Solicitor recommendations for neighbour complaint

trex227

I’ve not read all of the detail as there is a lot, but if you do want to get solicitors involved be prepared for it to be very expensive. The solicitors firm I worked for offered free 30 minute consultations but then the fee was £600 to take on civil disputes/litigation for the initial work and initial letters. The solicitors who dealt with these cases hourly rates were £200-£300.

I remember a client in dispute with her neighbours over a boiler vent and some dead garden plants. In a matter of months she ran up a bill of £10k- she didn’t care she had deep pockets and just wanted to keep going.

blurmoth69

sleepymans said:

I find your written communication very difficult to comprehend.......are your verbal communications perhaps misunderstood by your neighbours and making the situation worse ....just a thought.

Hahaha, it really is very lengthy and fluffy. So sorry to anybody that was taken the time to read any of it.

I think it was worse when I was trying to avoid personal details!?

blurmoth69

SameOldRoundabout said:

Apologies if that’s not what you’re saying. 

You are correct.

It is not bad however, more just the way I am trying to not be too specific is making it seem worse than it is, in trying to discuss a worst possible scenario (personal talking style that rightly has observed as unhelpful).

Sachs

Perhaps I can summarise for those late to the party:

• You have a lifestyle that between your work, your social activities and your partner's nature generates noise - which may or may not be reasonable.
• Since lockdown you and your neighbours have been more exposed to each other and one neighbour has been making significant complaints to your housing association, the council and the police about the noise your household makes.
• Mediation has taken place and certain things were agreed about what was and wasn't reasonable as well as steps that should be taken.
• Broadly speaking you believe you have complied with the mediation agreement however your neighbour clearly disagrees and has begun to complain about your noise again.
• You would like your neighbour to speak to you directly to give feedback on your noise levels rather than complain.
• As a complicating factor, whilst you appear to be doing what you can your partner does not and you feel you cannot control him or request he amends his behaviour as you are scared of his reaction.
• You mention you believe you are being discriminated against and that your partner has cultural qualities that effect his noise but its not clear what form this discrimination takes so we can't really advise.

So taking it in turn:

• Your neighbour appears to be doing the correct things by reporting it to the relevant authorities rather than approaching you directly. The council will be advising him to keep a log and to record noise, this is standard procedure with noise complaints - try not to take it personally. Its not clear to me that directly approaching you and your partner, based on your description of both of them, would result in an improved outcome.
• If your neighbour is being unreasonable the Council and the police will eventually tell him so.
• In your position, where it appears that maybe your partner is still causing noise contrary to the agreement and you cannot control him I would consider whether you can step back from the whole situation and let him deal with it.
• You may wish to contact https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/ and atleast talk to the about your situation. They may have good advise but at the least a sympathetic ear for half an hour can do wonders for your mental health. This forum can be useful for advice but rarely for sympathy.

blurmoth69

trex227 said:

... if you do want to get solicitors involved be prepared for it to be very expensive. The solicitors firm I worked for offered free 30 minute consultations but then the fee was £600 to take on civil disputes/litigation for the initial work and initial letters. The solicitors who dealt with these cases hourly rates were £200-£300 ... In a matter of months she ran up a bill of £10k- she didn’t care she had deep pockets and just wanted to keep going.

This are the kind of thing I have been scared by; legal costs if we instigate and/or if neighbour decides to go that route.

To be clear, the letter from the housing association is just to inform us that there have been 100 complaints in several weeks. It acknowledges that the mediations they arranged have clearly failed, stating their responsibility to bring these allegations to our attention. They hope we can address the issues, but there is inclusion of police being called to our home. We have a police case number for that as being a waste of police time (bring that up when it happened before mediation is the kind of thing that makes us fearful that the housing assocation have to act on this kind of thing).

blurmoth69

Thank you to each of you that has taken time to read and respond.

It seems to me that we still have some ways to do our part to improve our noise footprint, that is clear. And we will continue to not follow their example, focusing on the possibiity that if we can improve the situation at our end, then hopefully they are not crazy and we can truely just ignore them. Please know that we do not itend to ignore key complaints, as they are justified.

SameOldRoundabout

blurmoth69 said:

SameOldRoundabout said:

Apologies if that’s not what you’re saying. 

You are correct.

It is not bad however, more just the way I am trying to not be too specific is making it seem worse than it is, in trying to discuss a worst possible scenario (personal talking style that rightly has observed as unhelpful).

Any level of emotional or physical abuse, of fear in your own home is bad. Absolutely no one should have to live like that, be it man woman or child. The National Domestic Abuse helpline number is 0808 2000 247, please give them a call to talk about your situation and get some advice on what you can do. You don’t have to live with fear. 

comeandgo

It seems to me that you like your music at a decent volume, I'm the same, but I use decent wireless Bluetooth headphones when in the garden and normal headphones in the house.  Is there anyway you could get your partner to do the same?  It maybe needs you to buy a newer model of tv.
Also, I'm another in the camp regarding business calls within earshot of others.   It would have been gross negligence at my work due to the nature of the calls.

blurmoth69

comeandgo said:

... headphones when in the garden and normal headphones in the house.  Is there anyway you could get your partner to do the same?  It maybe needs you to buy a newer model of tv.

It is something we talked about as part of mediation, that we were trying things to hand already. When it comes to new purchases specifically though, it is a financial committment and reasearch slows such activities down (money saving expert - lol).

comeandgo said:

Also, I'm another in the camp regarding business calls within earshot of others.   It would have been gross negligence at my work due to the nature of the calls.

For myself nothing secure is discussed on phone, indoors and digital all the way. My partner I couldn't confirm though, likely not. So it would just be chat to most ears.

blurmoth69

SameOldRoundabout said:

Any level of emotional or physical abuse, of fear in your own home is bad. Absolutely no one should have to live like that, be it man woman or child. The National Domestic Abuse helpline number is 0808 2000 247, please give them a call to talk about your situation and get some advice on what you can do. You don’t have to live with fear. 

I respect your advise (hence my response here to assure you that I agree it should be highlighted for those who might need help). I don't think this is a problem here though, honestly.