noise

UK0106

I have only read the first couple of pages so if this has been suggested already, feel free to ignore.

I live in a flat myself and have experienced significant noise nuisance from one flat in particular. I have absolutely no issue with the usual living noise (people talking, washing machines, kids, pets, tv, etc) and even the odd party. I do, however, draw the line at excessive noise (e.g. loud music, people running back and forth past my ground floor bedroom windows shrieking at 2am and kicking of footballs against walls of the building) as do my other neighbours and funnily enough, the council.

The property in question was being privately rented and the management company were unwilling to do anything about the issue so here is what I did (along with a few of my neighbours).

1. Went round to the property the first couple of times and asked for the noise to be turned down (this was met with apologies and assurances that it would be turned down - it never was)
2. A note through the letterbox explaining that the noise was very loud and asking for it to be kept to a suitable volume - this was also ignored
3. Contacted the council (Leeds City) and made a formal complaint, during which they asked me to complete a noise diary for 2 weeks
4. Sent the completed noise diary back and was assigned a case worker who called the resident of the property in for an interview
5. Every single time the noise was excessive, this was reported to the council regardless of the time of day. After 6pm, the anti social behaviour team would come out with the police and make them turn the music off

This went on for over a year but eventually, the resident was served with a noise abatement order and then moved out a few months later. She then sub-let the property to a friend who was also threatened with the same order a few weeks later as a result of her lack of respect for neighbours and she left a few weeks later too.

Depending on your council, this may be a route to resolution for you OP. Although, when it comes to children staying over or normal living noise that is not considered to be anti-social, you probably wouldn't have any recourse for action.

sniggings

Kevie192 wrote: »

I don't really see what that has to do with this thread and the OP's perceived 'noise problem' but since you asked...

I live in a mid-terrace house. I moved here from a detached chalet bungalow so I knew I would have to expect some noise from time to time and that's what I get.

There is a family next door to me with a young baby so I get all the general noise you'd expect. Sometimes their dog barks. Their child sometimes screams in the middle of the night. I can hear them playing with the baby at 6am every morning when it wakes. The man works long hours so sometimes he does DIY in the evenings and I can hear him drilling from my bedroom. Sometimes they have friends over for a night and there is music and laughter.

But, do you know what? I don't really care. I have a dog too and sometimes he does make a little noise. Sometimes I watch a film in the evening and I am sure they can hear some of the bass. I'm pretty sure that from time to time they must hear bedroom activity too, since I'm a single man and my bedroom is right next to theirs. Sometimes I have friends over for BBQs and we will have music and laughter inside and outside. I've spoken to them about this in the past and their view is the same as mine. "Fill yer boots" they say to me, make as much noise as you like as long as you're enjoying yourself.

It's about being a reasonable human being and understanding what it means to live amongst other people and still enjoy your life. I would be really annoyed if there was loud booming music from the neighbours every night but that's not the case in my home or in the OP's. The OP is being overly sensitive about every little noise and in this situation I believe that it is the OP that is being the nuisance, not the neighbour.

Just accept that unless you can afford to buy a property on it's own in the middle of the field then you are going to experience some noise from a neighbour. Learn to appreciate the fact that they can enjoy themselves and that you can enjoy yourself and made a bit of noise from time to time too. The only person that is making this a problem is the OP.

Thanks for the answer.

Well it has a lot to do with your understanding of the affect noise nuisance can have...

Your last statement reads like a catchall statement, that almost any noise is acceptable, when some types of noise are not.

People can quite happily live their lives without drilling in the evening or playing music loud enough to wake the neigbhour on a regular basis, at 1am., it'sjust finding that balance.

OP@ if you don't want to move then fine, try and work with him, in my experience, if it's a problem this far into the new place I doubt it will improve, chances are it will only get worse.

People that make such noise know they are doing it, a knock on the door is very unlikely to make them go from not caring to caring.

ManuelG

sniggings wrote: »

People can quite happily live their lives without drilling in the evening or playing music loud enough to wake the neigbhour on a regular basis, at 1am., it'sjust finding that balance.

OP@ if you don't want to move then fine, try and work with him, in my experience, if it's a problem this far into the new place I doubt it will improve, chances are it will only get worse.

People that make such noise know they are doing it, a knock on the door is very unlikely to make them go from not caring to caring.

Yeah, I suppose tbf the neighbour's response can be read two ways. On the one hand he's open to being told off (better than someone ho slams the door in your face and turns the music up to be awkard!) but on the other if you know and no middle ground can be found, it's not likely to be.

FWIW although extreme, if a quiet room's available on those nights not sure it's as bad as suggested to just go. The neighbour is being good enough to forewarn after all.

Talking to them is good, over-analysing their conversations however, is less than good. Trust me, I know... that's the path to madness. So far you have a civil relationship with them, I'd advise trying to keep it that way.

Red-Squirrel_2

catoutthebag wrote: »

I've skipped a few of the useless posts on page 3...you know who you are and there's the door.

So so far

Noise at 1230am - heavy
2 weeks later noise at 1am - less heavy but woke me up - ear plugs I bought worked but had to get back to sleep

Both on a weekend single night
Otherwise fine in the week and weekends in between

So weekend gone I get home on Friday ready to pack for an early morning flight.

He rushes out (he has done this 2 or 3 times when I've used my keys to open my door - seems paranoid of burglars?) And says he's got a friend round tonight so may get a bit noisy.

I say I'm up early

He says he's not in the business to pee anyone off and will 'try' keep it down and to knock on the door if it's too loud

I say I'm up early so I'll knock if it's too loud

He asks if I've got any of the ear plugs I mentioned

I say no

So anyway we say bye


I pack my bags and leave to my parents for the night. I was up at 5am so not going to risk it

There will have been noise. ...audible like last 2 occasions I imagine

I need to see what others think and if I'm being unreasonable

So pattern I predicted is correct. It's 1 weekend night every other weekend. So maybe 2 or 3 a month. He's been open and honest and approachable about it. He's not deliberately causing havoc. But on this last occasion he gags the impression that he was unwilling to want to turn volume down despite me saying I was up early - suggesting ear plugs as a solution. That shows some lack of respect and immaturity and sort of comes across quire childish (overgrown kid).

Anyway is 1 night every 2 weeks acceptable or tolerable. ..if plugs worked but you'd been woke up?

And was his conversation in the last instance acceptable?

I think you need to give him a bit more credit.

He warned you there might be noise, many wouldn't. When you told him you were up early he specifically said he didn't want to annoy you and that he'd try to keep it down. Suggesting ear plugs is a way of 'meeting halfway'. You both have your lives, he can't be expected not to socialise in his own home because you have an early morning, and you can't be expected to plan your travel around his socialising, so compromise like this is actually fantastic!

If you've been living with your parents up to now, was that in a detached house? If you've only ever shared walls with people who love and care about you then yes, its a bit of an adjustment living alongside people who don't, but it sounds to me like you've got a pretty good neighbour there. A quick google will tell you how much worse it could be.

(I hope you told him you were leaving, so he knew he could relax and that he didn't have to worry about disturbing you.)

catoutthebag

Thanks for the positive comments and help

And as usual the people who don't get it or haven't read :
- these are all owner occupied so no notice will be served
- the noise was LOUD like a drill on 2 occasions at 1230 and 1...so I'm not going to exactly 'turn the tele on' am I?
- I'm talking about LOUD music past 11pm on 2-3 occasions. ..regular pattern here. ..would you put up with being woken up
- his attitude on Friday I'll kinda turn it down a little but not that much....hence my comments about it
- I've never not given him credit on the couple times HE APPROACHED ME (another inaccuracy - I've never taken up this as an issue with him by directly bringing it to his attention as I'm seeing how it goes)

To others
- yes I've lived in parents detached
- and with partner renting in flat over 2 years

No issues with either

No issue with his kids over. ..they seem fun. Never made a comment about it.

So I'm going to try get on with things and see how it goes

Landofwood

catoutthebag wrote: »

Thanks for the positive comments and help

And as usual the people who don't get it or haven't read :
- these are all owner occupied so no notice will be served
- the noise was LOUD like a drill on 2 occasions at 1230 and 1...so I'm not going to exactly 'turn the tele on' am I?
- I'm talking about LOUD music past 11pm on 2-3 occasions. ..regular pattern here. ..would you put up with being woken up
- his attitude on Friday I'll kinda turn it down a little but not that much....hence my comments about it
- I've never not given him credit on the couple times HE APPROACHED ME (another inaccuracy - I've never taken up this as an issue with him by directly bringing it to his attention as I'm seeing how it goes)

To others
- yes I've lived in parents detached
- and with partner renting in flat over 2 years

No issues with either

No issue with his kids over. ..they seem fun. Never made a comment about it.

So I'm going to try get on with things and see how it goes

If you lived next to me, I'd be sure to turn the music up a notch.

Red-Squirrel_2

catoutthebag wrote: »

And as usual the people who don't get it or haven't read

Are these the same people who aren't telling you exactly what you want to hear by any chance?

I'm not even sure what you're looking for anymore. Is it sensible suggestions, a reality check, or just somewhere you can moan about this guy?

So...did you let him know you were leaving that night?

catoutthebag

Landofwood wrote: »

If you lived next to me, I'd be sure to turn the music up a notch.

Yep ollk

catoutthebag

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

Are these the same people who aren't telling you exactly what you want to hear by any chance?

I'm not even sure what you're looking for anymore. Is it sensible suggestions, a reality check, or just somewhere you can moan about this guy?

So...did you let him know you were leaving that night?

All :rotfl:

catoutthebag

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

I think you need to give him a bit more credit.

He warned you there might be noise, many wouldn't. When you told him you were up early he specifically said he didn't want to annoy you and that he'd try to keep it down. Suggesting ear plugs is a way of 'meeting halfway'. You both have your lives, he can't be expected not to socialise in his own home because you have an early morning, and you can't be expected to plan your travel around his socialising, so compromise like this is actually fantastic!

If you've been living with your parents up to now, was that in a detached house? If you've only ever shared walls with people who love and care about you then yes, its a bit of an adjustment living alongside people who don't, but it sounds to me like you've got a pretty good neighbour there. A quick google will tell you how much worse it could be.

(I hope you told him you were leaving, so he knew he could relax and that he didn't have to worry about disturbing you.)

By 'relax ' do you mean turning it up to disturb by other neighbour or the 3 residents on the floor below too?