Home > Ask Our Experts > What Should we do About Our Neighbour's Complaining?

What Should we do About Our Neighbour's Complaining?

By: Jeff Durham - Updated: 20 May 2023 | comments*Discuss
 
Noisy Neighbours Neighbourhood Noise

Q.

We have a flat within a 1930's converted house. Since we've had new neighbours they keep complaining about the noise from our flat (mainly the bedroom which is above thiers), but we didn't have any problems with the people who lived there before. We can hear the same noise from the flat above which we have put down to the fact that this is a conversion and not purpose built.

We have tried to rent out the flat but the neighbours seem to keep pushing our tenants out. We have tried to talk to them and put rugs down etc... but they keep knocking on the door and complaining to our tenants. What should we do?

(Miss Marie Rice, 11 November 2008)

A.

This would seem to be a case of a house conversion where sound insulation seems to have not been too high up on the agenda when it was converted into separate flats.

You say that previous tenants in the flat in question didn’t have any problem with noise from your flat and that you, too, can hear the same level of noise from the flat above, so it would appear that you have accepted that the design of the house conversion does not lend itself too well to good sound insulation. Nevertheless, there would seem to be some sort of problem in that you keep receiving complaints.

There are strict laws governing noise nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 but they are usually more associated with issues such as loud music, barking dogs, shouting and arguing and lots of banging and loud children. Certain other factors also come into play with regards to noise levels after 11pm at night. However, you’ve given no indication here that any of the above is the issue here.

You’ve also taken some steps to try to resolve the matter by putting down rugs to try to reduce the noise levels somewhat. Therefore, based solely on the evidence you’ve presented here, it would appear that you have fussy neighbours who would prefer to live in complete silence, in spite of the fact that they have chosen to live in a place with thin walls. However, without knowing the facts, that is difficult to say.

You also say that you’ve tried to reason with the complainants but that this hasn’t achieved anything. Therefore, to obtain a resolution it may well be that you’ll need to challenge your neighbours into making a complaint.

Tell them that in your opinion, you feel you are doing nothing wrong and that if they wish to complain, they should contact the local Environment Department and ask them to investigate the matter. If you or your tenants are truly not making excess noise and the problem is simply one of thin walls, ceilings and floors, it may well be that the investigation team will simply discard their complaint.

If that’s the outcome, then theoretically, if they are ‘pushing your tenants out’ as you say, then you may have a case to take action against them for harassment, depending on what kind of evidence you have of that. On the other hand, the Environment Department could rule in their favour and force you into taking action to make further Soundproofing Improvements To Your Property.

Ideally, coming to an amicable agreement or going to see a mediation service is the best way forward. However, if this isn’t an option, the only way forward would seem to be letting the Environmental Health Department decide if there’s a problem or not.

You might also like...
Share Your Story, Join the Discussion or Seek Advice..
[Add a Comment]
I have lived here for 20 years. There has never been a complaint about me. But recently, I had my third stroke, and this time it affected my sight and my hearing. I am unable to get out as I used to do, and all I have at home is my tv. But because of my stroke, I need to turn the volume up sometimes in order to hear it. I use headphones a lot, but what I am supposed to do when I have guests. I can hardly sit here with headphones on while they sit there and fiddle their thumbs. No other neighbour has complained, just this one.
Ken - 20-May-23 @ 11:23 AM
I have had the opposite problem. I have recently moved into my lovely home not that long ago, and one of our neighbours is rather noisy. They play their music very loud and shout and swear very loudly. Now I had no complaints, but it seems someone else does, and this neighbour has received the complaint about the noise. As we are the new neighbours we have been instantly blamed and told that “The council said it was us.” No complaints have been filed by me! I tried to tel her it wasn’t us, but she was having none of it. She was even verbally aggressive towards my sister one night as a result. What do you do in this instance?
SLG44 - 13-Aug-22 @ 12:53 AM
I moved into my flat 1 year and 3 months ago and inagine the neighbor below knocked on my door to tell me she was the reason that the old tenants moved out and told me she hopes we won't be fighting!!! Oh really I thought to myself well you have Met you're match here then cos I was stabbed by a man and beaten and Tortured and was rehoused after many years of being homeless . She literally knocked on my door 3 times over a year ago all I do in my flat is relax after a hard day working 12 till 6 Mon to Sat I usually go home late at night and she screams through walls for no reason and slanders me to the housing officer .calls the police for no reason and left a while smashed pot outside my door . The lady is a Jamaican lady in her mid thirties and acts like a delinquent . The best part of it for me is I fitted cctv footage in my flat after experiencing it before so she's caught on cameraso I'm not worried when she screams through wallsif she ever knocked at my door and attacked me that would be self defence so keep a record of everything and let their sorry self melt I'm GOD ALMIGHTY WE TRUST AMEN MOST cases are mental people so keep a record they will get sectioned
Boss - 2-Aug-22 @ 1:56 PM
People need to mind their own business it can lead them to getting a misdemeanor charge for false allegations.If its just white noise then ignore it if you retaliate you're fueling their mental problem Tenants like that usually get asked to leave due to causing trouble unnecessarily so don't worry too much . Don't forget the neighbors the other side know the tenants behaviour anyway its been going on for a while so!!! Best to put cctv cameras in you're flat so that when they start screaming for no reasonat 4am in the morning when u use the toilet they are caught out . Be smart and don't let anyone take you for a mug . Who hears stuff through walls their lives must be so sad and dim
Boss - 2-Aug-22 @ 1:48 PM
My neighbour next door has her noisey friend to stay she is 66 friend is 33 stays for weeks on end,terrible voice,one bedroomed so l have no escape,all l hear is C,, Bi,,,, had enough of it,always loud and screeching,lm not moving,been her twenty years
Sandee - 16-May-22 @ 1:52 PM
I've just moved into a first floor old flat it's fairly Victorian so the floors creek even when too toed on , I suffer with a back problem so I don't jump around or run or even walk fast in my flat , also the feont door when I quietly close it seems to make a noise even when respectfully closing it . I've been homeless most of my life living in hostels shelters and any place I can , So I've come to a point in my life where I am so respectful and my advice to you all is to do what you can to improve you're home like Making sure floor boards are fitted correctly Perhaps getting the front door oiled or replaced with one that doesn't express the same problem , Also in regards to complaints it all helps you to understand the character of the people you live around. I am a person that cannot be fooled or intimidated because if that was ever the case then they would find them self homeless with no where to live cos I am that person that will take action against a person if for a second I thought they were harassing me or finding ways to make me move out. You have to protect where you are at in you're life. So to anyone that's getting complaints about anything that isn't classes as antisocial behaviour my advice is to put those clowns were they deserve to be and PUSH THEM OUT INSTEAD. This feed is interesting !!
Kerry - 7-Jul-21 @ 3:12 PM
I am suffering problems with a family who lives next door were I live in a council flat because I have got autism and adhd and the neighbour who lives next door keeps moaning to the council ever noisy I make in the past year and so they need to understand I can’t help my self been hyper and putting my stuff away at night at my flat and they are trying to put me back on the streets and my flat neighbour has supported me and the neighbours who have got a problem with me been noisy need to understand my disabilitie because they are just trying to push me out of my flat because my mum and dad want to stay living at my flat and they are disgusted with the neighbours who keep moaning to the council about me I think if I confronted them I will get cause more problems and I suffer anger problems to because I don’t want to start a fight with them over them moaning to the council I just want someone to tell them to leave me alone and I stop trying to judge me of me noisy all the time because I want to stay at my flat and my neighbours want me to stay at my flat and I hope the neighbours who keep moaning to the council about me what it is doing my mental health and anxiety because I am good resident at my flat I don’t want to move again due to them moaning twerps
The oracle - 4-Jun-21 @ 10:29 AM
from my experience the noise makers in flats above other people act all innocent, deny making bangs and play the victim. what part of they are constantly banging on the ceiling with every foot step bang bang bang bang bang bang over and over as they smash their heels into the floor. no matter how thick the carpet, underlay etc it just cannot cushion the impact of these inconsiderate people. how they have the cheek to say they feel the victim and downstairs is harassing them by banging back a few times is beyond me, you fill their whole flat with bangs non stop. if you want to live in hell, live in a downstairs flat, if you value your health, sanity, sleep, live in a house!
bob - 28-Apr-21 @ 7:14 PM
Hi, My neighbour is making false complaints on us saying we are making lot of noise. I live in a second floor flat with 2 young children and my husband. The person living downstairs keep complaining about the heavy footfall even when my children are just moving around the house. We are receiving letters from council regarding the noise. We have called the council and mentioned it is when my kids are walking. But it’s of no use. The person living downstairs keep banging their roof when my kids walk around. They also yell at us when my younger kid cry in the balcony when she fell. They also come and bang our doors sometimes. It’s been 3 years since this is ongoing. We tried to complain police regarding this false complaints but no use. I feel so helpless. Due to the lockdown my kids can’t go outside much. At the same time they are not allowed to play even inside our own house because of fearing for the neighbours. Could anyone provide guidance? Thanks
Dee - 13-Mar-21 @ 10:18 PM
My neighbours n my friends neighbours make our lives hell ive had 11years of it n my friend s few years myself n my friend have bipolar is as if both our sets of neighbours are comparing notes because want a move t bigger home so making up so many allegations against us causing my friend to have a probation order against her 18month n I'm under antisocial team i dont even have a criminal record its so distressing for us both we walk around on eggshells n scared even if I drop a pen or out so small on the floor or close n open the cooker its causing both our mental health n bipolar disorders to go sky high through The roof ive just read about an app for the phone for noise what goes straight to the council what can we do to clear our names n prove them to be the liars n prove they are literally harassing us t the point we don't want to b on our own in the house so swap between them both t look after each other there is only us 2 in the house no animals nothing x
Lilwitchy - 3-Feb-21 @ 4:40 AM
Please read comment below as this is a continue...... The neighbour below has an app on her phone from the council to record any noise. Now I've been wondering why she has been randomly banging on her ceiling at all different times of the day. It turns out the noise recorded goes straight back to the council and reports me for the noise. But my next door neighbours are always making noise and their kids run around a lot. I just don't complain about it because I like to leave people to do what they want. Has anyone had neighbours using this app against them, recording noises that you actually haven't made? Please help me. Thank you for reading my comments.
Re - 25-Nov-20 @ 1:44 PM
Hi there, I live in a high rise and have had constant problems with the neighbour below me. In February 2020 she banged on my door, and as I answered she shouted abuse at me and told me to shut my f-ing kids up. This was on a Sunday morning around 11:30. She was in her pjs and stunk of alcohol. She rattled off a few days that my kids were supposed to have been making a lot of noise and most of it was during the night.One of the days was around 9pm. My oldest bounced his football once and I instantly told him to stop because we have to be considerate to our naighbours and people like to relax of an evening without interruption of a loud noise. The other times she complained about, me and my kids were not home. I work of an evening and my kids stay at their nannas. So she then accused me of leaving my children home alone and said she's calling police and social services. Then got in my face calling me awful names and swearing In front of my children.2 days later I get social services sending me a letter saying they been informed I'm leaving my kids home alone and that they are making a lot of noise constantly. However the letter was sent to my previous addres (being my mums home) and had the wrong dates on it. I.e 02/03/2010.I was advised by my kids school to ignore the letter and continue to do what I am doing and from questions they have asked my kids , they know I haven't left them home alone. Yes I let them play during the day. It was winter weather and we was going into lockdown. So I wasn't having my kids chained to a chair watching tv all day. From then on this woman has constantly been banging on her ceiling, banging on my front door ( sometimes being around 4 in the morning and then running off, screaming and shouting. All at different times of the day and night. I've tried to seek help from the council but had nothing done about it. Then again in September she had contacted social services with the same story. Only this time they contacted me via phone. I explained everything and I was advised to let my kids play and to report the neighbour of any banging and abuse. Which I have done and sent to the council. And I still haven't heard anything back. For the last few weeks ( except the 5 days I was in hospital and the couple times I have stayed at my boyfriends home) she has been randomly banging on the floor, again at random times of the day and night and I know my kids haven't made any noise because at the times of her banging they've been doing their homework or playing on my phone on the sofa.I had my tenancy officer arrive today and she told me the lady had recorded a lot of banging noise coming from my flat between the hours of 2-4 am. My kids were asleep, I have sleep apnoea and a lot of pain in my gallbladder so I was awake a lot of the night and my boyfriend was awake watching me in case I needed to go back to hospital. There was no noise coming from my home. And then there was noise at 11 today where my kids were d
Re - 25-Nov-20 @ 1:31 PM
Hello Neighbours moved in below me 3 years ago, and havent stopped complaining about alleged noise coming from my flat. The neighbours are falsely accusing us of making banging noises during the night and have shouted through their window at me about it. I made a complaint to the council to tell them to stop shouting through the window and they were told to stop. However, these neighbours have told the council that we are making noise during the night when we are asleep, and the council keep harassing me about this. I have told the council many times that we are not making banging noises during the night. We only make low level domestic noise and no noise at night. How can I stop the council from harassing me about these neighbours who have no proof . Their complaints are unjustified and unreasonable. Also we have health problems and dont need this harassment. Please can anyone advise?
baileyb - 9-Oct-20 @ 1:55 PM
Hello Neighbours moved in below me 3 years ago, and havent stopped complaining about alleged noise coming from my flat. The neighbours are falsely accusing us of making banging noises during the night and have shouted through their window at me about it. I made a complaint to the council to tell them to stop shouting through the window and they were told to stop. However, these neighbours have told the council that we are making noise during the night when we are asleep, and the council keep harassing me about this. I have told the council many times that we are not making banging noises during the night. We only make low level domestic noise and no noise at night. How can I stop the council from harassing me about these neighbours who have no proof . Their complaints are unjustified and unreasonable. Also we have health problems and dont need this harassment. Please can anyone advise.
baileyb - 5-Oct-20 @ 1:37 PM
Can bullying be when one neighbor spread bad rumours to other neighbors about you and try to get other neighbour to side with them and also they will call officer on you, even when you didn't do anything that will cause disturbance to any of these neighbors? I know we are only asian race different from the rest of the neighbors who are all middle eastern on the street. I notice they only to seem like they pick on us mostly cause we will not do anything and will keep to ourselves and we don't speak their language. I did talk to the neighbour one time but that neighbour just yell at me and when it was my turn to talk, he will cut me off so none of my words matters. So i just left as that. When we first moved in, the neighbor complain to us, telling us not to park in front of our home cause he can't reverse out of his driveway so we were being considerate and we didn't park there but then he is having their guests park there which I thought we had arrangements about the situation. For 6 years, this one neighbour across from us, their guests will park in front of home all the time when there are plenty of space near them. I know it is not my property but should be considerate. During the phrase 2 of the pandemic,i notice the neighbor was having a lot of guests more than 10 people coming to visit their home and will stay there for long period of time.I don't want to cause a big problem so didn't report it cause don't want to be bad neighbour.
Don't know what to - 18-Sep-20 @ 3:57 AM
I seen this middle eastern family with their guest are purposely provoking this asian family when the asian family was just minding its own business and was helping its own family member to park and get into the home. The asian family were not even making any kind of conversation/attention with middle eastern family and their guests but keep causing unpleasant unreasonable conversation to stop this asian family so trying to cause argument. They are not treating them right especially when living on same street. I do not ever see this asian family cause any trouble for any of us. But this middle eastern family with guest are bad people even when they act good.This middle eastern family with guests don't own the streets
Not right - 18-Sep-20 @ 3:53 AM
The woman next door has a habit of turning up at our door, knocking and expecting to come in. We never invite her. Once in, she has a list of petty complaints that I have to listen to. If I am taking a shower, then she accuses me of being in and ignoring her.Then she phones later and moans at me and discusses me with one of the other neighbours that she has teamed up with. She is a gossip, a busybody and very judgemental. I can no longer sit out in the back garden because she comes over and asks me a lot of intrusive questions. I am planning to move to get away from this self-righteous, moany old cow.
Loopy Louis - 12-Aug-20 @ 2:45 PM
I have neighbours to complain about me having windows open in the Summer.The way the flats were built means my window is over their garden. I live 2 floors up and open the windows to let air in. They say they can’t use the garden Because becauseI could hear them.Meanwhile they play loud music with bongos!Many people have complained but they are friends with half the building so people back them up. They even complain about me living in my house. I am working remotely so often about. They are drunk by noon but I am wrong for having a window open and working from home. I wish I could afford to move!
Kay - 22-Jul-20 @ 3:01 PM
I've got a problem with my neighbour upstairs she been complaining to the council for the least thingas in strange noise and load musicthe noises are colour tackI use to pin things upsmall white tacks you use ti pin back small cable as in phone cableI've got six decking solar lights which I've got around my living room window. I've got unscrew them from the window to change the batteries and screw them back that's a fault I've got several sensor lights around my house from the livingroom to the hall to the kitchen and bathroom a and if I do anything there that's a fault. Putting up Christmas decorations up by using the colour ticks that's a faultmy music it so so vulume 14that's not loadand if wanted to make loader I don't have problem with thatI get BUMP BUMP BUMP THAT'S HER BANGING ON THE FLOORSHE'S also reported me to the council twiceI suffer witha HEART PROBLEM I take sezuiresand got Spinal problems I go about with a 3 wheel zimmer and diabetes 2And like to know is as am a council tenant and am on the ground floor dose she needs my consent to get SKY TVas the guy from sky got to get into my garden. And last of all name calling as.Perv.THERE'S A WELL KNOWINGPEADO IN THE AREAcan someone help me
Gaz - 6-Jul-20 @ 8:46 PM
Hi, we’ve lived in our semidetached property for about a year and half now. The house was in a real state so needs lots of work doing to it. Our neighbours have been very understanding about this and we’ve tried to keep noise to a minimum and always let them know in advance about loud work taking place. They’ve been okay with everything thus far. Suddenly after a conversation about our plans for the wall (our wall) splitting the property, he’s done nothing but complain literally the next day he made a nasty comment over the fence about our dogs barking and then the following day had a go about a burning bin that we’d previously advised him of. What I don’t understand it why if he didn’t like our idea for the garden wall wouldn’t he just say. We are reasonable and we could have worked something out. Instead he’s being completely unreasonable in such an aggressive manor. We’re not sure how to deal with this when he clearly won’t say what’s really bothering him. Help!!
Langfora - 3-Jun-20 @ 12:31 PM
Moved into a upper flat 7months ago. From get go we asked the downstairs Nieghbours not to bang doors or windows especially during the wee hours of the morning, we are constantly being woken from sleeping I have counted over 20 times in 6wks alone. We are in the throws of mediation however every time my concerns are passed forward the Tennants deny blame and then do exactly what I ask them not too. It appears to be merely escalating the situation. The mediator works Monday to Thursday as soon as he go's off shift it kicks off... One of them in particular go's into rages slams bangs and hammers all manner furniture and fittings such kitchen cupboards doors, wardrobes doors and drawers. I'm a single parent living alone with a child of high school age. I have informed the police in the past whom were told by the housing association that it was a Nieghbour dispute. The Tennants involved have a network of friends within the estate whom have harrassed me and my son this has been reported twice. Our nerves are shattered and we're completely sleep deprived.
Hohoho - 17-Apr-20 @ 1:20 PM
wemovetoour houseweloveit anddown linehemoanatus forusingfence to tieachildgazzzibo around tohold down itdontblow hemoanhewalkintoourgardenwremychildwashestop meinthe streetsayingiit notyourIpayfor it soIrangcouncil hadsurveyorsoutweignore him butcouncilgot complaintofhimforgardenheputglassshardsdown soifdoggo outtheygetstuck inpawsfewweek weeks ofblissthenthe diggingbees which Iask council tosorth andeveryears gardenwalkinghemoanforthissoIgavedetailsaiddonttalk tousspeak tohim stressishigh thebees nowinfestedhisgarden hehadscaffoldingup overmy child windowinmyfontgarden boardsIdidmoveit as hemoans forevery thing sowasn't humouring himhegonetoneighbours were he moansof my5ftgazzzibo hemoans formygateeverytime itconstantI saidto policeI feeleyesonmybackwhenout ,onSunday Igothimlooking intomygardenwhen childplaysagrownmandoingthisisnoton policedid notcomeoutadvice thanks
t - 9-Apr-20 @ 10:21 AM
Hi i need your advise regarding my ground floor neighbour. My wife and i we managed to buy a maisonette and we are on the top floor. We moved in 6 months ago and since then our neighbor keep coming to our doorbanging so loud that we got scared.first incident happened when she informed us that one of her cat's has the habit to come inside our house and if this is bothering us we should tell her. We said that is fine and we will try to stop the cat coming in.All ok untill she came and start banging on my door so hard that i got scared thinking something bad happened accusing us that we keep her cat trapped overnight in to our home. I explained that we dont keep the cat in and she start shouting. I have to mention that she doesn't one the cat because the cat lives ouside and doesn't have any microcip. Second incident happened when again she came to my doorcomplaining about my garden door werebecause of the storm the door makes noise. She went to mygarden and she opened the door blocking it with a brick. To pleaseher i changedthe garden door. Yesterday some friends came over to us and one of the couples has a boy 5years old that was playing. My neighbour came banging at 6 pm that the child makes a lot of noise and we should stop. Our friends had to leave because of her. I feel that after all our hard workto save money to buy our house we are not happy. We feel harassedand intimidated by her as she keeps whatching every move we make and every time when we meet her she has to stop us complaining about silly things. Please help me as i dont know what to do anymore
Mddanu - 2-Mar-20 @ 12:32 PM
Hi i need your advise regarding my ground floor neighbour. My wife and i we managed to buy a maisonette and we are on the top floor. We moved in 6 months ago and since then our neighbor keep coming to our doorbanging so loud that we got scared.first incident happened when she informed us that one of her cat's has the habit to come inside our house and if this is bothering us we should tell her. We said that is fine and we will try to stop the cat coming in.All ok untill she came and start banging on my door so hard that i got scared thinking something bad happened accusing us that we keep her cat trapped overnight in to our home. I explained that we dont keep the cat in and she start shouting. I have to mention that she doesn't one the cat because the cat lives ouside and doesn't have any microcip. Second incident happened when again she came to my doorcomplaining about my garden door werebecause of the storm the door makes noise. She went to mygarden and she opened the door blocking it with a brick. To pleaseher i changedthe garden door. Yesterday some friends came over to us and one of the couples has a boy 5years old that was playing. My neighbour came banging at 6 pm that the child makes a lot of noise and we should stop. Our friends had to leave because of her. I feel that after all our hard workto save money to buy our house we are not happy. We feel harassedand intimidated by her as she keeps whatching every move we make and every time when we meet her she has to stop us complaining about silly things. Please help me as i dont know what to do anymore
Mddanu - 2-Mar-20 @ 12:31 PM
Hi i need your advise regarding my ground floor neighbour. My wife and i we managed to buy a maisonette and we are on the top floor. We moved in 6 months ago and since then our neighbor keep coming to our doorbanging so loud that we got scared.first incident happened when she informed us that one of her cat's has the habit to come inside our house and if this is bothering us we should tell her. We said that is fine and we will try to stop the cat coming in.All ok untill she came and start banging on my door so hard that i got scared thinking something bad happened accusing us that we keep her cat trapped overnight in to our home. I explained that we dont keep the cat in and she start shouting. I have to mention that she doesn't one the cat because the cat lives ouside and doesn't have any microcip. Second incident happened when again she came to my doorcomplaining about my garden door werebecause of the storm the door makes noise. She went to mygarden and she opened the door blocking it with a brick. To pleaseher i changedthe garden door. Yesterday some friends came over to us and one of the couples has a boy 5years old that was playing. My neighbour came banging at 6 pm that the child makes a lot of noise and we should stop. Our friends had to leave because of her. I feel that after all our hard workto save money to buy our house we are not happy. We feel harassedand intimidated by her as she keeps whatching every move we make and every time when we meet her she has to stop us complaining about silly things. Please help me as i dont know what to do anymore
Mddanu - 2-Mar-20 @ 12:31 PM
I live in a block of flats where a tenant is constantly calling the council on me over noise late at night. Every time the council visit, they hear absolutely nothing. The relatives of the tenant believe that I am deliberately trying to annoy the tenant below me, despite the tenant asking me why I never make any noise when they visit. I pointed out to her that I have no way of knowing when they are there! No other neighbour has ever complained about noise from my flat, and curiously, the previous tenant had received exactly the same complaints about late night noise! My question is this: Looking at the number of issues published on this page, just how common is it for neighbours to complain about someone who doesn't have children, dogs, parties, late night music or DIY in the property, yet persist with hounding the council who themselves are constantly monitoring my flat?
nasascientist - 9-Dec-19 @ 10:53 PM
My upstairs neighbours have made my lifelong bowel problem so bad that I have not left my home for 2/3 years at all! They purchased the flat upstairs in this old 1900 converted house now in 3 flats with no soundproofing at all. When I moved into the 1st floor flat in 2003 all flats were leasehold and there were strict rules and someone visited twice a year to make sure everything was alright for each flat. The people who bought the top flat, above me in 2014 got the people who also had just bought the ground floor flat and my landlord to each purchase the freehold of each flat. This means each flat can do as they like in the layout of rooms etc (which just does not work). The man upstairs sleeps right above my bathroom/toilet and kitchen. He also spends all day in the room above my kitchen etc. He bangs on my ceiling whenever I use the toilet or go to my kitchen. His wife sleeps above my bedroom in one of the other 5 rooms they have! My nerves are shattered by the banging on ceiling and my health is getting worse each day now! I've made many phone calls to different agencies re this problem but no one can help me. I will have to sleep in my car. Then I will buy a van and Leave here after 16 years!
gilly - 13-Jun-19 @ 12:12 AM
I moved to the house I live in 2 years ago, to live with my partner who already owned the house. I moved here with my dogs. My neighbour hates my dogs. I put a kennel and run in the garden, which is allowed under permitted development. She reported me to the planning office for unlawful development. They confirmed there is no problem. My neighbour then reported me to the RSPCA, who came out and saw my dogs heated, insulated kennel with individual beds for all 4 dogs, and their 24 foot run, and confirmed, no problem. My neighbour then reported me to the council again for running an unlicensed boarding establishment. I do not board dogs, and never have. Two days ago I recieved a call from a lovely lady from environmental health asking to visit me. On asking why, I was given the following information. She told me that she had been working on this case for two years. That my neighbour had complained about my dogs, barking or whatever, and that she had visited my neighbours property on more than one occasion, and in her words 'wouldn't have known there were dogs there'. Not a noise. Nothing. She told the neighbour to produce evidence of a problem, as she had found none. The neighbour didn't produce any evidence, but has now gone above them to the ombudsmen claiming the council have not done their job properly. The environmental protection officer had already confirmed that planning had no problem. There was no evidence of nuisance found. However this is not good enough for my neighbour and she is hell bent on causing trouble. Neighbour claims she has spoken to us on several occasions regarding problems and that we were abusive and aggressive, but I have only ever spoken to the woman once face to face, when I first moved here, and it was not about any problems. The neighbour watches us. Spies on us from her windows. She doesn't hide this. Openly stand there and watches us in our garden. She looks through our hedges. She shouted at me through the joining wall of our semi toshut up when I was putting logs on my fire. These are thick walls (old council property), and it was one log, not a rave in the living room. I know this is personal because another neighbours dogs bark far more than mine, and another neighbour regularly has garden parties in the summer. no complaints about them. So today I went to the police, hoping for some help. I was told that it's not illegal to report people, even if the allegations are false and repeated. I was told it's not illegal to watch someone. Surelt this can't be true, because all this is making our lives miserable. Any advice welcome,
K - 1-Jun-19 @ 12:45 AM
i am an old women and lived in the same house for 40 yearss.i have always got on wellwith all my neighbours helping out whenever i can. however a young bloke has movednext door and bangs on my wallconstantly.i have very good hearing so i never havemusic loud i think he just wants to pick on an old lady living alone.i am finding it extremly stressful.what are my rights
squeeky - 7-Apr-19 @ 12:37 PM
I have read all the above accounts and sympathise with both sides.Loud music, barking dogs and running children can all have a serious effect on both physical and mental health. I have lived in many flats over the years and had many more neighbours and it is amazing the difference a little consideration and communication can make; such as dropping a pillow between the headboard and the wall! My latest place was great when i had the junkie upstairs, despite his choice of visitors and their dogs but now I am stuck with a pair of middle class students who are completely nocturnal and think it perfectly acceptable to come home from a night club and have screaming drunken rows, throwing things and slamming doors at three thirty in the morning. They have lied plausibly to the housing association about their activities (I have been forced to call the police twice.) and now my noise logs have been discarded, I am cast as the crazy downstairs, even though I tried to ask them nicely and am now expected to pay for expensive monitoring equipment myself, as the housing association appear to have labeled me a crank Thing is, I asked for soundproofing to be installed before they moved in, since their kitchen floor, above my bedroom is so thin it vibrates and the lampshade shakes when anyone walks across it and shoes sound like gunshots on the hard laminate floor. The housing association turned me down flat, even though I offered to pay for the materials as the bedsit upstairs was then being renovated. I think they thought that everyone else would want it. Though it would have done nothing for the shrieking, the door slamming and the running back and forth along the communal hall at three thirty in the morning (My downstairs ceiling in this victorian conversion), it would have toned down all that but in the end, I have been forced to simply abandon my bedroom, move my bed into the tiny lounge downstairs in the basement and live in the kitchen while I consider what to do next; especially since I have now been accused of stealing their post; the delivery of which was always sketchy at best, due to the rather obscure address and despite the fact I was at the other end of the country when this particular letter was returned to sender. I have been threatened and had obscenities screamed at me now they know they can act with impunity and since my health has gone, I am crippled by arthritis and what with this Universal Credit business, I can't afford to move. The future does seem rather bleak and I am writing this in search of some suggestions.
clara - 21-Oct-18 @ 10:42 PM
Share Your Story, Join the Discussion or Seek Advice...
Title:
(never shown)
Firstname:
(never shown)
Surname:
(never shown)
Email:
(never shown)
Nickname:
(shown)
Comment:
Validate:
Enter word:
Topics
Latest Comments