Advice On Noisy Neighbour

pointer7

Hello Everyone,


I was looking for some advice about a noisy and disturbing neighbour who lives underneath me and I would like to know where I stand with what I plan to do next.


I have complained to the council who came out and set up the usual recording equipment. They agreed there was a disturbance (loud television late at night, drunken singing/talking and slamming of doors) but it wasn't significant enough to take action.


I then complained to a company called Michael Richards & Co. who I pay a quarterly ground rent charge to (£145) for the general upkeep of the flats and so forth.


They have emailed the freeholders and also Spencer Ward who deal with the tenant in question on my behalf but in the last 4 months after numerous emails backwards and forward nothing has changed and this is getting ridiculous. I also forwarded all of the emails between me and the council.


I have put letters through the other 4 people's doors who live in the block but predictably no one replied as I assume they don't want to get involved.


Am I within my right to withhold any ground rent payments until this is sorted? I have a mortgage on my flat so surely if i'm paying my mortgage i'm pretty safe? just not sure what to do next, I'm almost considering spending evenings at my friends as the sounds just winds me up and if I ever bump in to my neighbour, I don't think I will be answerable to the consequences!


Sorry it's so long!


Thanks, Lee

LilElvis

Post on the property board if you want advice, but no, you don't have grounds to default on your contract to pay your rent.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

You have no grounds to default on your ground rent, doing so will put you at risk of getting into debt rapidly.


There maybe several factors here that the council has taken into consideration as to not take action.


1.would be the type flooring in your flat. I.E Wooden flooring without the correct type of underlay sound travels through wood very well its surprising.


2.The age of the building itself and the ground partitions between down stair flats and upstairs flats. Some are "floating floors" that have minimal sound deadening in the cavity some are solid floors, and have layers of lightweight concrete and metal grating support.
sounds like you have a floating floor.


3.Disabilities, this includes drug and alcohol abusers. if the person underneath is a alcoholic and recorded as such with doctors etc, then getting a court order is difficult for the council.


If you think about it, The more you obsess over the situation the more you notice the noises and the more sensitive to noise you become to the point it takes over your life.


There are a few things that you as the owner can do to "minimize" noise around your home.


Replace laminate floors for carpet, buy a nice thick chunky foam underlay (foam absorbs noise pretty well). avoid using any vinyl flooring for hallways. seek professional sound proofers to sound proof the cavity in the floating floor. I know its costing you remedy the situation, but your only last resort is to sell up if you cant cope. if the councils stance is yes there is noise but not to the level where action is needed, then your pretty much on your own.

Podge52

Sorry I can't help but you have my sympathies. There's not much worse than selfish, noisy and disrespectful neighbors.

hollydays

Not sure putting a note through doors was a great idea though. Talking is usually less in your face. Get to know your neighbours first.
I'm getting the impression of what the police call a " professional complainer" and this may not even be the case.
You say you " assume" the neighbours don't want to get involved.
If someone stuck a note through my door comp,complaing about a neighbour I'd give them a very wide berth.id be thinking " weirdo"

pointer7

Thank you everyone for your replies,


I have considered thicker carpets and the like but then I think well why should I spend my own money just because he cant be considerate. I hear nothing from any other neighbours not even their front doors they are all very courteous so why cant he be the same?


I didn't complain about him to my other neighbour I merely asked if they were disturbed by the noise and if they were then to let me know. The council advised me to do this.

hollydays

I wish you luck. Be aware that if you sell the property you may be legally obliged to detail any neighbour issues you have had.

pendragon_arther

I can't help but you have my utmost sympathy.

gettingready

did you actually try to approach the noisy neighbour directly?

you seem to mention contacting everyone but the one you seem to have a problem with

just wondering...

pointer7

I have tried twice but he just kept walking away from me while I was talking and just ignored me (just like he ignores all the letters from the landlords/letting agents...


He is about 6 foot so I don't want to get any more confrontational with him really!

gettingready

So you tried talking to him on the outside then?

6ft or not anyone can walk away while out and about.

I am not surprised people ignored letters posted/pushed into their mailboxes - I sometimes get those from my neighbour upstairs and either ignore or push back unopened via her letterbox (long story, she imagines a lot of things while drunk and she is drunk 99% of the time).

Personally I would knock on the door while the noise is happening - 3am or not. If it bothers you so much. To point to exactly what is it.

And I would be way more ...off if someone was complaining left right and centre about me to everyone but not directly to me - in the first place.