Neighbours who complain

SJE89

One of my biggest fears when buying a house is winding up with neighbours who exist to cause trouble.
We've recently bought a semi-detached house and the neighbours on our other side have welcomed us, as have the ones at the other side, but not the ones on our party wall.
This alone indicated to me that these ones were either solitary people or just ignorant.
We have 2 dogs, one is a 9 month old Italian Greyhound, who has settled in remarkably well, however first thing in a morning around half 6, she will cry to which we immediately get up to see to her and she stops.
We have cameras in the house and check on her frequently when we are not there and she's good as gold.
Tonight the neighbour has banged on our door quite aggressively, and when answered her attitude was rather sarcastic, asking how we're settling in and then straight away moving to "just one thing. the dog..."
So she has complained that she is being woken up early by the dog's crying in a morning. I wouldn't care if it was loud or for a prolonged period of time, but it's quiet, we leave our doors open in the house and can only just hear her, and when we do we attend to her immediately and that is it.
We can hear our neighbours through the walls and they frequently have the TV on loud, but we take no issue with that.
Now, I'm horrified to hear we may be causing any kind of disturbance, so I am seeking ways that I can sort this out asap.

But I get the impression, that these are going to be the kind of neighbours that will complain about anything, and as a first time homeowner, want to know what I can do to put this to bed, because I don't think it will stop with the dog.

GDB2222

Neighbour banged on the door quite aggressively… Do you have a bell? Maybe, she nerved herself up to talk to you, and she hit the door a bit loudly. Honestly, I don’t know why you mentioned it? 

Obviously, the neighbours most affected by noise from a semi detached house are those on the party wall. You say you can hear their TV so maybe the noise insulation is very poor, and maybe they can hear yours too?

Anyway, that’s not what they are complaining about. They are complaining that their sleep is being disturbed by your dog. Your response on this forum is that that can’t be correct, because you get up as soon as the dog wakes you. Well, clearly they are either lying or the dog is also waking them. Do you really think that they are lying about this?

If they are not lying, do you think that letting your dog disturb people at 6.30 in the morning is okay? 

That’s it. They are either lying, or your dog is actually waking them. And 6.30 is quite early for many people, particularly for weekends and holidays. 

So, what are you going to do about it? Or perhaps you just don’t care? At the moment, you are blaming the neighbours for being woken by your dog, which strikes me as pointless. It would be more appropriate either to tell the neighbours that you don’t care about disturbing them, or find ways to avoid the dog making the noise.

Here's a solution, although there may be better ways — set your alarm to wake yourself up before the dog wakes up. Then wake the dog and take it out, so it doesn’t cry. Easy, really. Less convenient for you, but much better for your neighbours.

[Deleted User]

SJE89 said:

One of my biggest fears when buying a house is winding up with neighbours who exist to cause trouble.
We've recently bought a semi-detached house and the neighbours on our other side have welcomed us, as have the ones at the other side, but not the ones on our party wall.
This alone indicated to me that these ones were either solitary people or just ignorant.
We have 2 dogs, one is a 9 month old Italian Greyhound, who has settled in remarkably well, however first thing in a morning around half 6, she will cry to which we immediately get up to see to her and she stops.
We have cameras in the house and check on her frequently when we are not there and she's good as gold.
Tonight the neighbour has banged on our door quite aggressively, and when answered her attitude was rather sarcastic, asking how we're settling in and then straight away moving to "just one thing. the dog..."
So she has complained that she is being woken up early by the dog's crying in a morning. I wouldn't care if it was loud or for a prolonged period of time, but it's quiet, we leave our doors open in the house and can only just hear her, and when we do we attend to her immediately and that is it.
We can hear our neighbours through the walls and they frequently have the TV on loud, but we take no issue with that.
Now, I'm horrified to hear we may be causing any kind of disturbance, so I am seeking ways that I can sort this out asap.

But I get the impression, that these are going to be the kind of neighbours that will complain about anything, and as a first time homeowner, want to know what I can do to put this to bed, because I don't think it will stop with the dog.

Your new neighbours are possibly thinking the same; that they’ve been landed with problem neighbours. You might be right; they might be lifelong grumps and you’ll never get on.

They’ve raised an issue about your dog. What you think about how loud or not the dog is shouldn’t be part of it. It’s disturbing their sleep. When this happens time and time again, it’s not healthy and it affects your mood (and temper).

Dog whining and crying is a sound that goes through walls louder than you realise. My neighbour has dogs, I have a dog. Their dog whines when they’re out (it also barks excessively in the garden, when they’re in). I can easily hear it whining. Also factor in, sound carries easier during the night and early mornings.

It is mentally tormenting. It’s worse when you know it’s being ignored. I’ve kicked off about the barking, because they let it happen and I know they’re in. My neighbours are ignorant. 

Your neighbour might have been feeling the issue wasn’t getting addressed. They also might also have been nervous about having to bring it up. Nerves can make someone come across different; the adrenaline kicks in, they might seem too forthcoming. Your neighbour possibly went home shaking and taking deep breaths.

I just hope you apologised when the neighbour brought it up, and weren’t dismissive like your post implies. That they didn’t come rushing round to welcome you to the street does not make them ignorant. 

Your dog is a nuisance, not the neighbour.

propertyrental

Ah! Dog problems.

No dog, no neighbour problem.

Sorted.

RelievedSheff

We were unlucky and landed ourselves with idiot neighbours who complained about the most stupid "issues " previously. 

Apparently vacuuming at 11am disturbed their 6 year old child.

You will never please everyone. Don't try too. There are some people you can never please.

Enjoy your new home.

propertyrental

RelievedSheff said:

We were unlucky and landed ourselves with idiot neighbours who complained about the most stupid "issues 

Apparently vacuuming at 11am disturbed their 6 year old child.

11.00 am is not comparable with 6.30 am!

theoretica

SJE89 said:

Now, I'm horrified to hear we may be causing any kind of disturbance, so I am seeking ways that I can sort this out asap.

How are you working to stop your dog crying in the mornings?  Until that works, can you change where the dog is, so she is further from the party wall?  Would something like a child monitor help you be sure you hear whining when it starts even if you are a heavier sleeper than your neighbour? 

Personally, I would be a tired wreck if I were woken every morning at 6:30!

YoungBlueEyes

And I’d love to still be in bed asleep at 0630! 

Dogs are very easy to train, especially at that age. Is she waking you to go out to toilet? Change the time she finishes eating and drinking so she either doesn’t need to go out ‘til, say, 0800, or she can empty herself out before bedtime and you can all sleep in. Or is she waking you because it’s a habit now and she likes the attention you instantly give her? 

Your neighbour is pointing out an issue that you need to address. I’d be apologising with flowers/nice cake and asking for their patience while you sort it. Then sort it  

Richard1212

You say these neighbours seem the type "who complain about everything". Well, as far as I can see, they are complaining about a noisy dog- who disturbs them every morning at 6am. And so would I------and most people.

You seem to have no thought for your neighbours and think only of yourselves and your irritating dog. Have you stopped to think that the other neighbours who are not sharing a wall with you have been welcoming but the poor folk who are woken at 6am every morning have been a bit "distant" with you. Well now they seem to have had enough.

If you want nice neighbours, train your dog to behave or sell it or move to a detached cottage or house. I wouldn't want to go to work every day after having been woken by an annoying dog at 6am.
Have you find out why he cries ? Is it because he wakes up at 6am and has been shut away alone?
Do your mobile cameras have sound system so you can tell what it is like when you leave it alone in the house, as you surely must do sometimes? In any case it seems a peculiar thing to have internal cameras to watch a dog !!

I hope your neighbours make you start to think what it must be like for them and how you would feel in their position. They have every right to complain to the Council if they make recordings of the noise and prove their case. IMHO, semi-detached houses are no place for noisy dogs.

YoungBlueEyes

propertyrental said:

Ah! Dog problems.

No dog, no neighbour problem.

Sorted.

Or - lots of dogs, no neighbours. 

Problem sorted.

Grumpy_chap

Whatever the OP does, they need to find a way to amicably coexist with the neighbours.  They might not ever be best friends, but don't allow this to evolve to a feud or anything that would be recorded as a dispute in the future.

FWIW, I'd be unhappy if there was something waking me at 6ish every morning and would try to investigate and resolve.