legal advice with local authorities

sophisicat1

Hi I would like as much advice on the following matter.

I have been living with my partner in a studio flat conversion (council semi detached property) for nearly two years. We have complained continuously about noise disturbance and on and off domestic abuse noise coming from the upstairs occupants. Alot of these noises are normal living noises and can not be helped. We suffer from impact noise and airborne noise vibrations from lack of suitable sound proofing (there is a four inch joist separating the two floors with nothing inbetween. The above one bed flat consists of 2x adults, toddler and active dog.

There is no sound proofing or adequate ventilation in my flat and the council seem to be doing nothing about it, fobbing me off, have no admission of any wrong doing.

Through my own investigations I have found out that when they converted the poperty in 1992 there was no planning application made and no records of any building regulations ever being carried out by the local government. There is no history of my property within the council.

I have looked at endless archives and read up on most things but i would like to know where I stand as it is also an infringment of my privacy (human Rights).

If I have a case in court?

Thanks

sophisticat

Doozergirl

It's very common for older conversions to have no soundproofing to speak of. I lived in a conversion like that and yes, it was terrible. You could hear conversations.

The entire house is likely to have been built without building regs and planning permission, let alone the conversion! Planning permission wasn't introduced until 1948 and Building Regs with technical specifications until 1985? Current soundproofing regulations were only introduced in 2003.

Whether or not the building has planning permission is inconsequential. It effectively has PP now because it has been standing for so long. When the building was converted, it seems the the building regulations that pertained to any kind of soundproofing simply didn't exist.

I can understand why you are so frustrated, but I can't understand why you think there is an infringement of your human rights or where you are going with this PP/building regs thing? What case is it you are trying to prove? Hardly anything in the entire house is going to conform to current regs - in fact, I live in a house built on 2004 and there are things that won't comply with current regs. It doesn't mean there is anything wrong or illegal about it.

sophisicat1

thank you for all that info,

You would understand my need to move urgently as despite the 'norm living Noises' these occupants have made our lives hell. First there was the regular police raids for drugs, doors geting kicked in at all hours, or various warrants, domestic violence, up to 8 people above your head at once, violent assaults witnessed, groups of armed up youths stood on your door step, intimidation it goes on.....and on

Lack of sleep, we have lost jobs, we are at each others throats as its the lack of respect factor too. After 2 years of complaining of the above occupants and geting fobbed off. I am totally at my wits end. it just so happens we have all these factors going on too hopefully move us. The council are mid talks in whether to convert back to a house as the insist that the will not do the soudproofing needed. The building surveyor has informed them that it is not exceptable to be living conditions like this.

autismmum

oh my , poor thing, thats awful, i am sorry to hear what about the lgo, local government ombudsman, apparently it scares the councils into helping,
we should learn this at school!