Best way to approach the neighbours?

bouicca21

The block of flats next to mine occupies a similar size plot but has a bigger footprint so a much smaller garden.  Two gardeners come once a fortnight, despite there being very little to do they are (or so they say) contracted to work there for a set length of time.  To fill the time one of them wanders up and down fir over an hour running a leaf blower (no leaves to blow and maybe just a piece of litter that could be picked up, or swept with a broom).

The  noise is awful.  So are the fumes.  

a second issue is their security light which flashes on and off all night shining directly into our flats  - they have no windows on that wall so it wouldn’t bother them. 

The  block is share of freehold, all the owners listed as directors, no one as company secretary.  Who do we approach - a circular to all of them?  Pick one at random? And how do we phrase it? Describe the issues or just say we’d like to come and chat about a couple of problems?  This is London commuter land so we don’t have a chance just to  run into neighbours and start chatting. It will have to be a note, so hitting the right  tone and avoiding coming over as confrontational is crucial.

You  lot are so good with advice for people with neighbour disputes that have got out of hand, so I reckon you should be even better at how to avoid one.  Any suggestions?

hazyjo

Personally, I'd ignore the gardeners. I'm sure many other neighbours run lawnmowers, let their vehicles chug unnecessarily, use noisy equipment, etc. For the sake of once every couple of weeks, at their cost, I think you should let that one go...

What do you have up at your windows? Curtains, blinds, shutters, nothing? Over the road to me has a very annoying light out the front, but it's hidden the minute I close my shutters. It may be they can attach something to it like they do with streetlights to stop the glare. I can't see them doing away with it altogether!

eddddy

You could just address the letter to the company name at the relevant address - and start the letter 'Dear sir/madam'.

Quite a few important official letters get addressed like that, so they probably have a system for getting those letters to the right person.

Ditzy_Mitzy

I agree with @hazyjo in reference to the gardeners.  An hour or so's engine noise once a fortnight is no great imposition and complaining about it is likely to lead to animosity.  The security light is another matter, as it does sound like a genuine annoyance.  It ought to be fairly easy to fix, too, possibly by adjusting the angle of the light itself.  The easiest thing would surely be to pop over there on a Sunday when people are more likely to be in.  Writing to the board seems unnecessarily formal in the circumstances.  

verytired11

I recently bought some noise cancelling earphones due to my neighbour currently doing major renovations and me working from home.  They were expensive but they have transformed my life.  Any time there is unwanted noise I pop them on and get on with my day.  In respect of the light, I would also first try blackout blinds, which can be very effective if fitted properly.  If the light is still a problem after that, you will be in a stronger position to raise the issue with your neighbours.  Maybe try to get to know one of your neighbours informally over the next few weeks so that if you do raise something later on you can mention it in a friendly way to them rather than as a request or complaint.

bouicca21

I wouldn’t mind so much if they were actually having to use a blower - it’s that there is an hour of mindlessly wandering up and down their drive with the blower on  just to fill up their contracted time.  

Scotbot

bouicca21 said:

I wouldn’t mind so much if they were actually having to use a blower - it’s that there is an hour of mindlessly wandering up and down their drive with the blower on  just to fill up their contracted time.  

I would  take that up with the gardeners, go out and ask them to turn it off. Surely they can find some mindless sweeping to do with a quiet broom

Ditzy_Mitzy

Scotbot said:

bouicca21 said:

I wouldn’t mind so much if they were actually having to use a blower - it’s that there is an hour of mindlessly wandering up and down their drive with the blower on  just to fill up their contracted time.  

I would  take that up with the gardeners, go out and ask them to turn it off. Surely they can find some mindless sweeping to do with a quiet broom

The gardeners are likely to provide a two word response, the first having four letters and the second being 'off'.  

Scotbot

Ditzy_Mitzy said:

Scotbot said:

bouicca21 said:

I wouldn’t mind so much if they were actually having to use a blower - it’s that there is an hour of mindlessly wandering up and down their drive with the blower on  just to fill up their contracted time.  

I would  take that up with the gardeners, go out and ask them to turn it off. Surely they can find some mindless sweeping to do with a quiet broom

The gardeners are likely to provide a two word response, the first having four letters and the second being 'off'.  

Maybe but they are being paid whatever they do so if the OP is polite they may listen. Bribery with tean and cake, as another regular poster likes to suggest, may work. Either way it's worth a go, being told to eff off costs nothing

bouicca21

They were quite polite, but insisted they had to do their contracted time. It was pretty clear that using the blower was a way of pretending to work.  I must admit I thought they were working until I started looking over the fence and trying to catch their attention.  It was only by doing that that I could see they were just time filling.  

gozaimasu

If you bring it to the attention of the people paying the flat maintenace fee, that the gardeners are not gardening but just simply filling time, then they'll quickly get sacked. No one wants to pay flat fees for stuff that gets done, let alone for pointlessness. You'll be saving them money on service charges and so not only will they like you for bringing it to their attention, but you'll get rid of the noisy beeps.