Neighbours From Hell - Advice Please

mimi1234

Hi all,

I'm just after a bid of advice. Sorry about the massive essay in advance. We live in a terraced house and have neighbours on both sides. 1 set of neighbours can be quite noisy at times but on the whole are OK. On the other side, I think it's the official family from hell.

My parents bought the house about 35 years ago and about 5 years later, the neighbours from hell moved in.

The household next door now consists of 4 grown adults (a few have moved out), the youngest being late 20's. None of them have any health problems so the noise is not linked to that. There is no major issue between them us, there have been no cat fights or fall outs. They do their thing. We do ours. Not much interaction over the years to be honest. The neighbours they have on the other side of their house are also a quiet family, but are also petrified of the neighbours from hell because of their reputation, so they don't complain either.

Now don't get me wrong. I know there is always going to be some sort of noise from neighbours living in a terraced house. They might have builders in, there might be the odd occasion of hoovering at midnight, maybe even hammering at night once in a while, family and friends might come round so there might be loud chatting/music/crying/shouting late at night.

However, these neighbours are just something else. I will give you a few examples of their ASB:

* Hoovering the bedrooms after 10pm (knowing clearly well we are asleep).
* Using a stepping machine (the monstrosity that goes boom boom each time you put a foot down) in the bedrooms at 7am quite regularly.
* Internal doors slammed at full pelt every day. This starts at 6am and can go on until 1am the next morning. Unfortunately with how the houses are built, 95% of their internal doors are adjacent to our wall, so yes, you got it, each slam practically wakes us up/scares the living daylights out of us if we are trying to read a magazine or a book in the front room. How their doors don't break is beyond me. Each door gets slammed about roughly 30 times a day each (yes, I have been counting it!). The one door they have which is not linked to our wall is always closed very delicately!!! I can hear it. They come from the bedrooms to the front room and hammer the door shut very loudly which is adjacent to our wall. The door to get to the kitchen is right next to this door and is not linked to our wall. I can actually hear the handle being pushed down and the door being closed gently. No loud shutting noise when that door is shut.
* They had a bathroom fan/ventilation unit fitted a few years ago. It can't be fitted properly as each time it's switched on, it sounds like a plane is taking off. Doesn't an inspector from the Council have to come and check these things are fitted properly?

The above has been ongoing for quite some time and I guess we kind of got used to it so to speak, but what has tipped me over the edge is:

* Doing DIY (hammering/drilling) after 10.30pm. Recently they have been doing something in their attic which has practically driven me doolally. It's been on going for a few weeks now. Why can't they do it during the day like any normal person?

We've tried talking to them but they don't listen. Years ago, my Dad had a word with them about slamming doors and they insisted it was no one at theirs and that we must be hearing things! They once hoovered the bedrooms at 11pm, so we knocked back. The next morning they put 2 dead rats on our car. With the recent hammering at night, I went to have a word in a friendly neighbour kind of way, but got told to f*** off and that they can do what they want in their house whenever they like. Now the door slamming has intensified which I know they are doing on purpose. Basically, they think they can do what they want when they want and tough sh*t to us if it affects us.

We've discussed it at home and calling the Police / Council ASB Unit is not really an option. 3 of the 4 from their house have criminal records and 1 has been in and out of prison numerous times and has "friends" if you know what I mean. When his drug dealing has gone awry in the past, his "friends" have sorted his problems out. He is also known to be very violent.

My Mom is not really keen on moving as she is in her old age and doesn't like the idea of change. Dad died a few years ago and Mom is still struggling with it even though she won't let on. Mom has a sister in the opposite street, and 2 brothers not too far away so her family is very close to where we are. Most of her life has been in this house so it's really unfair we are having to make changes because of the family next door. Also, she is not too well. On the plus side of her illness, she has to take a lot tablets which make her very sleepy so she sometimes nods off even when the doors are being hammered shut by the nasty neighbours. I, on the other hand get no sleep until they quieten down at about 1am and am then usually shattered at work where my manager has been picking up on this.

I was just wondering what other options we might have available? I know we could always move, but we have tried selling the house. As soon as buyers know who we live next door to, the deal is dead. Plus we don't have enough money to move out without selling this house. I've been looking at smallish properties but I can't find anything decent until this house sells.

If we did manage to find someone "crazy" enough to buy, would we have to tell them about all the problems we face with the neighbours from hell? If so, then that's a no no and the house will never ever sell.

Does anyone know if the Council or a Housing Association would buy such a property? It's got 4 bedrooms and would be perfect for them as they are always in shortage of larger houses.

Is there anything else I can do other than getting a gun? Has anyone else been in a situation like this? What did you do to sort it out?

In case anyone was wondering, we don't cause any of our neighbours any problems (well not knowingly anyway). I am sure we would know if we did. The door would probably be hammered down. We are a quiet family. Mom won't let anyone in the house use the hoover until after noon and door slamming is something that we do not do at all in this house. Besides if we did slam the doors, it would be the OK-ish neighbours that would get all the noise as all our internal doors are on their side of the house. I've had a few friends round at ours and they just freak out with the amount of noise that comes from next door in an hour or two during the day.

Thanks for reading my thesis, and apologies if I am rambling. I genuinely don't know if I am coming or going anymore! I hope someone will be able to offer me some advice.

going_nowhere_fast

Firstly I would just like to say that I sympathise with how you and your mum must be feeling.

I live in a mid terraced house and can here everything from my neighbours including them having a wee! Its not ideal but has never been a problem until the neighbours from hell moved in. I've had the door slamming issue myself but also had an awful lot worse - music, fighting, screaming that goes on literally all through the night until past 6am.

You could try the council noise team but the kind of noise you are describing may make it difficult for you/them to do anything about it.

BitterAndTwisted

If tackling the problem by using the Local Auhority's Noise/ASB Unit is not really an option and neither is selling and moving then you're probably scuppered.

Unless you can find an investor looking for a rental property to buy. They won't care that you've got a family of violent crims next door. Well, not until you're all home-free with the money, that is. I'd be willing to take a bath on the selling price if it was the only way I could get away.

going_nowhere_fast

That is what I'm planning on doing when I can afford to move, cut my losses and run.

Noctu

You will, unfortunately, never be able to change their behaviour.
We had a similar problem, and decided to part exchange our house for a detached new build.
Problem solved and no worries about trying to get the house sold ourselves.

DaveTheMus

http://www.soundservice.co.uk/wall_sound_proofing_Help.htm

Probably cost a few grand but money well spent IMO

purplevamp

DaveTheMus wrote: »

http://www.soundservice.co.uk/wall_sound_proofing_Help.htm

Probably cost a few grand but money well spent IMO

My manager had some sound proofing done on his flat as he could hear the woman upstairs bouncing around her flat. He said it sounded like an elephant but she was only tiny!! It cost him a couple of thousand but he said it was the best money he'd ever spent and if he ever moved again he would not hesitate to get sound proofing.


mimi1234 ~ I really sympathise with you. I've had some of the worst neighbours, but they're not as bad as yours. I've had abuse, noise, food and broken crap thrown in my garden. They've got a bit better as they've grown up but there's always a little bit of me that thinks they'll turn again.

moneyistooshorttomention

Fingers crossed this situation will work out for you. My sympathies on having these "people" next door.

Unfortunately, the 'disclosing all relevant factors' thing to would-be buyers is stricter than I had realised. I've been investigating it recently (courtesy of what my own vendor didn't tell me) and "misrepresentation" can carry a time limit of up to 15 years and compensation for having "misrepresented" a house (ie vendor trying to make out its better than it is) can carry a penalty as high as vendor being forced to buy the house back again.

Whew!

Personally, I was glad to read that in my circumstances just in case (ie I can keep a "rein" on what my vendor can get up to....):)....but theres one heck of a lot of vendors who wouldn't be....:cool:

mimi1234

Thank you all for your time and suggestions. I'm sorry to hear most of us have gone through the same problems. It's not fair is it but such is life. I know I shouldn't moan, at least I have a roof over my head and somewhere which is warm, but these neighbours really do take the biscuit.

As for contacting the local ASB unit, that's not the issue, it's the repercussions which I am worried about. I have worked in local authority housing before and I know the Police don't get too involved with the aftermath of such complaints and on the whole, the perpetrators get booted out from their social housing. I don't know what would happen if the perpetrators owned the house.

I will look through the other options you guys have pointed out including the sound proofing, but cutting our losses and running will no doubt be the best thing to do. I wonder what Mom will think about that though. She seems dead set on staying her as this is the house she has known most of her life. I just hope that if we do move, we don't land next to another set of noisy neighbours.

Once again, thanks for your responses.

PS. Does anyone have a spare gun lying around I could borrow?

jamie11

mimi1234 wrote: »

.

PS. Does anyone have a spare gun lying around I could borrow?

Tut tut! Don't say that, not even in jest mimi1234, this day and age some nut will take you seriously.

phil1873football

Hi,

Really sorry to hear of your troubles. Reading your post reminds me on how intense and involved you become when these situations happen. You sit there waiting for the noise and then the slightest wee noise that would not normally bother you, then agitates you. I say this, because I have been experiencing this for a number of years.

I live in a 4-in-a block-flat on the ground floor and have done so for the past 7 years. I have 2 seperate council tenants above me in this time which have both resulted in assaults, vandalism and threats; both of which have involved guilty pleas in court.

Tenant Number 1
Involved a young couple who would slam doors, play music, have parties and run around at all times of the night which like you said, affected my work. It resulted in me complaining to the council who did nothing as I had no corroboration as I lived myself. After my complaint, I had my car scratched, then the tyres let down on several occasions. My understanding is that the female occupant then spouted nonsense to her father who then chased after me one day to threaten me. I reported this to the police and council who again did nothing. 1 month later, he then assaulted me in brood-daylight at a bus stop whilst I was recording him. Ended up in hospital, he plead guilty and THEN the council moved the tennant.

Tenant Number 2 (current tenant)
Moved in a number of years ago and things were fine and we got on really well. Then he started his drinking and would shout threats through the floor every fri/sat night, but be your best friend the next day. This went on for a while (normally the summer months) so I distanced myself which made him worse. I think he did this to get attention as he was lonely, but I would distance myself further, so he would get worse to try and get the attention he craved. It also involved him drinking copious amounts of alcohol in the back garden and shout threats to all the neighbours who complained to the council who then asked (actually pleaded) me to corroborate so they could take action. I was extremely reluctant due to past events as I didn't really want to end up in hospital again, but after several phone calls from the council, I caved and corroborated. This then started a catalogue of events as the tenant seemed to think I had a vendetta against him. One evening as I returned home from an over-night in london, I went to bed as I was shattered, he was drunk and having a party with a couple of people. As he was letting his cat out, he proceeded to shout threats through the floor that we has going to 'put a bullet in my head'. After (stupidly) believing the council were now willing to listen to me, I called the Police and explained what happened. The tenant then made the same threat (to put a bullet in my head) to the police officers. He was duly arrested. That evening, one of the party attendees then put a full scratch down the length of my car as they blamed me for his arrest, then the following evening on his release, it resulted in 2 screws in 2 of my car tyres. I then looked for support from the council, councillors, and my local MP and no-one was interested at all. After this, the noise, abuse and parties were chronic...I even have the following recordings,

Him stating that he is now going to make my life hell.
Him threatening the Noise Enforcement guys that he will kill them if they approach his door.
Him verbally assaulting me to 2 Council Wardens who then tell him to enjoy his night and drive away.

All recordings were offered to the council to watch and listen, but they declined.

The council were sent letters from the Police, Victim Support and other agencies but they have done nothing, I haven't even received a phone call back from the Council, Councillors or local MP. The other 2 residents have corroborated everything I have said but still nothing. He eventually plead guilty in November which I'm sure means he has breached his tenancy agreement, but he still remains there.

Oh and for the record, this guy is 72 years old :rotfl:

So to say the authorities will help is total nonsense...they want you to go away as it makes their life easier.

I appreciate this won't be what you want to hear, but based on personal experiences and stories form other people, it is reality.

I am now selling up and moving on as this is the only thing you have some control over.

I think we should move into next to each other as at least we'd be respectful of each others right to a peaceful life.

I wish you good luck