Former neighbour complaining about our tenant - what to do?

Tirian

After we married, my wife and I had two properties and needed to move to somewhere inbetween to commute to our respective jobs. We sold one and rented out the other. Our tenant is a single mum with two kids, working full time and has been in the house 18 months now. We've been entirely happy with her, never had any rent difficulties etc.

Out of the blue, we had a text from one of our former neighbours, saying that they were unhappy with the amount of noise made by our tenant's children in the mornings (and specifically that it was spoiling her lie-in during the half term!) and that her daughter can't sleep past a certain hour in the morning because of the noise from the children when they get up.

Neighbour says that our tenant is very nice in general and she "really doesn't want to say anything to upset her" but the noise is driving them up the wall.

Frankly, I'm a little baffled as to what we are expected to do about this. I sympathise, but I can't say I think that we should be expected to take our tenant to task for not ensuring that her neighbours get a half-term lie-in!

I'm also pretty reluctant to bring this up with the tenant at all if the neighbour (as it appears) can't bring themselves to mention it to her themselves. Surely it's their responsibility to at least raise it directly first?

terryw

To start with I would ask your ex-neighbour, "What do you want me to do?"

Werdnal

Noise is a very subjective thing. What one person might turn a blind eye to, may totally grind on someone else.

That said, neighbourly disputes are nothing to do with the Landlord. If this neighbour has a problem, then she should address it direct with your tenant. Landlords have to be many things, but a social worker, lifestyle coach and noise abatement officer is not one of them.

Tell the neighbour that you sympathise with her concern, but living next door to a family with children is bound to cause some noise at times and you suggest she raises it with her neighbour directly, as there is little you can do. TBH, I wouldn't actually call this a noise nuisance in any sense of the word, unless the tenant is up screaming at her kids in the garden at 1am!

What is she really expecting you to do - bound and gag the tenant's children to stop them making a squeek until 10am every day?

monty-doggy

Lol I agree, she can't lock her kids up. It is her responsibility to address this with the neighbour, kids make noise but there are ways roundit for exampleif the kids are up early every day can their bedroom not be on an adjoining wall so they wouldn't hear? And as for a half term lie in? It's would indicate that it's not that early of a morning so she should just bloody buy some ear plugs! She should think herself lucky you didn't rent it to a gang on teenagers, partying their way through uni.

I'd do as the above says and politely ask what do you want me to do about it, and then suggest she tries first!

tiger_eyes

Fortunately, this is neither your business nor your problem.

princeofpounds

Do they have attached walls? Is this a semi or terrace?

But generally landlords should only get involved when there is serious antisocial behaviour and/or the noise is exacerbated by terrible property construction.

olly300

Children playing, singing, crying or screaming isn't a statutory noise nuisance and you don't have to do anything about it.

The local environmental health won't if the neighbour makes a complaint to them.

I suggest you ignore this text and if you later asked look/sound puzzled/confused about it and tell your former neighbour if there are problems the first person to talk to is the tenant.

jamie11

Seriously! Don't let yourself become involved, neighbour disputes do not get sorted out by landlords.

Guest101

This did make me smile

I would reply saying: Hello X (Or mr or mrs X), thank you contacting me regaring the matter, unfortunately this complaint does not form any kind of anti-social behaviour, and as such I am unable to assist you. You may by all means speak to my tenant directly, however please be aware that as a private landlord, should this tenant choose to vacate, i reserve as always the right to rent my accomodation to any qualifying tenants. Regards....'

If they read between the lines, i think they'll keep their nose out

Chrissie72

I would have thought that if there is neighbour nuisance, that the Landlord would be expected to deal with it. I mean, if it was a local authority property, you would expect that the council would have words with their tenant. However. that said, I don't think this is an actual anti-social problem. It's just annoying children!

Many people (myself included) have neighbours that are noisy sometimes, and don't get me started on my neighbours who have 3 young kids and 7 grandkids from their 3 older kids!!! They have all TEN kids in the garden for 10 hours around every third Saturday! :mad: But I wouldn't complain, as this is not what I would call neighbour problems or ridiculous and unacceptable levels of nuisance; it's just being in a neighbourhood. I would actually write back (as some have suggested,) and say 'what do you want me to do?'

terryw

Chrissie72 wrote: »

Many people (myself included) have neighbours that are noisy sometimes, and don't get me started on my neighbours who have 3 young kids and 7 grandkids from their 3 older kids!!! They have all TEN kids in the garden for 10 hours around every third Saturday!

Chrissie,

I really do understand your point of view. I am not wishing to be argumentative, but ...............this is called living. Think of the alternatives! Live and let live, but if it really really bothers you, go out every third Saturday. Problem solved.

bw