Issues With Neighbours

Lily-Rose_3

JoannaRR wrote: »

Sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong place, but it seemed the most appropriate!

We moved into our new home 3 weeks ago. We used to live in a terrace, where we had nightmare neighbours on either side, so we wanted somewhere much quieter. In our area, we couldn't afford detatched, so we went for semi-detatched. When we put in our offer back in July, we knew the woman who lived in the house attached to ours lived alone and she seemed very quiet, which we were obviously pleased about!

Fast forward to now - the day after we moved in, a parcel had arrived for us at her house, so we thought it was the perfect opportunity to introduce ourselves properly. Turned out that a new family had moved in literally the week before us. A man, woman and their young daughter.

We've had issues from as soon as we moved in. Stomping and banging around constantly, screaming and shouting, a TV on extremely loud most evenings until gone midnight (right next to our bedroom), fireworks at gone 10pm the other night, and the man comes and goes at all hours. We suspect drugs may be involved due to the constant coming and going and endless people going round there who seem to only stay a few minutes... The final straw, tonight, they've had a blazing, screaming row and the man stormed out whilst the woman screamed at him to 'f*** off'. Excellent.

This is exactly the type of thing we wanted to avoid, we're devastated that we've ended up next to neighbours who seem even worse than the ones we've tried to get away from

We're unsure what to do. We own our house, but we're guessing they're tenants (although we're not 100% sure, we're pretty certain we would've noticed their house up for sale as we've been looking in this area for months). Got the owner's details from the land registry, and it lists another woman as the owner, but gives her address as being at that house.

Anyone have any advice? We'd have a word but they seem like the type of people to cause major issues for us if we were to say something directly. We're really unsure what to do, but it's already making us feel tense and miserable and we've only been here 3 weeks!

I feel sorry for you Jo, as nuisance, nightmare neighbours can make your life a living hell.

But I think it's a little presumptuous and rude to assume that someone who is a noisy and aggressive neighbour 'must be in rented accommodation,' which seems to imply that someone who is 'buying' is going to be an absolute angel, quiet as a Church mouse, and totally lovely.

We rent now, (little housing association bungalow,) but in the 3 homes we owned for about 18 years (through the 1990s and the 2000s,) we always had homeowners next door, and out of about 8 sets of next-door neighbours in those 3 properties, half of them were pretty awful.

One was a 55 year old couple about 15 years ago, when our daughter was young, who played VERY loud music. They used to put MTV on, at 6.30pm, and leave it on til 11pm when they came from the pub, to 'deter the burglars!' Even though it did our heads in, and kept our daughter awake! We had a tiny 2 bed semi! When we asked thm to please turn the music down, SHE turned around and said 'f--- off, this is OUR house, and we will do what we want in it.' After a year of tolerating their noise nusiance, we left (we sold to a private landlord.)

Another one was a couple with four kids who bought a house opposite us, and they were the biggest bunch of chavs in the close!!!

Another one was another next door neighbour (not joined on thankfully) who had an extended family of about 15-20 people who always seemed to come around for BBQ's EVERY WEEKEND! And the noise was phenomenal! They would throw bottles and cans over our fence too, and you frequently heard the kids being screamed at and him and her yelling at each other!

And also, when we were in private let (we were in it for several years before getting our social housing bungalow a couple of years ago,) there was a married couple with 2 kids, (next door, joined on,) who had bought the house, and he was an aggressive, shouty thug who used to scream at his wife and throw furniture around. (We put up with them for 6 months, and then got social housing.) We were the ones private renting, and yet WE were the respectful and quiet ones.

There are about a dozen or more over the 18 years at the 3 houses we owned, (and the private let we were at,) who were crappy neighbours, who lived NEAR us or next door, and about 7 of them owned their home!

The days are long gone, when homeowners were the decent citizens and the renters were more likely to be the noisy troublemakers (that's if that was ever actually true LOL.)

I suggest you keep a diary, and complain to the council.

I hope you get it sorted, I really do, as your home should be your sanctuary, but please don't tar 'renters' with the same brush. (ie, assuming that bad neighbours must be renters.') I have come across as many 'homeowners' who are bad neighbours, as I have renters who are bad neighbours. Same goes for many people I know.

JoannaRR

Thank you to all those who have taken the time to write helpful comments

I think for now we'll be keeping a diary and seeing how things progress.

I'm far from picky when it comes to neighbours - I've lived in halls and all kinds of places when I was at uni, next to lots of very loud neighbours, and my parents also have neighbours who have parties way into the night etc. My OH is the same. However in our previous house we had couples on both sides who would shout and scream at each other at all hours, banging doors, and one side smoked a LOT of weed. I'm perfectly happy to tolerate peoples' general everyday noise, especially kids as I know they can be loud, but not the adults constantly shouting and swearing, slamming doors and dealing/taking drugs. There's no excuse for it in my opinion.

The main issue with our current neighbours is the fact that the noise seems to be constant, literally. If they're not stomping around, banging doors, they're watching TV loudly or shouting at each other. Plus I think letting fireworks off on a residential estate at gone 10pm on a weeknight shows how inconsiderate they probably are as people, especially when they themselves have a very young child.

Last night the TV was blaring until gone 1am, then we were woken up at 6 this morning by lots of banging and shouting. I have no idea what's causing it all, but it's definitely inconsiderate to say the very least.

Thank you to those who have taken the time to give me some very good advice

JoannaRR

I feel sorry for you Jo, as nuisance, nightmare neighbours can make your life a living hell.

But I think it's a little presumptuous and rude to assume that someone who is a noisy and aggressive neighbour 'must be in rented accommodation,' which seems to imply that someone who is 'buying' is going to be an absolute angel, quiet as a Church mouse, and totally lovely...

Our only reason for thinking they're renting is because back in July/August, somebody else lived in the property. It hasn't been up for sale as we would've seen it advertised. Also, as they've moved in not even two months after we know someone else lived there, that would be a spectacularly quick sale!

Hence, we believe they're renting. It has never even occurred to me that people who rent would be 'louder'.

45002

JoannaRR wrote:

Our only reason for thinking they're renting is because back in July/August, somebody else lived in the property. It hasn't been up for sale as we would've seen it advertised. Also, as they've moved in not even two months after we know someone else lived there, that would be a spectacularly quick sale!

Hence, we believe they're renting. It has never even occurred to me that people who rent would be 'louder'.

Personal, I think this is more of a Home-owner not wanting to live next door to Tenants.

Plenty of theses types of threads/post spring up on forums all the time

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JoannaRR wrote:

Thank you to all those who have taken the time to write helpful comments

I think for now we'll be keeping a diary and seeing how things progress.

I'm far from picky when it comes to neighbours - I've lived in halls and all kinds of places when I was at uni, next to lots of very loud neighbours, and my parents also have neighbours who have parties way into the night etc. My OH is the same. However in our previous house we had couples on both sides who would shout and scream at each other at all hours, banging doors, and one side smoked a LOT of weed. I'm perfectly happy to tolerate peoples' general everyday noise, especially kids as I know they can be loud, but not the adults constantly shouting and swearing, slamming doors and dealing/taking drugs. There's no excuse for it in my opinion.

The main issue with our current neighbours is the fact that the noise seems to be constant, literally. If they're not stomping around, banging doors, they're watching TV loudly or shouting at each other. Plus I think letting fireworks off on a residential estate at gone 10pm on a weeknight shows how inconsiderate they probably are as people, especially when they themselves have a very young child.

Last night the TV was blaring until gone 1am, then we were woken up at 6 this morning by lots of banging and shouting. I have no idea what's causing it all, but it's definitely inconsiderate to say the very least.

Thank you to those who have taken the time to give me some very good advice

All this in space of 3 weeks

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JoannaRR Would you like to answer this

nonnatus wrote: »

Did you tell the new owners of your OLD house that they were moving into a terraced house with Nightmare Neighbours on both sides of them??

Not at all relevant to your current problem, just wondered how these things work...?

Thank you

Andypandyboy

car0line123 wrote: »

I am sorry Andypandyboy, I completely disagree with you! It is totally unacceptable to be a nuisance for your neighbours. I am most certainly not perfect, but if you don't tell me there's a problem, I won't know. That said, I would never put a machine at night/ hoover at night/ I use headphones for tv and music, especially at night... If I have a party of friends, will tell my neighbours, and it's a one off. I could go on and on. I make efforts so expect people to do the same! Why would you slam doors at night when you know it disturb people?

Good luck to JoannaRR, sadly I haven't got any advice and I understand you do not want a war with them. It's totally unfair to you. Here, you can only write a diary of the nuisance and complain to the Environmental Health... not helpful
(And don't forget you legally have to report any problems with neighbours when you sell...)

You must be in the minority if you use headphones to watch TV. I agree about mentioning a party or hoovering at night of course, but as for slamming doors, kids do it, it may annoy, but they do do it.

I was not saying it is acceptable to be a nuisance to your neighbours, more that what constitutes a nuisance is subjective. Also, that some people are overly sensitive to normal family noises.

Peter333

car0line123 wrote: »

I am sorry Andypandyboy, I completely disagree with you! It is totally unacceptable to be a nuisance for your neighbours. I am most certainly not perfect, but if you don't tell me there's a problem, I won't know. That said, I would never put a machine at night/ hoover at night/ I use headphones for tv and music, especially at night... If I have a party of friends, will tell my neighbours, and it's a one off. I could go on and on. I make efforts so expect people to do the same! Why would you slam doors at night when you know it disturb people?

Good luck to JoannaRR, sadly I haven't got any advice and I understand you do not want a war with them. It's totally unfair to you. Here, you can only write a diary of the nuisance and complain to the Environmental Health... not helpful
(And don't forget you legally have to report any problems with neighbours when you sell...)

Completely agree with this ^^^ I think far too many people think they can do what they want, because it's 'their house' and that gives them the right to behave how they see fit, no matter how it affects their neighbours!

It is absolutely unacceptable to have your tv loud at ALL, let alone late at night, and loud music is also a no-no. Many homes are not built far apart, and of very good quality like they used to be, (pre 1940s,) so people should be a lot more considerate.

I do NOT want to hear someone else's television OR music thudding through the party wall OR people screaming and shouting, and doors being banged, and people stamping up and down the stairs! Me and my wife and kids have never behaved like this, so I don't expect other people to do so!

If your neighbour can hear your tv, or your music, then it IS too loud. And they most certainly should not be having to hear your shouting.

Unfortunately, some people do have this 'if you don't like it tough! It's my house and I will do what I want in it' attitude.

Although we have suffered horrible noisy neighbours at times in the past, when we lived in a semi; we are blessed to now live in a detached house! And also blessed to have fab neighbours.

I pity the OP, and I hope you can get this dealt with.

Andypandyboy

Peter333 wrote: »

Completely agree with this ^^^ I think far too many people think they can do what they want, because it's 'their house' and that gives them the right to behave how they see fit, no matter how it affects their neighbours!

It is absolutely unacceptable to have your tv loud at ALL, let alone late at night, and loud music is also a no-no. Many homes are not built far apart, and of very good quality like they used to be, (pre 1940s,) so people should be a lot more considerate.

I do NOT want to hear someone else's television OR music thudding through the party wall OR people screaming and shouting, and doors being banged, and people stamping up and down the stairs! Me and my wife and kids have never behaved like this, so I don't expect other people to do so!

If your neighbour can hear your tv, or your music, then it IS too loud. And they most certainly should not be having to hear your shouting.

Unfortunately, some people do have this 'if you don't like it tough! It's my house and I will do what I want in it' attitude.

Although we have suffered horrible noisy neighbours at times in the past, when we lived in a semi; we are blessed to now live in a detached house! And also blessed to have fab neighbours.

I pity the OP, and I hope you can get this dealt with.

Has anyone said this? Who wears headpones to watch TV? Who decides if your TV is too loud?

Blackpool_Saver

Peter333 wrote: »

Completely agree with this ^^^ I think far too many people think they can do what they want, because it's 'their house' and that gives them the right to behave how they see fit, no matter how it affects their neighbours!

It is absolutely unacceptable to have your tv loud at ALL, let alone late at night, and loud music is also a no-no. Many homes are not built far apart, and of very good quality like they used to be, (pre 1940s,) so people should be a lot more considerate.

I do NOT want to hear someone else's television OR music thudding through the party wall OR people screaming and shouting, and doors being banged, and people stamping up and down the stairs! Me and my wife and kids have never behaved like this, so I don't expect other people to do so!

If your neighbour can hear your tv, or your music, then it IS too loud. And they most certainly should not be having to hear your shouting.

Unfortunately, some people do have this 'if you don't like it tough! It's my house and I will do what I want in it' attitude.

Although we have suffered horrible noisy neighbours at times in the past, when we lived in a semi; we are blessed to now live in a detached house! And also blessed to have fab neighbours.

I pity the OP, and I hope you can get this dealt with.

:eek: Blimey, glad I don't live next to you, some of what you say is inconsiderate, but some is normal life

moneyistooshorttomention

Andypandyboy wrote: »

Has anyone said this? Who wears headpones to watch TV? Who decides if your TV is too loud?

Straight answer to TV question = if neighbours can hear it, then it's too loud.

Re above quote:
-music shouldn't come through party walls
- people shouldn't scream and shout
- doors should be closed, not banged
- stairs should be walked up and down normally, ie not "stamping up and down"

I couldn't see any comments complaining about normal behaviour within that quote????

staffie1

I sympathise with the op. I know that regular noise from next door can be very invasive. Constant door-banging for example can drive you nuts.

While people making excessive noise is inconsiderate to put it mildly, some allowance should be made that modern semi and terraced houses themselves don't help the situation. Their flimsy construction allows sound to pass between houses easily as there is very little, if anything solid to impede it. Vibrations from doors being slammed and music with low bass can be a big problem, as all you can hear is regular thudding sounds (the volume of the music doesn't even have to be that loud).