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Oh woe is me (bad previous rented properties)
damtheman
Posts: 87 Forumite
Good morning everyone
Not what I wanted to have to post on a lovely (as good as it gets with all the rain right now) morning where I am, but something ever so pressing
has driven me to post to garner opinion (good or bad).
In the past 5 years I have moved house roughly 7 times, all due to various reasons which I shall explain:
Property No.1 my first place since my parents, 1 bed cluster. The couple next door were shouting at the top of their lungs both early morning and
late night, being nieve young me I did not do anything to combat this. I promptly requested that the landlord release me after 4 months of
suffering, which they kindly did.
Property No.2 2 bed terrace, again I had neighbour issues where they had floorboards and I didn't and the constant noise drove me insane, unfortunately it was also in the immediate area of the school that I worked and I was concerned of the behaviour of the students. Again, I didn't do anything other than move again because I knew the situation wouldn't improve even with interference. ("Yes hello Mr Next Door Landlord, can you put carpets down because your high heeled tenants are bothering me day and night?")
Property No.3 a 2 bed semi-detached house, perfect, absolutely perfect. 1 neighbour and she was lovely, wonderful setup and brilliant quiet village. Unfortuantely after only 6 months, the landlord wanted to sell up and asked me to move. Checking back, they never did sell - which is a shame.
Property No.4 a 1 bed flat, top of the building so no one above me but one tenant below me, and he played endless music at various annoying moments in the day, another flat a staircase away played loud music on Christmas Day - an OK day ruined. Confronting the tenant and landlord about what to do resulted in being told that it isnt as loud as I've made it out to be - but the point was, it was disturbing me!! Also had issues with mould that the landlord didn't seem to understand how to resolve, even after my suggestions. This property I had been living longest so far but I wanted to move to get away from neighbours so confined.
Property No.5 stupidly I had chosen another 1 bed cluster home, this one in (what the agent called) "clipper style" where the bedroom is on a balcony but everything else is open planned. Worse idea ever, sound and music from my poor-English Polish neighbours caused endless stress, plus banging around on fairly thick walls was disturbing - always at the wrong time! I'm a normal 9-5 working person, I expect to be able to watch television in the evening without interuptions (Who doesn't nowadays?) but the neighbours would also be doing something that involved hitting against the wall. I was only there for 6 months, now on anti-depressants and worrying that I will ever find a good place to live.
Property No.6 a 1 bed almost-semi-detached property, fairly new build which I thought was going to be the answer to my praires. Close to work (which means I could walk and not drive) and on a supposedly quiet street. How wrong was I! The FIRST night I was there, I could hear the neighbours coughing and talking! Not ever had I experienced the volume from my neighbours being so intrusive into my own living room. The plasterboard was a give away - how did I not realise when I looked at the property the first time?? By this time I had been reading up on everything to do with neighbour nuisance and what to do and not to do in situations like this. I approached the neighbours about it with little effect, nothing changed, but what can they do if they are being as normal as I was? Then I raised my concerns with the agent and landlord, implying that the wall was too thin, no insulation etc because I could hear SNEEZING and COUGHING and TALKING (one night the neighbours had one drunken night and fight between friends I called the police, and I heard every word!) but the landlord was not interested. He simply told me I was "ranting" and did not take up my offer of coming in to see what I meant by the amount of noise heard. Again, only there 6 months because the intereference into my boring and quiet home life was too much.
Property No.7 a 2 bed semi-detached cottage in a quiet village. More or less perfect. Yes the landlord lived next door (in the other side attached) but he was a loner and had only his dog for company. I thought no problems would arise, unfortunately again I was wrong, so wrong. His dog would bark constantly, at its own shadow, at the wind. Sheesh. Many hours I have spent hearing that dog bark constantly and he did nothing about it, even after I approached him. His loner-ness meant that he was mostly home or his shop and of course he brought his work home, so late evening (10-11pm) I was hearing him moving his "antiques" around - how frustrating. It wasn't long until that the council visited because this was the first time the property was rented and the landlord had done any adaptations prior to tenants. The council report brought up a list of changes that needed to be made before it was tenant inhabitable. Only there 18 months so sadly this meant I was asked to leave for the work to be carried out, so it was time to find someplace else...
Property No.8 a 2 bed terrace house, you'd think I would learn my lesson from before? Well I didn't and I am yet again in ANOTHER property where I hear the neighbours KNOCK and BANG and CRASH against the inner wall. One of the neighbours is retired, so he'll be in all bloody day, so no chance of a sleep in at the weekend without ear plugs - but why should I do that?? It appears the neighbours are just doing normal day things against the wall and I hear every knock of it, but what can I do?
Of course I believe I do not believe I deserve this stress. I am not hyper sensitive to noise, you should come wrong and hear it for yourself! But I really am at the end of my already stretched tether. I intend to talk to the agent to ask to allow me to leave, after 1 week (today is day 6) of suffering this noise. I am not prepared to put up with it, I am house proud, I've looked after every place that I have lived, but each and every time its a matter of battling emotion and intrusive noise. Noise has ruined my life. I don't like having to move every 6 months, its embarrassing!
What are the chances of having the agent release from this "contract"? Will anyone ever understand that I cannot take this? I'd much rather be in a property that was either semi-detached and with little likelyhood of being sold or falling down, or I'd like to be in someplace in the middle of nowhere, I'm not millionaire, so thats not going to happen.
Or should I just shut up and quit complaining? I realise there will be some posts telling me to shut up and put up with it, or some tell me I'm ranting but shirley there is someone out there that agrees with me entirely? Shirley there must be a way out of it?
Your advice is always greatly appreciated, oh great MSE community.
dtm
Not what I wanted to have to post on a lovely (as good as it gets with all the rain right now) morning where I am, but something ever so pressing
has driven me to post to garner opinion (good or bad).
In the past 5 years I have moved house roughly 7 times, all due to various reasons which I shall explain:
Property No.1 my first place since my parents, 1 bed cluster. The couple next door were shouting at the top of their lungs both early morning and
late night, being nieve young me I did not do anything to combat this. I promptly requested that the landlord release me after 4 months of
suffering, which they kindly did.
Property No.2 2 bed terrace, again I had neighbour issues where they had floorboards and I didn't and the constant noise drove me insane, unfortunately it was also in the immediate area of the school that I worked and I was concerned of the behaviour of the students. Again, I didn't do anything other than move again because I knew the situation wouldn't improve even with interference. ("Yes hello Mr Next Door Landlord, can you put carpets down because your high heeled tenants are bothering me day and night?")
Property No.3 a 2 bed semi-detached house, perfect, absolutely perfect. 1 neighbour and she was lovely, wonderful setup and brilliant quiet village. Unfortuantely after only 6 months, the landlord wanted to sell up and asked me to move. Checking back, they never did sell - which is a shame.
Property No.4 a 1 bed flat, top of the building so no one above me but one tenant below me, and he played endless music at various annoying moments in the day, another flat a staircase away played loud music on Christmas Day - an OK day ruined. Confronting the tenant and landlord about what to do resulted in being told that it isnt as loud as I've made it out to be - but the point was, it was disturbing me!! Also had issues with mould that the landlord didn't seem to understand how to resolve, even after my suggestions. This property I had been living longest so far but I wanted to move to get away from neighbours so confined.
Property No.5 stupidly I had chosen another 1 bed cluster home, this one in (what the agent called) "clipper style" where the bedroom is on a balcony but everything else is open planned. Worse idea ever, sound and music from my poor-English Polish neighbours caused endless stress, plus banging around on fairly thick walls was disturbing - always at the wrong time! I'm a normal 9-5 working person, I expect to be able to watch television in the evening without interuptions (Who doesn't nowadays?) but the neighbours would also be doing something that involved hitting against the wall. I was only there for 6 months, now on anti-depressants and worrying that I will ever find a good place to live.
Property No.6 a 1 bed almost-semi-detached property, fairly new build which I thought was going to be the answer to my praires. Close to work (which means I could walk and not drive) and on a supposedly quiet street. How wrong was I! The FIRST night I was there, I could hear the neighbours coughing and talking! Not ever had I experienced the volume from my neighbours being so intrusive into my own living room. The plasterboard was a give away - how did I not realise when I looked at the property the first time?? By this time I had been reading up on everything to do with neighbour nuisance and what to do and not to do in situations like this. I approached the neighbours about it with little effect, nothing changed, but what can they do if they are being as normal as I was? Then I raised my concerns with the agent and landlord, implying that the wall was too thin, no insulation etc because I could hear SNEEZING and COUGHING and TALKING (one night the neighbours had one drunken night and fight between friends I called the police, and I heard every word!) but the landlord was not interested. He simply told me I was "ranting" and did not take up my offer of coming in to see what I meant by the amount of noise heard. Again, only there 6 months because the intereference into my boring and quiet home life was too much.
Property No.7 a 2 bed semi-detached cottage in a quiet village. More or less perfect. Yes the landlord lived next door (in the other side attached) but he was a loner and had only his dog for company. I thought no problems would arise, unfortunately again I was wrong, so wrong. His dog would bark constantly, at its own shadow, at the wind. Sheesh. Many hours I have spent hearing that dog bark constantly and he did nothing about it, even after I approached him. His loner-ness meant that he was mostly home or his shop and of course he brought his work home, so late evening (10-11pm) I was hearing him moving his "antiques" around - how frustrating. It wasn't long until that the council visited because this was the first time the property was rented and the landlord had done any adaptations prior to tenants. The council report brought up a list of changes that needed to be made before it was tenant inhabitable. Only there 18 months so sadly this meant I was asked to leave for the work to be carried out, so it was time to find someplace else...
Property No.8 a 2 bed terrace house, you'd think I would learn my lesson from before? Well I didn't and I am yet again in ANOTHER property where I hear the neighbours KNOCK and BANG and CRASH against the inner wall. One of the neighbours is retired, so he'll be in all bloody day, so no chance of a sleep in at the weekend without ear plugs - but why should I do that?? It appears the neighbours are just doing normal day things against the wall and I hear every knock of it, but what can I do?
Of course I believe I do not believe I deserve this stress. I am not hyper sensitive to noise, you should come wrong and hear it for yourself! But I really am at the end of my already stretched tether. I intend to talk to the agent to ask to allow me to leave, after 1 week (today is day 6) of suffering this noise. I am not prepared to put up with it, I am house proud, I've looked after every place that I have lived, but each and every time its a matter of battling emotion and intrusive noise. Noise has ruined my life. I don't like having to move every 6 months, its embarrassing!
What are the chances of having the agent release from this "contract"? Will anyone ever understand that I cannot take this? I'd much rather be in a property that was either semi-detached and with little likelyhood of being sold or falling down, or I'd like to be in someplace in the middle of nowhere, I'm not millionaire, so thats not going to happen.
Or should I just shut up and quit complaining? I realise there will be some posts telling me to shut up and put up with it, or some tell me I'm ranting but shirley there is someone out there that agrees with me entirely? Shirley there must be a way out of it?
Your advice is always greatly appreciated, oh great MSE community.
dtm
0
Comments
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Honestly, it seems like noise has been the key upsetting factor so perhaps choose next time with that in mind. Anywhere with many neighbours is likely to be louder than anywhere with fewer, so you'll be better off towards the edge of town or the edge of a village (or right out in the sticks). If you have a car, maybe try finding something like the gatehouse of an estate, or move out to the Preselis and find a cottage!
I understand how irritating noisy neighbours can be - we have been mostly very lucky where we are now. Downstairs neighbours before these ones were both freshly separated from their spouses and having a flush of late-30's young love - with a lot of noisy physical activity associated with it (hours every night of slap slap slap howl howl as they were both trying to put on a bit of a show for the other), that was quite irritating, and they also used to shout a lot and had noisy dogs. Luckily they fell out with the letting agent and got booted out!
Having lived in the sticks and in villages as well as city centre locations, I find the edge of a small town/modest village has the best balance of quiet and facilities - worth a try?0 -
Oh yes, definitely worth a try. Property 3 and 7 were in a village, hence being as perfect as I wanted. But now I'm stuck with a 6 month contract and little enthusiasm to put up with the noise, I just want out.
I'm that low right now, I don't think sweet talking, or crying down the phone to the agent is going to help.
Thanks for your message though. Fortunately I have never had to put up with neighbour love making... unless I'm the noisy one in that regard! lol.0 -
To be honest I think you've become so sensitive about noise that you're constantly listening out for it now.
Thinking about it, my neighbours dog barks when someone is at the door, my house mate plays the acoustic guitar and another of the neighbours have young kids who run around screaming.
If I sat in silence listening out for it, it would drive me insane, and although I hear it, I don't register it because i'm doing something else.Current Debt: 0%.Current House Deposit: 7%.0 -
Whilst i sympathise with noisy neighbours, i cant help but think that actually the problem is you....
No disrespect OP but ive never heard of ANYONE having to move 8 times due to noisy neighbours. If you live in a flat,terrace or a semi you are attached to other people. Hearing them is a normal part of life. You either need to just accept that it is a part of life that everyone deals with or move to a detached house.
I live in an end of terrace which is only attached by the upstairs wall. I never hear my neighbours - probably because i dont spend my time listening for them. They dont hear me. The only thing i ever hear is their telephone ringing in their bedroom if i am upstairs and my house would need to be silent for me to hear that.
I have lived in mid terraces and flats and yes, you do hear the neighbours but either turn your tv or radio up a little bit and just get on with it!
Seriously, re the floorboards of the neighbours when you lived in a terrace, that is just ridiculous. You were seriously complaining about someone walking around in their own house?
Move to somewhere detached...i think it will be the best option for you£2 Savers Club #156!
Looking for holiday ideas for 2016. Currently, Isle of Skye in March, Riga in May, Crete in June and Lake District in October. August cruise cancelled, but Baby due September 2016! :j0 -
You are lucky you have never bought one of these properties because you would really be stuck. At least as you are renting you can leave, even if it takes a few months.
With all these bad experiences, I think you should be much more careful when choosing a property. You seem to keep going for the same type. I once viewed a semi detached house where the two front doors were next to each other and so inside the stairs were between. I would build all semis like this as it cuts down on noise.
You shouldn't have to use ear plugs but if you find the noise so disturbing then maybe that's what you need to do.0 -
I actually *am* hyper sensitive with regards to noise etc so I can somewhat appreciate what OP is going through.
However it is all a question of give and take.
Now in my own house (yay!) but a few years ago lived in 1 flat (we were on first floor of split level Victorian house) and my flatmate had a freezer (small) just outside but near and loud. My brother one day heard it and commented on how loud it was. so I got flatmate to move it to living room (no room in kitchen) and hide it with a screen.
2nd shared house - neighbours had dogs, old, and were let out at night and not let back in or forgotten about. so dogs would howl and bark all night long. this was also council/local authority housing and neighbours I think were on housing benefit. our house was privately owned. My landlady who owned the house was *scared to talk to neighbours* although they'd never threatened but looked scary. eventually she found out they were being evicted after I'd left.
I would just stick up for yourself and say something.
My current property - bought - I have a baby but in a spare bedroom there is a fountain with very loud pump on timer in neighbours garden - you can hear it with double glazing. I had to sleep there one time the main bedroom was being decorated but I just put up with it for what 3 weeks?? what can I do, tell them to turn fountain off??!!! and I'm sure a baby makes noise as it is - but she's very quiet.
Right now we have added problem as land behind us being redeveloped so every morning from 8am builders/workmen start AND on Saturday mornings too - but we know they need to work so you either just sleep through it or earplugs.
so either put up or shut up OR if it is that bad complain. but do it properly and mean it. no property will ever be *perfect* and OP does sound *noise sensitive*. :eek:0 -
LisaLou1982 wrote: »Whilst i sympathise with noisy neighbours, i cant help but think that actually the problem is you....
No disrespect OP but ive never heard of ANYONE having to move 8 times due to noisy neighbours. If you live in a flat,terrace or a semi you are attached to other people. Hearing them is a normal part of life. You either need to just accept that it is a part of life that everyone deals with or move to a detached house.
I live in an end of terrace which is only attached by the upstairs wall. I never hear my neighbours - probably because i dont spend my time listening for them. They dont hear me. The only thing i ever hear is their telephone ringing in their bedroom if i am upstairs and my house would need to be silent for me to hear that.
I have lived in mid terraces and flats and yes, you do hear the neighbours but either turn your tv or radio up a little bit and just get on with it!
Seriously, re the floorboards of the neighbours when you lived in a terrace, that is just ridiculous. You were seriously complaining about someone walking around in their own house?
Move to somewhere detached...i think it will be the best option for you
Totally agree with all that. and what noise does OP make?? I'm sure his neighbours may comment in some way. LOL0 -
Thanks everyone for your messages. I appreciate that most people won't understand how it feels, as they can probably tolerate it themselves. I'm just not one of those people who can be physically busy enough to tolerate it and it just induces the 'woe is me' state of mind.
Fortunately I do not believe I am hyper sensitive enough to be bothered by construction works or a fountain water pump, as frustrating as that sounds for you.
I can tolerate some dog barking, but our previous landlord's dog was doing it right outside out single-glazed kitchen window that looked upon the patio that the dog had rein. Yes, I knew he had a dog and Yes, I anticipated that dogs bark, but not to this extent - ultimately this scenario was more I had a problem with the fact he did not stop the dog from barking and less so the dog's noise.
Floorboards, yes, I was complaining. Especially given that they were walking around heavy footed and some in high heels - I could hear the reverb, it was frustrating especially at 7am, just when I'm lying in.
I'd record the current property noise to demonstrate, but that is not fair on my neighbours, nor is it an accurate representation of the noise because a microphone will record anything and everything. Unless I record while the telly is on.... but if I did post it here, who cares really? There is little point in the exercise plus its not like its going to mean anything to anyone because they aren't here to hear it for real. Plus it'd make me feel worse if everyone said they could put up with it - lol!.
I have used ear plugs on and off but they make my earholes ache and that is not worth going through every day to not suffer noise. I will tolerate some but not all.
Detached in a village would be nice, very nice. But is everyone's argument that they have to put with it then so should I?
Given I am conscious of other people's noise (not listening out for it mind) I am also aware of how much noise I make. One neighbour has complained about my footsteps, but he was below me - I guess he got his own back playing his music loudly. Since, no one has ever said anything about me as a neighbour. I'm obviously some floating fairy that lives in a rolling bubble...0 -
What are the chances of being released from your legally-binding contract after less than a week? Remote.
The only party who can decide is your landlord. Some might agree if you cover their expenses in finding an alternative tenant and carry n paying the rent in full until they have done so. If you don't ask, you don't get.
n.b. not all ear-plugs are hard and hurty. If you need them for sleep perhaps a white-noise generator might cancel some of it out. During the day-time I suggest Radio Four or similar0 -
I've spoken with the agent since and while they appreciate my position, the only viable option is to bring in another tenant in the meantime to end my agreement.
I hope this is something that they can do, because despite what I've said, I don't think I can mentally keep doing this.
My next place will be chosen with ALOT of care and attention.0
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