Noisy Neighbours

Karinet

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81972882#Comment_81972882

So basically, if nobody does anything about it, I just have to hope that they move out sooner rather than later. Now, going back to the noise, it also happens in the evening and at night. I got woken up during the night because of this. Surely, if it can wake someone up it cannot be anything but a nuisance. If the council can't act on this then what are you supposed to do?

WIAWSNB

Again, you appear to have misunderstood my comments.

I truly sympathise with your situation - intrusive noise is hellish. There may be options available to you to tackle this, but it'll largely depend on the evidence you can present. BigPhil's post about does suggest that this could be difficult with the LA, but again I would suggest it comes down to just how intrusive the noise is - if it can be impartially considered unreasonable and excessive.

The point I tried to make to you is, it is unlikely to help your case if you also make comments such as, "nobody cares", "they've decided to ignore my request.", "I now know what sort of people they are." and "If I tell the directors, it will fall on deaf ears and nobody will enforce anything." Negative, judgemental, and unsupported comments do not elicit sympathy.

I am therefore pleased that you have clarified, "Of course, if the council gets involved I will only concentrate on the noise these people are creating." Please also make this the case with the ManCo, who I think will be your best bet towards a solution.

It seems as tho' a large part of the issue was created by the previous owner removing the carpets and fitting laminate. I'd tackle that point with the members of the ManCo - write to them all, and ask if they consider this acceptable when it allows intrusive noise. You never know - they might be empathetic when they realise that the same thing could happen to them with the flats above their heads. If you do decide to move, why not buy the flat above the most ineffectual director…?

I suspect it would be difficult/impossible to enforce an actual 'carpet' rule in retrospect, but they may be able to apply pressure using the catch-all, "there's only a covenant where it says that a leaseholder must not do or do something that will stop another leaseholder from enjoying their property." That, surely, includes excessive noise? Laminate doesn't have to be noisy - they are solutions.

Good luck. Pressure, first, on the ManCo, and try and get the other affected neighbours to submit complaints at the same time. If the ManCo is genuinely useless, then vote them out next annual GM, and install proactive folk instead. 😉

Karinet

As I've mentioned, there's hardly any management so I have nobody to report this to. Things are very informal and I can guarantee you that nothing will be done about it if I was to speak to each director. There are four directors and only two are owner-occupiers. The other two have let their property out and live somewhere else and I don't have any contact details for them so it makes it difficult to contact anyone. The durectors wouldn't enforce anything. I remember, there was an issue with the fire risk assessment and one of the two directors on the premises said "who's going to enforce this ?" The other director who lives there said that he desn't want to get involved in anything so there's not much support. I've lived there since 1994 and I know how the place is run. We don't have AGM anymore. The last one was in 2000. We pay our service charge every month and the money goes to the company's bank account. Things such as cleaning and other maintenance work are done on an ad-hoc basis and that's all we pay our service charge for. This is factual information, not me being negative.

poppellerant

Have you considered playing an annoying video to demonstrate just how easily sound travels through the walls and floors of your flat? A very loud and long movie should put your point across.

Alternatively, play the below video at a loud volume as you leave your property to do some shopping:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUG9eLuNn_Y

Karinet

The ultimate solution for me is to buy a house and move out but it's not an option for me at the moment. I will definitely never buy a flat again.

Bigphil1474

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81973040#Comment_81973040

OP, I'm not saying it's right, but the council will investigate statutory nuisance. That's based on the officers view of whether it meets the standard of statutory nuisance. It isn't about what people find annoying. It's still worth speaking to the council, but they might just send a letter and no more.

WIAWSNB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81973131#Comment_81973131

Each leaseholder - flat owner - has the equal right to be one of the directors. If the current ones are that apathetic, then you should be able to be elected, along with some more proactive types.

Item one - only owner-occupiers can be directors of the ManCo.

Item two - conduct affecting other leaseholder's right to enjoy their property…

But if you are not even going to approach the current Dirs, then I guess you also won't be putting yourself forward.

RelievedSheff

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81973178#Comment_81973178

Buying a house is no guarantee of quiet neighbours. We lived in a 1930's built semi with atrocious sound transmission between the properties. You could hear everything through the party wall. It was an absolute nightmare and drove us insane.

On the back of this when we could finally move we only considered detached properties.

Karinet

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81973241#Comment_81973241

I think I'm going to leave it because this conversation is getting noxwhere.

Karinet

I know that it won't necessarily be quieter but what one has to do is buy a detached house, and I have already thought about this, or a modern one which was built after 2008, as the building regulations have changed since then and modern properties have to be insulated both for sound and energy rating. You would think that soundproofing in a modern house would be the norm nowadays, unlike old properties that have little insulation.