Neighbour Troubles (again, sorry)

DFlights

I think I wrote a thread about this ages ago, but I can't find it.

Long story short; terraced house, both of us renting, neighbour is disabled so doesn't work and has, for the past couple of summers, taken to playing pop music in her garden on her smartphone, for hours at a time. I asked her pleasantly not to do it too often as I work from home and my workroom is above my garden. It was loud enough to be heard with the double glazed window shut. It wasn't once in a while, either, it was almost every day that the weather was anything other than really cold or wet.
I asked if she'd like some free ear buds to listen with as I had a sealed pair I'd never used or opened; she sneered at me.

It's now escalated to her playing the music whenever she notices me out in my garden. I was trying to relax with a book in the sun today, and not five minutes after I sat down, she was out with her phone on, turning the volume up, talking to the neighbour on the other side of her about how funny it would be to aggravate me (I heard this clearly). This isn't the first time this has now happened.

Quite frankly, I'm sick of it but don't want to rise to it; I did have to go indoors, however, to get away from the noise, and had to shut my back door and window as it was rally quite loud.

I don't think that she or her husband will listen if I try to talk to them, they've already been snarky and rude to me recently and I just don't wish to speak with them any more, nor do I want to send my partner round as that just comes across as not being able to deal with it myself. My anxiety around confrontation is quite high; I don't deal very well with it due to past abuse.

I'm at my wits' end now, but I don't think it will be seen as officially a problem by the council or anyone in authority; I have no idea what to do. We can't afford to move and we otherwise quite like it here. Other than being obnoxiously loud ourselves, which I don't want to do, what can we do about it? Mediation? Complain to the landlord? Anything really just seems to be petty, but it's really upsetting me.

Grumpelstiltskin

Your other thread is here.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5498515

spadoosh

Part of the risk you take when telling someone that you dislike something they do is they will be more encouraged to do it.

Formally you can try and make a complaint through your local council but it will probably be futile.

Ive noticed you say in the other thread its every single day unless the weather is bad?

I would buy lots of plants that need watering every 15 mintues (via timer) with a sprinkler.

Guest101

DFlights wrote: »

I think I wrote a thread about this ages ago, but I can't find it.

Long story short; terraced house, both of us renting, neighbour is disabled so doesn't work and has, for the past couple of summers, taken to playing pop music in her garden on her smartphone, for hours at a time. - Ok. I asked her pleasantly not to do it too often as I work from home and my workroom is above my garden. - tough. It was loud enough to be heard with the double glazed window shut. It wasn't once in a while, either, it was almost every day that the weather was anything other than really cold or wet. - That's her choice.
I asked if she'd like some free ear buds to listen with as I had a sealed pair I'd never used or opened; she sneered at me. - im not surprised.

It's now escalated to her playing the music whenever she notices me out in my garden. I was trying to relax with a book in the sun today, and not five minutes after I sat down, she was out with her phone on, turning the volume up, talking to the neighbour on the other side of her about how funny it would be to aggravate me (I heard this clearly). This isn't the first time this has now happened. - so?

Quite frankly, I'm sick of it but don't want to rise to it; I did have to go indoors, however, to get away from the noise, and had to shut my back door and window as it was rally quite loud. - so move

I don't think that she or her husband will listen if I try to talk to them, they've already been snarky and rude to me recently and I just don't wish to speak with them any more, nor do I want to send my partner round as that just comes across as not being able to deal with it myself. My anxiety around confrontation is quite high; I don't deal very well with it due to past abuse. - that's not relevant though

I'm at my wits' end now, but I don't think it will be seen as officially a problem by the council or anyone in authority - it wont be, because it's not a crime ; I have no idea what to do. -thankfully you rent, so move We can't afford to move and we otherwise quite like it here. Other than being obnoxiously loud ourselves, which I don't want to do, what can we do about it? - ask them nicely? Mediation? - really?! you can afford mediation but not to move Complain to the landlord? - its nothing to do with the LL Anything really just seems to be petty, but it's really upsetting me.

Unfortunately you seem to have handled it badly. You cant tell people what to do in the own backyard. Especially playing music in nice weather

Primrose

Find out who the landlord is and complqin in writing. I'm sure there must be anti nuisance clauses in any tenancy agreement, or is this a council owned rented property? in which case, complain to the council housing department.
Are there any neighbours on the other side of this woman who are similarly affected? A complaint from more than one individual would obviously carry more weight.
Keep a diary record of how often this happens.
Contact your council's environment department and ask for their help and advice.

Guest101

Primrose wrote: »

Find out who the landlord is and complqin in writing. - and get told to foxtrot Oscar? I'm sure there must be anti nuisance clauses in any tenancy agreement - there isn't, there is no standard agreement , or is this a council owned rented property? in which case, complain to the council housing department. - about what? It's not a crime, nor anti social behaviour.
Are there any neighbours on the other side of this woman who are similarly affected? A complaint from more than one individual would obviously carry more weight. - no it wouldn't.
Keep a diary record of how often this happens.
Contact your council's environment department and ask for their help and advice.

Its music during the day FGS, apart from the fact that the neighbours rights are protected in this case; morally authorities shouldn't be involved

moneyistooshorttomention

She shouldnt be doing it deliberately though - and it does sound as if she is.

More fool her then - as that means you are now (morally) entitled to "boomerang" it back at her.

I had a similar episode quite some years back now in a flat I was renting. It had an interconnecting sort of ventilation thing to the offending flat above. I took to putting my stereo right by that ventilation thing and playing the most "obscure" music I could find at top volume right back at the offender (it was foreign music that I liked - but I knew very well that the vast majority of people wouldnt).

I only had to do it a few times - and the message was obviously received and the problem stopped. So I stopped doing that. Problem resolved:)

Try something really obscure - Tibetan/Chinese/Mongolian:)

DFlights

Thank you all for the advice.
Guest 101; it is not now just a little bit of radio music on the odd occasion; it is hours of loud pop music through phone speaker, as loud now as she can get it, by the sounds of it recently. She is also now doing it within minutes of me stepping into my garden, every time. It feels like my enjoyment of the nice weather and my garden are being deliberately sabotaged, it's been too many times to be coincidence.

I'm also quite sure that if I played music I liked at a volume they find annoying, they'd soon complain. I might try that soon to see what happens, although I personally don't want to be that type of neighbour.

As for affording mediation but not affording to move; I know what our moving costs would be, but I have no idea how much mediation is because I neglected to look it up before posting here. It appears that I can't afford that, either.

If it was once in a while, only on weekends, or just for a few songs or one radio programme, it wouldn't bother me so much, but it's been every day in anything but the most unpleasant weather, and for whole mornings/afternoons at a time. It's now every time I step into my garden. That's not them just enjoying a bit of music, it's them being petty and hateful.

Guest101

DFlights wrote: »

Thank you all for the advice.
Guest 101; it is not now just a little bit of radio music on the odd occasion; it is hours of loud pop music through phone speaker, as loud now as she can get it, by the sounds of it recently. - and if that's what she wants to do she is allowed to. She is also now doing it within minutes of me stepping into my garden, every time. - probably because of the previous confrontations - including offer her headphones? I'd tell you where to stick it too. It feels like my enjoyment of the nice weather and my garden are being deliberately sabotaged, it's been too many times to be coincidence. - so move

I'm also quite sure that if I played music I liked at a volume they find annoying, they'd soon complain. - so let them. The advice would be the same, no action possible I might try that soon to see what happens, although I personally don't want to be that type of neighbour.

As for affording mediation but not affording to move; I know what our moving costs would be, but I have no idea how much mediation is because I neglected to look it up before posting here. It appears that I can't afford that, either. - It's in excess of £100 per session per person from memory.

If it was once in a while, only on weekends, or just for a few songs or one radio programme, it wouldn't bother me so much, but it's been every day in anything but the most unpleasant weather, and for whole mornings/afternoons at a time. It's now every time I step into my garden. That's not them just enjoying a bit of music, it's them being petty and hateful.

yes it is, but theyre doing it legally. Im not defending their behaviour. Obviously they're idiots.


BUT - that doesn't mean you can change it. and that's the point im making.


(as well as not wasting resources of the police or council on frivolous things - in the grand scheme)

DFlights

Guest101, I fully understand, I was asking for suggestions on how to deal with this, what can I myself do, etc. I've only heard about mediation in passing so was musing on that in my first post.

We really can't afford to move, so please don't keep suggesting it.

honeypop

Since she seems intent on continuing with it (as is her right to listen to music, though the level bothers you), could you listen to something of you own with decent noise cancelling headphones when you want to enjoy time in your garden?

I know you shouldn't have to, but if it meant getting on with using my garden without her noise bothering me, it's what I'd do. Plus, once she realises it's not bothering you anymore and you are continuing to use the garden, it may well die down.