say ok then, and head back upstairs.
He apologised to me the next day about it all, and said he didn't realise they'd been rehearsing and his friend is aspergers so doesn't know how to behave (he seriously said this). So I fine, ok just try to keep it down please etc.
A few days later he locks himself out of his flat and comes knocking on my door for help. I tell him to contact the caretaker and give him his number. He then asks if I can phone a locksmith for him and wait in as he's got stuff to do!! I tell him I'm going out so I can't.
His new housemate moved in about 2 weeks ago as well, and before he did he asked if he approached me and asked if he could have our key card for the gate, as we don't drive and shouldn't need it. I pointed out that we need it to let shopping deliveries and friends in, apparently he didn't think of that. So I told him to speak to the caretaker about getting another keycard as I know some people have two. He then asked me to speak to them for him and get back to him about it!!!!
A week later after his housemate has moved in, he asks if he can use our parking spec. Our landlord pays £200 a year rental charge for this space and has said that he only wants us using it (as he tried to park there when the guy downstairs was using it) so I told him he can't, he carried on as was until my boyfriend was shutting the curtains one evening and watched him drive into our spec, looked up spotted my boyfriend and revearsed out to find another space.
When the new housemate moved in problems got a lot worse. They went out one night and came back at 3:30am Tuesday morning and partied till 5:45am, I didn't want to go down again, especially after the way he continues to speak to me and I thought well they've just moved in, it must be a one off. Two nights later (Thursday morning) I'm woken up at 5am by doors slamming, he then decides to rehearse his guitar (full blast) in his bedroom, which is under ours, until 6am. My boyfriend sleeps with ear plugs in plus he is a terrible sleep and once woken up he can't get back to sleep so I try not to wake him, so he had no idea this was going on.
Then last night he decided to have his mates over again (Monday night) they started being noisey, shouting, singing playing guitars at 10:55pm just as we were going to bed, by 1:30am I was starting to crack as they were just getting louder and louder. I summed up my courage and went down.
Yes I got a bit hot under the collar, and said you're starting to take the p**s now, and listed off the previous occassions. He replied with those incidents were a week ago, if you had a problem you should have spoken to me then. I can see your tired, emotional and raising your voice and I'd prefer to speak to you at another time about this. I respond with tired and emotional doesn't cut it, I'm exhausted and an emotional person, who's had to sum up courage to come down here. He then proceeded to go on about it being his flat, he can do what he likes, so I pointed out guitar rehearsals at 5am is bang out of order, he just shrugged and went I can do what I like. You should have spoken to me then. He just continued to patronise me and make me sound like I was being unreasonable for knocking on his door and having a somewhat heated word. I eventually head back upstairs and burst into tears, waking my boyfriend who is livid and threatening to go down and have some words himself.
I've been recording all these occassions on council diary sheets to post in, plus I plan to go down later and have the "calm" word he so wants me to have at a later date.
Any advice anyone can offer would be fantastic, I feel like a woman on the edge. It's affecting my work, my homelife, and has even lead to my boyfriend and I to look into moving elsewhere (hence my other house buying thread). I'm on the verge of tears constantly, as this neighbour will not approach me when I'm with my boyfriend. He only ever speaks to me on my own. I've also heard how he speaks to other women. He used to shout abuse at his girlfriend and we could hear it through the floor, then during the first Monday night party, I heard a girl pipe up and he began to shout and swear at her, I heard a door slam and the voices of two girls leaving one in tears.
I honestly don't know what to do, bar report him to the council. Surely it'll just make matters worse. I wish I'd asked him who his estate agent was, when he suggested we had the same one (we don't - we rent privately) as I could report him to them.
So anyway, I'll go back to tearing my hair out. Thank you to anyone who has made it all the way through this long post and has any advice to offer.
:idea: Determined to sort her finances!
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Comments
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I have had exactly the same thing and sympathise entirely.
Get the council involved and keep on at them - the person involved here sounds a massively inconsiderate bell-end. They will probably have an antisocial noise team who can visit late night / early morning when the noise is occurring. In my area, the Universities / colleges also have dedicated people that run community liaisons and will contact the student on your behalf reminding them of what being a considerate neighbour entails. It's unlikely that the landlord / letting agent will care but if you can find out who they are, might be worth a letter.0 -
I the person involved here sounds a massively inconsiderate bell-end..... In my area, the Universities / colleges also have dedicated people that run community liaisons and will contact the student on your behalf reminding them of what being a considerate neighbour entails. It's unlikely that the landlord / letting agent will care but if you can find out who they are, might be worth a letter.
Thank you so much for this. Your description is more than accurate. He is also a "mature" student, so frankly should know better.
The university he goes to, is where my boyfriend works. So I might get him to investigate if they have a team or liaisons like this. I'm considering all my options at the moment. (sadly the taking a cricket bat to his head, will have to stay a fantasy
) :idea: Determined to sort her finances!
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Even if this guy leaves the next tenant could be worse. I'd move out.0
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In the rare intervals that he's quiet he's probably asleep, so that's a good time for you to play your own favourite music eh? If it happens to be hard rock that needs 100 decibel amplification, well oh dear what a shame.
Seriously, as you are renting I would certainly take steps to move out. Sounds like the only way you will get your sanity back.
I haven't bogged off yet, and I ain't no babe
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what is it about music students?"You were only supposed to blow the bl**dy doors off!!"0
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I find turning off the electricity for a while helps! Just long enough for them to give up and go to sleep, not long enough that their food defrosts and they get food piosioning! Got to have some morals!Debt free since July 2013! Woo hoo! The bank actually laughed when I said I have come in to cancel my overdraft.0
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I don't know if it's true, but if you've got one of those posh phones that has things called apps, I think there's an app that measures decibels. If you have a posh phone it might be worthwhile you investigating that as it'd be additional information to add to your diary as there are specific dB limits for noise so a claim of "he was very loud" is one thing, but if it said "drumming at 100dB for 2 hours" it says something else.0
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Thanks everyone for the words of advice.
PasturesNew sadly I don't have a swish phone (I'm considering one now though) but I'm sure the council come out with noise measuring devices if they keep it up.
HelloKitty08 also sadly their Electricity is seperate from ours, so I can feign a power outage.
Maninthestreet - I have absolutely no idea what it is with Music students they seem to think they have a god given right to do as they please. Plus the ones downstairs panic, when I tell them my boyfriend is also a musician and they say really we didn't know, as I reply with a smug smile and say "exactely"
BOGOF Babe - I have considered a bit of music torture, but I'm worried that would be baiting him to keep up his behaviour where as if I sit sweet and serene :A I'm hoping the council will favour my side a lot more.
Dannyboy Midlands - We're on the hunt for our first brought home at the moment, and have been trying to scrap together a deposit. I'm just worried that in our desperation to escape this complete buffoon downstairs we may move into somewhere much worse. Plus we also rent off my Boyfriend's brother's mate. Who sadly is a lecturer in South Africa, otherwise I'd have got him to come down and go a bit northern mental on him (he's good at turning on the loon factor to get what he wants lol )
vuvuzela - I completely forgot to say I hope your situation gets sorted soon, either that or we'll have to start taking out noisey neighbours one by one.
My current plan of action is to talk to him when I get home from work tonight in a nice calm manner, and say this is why I think you're being out of order, can we come to a compromise about the level of noise etc. and if he still insists on acting like a complete twazzock walk away and hand it straight over to the council. I've emailed their university this morning as well, which is quite fitting as they're promoting a big campaign about the university's work and help within the community. :rotfl::idea: Determined to sort her finances!
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Who is the landlord and the leaseholder of the flat(s) in question. It is those people who should be sorting your noisy neighbours out. Noise pollution from noisy neighbour is a living hell.Everyone is entitled to my opinion!0
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The joys of living in a flat! I rented a new build flat 2 years ago and yes there is noise that carnt be helped like you could hear washing machines on full spin etc but some people are so inconsiderate. I had a youngish woman living above me and some of the noise from her! She used to go out then bring all her mates back at all hours. There were a lot of male visitors followed by certain "noises". One day you could hear her groans in the car park!:eek:. The car park was another annoyance. Each flat was allocated a numbered space and there were visitor spaces but people would nick my space as it was nearer or whatever, it wasnt a gated entrance.
Luckily I became in a position where I could buy a property and now live in a terrace house. The woman who lived above me was arrested for soliciting as I moved out.
I would be wary of ever living in a flat again. I think new builds tend to be more noisy.
I have had noise problems with a neighbour where I live now, and I complained to the housing association they rent the house from and it was all sorted out in a few weeks. The council will be a good start and keeping a diary and dates/times essential. Dont fall into make as much noise as them to get back as them as then the council wont take the complaint seriously.I have every possession I want. I have a lot of friends who have a lot more possessions. But in some cases I feel the possessions possess them, rather than the other way round0
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