Neighbour and management threatening fines and eviction

Marvel1

You are living normal.

Below neighbour's don't like it, tough, they decided to buy a ground floor flat.

Marvel1

Annastin wrote: »

At least once a week since we moved in a few months ago. The last instance was yesterday to inform us that they have complained to management and that it could result in a fine and eviction if we didn't bring the noise down.

They knock, best response is to ignore them by not answering the door.

Marvel1

RelievedSheff wrote: »

I would try and sort this problem out amicably with your neighbours as left unchecked these situations can become bitter and nasty. Try and come to some sort of agreement with them as to what is and isn't acceptable noise at what times.

Determine what times are best for the baby to cry?! :rotfl:

Crumble2018

RelievedSheff wrote: »

So by your reckoning it is fine for a child to disturb the neighbours? So by the same reckoning it would be fine for our dog to bark all day and disturb the neighbours? After all it is what dogs do they bark?

I was just thinking of another recent post on here where the OP was told she was selfish for even thinking about having a dog in a flat. Funny how there are such different attitudes depending on where the noise is generated from. Having pets and having children are both lifestyle choices.

NeilCr

When you become a director of a ManCo they tell you that the three issues you most have to deal with are noise, parking and rubbish. Damn right

In general what has been said about if the landlord is okay then you are fine is correct. The noise clause is interesting (like others I have not seen one like that before) - I wonder if that is something the landlord inserted themselves or was copied from the head lease? If it is in the head lease then I guess there might be scope for pressure to be applied to the landlord.

Do the flat owners own the freehold of the block? If there is a ManCo with residents on it then there might be more local interest in the issue.

In terms of the noise itself - that's a difficult one. Personally I find child noise much more grating than animal noise. But, that's me. I would find the sort of noise being reported here as extremely annoying. But, I'd also try to understand the problems in regulating that noise. And, others, have a different take on it.

I am also a bit different to others here. I'd still try to engage with the neighbours. In my experience folks get more exasperated by a closed door than by an exchange of views

Having said all that I do rather suspect that these neighbours aren't going to step back from this

custardy

Annastin wrote: »

At least once a week since we moved in a few months ago. The last instance was yesterday to inform us that they have complained to management and that it could result in a fine and eviction if we didn't bring the noise down.

Are you a single parent?
I ask as a guy that this couple perhaps feel they can bully you.
My advice given this weekly occurrence would be to make it clear if they come harassing you at home again you will be taking it further.

They can mump to the management company all they like but they would get the short shrift if they were at my door weekly.

need_an_answer

NeilCr wrote: »

When you become a director of a ManCo they tell you that the three issues you most have to deal with are noise, parking and rubbish. Damn right

In general what has been said about if the landlord is okay then you are fine is correct. The noise clause is interesting (like others I have not seen one like that before) - I wonder if that is something the landlord inserted themselves or was copied from the head lease? If it is in the head lease then I guess there might be scope for pressure to be applied to the landlord.

Do the flat owners own the freehold of the block? If there is a ManCo with residents on it then there might be more local interest in the issue.

In terms of the noise itself - that's a difficult one. Personally I find child noise much more grating than animal noise. But, that's me. I would find the sort of noise being reported here as extremely annoying. But, I'd also try to understand the problems in regulating that noise. And, others, have a different take on it.

I am also a bit different to others here. I'd still try to engage with the neighbours. In my experience folks get more exasperated buy a closed door than by an exchange of views

Having said all that I do rather suspect that these neighbours are's going to step back from this

I've seen a clause similar to the one the OP has mentioned in a few leases in the past...I believe I've got it in 2 of my properties however they have clearly been put in to try and abate the anti social noises of music, possibly tv and gaming noises and dare I say practicing the recorder at a time that would be considered a potential noise issue to the people living around you.

I too am a director and have faced a complaint from a fellow leaseholder over the low hum of a fellow neighbours washing machine being used on an economy 7 off peak tariff over night...people have varying attitudes to what is classed as noise disturbance.
but as I said previously I have yet to see any lease that will out a child for simply crying...
Even the most well behaved ones will at some point.

We have all been a child and we have all cried.

Annastin

God this has blown up!

I don't have much to add besides what has been repeated above by the other posters.

Just to be clear, I have always been unfailingly polite to every approach by the downstairs neighbours and explained clearly what we do to minimise noise and that (much as I would love to!) I can't stop the children from crying (especially when they're poorly) and (as you would expect) we do our best to quieten them as it's even more grating to us at a few feet away! They're only 2 and 1 unfortunately so not always receptive to logic.

I sincerely hope they take this to the council or management or landlord (I offered them his contact details but they already had it) so they can leave me alone. Surprisingly, they haven't complained about us to our landlord yet!

FYI, we share walls with 2 flats on the same floor and have never received a complaint about excessive noise from them.

Comms69

Annastin wrote: »

God this has blown up!

I don't have much to add besides what has been repeated above by the other posters.

Just to be clear, I have always been unfailingly polite - that was a mistake. Be distinctly rude, and they wont want to come back. to every approach by the downstairs neighbours and explained clearly what we do to minimise noise and that (much as I would love to!) I can't stop the children from crying (especially when they're poorly) and (as you would expect) we do our best to quieten them as it's even more grating to us at a few feet away! They're only 2 and 1 unfortunately so not always receptive to logic.

I sincerely hope they take this to the council or management or landlord (I offered them his contact details but they already had it) so they can leave me alone. - Tell them to foxtrot Oscar if they come back.

FYI, we share walls with 2 flats on the same floor and have never received a complaint about excessive noise from them.

Literally you don't need to justify anything.

Crumble2018

Annastin wrote: »

FYI, we share walls with 2 flats on the same floor and have never received a complaint about excessive noise from them.

In my experience, sound travels from above far more than any other way. Our current flat is middle floor - we can hear everything they do upstairs, but don't hear a thing from downstairs or from the sides. One of the tenants currently has a cough, which is just great when I'm trying to get to sleep!! But I would never complain about it - people do have a right to live, as long as they aren't making excessive noise.

The only noise we mentioned to our upstairs neighbours was when they were running an air-con unit over the summer - it sent vibrations right through our walls. They didn't do anything about it though. Thankfully we're moving in a couple of weeks!