Noisy Neighbours

[Alison]

OK, it's not often I post threads like this but me and OH are getting to the end of our tethers. Think I've posted a minor rant about it in the past but not sure but enough is enough. We live in a semi and therefore expect to hear a certain amount of noise from next door and over the past 14 or 15 years we're lived here it's been pretty OK even when the eldery rather deaf woman lived there (her TV was loud but turned off about 9ish). However since the last owner moved in with his girlfriend he's been letting the house out to a couple. They moved in just over a year ago and have been getting increasingly unreasonable. It's not every night but their music is often loud enough to necessitate us to turn up our TV. However the worst bit is that for the past few weekends they've been having another couple round for the weekend and come in about 11.30 (presumably from the pub) and turn the music on full blast. Sometimes it'll start much later and often it will go on until 4 or 5 in the morning. OH has been round and they've shouted abuse and accused him of being threatening (he wasn't) and we've been making a diary of the events. We're tried to sort it with them direct and got nowhere so intend to contact the council on Monday. Anybody got any experience of this sort of thing as it's really getting us down.

[ginger ninger]

I can sympathise with you on this Alison. I had the same problem with my neighbour around 12 months ago. I had to contact the Environmental Health & also the police on several occasions, but the police said if it wasn't in/on the street they wouldn't come out, but I kept ringing them anyway so it could be logged. The E.H ended up writing to the couple and there landlord. They told the couple they had to stop with the noise or they would take them to court and confiscate there sound equipment. They also sent me a diary sheet to fill in and send back to them. The landlord was told he had to write to the tenants to remind them of there contract conditions. It took time but things are fine now...I even get on really well with the said neighbours.

[Alison]

Yeah, we had the same response off the police even though a friend of mine in Leeds had somebody come out that night when their neighbours were being unreasonable. Don't know if different areas have different approaches or it's just cut backs. Sounds like contacting the council is the way to go, just wish we could contact the landlord ourselves but we don't know his second name or have a contact number for him

[Nicos]

Fortunately not Alison...but I really do feel for you both.

Are you able to contact the landlord???...maybe he can tell them they have to be quieter.
If they don't quieten down you should tell their landlord that you'll inform the police.
( Many peeps rent out their property without their mortgage lenders knowing about it- and that would be in breech of their agreement. If he is doing that, he'd have to tread VERY carefully...that might be a gentle point worth making if that's the case???)

You've tried to ask the neighbours and they clearly don't cere. The next step is the landlord!
Good luck!

[Alison]

You've tried to ask the neighbours and they clearly don't cere. The next step is the landlord!
Good luck!

Unfortunately I don't have his number and only know his first name. I did have his mobile on a bit of paper somewhere but have searched the house high and low and can't find it now which is very frustrating. OH is going to have a work with a mate of his who is a policeman this afternoon to see if he can give us any advice.

[Two_Sheds]

I had the same thing with loud music at 2am front the flat below me. Mediation didn't work, speaking direct had no effect, and a letter to the EHO produced the response "it's my word against theirs".

I would be a bit petty and start vacuuming at 7am (above their ceiling) and they complained to me about that.

In the end I moved out

[ginger ninger]

If it's really bad Alison the E.H will put monitoring equipment in your house to monitor the noise levels. The landlord has to be registered with the local council, they can evict them if he/she isn't seen to be sorting things for you AND bill him/her. They'll put something on the house (I can't remember what it was) so if ever he/she want's to sell it, it will show up in the searches the new owner will have done on the property.

[Shadylane]

The Environmental Health is def the way to go. We had similar problems at our old house except they also threatened us with violence and vandalism too. Fortunately nothing came of it and the landlady evicted them as they weren't paying their rent (social payed half). Keep making a diary of everything and keep on at EH. With us they sent a warning letter out which helped for a bit but then it started again. Make sure you keep everything written down and don't let it slide - they have to do something eventually.

[jojo2910]

As someone who has always rented, either in house-shares or as a sole tennant, I might be able to add something.

I would recommend going to the council/authorities because, unfortunately, I have that found complaining directly to a landlord doesn't always result in action. At the end of the day, they are really interested in getting money or a regular basis and will not want much getting in the way of that.

Do you know if the landlord rented the property directly himself or through an agency? Was there a board up? If there was then you could also complain to them, but this may not be any more succesful than going to a landlord.

Because of the new deposit scheme, there should be proper contracts in place, but there is always a chance there isn't in which case it could be a bit more tricky for you. But also as Nicos has wisely said, if they don't have a buy-to-let mortgage or similar otherwise the landlord could be in trouble.

[HeyWayne]

You have my deepest sympathies Alison. Our last house was a modern 2-bed mid terrace with paper thin walls. One side of us was split to two cluster homes and the other side was a 2-bed bigger house (odd modern layout).

We were lucky that all our neighbours were nice and friendly, and we got on with them all. Of the cluster homes we had a dude and his sometimes visiting ladyfriend who kept themselves to themselves and always said hello. The other cluster home was occupied by a similarly aged couple to us, who often of a weekend would have an "enthusiastic" romp, mostly at 3-4am, but sometimes later in the day.

The house on the other side was occupied by a dude who had a friend staying with him, and of a Friday/Saturday night they would come home a little worse for wear and blast out AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Motorhead or other such rock. I mentioned it to him on a couple of occasions the following afternoon and he apologised and promised to keep it down.

It never really happened, but as it was only on a weekend we tollerated it.

Then he found himself a girlfriend and she moved in. It went quiet for a while but it started up again (only the music changed slightly). On one particular night I'd had a bad day and at 3am I got up and went next door. I practically hammered the door off it's hinges and eventually got them to answer the door.

The new lady of the house (who we got to know quite well) apologised profusely and kept a promise to keep it down.

The answer?

Get a woman in.

I've heard that the Police won't get involved and as you've hinted I think council involvement is a bit hit and miss. A quiet word in the cold light of day with a clear head is always worth a try.

Good luck with whatever action you decide to take, I hope it works out I know what a pain it can be.

[selfraising]

Our neighbours are awful too. Young couple with 3 children all under the age of 4. They do not seem to know how to close a door properly as the doors are slammed. Woken up at 3 this morning by the man shouting at one of the children who was crying then telling them to shut the f$*% up! Really nice. Every day there is shouting, they don't seem to be able to talk to one another. I feel I can't invite anyone round in the summer to sit out the back because the language and shouting is awful.

[Florian]

I can sympathise with you on this Alison. I had the same problem with my neighbour around 12 months ago. I had to contact the Environmental Health & also the police on several occasions, but the police said if it wasn't in/on the street they wouldn't come out, but I kept ringing them anyway so it could be logged. The E.H ended up writing to the couple and there landlord. They told the couple they had to stop with the noise or they would take them to court and confiscate there sound equipment. They also sent me a diary sheet to fill in and send back to them. The landlord was told he had to write to the tenants to remind them of there contract conditions. It took time but things are fine now...I even get on really well with the said neighbours.

What ginger ninger said. I had the same problem a while back and did the logging with EH and police thing which worked in the end (In this case, it was 24 hour parties. Lovely when are getting up at half five for work)

We also have a nuisance noise team round here, who are on duty midnight-5 am Thursday to Saturday. If you call EH during this time, the noise team would come to your house and witness the noise & speak to those causing it and thus speed up the above and take the their word against yours aspect out of the equation.

Wish you luck, it's a horrible experience.

[petal]

Been there, this is horrific and very stressful for you. EH, police, keep a diary, find out landlords details at council office. You WILL win in the end!

[Two_Sheds]

I feel I can't invite anyone round in the summer to sit out the back because the language and shouting is awful.

I'd tape all that and play it back at them through amplifiers.

It's hell isn't it?
I'd always rented - and suffered with noisy neighbours for 20 years - up until I met Mr TS and we got this house. I knocked on doors before we bought to find out what the neighbours were like, and they are lovely. Houses don't sell that often in our road which tells you something - some people have lived here since they were built in the late 60s.

Recently however, we get gangs of teenagers rampaging up and down the cycle paths at the back: smashed fences, street lights & bottles etc. Our car's been scratched and this weekend several cars had their tyres slashed. Nobody ever sees or hears anything
We also had a car full of teenagers parked in the street, music blaring at 2am or so, every Friday night. They'd park outside our house, bibbing their horn, shouting & swearing, basically trying to provoke a reaction. The cold weather seems to have moved them on.

[Patchninja]

No advice, but just to say how I sympathise. It's terrible to have to put up with neighbour's noises.