Noisy neighbour help please

Bettyboop

A bit of topic but just wanted to add that I reported my neighbours for mistreating there cat. I often saw it being kicked and sometimes that would throw whatever they could at it. (I suppose they didn't realise that I could see all this from my daughters bedrrom)....it was snowing heavily one day and they kicked the poor thing out the door! I phoned the RSPCA anonymously and the next day they took the cat away! Thank heavens or it would probably be dead by now.

Lydia.42

Hi
I used to work as an environmental health officer (EHO), so really feel for anyone with these problems (used to have dreadful neighbours - really lucky now).

For anyone with noisy neighbours, your first step should be to speak to your neighbours politely, as many don't know they are causing a nuisance. Try to sort it out between yourselves, as it can be so much easier this way, rather than make the person angry by complaining about them when they havent' had a chance to have their say/alter their behaviour.

If this gets you nowhere, then you can contact your local council. Ask to speak to the Env health dept. Even on a weekend they should operate an out of hours service. If the matter is not urgent, it will be picked up and logged on the following working day. If it is urgent, or lots of people complain eg. a house party and lots of neighbours log calls, then the duty officer may make a visit then and there.

Generally we used to call and speak to the person who had complained, and send then a noise pack. Basically this consisted of a 2 week diary to log all noise, and then be returned for review by the EHO. We would usually then write to the person causing the nuisance, and state we had received a complaint, etc. If the noise continues, the EHO can visit, particulary if the noise is occuring during working hours, and 'witness the nuisance'. They may even install recording equipment that you operate, again alongside a noise diary, with can also be used in court.

In extreme/ongoing cases the council has the power to confiscate equipment eg. stereos, serve notices to prevent noise, and prosecute.

Similarly the Env health dept will deal with any other nuisances under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA), including rubbish, sewers, dog mess, filthy and verminous premises, bonfires.............

We had some regular houses on our patch with lots of dogs kept in tiny gardens. Not only did we regularly drive past on other jobs, and just walk past to monitor noise, but also to check that the gardan was relatively clear of mess - if we had previously served an improvement notice on the owners.

Sorry for the long post, hope this helps. Unfortunately with all nuisance problems, it is subjective. One person may not notice the noise, whilst another person may be very aware, and have it grate on their nerves continuously.

Catseyez

Hi,

Up until less than a year ago, I used to take referrals for noise officers out-of-hours (5pm - 8am Mon-Fri and from 5pm on Friday until 8am on Monday).

There was a list of regular offenders so to speak and if anybody complained about one of the addresses on the list, the noise officer was obliged to attend the property. Some of the addresses were on the list for months where as others would be removed/added on a regular basis.

My advice to you is to continue with the log book but also phone your council's out-of-hours telephone number and get your complaint logged every time you experience a disturbance that contravenes noise legislation. Depending on the type of noise and time of day, the noise officer may have to attend (regardless of whether the property is on their 'referral list'). When you make the call, always take a log number for your records. Also, the noise officers will only attend if you are able to supply the exact address of where the noise is coming from (well this was the case for the council that I took referrals for).

Please do not worry about phoning out-of-hours as the noise officers are being paid to work and so are the people logging your calls. But you must call as soon as the noise starts in order to give the noise officer enough time to attend, if that is his procedure. Noise officers can't do much if they don't have the evidence to support the case, that is why they need to attend to witness it.

It is also worth arming yourself with information so you know what the legisation is regarding noise.

I hope this helps. Please ask if you need any further clarification.

Good luck.

Catseyez

jaberdene

Hi all,

Similar thing happens to me everyday. The tenant who lives downstairs keeps snoring all over night. Very very loud. I asked him once why you snore while you sleep? He said If he snore a lot he sleep well. If he dont snore he feels he dont sleep well. What can I say,
But one advantage of it. Presumably, the noise keeps rats and cats away of my house.

JE.

Errata

Have a read of your own Tenancy Agreement, it should tell you what you can and can't do and should have info on anti social behaviour such as loud music. Your neighbour will have the same Tenancy Agreement as you and will detail the consequence for a breach.
Re dogs. A good first point of contact is the council Dog Warden Service. HTH

loveandlight

We have neighbours who live underneath us wth a very young child. We have had very little sleep for the past year because of the noise they make the early hours of the morning and the fact they allow their child to cry non-stop for 5 hours every night. They constantly bang doors, and make loud thuds and crashing noises, and our whole flat shuddering day and night has become the norm.

It's all very well people saying don't get into a dispute otherwise you won't be able to sell your property, which I was told a while back when I posted on this forum. Keeping quiet and suffering in silence didn't help me after all because I ended up in hospital twice due to the noise, once with heart problems, and my health has deteriorated dramatically.

We own our flat whereas our noisey neighbous rent theirs. We tried talking to them to stop the noise at night but they told us there was nothing they would or could do about it. Last week she attacked me because I contacted their landlord's agents to complain about their noise and how I wasn't able to sell my flat because of it. Now we are forced to move and probably will have problems renting our flat out because of the noise. It is virtually uninhabitable.

We took legal advice and have been told there's nothing we can do about it because they have a young child ( nearly two now). We have a young child also, but ours doesn't count apparently, because theirs is younger. In effect we might as well just hand the keys back to our mortgage company.

I can't add any more advice to what you've been told above. I just wanted to let you know I do understand exactly what you are going through and I do believe Environmental health will do something about it for you, whereas in our case no-one will do anything because they have a very young child. ( I might as well give them our flat as a gift). Tell the EHO that your child's health is suffering, that might make them take action. Good luck.

fittaedae

Sympathise with you all :sad: We have a lovely semi detached house, the house of our dreams, which all our money is ploughed into (why we are in debt)

Its not the neighbour attached to us causing the problem its the one at the other side. He is the loudest person in the world, goes out golfing and shouts and bawls revvs up his van and slams the doors below our bedroom window at about 6am at weekends! :mad:

Now his latest trick is playing the drums in his Garage (our bedroom is overlooking the driveway!) he does so all weekend an in the evenings, we now cannot use our garden and hear the noise all through the house. Unfortunately our environemntal health and noise team say that "If you cant hear your TV in your LIVING ROOM when it is on at normal level because of the noise, we will come and investigate" We dont have the tv on in the bedroom at 8am on sunday mornings. Useless!! Complained, they say its not against the law and there is nothing they can do if the noise is bothering us in the garden!!!

Roll on summer..... NOT! :rolleyes2

Oh and when we do as council says and talk to him he says "If I am up EVERYONE is up" :mad: Oh and he is taking his "Musician" pals round this Sunday at 1pm to play in the garage.... I said "Suppose we will have to go out then... Sarcastically, his reply (Nastily) "You'd better"!!!!

misstique_2

i totaly simpathise with you i too am a coucill tenent in sheff and my upper floor neighbough likes to have saturday night house partys ive tryed to call people about this but you must keep a diary of events at all time so thats what ive started to do but i must admit im a bit scared of complaning i live on my own and belive me i hear the fights they have really dont want
him banging on my door what to do????