TV Noise - Downstairs Neighbour

xylophone

If she is not sight impaired as well, would she consider the subtitle option in the evenings?

Fraise

nickyg2000 wrote: »

Barrier matts under the underlay should help. 3 layer would be best. Not cheap though.

Personally I wouldn't have contacted the council now an official dispute exists so expect to discount the property by 10% when selling.

That isn't correct.

Although declaring a dispute could put some buyers off, if you can show that the matter has been resolved it will make no difference to the asking price. For one thing you can't quantify what price nuisance is. And secondly, you cannot guarantee what new neighbours will be like.

Neighbour disputes are extremely common, and many of them can easily be sorted if the parties involved are mature, realistic and prepared to meet halfway.

Most buyers know that they may not get on with all their neighbours, and some may seem unfriendly or a nuisance, but you learn to avoid them,or befriend them and get them to behave nicely. Unless you're living in the middle of a moor or in a massive mansion in acres of ground, chances are you're going to have neighbours - whether next door, opposite, beneath you or above. Amazingly enough it is easier to solve neighbour disputes if they live in the same property, than it is if you have, say, a dozen hells angels with motorbikes who live opposite you, and who party every weekend, there's nothing you can do about neighbours opposite, unless they commit a criminal act or play music above a certain decibel.

But if you have made a dispute official, and have resolved it, that should reassure the buyer and you certainly wouldn't lose value off your property. Remember, some sellers don't reveal any disputes they've had, they just wing it. But I'd much rather a seller told me there had been one but it was now resolves. That would certainly reassure me, and if I loved the property I wouldn't be put off by something that may have happened due to a clash of personalities between those two neighbours. Besides, the person selling could be the nuisance neighbour!

Poppie68

Maybe talk to one of her relatives if you see them and explain, maybe she just does'nt realise the seriousness of it. She is most probably deaf as a post but thats not your problem and you have a right to some peace in your own home.

DRP

Fraise wrote: »

That isn't correct.

I don't think you can say it is incorrect.

Just because you think you can explain a dispute, doesn't mean any buyer will be satisfied. They are likely to be wary and this may mean the property will be less desirable to them.

I can't say I've ever trusted what a vendor says 100% and through bad experiences know they usually *can't* be trusted 100%

ConfusedofYorkshire

xylophone wrote: »

If she is not sight impaired as well, would she consider the subtitle option in the evenings?

Have you ever tried watching with subtitles? They are laughable. So inaccurate.

nickyg2000

If they cant resolve the dispute and it becomes the reason for moving I think you would have to discount the property.

Not many people will want to buy a flat when the sellers disclose the dispute is because of a very loud TV 24/7.

The 10% figure is what some estate agents give from experience of selling these types properties.

Building_Surveyor

As your neighbour is elderly with speech difficulties I think you need to tread carefully. Bombarding her with notes, reports to the council etc may be construed in a bad light as by the sounds of it she's probably not acting out of malice or inconsideration.

If she has difficulty with speech or communicating then perhaps an advocate can act on her behalf so that there can be some form of mediation.

You can spend all the money in the world trying to prevent noise from transferring but at the end of the day the only option that's guaranteed to work may be to move again.

Noctu

Shorthair83 wrote: »

Had the Noise Team out who have recorded the noise and have offered my neighbour Mediation to resolve the issue by sending out 2 letters again within the last month

Was this Environmental Health? Did they offer you the option to install a recording device, and did they deem the noise to be a statutory nuisance?

It might be worth a solicitor's letter (even though only EH can do anything legally about it AFAIK) to advise you will be taking it further to enforcement action if she does not cease.

If this doesn't work and EH deem it to be a statutory nuisance then they can take action and confiscate her equipment.

Is she renting or does she own? If the former, might be worth a letter to the landlord.


(And no, I have no sympathy with anyone who makes unacceptable noise like this when completely aware that it significantly disturbs their neighbours, even if they are elderly!)

Don't bother with acoustic stuff, speaking from experience (and an empty purse) - you will never be able to overcome the inherent problems in the structure of the building which allows this noise to travel.

Jenniefour

Building_Surveyor wrote: »

As your neighbour is elderly with speech difficulties I think you need to tread carefully. Bombarding her with notes, reports to the council etc may be construed in a bad light as by the sounds of it she's probably not acting out of malice or inconsideration.

If she has difficulty with speech or communicating then perhaps an advocate can act on her behalf so that there can be some form of mediation.

You can spend all the money in the world trying to prevent noise from transferring but at the end of the day the only option that's guaranteed to work may be to move again.

Completely agree. I would be pursuing attempts to resolve it with the elderly lady, a relative or someone who knows her well, rather than going down more formal channels which could easily be experienced as frightening - this is not going to resolve anything and could be received as bullying/harassment. Yes, there are formal and/or legal remedies but they should only be used as a very last resort.

At the end of the day your neighbour is not the sole cause of the problem - the problem lies in inadequate measures to sound proof the building when it was converted, very common.

A lot of us are going to be elderly and vulnerable one day, and a bit of consideration about how we might want others to treat us is the order of the day - including giving her the benefit of the doubt for the moment. Yes, she may be aware that her TV is a problem but she simply does not know what she could do that would help.

Noctu

Jenniefour wrote: »

Completely agree. I would be pursuing attempts to resolve it with the elderly lady, a relative or someone who knows her well, rather than going down more formal channels which could easily be experienced as frightening - this is not going to resolve anything and could be received as bullying/harassment. Yes, there are formal and/or legal remedies but they should only be used as a very last resort.

At the end of the day your neighbour is not the sole cause of the problem - the problem lies in inadequate measures to sound proof the building when it was converted, very common.

A lot of us are going to be elderly and vulnerable one day, and a bit of consideration about how we might want others to treat us is the order of the day - including giving her the benefit of the doubt for the moment. Yes, she may be aware that her TV is a problem but she simply does not know what she could do that would help.

She has already been made aware that her noise is significantly disturbing others and still CHOOSES to continue. It's not rocket science to consider headphones for it (or other measures). No sympathy at all. If she was 40 years younger (or whatever) I don't think anyone would be saying the above.