Rented House - Law on sound?!?

MercilessKiller

Hey there.

My girlfriend and I are 20 year old students (well I'm the student) and we live in a rented flat which is joint to another rented flat.

Our landlord is a lovely guy who only rents out this one property, and neighbours are an elderly couple, maybe early 70's type of age....

Suzzi (OH) and I rarely watch a film, and rarely play music. We have surround sound, and when we do we put it on but not that loud. We have never received a complaint from any residents.

Today, watching a film (Sunday at 4pm), on mid volume, bass on below average so we don't disturb others, the elderly lady came to my door.

She was very angry and upset, saying no one has disturbed the residents like I have. She threatened to tell the landlord as it was way too loud etc etc etc.

We can't even hear it in our kitchen for crying out loud (small flat). She told me that "us kids" like our music but we can't put it on, simple as that.

I think for 2 hiours at a weekend, my girlfriend and I aren't out of order to watch a film. Our tv has stereo speakers so do not disturb, so its ONLY surround sound when watching a film that annoys them, which is once a week MAX.

What's the law on this? I'm so upset she came over very angrily. If she came and asked politely to turn it down (we are VERY approachable and friendly) then I'm fine about it, but to come demanding things aggressively really upset us! My girlfriend is hard of hearing so needs it louder then silent to hear unfortunately.

I'm now worried about my girlfriends 21st in a few weeks where we have friends coming over!!!

Any advice is much appreciated!

trudiha

I think that you are getting off on the wrong foot asking about the legality of this, it doesn't matter who's right and who's wrong, neither you nor the pensioners next door will have the resources to actually bring this to court.

You don't have to meet ever confrontation with confrontation, go around, tell her that you had no idea that your telling was causing her so much misery, say that you are sorry, charm your neighbour, tell her that the last thing in the world that you'd want to do is upset her or cause her any disturbance. Explain that you missus is hard of hearing and see if any kind of compromise can be reached.

Your neighbour will have read the newspapers and watched the telly, she will *know* that everyone under 35 is a drug crazed, drunken lout with at least 3 ASBOs to their name, that's why she appeared aggressive when she knocked at your door, she was frightened by what she thought she was going to be confronted by. By behaving in a reasonable and restrained way, you will be proving her wrong and restoring her faith in 'the youth of today'.

Go on, be the better person.

PasturesNew

It might sound louder next door than it does in your place. Things that might cause this might be:

1] Wooden floorboards
2] Speaker direction
3] Open chimney

You'd be surprised how often noise is louder the other side of the wall than it is inside where it's being generated.

Depends on the sound frequencies too.

planemad

I would not do anything TBH, if they have a major problem tell them to call the environmental health dept at the local council and get their opinion.

Maybe she is loosing her marbles and is hearing things. my nana also get a bit eccentric at times and thinks things are going on that ain't.

trudiha

Oh, and be sure to introduce yourself by name, it's much easier to be annoyed at 'those two louts next door' than by Frankie and Suzzi'.

MercilessKiller

Thanks for the quick replies:

1) Before this, we do speak to them in a very friendly nice young couple kind of way. Chatting about the weather, the garden, health that type of thing. They were always very nice to us, we've always been lovely to them. This was completely out of characters from the lady.

2) I responded by informing her that we didn't want to upset anyone and we are happy to turn it down if its too loud, but we didn't think it was thus we need to be told and there isn't need to get angry. Obviously she just carried on...

3) By legality what I meant is, if she calls the council about music too loud for a couple of hours on a sunday afternoon, can they get us into trouble? I'm just worried they'll go behind our back before asking us, and report us to the council etc. That's why I'm asking about what's "legal" as such, and whether we can get into trouble

4) The speakers are on the side of the wall that joins to next door, but pointing towards our living room away from next door. Floor is carpeted, sub is away from the wall and set to low bass. Also no chimney

5) I don't want to worry everytime i watch a film/listen to music that I'm being reported. She was very very angry She was always so lovely to us before this though!!!!! No need for it.

takoo

Hi Mercylesskiller

Get on first name terms with your neighbour - at least tell her yours and your partner's. Why not invite her to the party or the early drinks part. She probably won't come but may be life and soul if she did!

Have a great time.

Takoo

PasturesNew

MercilessKiller wrote: »

1) Before this, we do speak to them in a very friendly nice young couple kind of way. Chatting about the weather, the garden, health that type of thing. They were always very nice to us, we've always been lovely to them. This was completely out of characters from the lady.

Which must indicate that whatever she's hearing her side of the wall is very distressing for her.

MercilessKiller wrote: »

2) I responded by informing her that we didn't want to upset anyone and we are happy to turn it down if its too loud, but we didn't think it was thus we need to be told and there isn't need to get angry. Obviously she just carried on...

Stress and anxiety

MercilessKiller wrote: »

3) By legality what I meant is, if she calls the council about music too loud for a couple of hours on a sunday afternoon, can they get us into trouble? I'm just worried they'll go behind our back before asking us, and report us to the council etc. That's why I'm asking about what's "legal" as such, and whether we can get into trouble

She'd probably not bother for such a short timeframe, just sit at home being stressed/anxious.

MercilessKiller wrote: »

4) The speakers are on the side of the wall that joins to next door, but pointing towards our living room away from next door. Floor is carpeted, sub is away from the wall and set to low bass. Also no chimney

This could be it. Even though they're pointing into your room, they're close to the adjoining wall.
Sub being low bass has a high likelihood of reverberating through floorboards and under-floor space

I am not an audio expert though, could even be an issue of harmonics, depending on materials.

MercilessKiller wrote: »

5) I don't want to worry everytime i watch a film/listen to music that I'm being reported. She was very very angry She was always so lovely to us before this though!!!!! No need for it.

Equally she doesn't want to sit down on a Sunday afternoon to her weepy film and box of chocs only to have low bass harmonics permeating through her structure.

I have an unseen disability where hearing sensitivity causes a doubling in my heart rate and anxiety. Certain frequencies actually "hurt" inside my ears/head and I have to get away from them. Maybe she has hearing issues too.

She has as much right to quiet enjoyment as you do to watch your film.
But you also both have responsibilities to not be a nuisance.

MercilessKiller

Takoo,

We are already on first name terms. It's a friendly neighbourhood and as I said in my last post there's lots of nice chatting when we see each other. They know us as Josh and Suzzi and talk to us with our names, and we reply using their first names. When post comes for us, they put it outside our door too instead of leaving it in the mailbox, little things like that!

But for some reason, she's flipped. I told her there's absolutely no problem in us turning it down if its too loud but she just wouldn't accept it and was really angry and upset!!!

ifonlyitwaseasier

she can try and report you but unless it's constant noise (such as playing dolly parton all day every day) or loud disturbing parties all night every night, the council aren't likely to do anything, especially if it's on a sunday afternoon for a couple of hours. i couldn't even get our local enviro health to come out when our neighbour directly below us had a party start at midnight and go on til half 3 in the morning, when i called they said they could send a letter,:mad: :eek: :mad: and the police told me it was the councils job now to stop noise pollution :eek: :mad: :eek:

Turnbull2000

The sub could be the problem. You should try sitting it on a unit to absorb the vibrations and deep sound rather than directly on the floor. You'd be surprised at how loud they are when transmitted through the building structure.