Understanding Noise Pollution in Residential Areas
Noise from neighbours is one of the most common sources of tension in UK communities. Whether it comes from loud music, late night gatherings, barking dogs, or building work, unwanted sound can affect your quality of life and wellbeing. But not all noise counts as pollution in a legal sense, and understanding the difference can help you work out how to respond.
In the UK, local councils have powers under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to deal with noise that amounts to a statutory nuisance. The Control of Pollution Act 1974 also applies in certain situations, particularly regarding construction site noise. Statutory nuisance generally means noise that unreasonably and substantially interferes with your use or enjoyment of your home. The law does not set specific decibel limits for residential noise. Instead, councils assess complaints based on factors such as the time of day, how often the noise occurs, how long it lasts, and the character of the area.
This means that what counts as a nuisance in a quiet village may differ from what applies in a busy urban street. Context matters, and councils will usually consider whether the noise is reasonable given the circumstances.
Use your phone or computer to measure noise levels and keep a dated record with notes. Export as evidence for your council or environmental health officer. All data stays on your device.
Try our Noise Meter free, here on this site →Common Sources of Neighbour Noise
Disputes between neighbours often arise from everyday activities that become a problem when they happen too often, too loudly, or at antisocial hours. Some of the most frequent complaints involve:
- Loud music, televisions, or sound systems
- Parties and gatherings, particularly late at night
- Barking or howling dogs left unattended
- DIY work, power tools, and garden machinery
- Shouting, arguments, or raised voices
- Banging doors, heavy footsteps in flats, or slamming
- Vehicle noise such as engines running or car repairs
- Commercial premises including pubs, restaurants, or shops with noisy equipment
Many of these activities are perfectly normal in moderation. A neighbour using a lawnmower on a Saturday afternoon is unlikely to amount to a nuisance, but the same mower running every evening for hours on end may well do. Frequency and timing play a large role in how complaints are assessed.
Some noise is harder to control. Crying babies, ordinary conversation, or children playing are usually considered part of everyday life. Councils will rarely take action over sounds that fall within normal domestic activity, even if they cause some annoyance.
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
What You Can Do About Excessive Noise
If a neighbour's noise is affecting you, the first step is usually to speak to them directly. Many people genuinely do not realise how much sound travels through walls or floors, and a calm conversation can sometimes resolve the matter without any formal action. Choose a moment when neither of you is frustrated or tired.
If talking does not work, or if you feel unable to approach your neighbour, the next step is to contact your local council. Most councils have an environmental health team that handles noise complaints. They may ask you to keep a diary of when the noise occurs, how long it lasts, and how it affects you. This helps them assess whether the situation amounts to a statutory nuisance.
In some cases, the council may install noise monitoring equipment or send an officer to witness the problem firsthand. If they find the noise constitutes a nuisance, they can serve an abatement notice requiring the person responsible to stop or reduce it. Breaching such a notice is a criminal offence and can result in fines.
You can also submit a formal written complaint to your neighbour. Setting out your concerns in writing creates a record and may encourage them to take the matter seriously. Our free Noise Complaint Letter Builder can help you structure your letter if you are unsure where to start.
For noise occurring late at night or in the early hours, some councils operate out of hours noise services, though availability varies significantly between local authorities. You can check what services your council offers on their website or through GOV.UK.
Where noise comes from commercial premises or industrial activities affecting residential areas, councils have additional powers to investigate and enforce limits. The process is similar, but councils may apply different standards when assessing business related noise.
Preventing Problems Before They Start
If you are planning an event or activity that may cause more noise than usual, letting your neighbours know in advance can prevent complaints. Most people are more tolerant of a one off party or building work if they have been warned beforehand. A brief note mentioning the date, approximate times, and your contact details gives neighbours a chance to plan around it or raise concerns directly with you.
Think about the time of day when noise is most likely to disturb others. Early mornings and late evenings are particularly sensitive periods. Many council guidelines suggest avoiding noisy DIY or garden work before 8am or after 8pm on weekdays, and being more considerate at weekends. These are not strict legal limits, but following them shows awareness of your neighbours.
If you live in a flat or terraced house, sound insulation may be limited. Simple steps such as placing rugs on hard floors, positioning speakers away from shared walls, or closing windows during gatherings can all reduce how much noise reaches your neighbours.
Even when noise is outside your control, such as a barking dog when you are out, there are steps you can take. Training, dog walkers, or puzzle toys can help reduce anxiety related barking. If neighbours raise concerns, responding openly rather than defensively tends to lead to better outcomes for everyone.
Living close to others always involves some give and take. Not every noise will be avoidable, and not every annoyance will meet the legal threshold for action. But approaching these situations with patience and a willingness to communicate can often resolve disputes before they escalate. Where informal efforts fail, councils can intervene, and mediation services offered by many local authorities or community organisations can help neighbours reach agreement without formal enforcement action.
While the school may not have needed planning permission for the garden itself, they still have obligations regarding noise and privacy. We would suggest you contact your local council's environmental health team about the noise issue, as they can investigate statutory nuisance complaints. For the privacy concerns, you might want to speak to a solicitor who specialises in property law (or us one of our tools on this site), as there may be options around screening or restricted usage times.
In the meantime, keep a diary of the noise with times, dates and decibel readings using the sound meter app which you can see on the header. This evidence could prove valuable.
Police and councils don't want to know leading to tension and violence, only then acting as a result of consequence. We all know what the issues are, some people want and need quiet and cannot afford to move into the country. Nowhere near enough affordable detached homes are being built. People are just expected to put with nuisances with no avenue leading to resolution.
It is little wonder people lose it.
full time at night.
Only two people live above me, A mom and her 18 year old son.
Since the day they moved in the stomp ,drop, yell, and play games/music really
loud all day and all night long, My mom who is 67 years old and my dog shasta
are the only ones who live with me.
We have tried talking to them about the noise, called the police, we even complained
to the landlord about the noise and still i go everyday with only 4 hours sleep sometimes
less. My dog Shasta shakes for hours because the noise is so bad they just don't care
and continue to bully all of us.
I work full time at night and i worry leaving my mom and dog home alone with people
who don't care. I know that they smoke pot as well together.
I don't really know what to do none of us can afford to move out at the moment and i feel
like im loosing my mind with so little sleep all the time. Can anyone suggest anything that
might help me or tell me what i need to do next i would greatly appreciate it thx
my name is Alta
The developers are extending the development and in November moved a play area from the far side of the spa to 30 metres away from my home. Now, even in winter with our doors and windows closed, all we can hear all day long is persistent screaming from kids playing on swings, climbing frames etc which is all encouraged by loud shouting from parents. This is not occasional or restricted to certain times but all day and sometimes into the evening with torches and is having a significant impact on our ability to be in our home. All very overwhelming.
I spoke to the developer on one of the first days that the play area was open right next to the play area in with all the noise going on around and explained that the noise we could hear was what went through our house. The response was “you should have know about it when you bought’!
Any advice on how to resolve this would be greatly appreciated.
I have asked the Council about CCTV with sound to gain some evidential proof, (suggested by the police when I phoned them)
I live in a block of 4 flats I know there are law regarding CCTV for residential property but since this is Council owned property would there be anything that could prevent them from installing CCTV with sound. I think previously they told me its a privacy issue but would this apply in this case do you know? If they put up notices clearly saying premises were monitored by CCTV.
I thought it would be a deterrant.
The council have offered me a 2 week decibel sound recoding equipment, I would have to activate it myself by remote control, this would mean early morning disturbances may not be captured by the time equipment was activated. Also it would be used as statutory nuisance and wouldn't address the abuse itself.
Grateful for any advice.
I now DJ in the kitchen after moving my speakers from the front room which shares their wall.
I also have a youngish family and and in bed by 9 most nights.
I only play music fri / sat / sun for a few hours in the afternoon always stopped by 7.
Yes its bass heavy music but I don't use my sub any more. If we are in the garden yes they will hear it but not overly loud. Is that not acceptable ?
I have my neighbors exactly on top of my flat. I'm living with another 2 people (a couple)
So out story started by 3 years ago since they started to make the parties. We went upstairs few times at each time. Midnight or later 1am and more times. Asked them gently and nicely to turn down the music and stop dancing cos we can hear clearly everything. Nothing happened. Called council few times. They said we are coming coming hold on. 3 hours later they were still on the way so we had to give up.
In the last 2 years party time less. But now we have to deal with their kids. Running . Screaming . Crying in 24/7 . Moving things like such furnitures. Throwing things on the floor playing ball games and washing machine still working at midnight. And yes we called council again and Surprisedly nothing happened. Also these people coming from Africa. Kinda scared of them. . We don't know what we can do anymore. Thinking to call child protection agency. It's really the last thing what I would do but there is no one option who could help us. Council do nothing. Asked me to call them when it's noise happening. But they won't do anything if the noise before 11pm.
It's really impossible to accept that to find a new home cos some people don't know that how to show respect to another neighbors and how to raise their own child. If anybody know something help please let me know. I can give my email in private.
Also a couple of the neighbours have outside parties til half 4 in the morning with the music blasting. I’m not the only one in this area who feels like this, there are a few people around. Just wondering what the legal situation is on these
I just cleaned up and they also Complain, they told me 7:30 pm i have to stop.Even when we put the music on.sometimes can’t even hear anything but they stil can complain .they keep come down and complain every day. I was very upset they called the landlord too.
I asked them could they keep the dog quieter...nothing, the council were involved....nothing.
Then out of the blue they started slamming shut their external doors shut. I asked them could they plane them down if they were weather warped, again nothing. They say they are trying, and it goes quieter for a while, but then starts up again. On top of this there is a builder down the road, working on many houses for the last year, insists on his radio blaring out. I have just paid out thousands of pounds to have secondary glazing fitted, but the noise is so loud it comes right though the walls.
I'm not anti social, and have loved my music all my life....but because of all this noise I now have to wear earplugs 24/7, no music ever, and am just a physical and mental mess, not living just existing. The council have told me there is nothing can be done.
The trouble is the nieghbour sleeps downstairs in a room with a gas fire. She has had a man in her house since the beging of December 2018 and they sit talking or you can hear my neighbour getting irrate. In the middle of the night they have woke me up knocking on the wall between our ajoined houses . This morning around 5/6 o'clock my neighbours male friend chucked a can under my front window but i sat quite as i had all night just looking at fb. He then got hold of my flower basket under my front window and twanged it twice. I then heard my neighbour say is she a sleep. It was like they were trying to atagonise me into making noise or confronting them.
I work for the council myself taking these type of calls . I am being quite at night and i might drop the odd thing by accident. I dare not even put my kettle on for a drink and to be honest I am feeling rather intimidated.
I work nights. I feel so exhausted I'm actually considering quitting my job. But I have financial commitments that would really make people suffer.
I'm a light sleeper but I don't expect no noise at all. I'm perfectly fine with noise now and again, but the regular projects and loud bass at night/evening gives me no time to sleep.
They only sleep when it's time for me to go to work, which I'm often late for now due to lack of sleep and being incredibly tired. I also feel I'm developing health problems at least in part due to this issue.
They've lived in the house for almost 15 years, I don't know what he keeps working on. I believe he is a busy idiot but what can I do??? This is killing me and destroying my relationships.
In the last two months they have put a radio in the garden on a timer that starts at 0730 and ends at 2130 every day whether they are there or not and the noise level is 45 dba when measured at my back door.In the recent good weather we've had it has meant that we couldn't have our windows or doors open.
He also has ignored the deed covenant by keeping a motor home in the front of the property.
Is there anything that can be done to keep the front of the property the same as the rest and get the motor home moved and who should I contact
Since last year our neighbors( tenants) constantly making knocking noises.
No, it is not building work. Making ie, manufacturer the items.
Contact local Council, not much help, while they are in our house, not much to hear.
When noise comes, they say, itis not much to follow up. Need recording proofs.
Contact Local Police, notice the noise but could not get access to neighbours to sort out when they do come back, no noise, no follow up.
Contact Landlord denied accepting. They say, we have checked up, nothing there.
No tools, no pieces of equipment.
We are residence over 30 years, now as we getting older, our home should be relaxing place but opposite.
Thanks,
Wait to hear from all.
There's also an issue of trespass if a drone comes into the airspace of your property (a civil action can be taken if this is the case).
We try to keep our children quiet where possible as we live above another person. But she will start banging on our door at the drop of a hat (or toy) if our child is playing in the middle of the day. Most recent example would be my eldest jumping up to greet me as I got home from work.
I understand that it must be a nuisance for her but there is only so much control we can maintain over a 2 year old and she is always in bed by 8:30pm.
We have never complained about her dog barking at 1am at our door, but I wouldn’t mind knowing if I should be worried about a fine for my 2 year old being a child? As we feel like we need to live on tip toes to avoid the harassment and arguments
I live below a couple with 2 small children,the children are permitted by their parents to play very loudly,to the extent that my flat is shaking,I had picture frames falling down my walls,the radiators are shaking,the whole flatis shaking under their feet,we tried sorting it out with the housing association who owns both properties,ours and my neighbours,but they declined to do anything because they are children.they even chose to ignore the crack in our living room ceiling blaming it on the building being old,Please,advise,because,we cannot live like this,the noise is already taking a toll on both my husband's and mine health,mostly my husband who is severely depressed and agoraphobic (he never leaves the flat),theyalso ignored the fact that the children are allowed to run freely in the communal area,how do we get through to our neighbours to understand that the level of noise coming from their children is unacceptable?Thank you.
My neighbour is doing construction works since few month. scaffolding everywhere. we get a lot of junk from the workers in our garden ( painting brush and even open paint bucket,and sanding papers gloves etc) we also get stones and dust.
we asked the neighbour to be more considerate but she doesn t care. who can we complain too?
my neighbour is the lady with 3 kids and 2-3 more lady's spending all days with her all the time all what I can hear every day is they chatting chatting in the front garden all day and half the night when I asked them to move in doors or to the back garden as we are try to sleep they start to shout that this is they garden and they can chat there all night common how much You can listing and everyone know how much noise can made 3 people chatting at night they do not have to wake up in the morning to go to work (they do not work )but I do any idea what we can do
There are 4 teenagers and their mother living there now and I get woken up but stomping and voices even with ear plugs in. Then there is the arguing and door slamming, but the worst part is the constant shouting and yelping of the boys when they play computer games or argue which I can hear across my flat.
I've complained to the council, they've even come round and heard the footfall issues and I have chased to find out what remedy was offered but not heard back for weeks. I've called environmental health officers to hear the noise who have also gone up to tell them it can be heard but still nothing changes.
I initially asked the mother and kids to be more considerate about noise and after being polite at first, they are just belligerent and rude. I really don't know what else I can do aside from complain about the council process and take legal action - are these my only options. I can hear them arguing now as if they are in my flat and it's making me miserable - any advice welcome!!
He screams, shouts and howls from 7am until well past 11pm every single day. The noise is so loud that I can hear it over my television. Most days I end up in tears because I just cannot cope with this incessant intrusion into my life. I knocked on the door and asked her if she would Please tell him to stop shouting, without a word she slammed the door in my face.
I contacted my local council but it appears that because he is disabled his quality of life is far more important than mine. Why does his disability give both him and his mother the rite to make other peoples lives a misery?
I need your help and advices. What should I do to deal with the situation next.
Thank you
I hope you understand the gist of my problem in ´
Please excuse my grammar in the comment below.I found it hard to track the ends of sentences on my devices. I hope you can understand it. It supposed to state that the council and police will not help us even though he lives at the address and parks the car outside on the street.
There is car owned by person staying a house in residential street where I live. His car alarm makes a loud percing BEEP every 2 minutes at all times when parked. The noise penitrates the double glazing and makes it impossible to have the windows open at night. This noise keeps me awake throughout the night and has began to make me feel ill.
My neighbours have asked me on my thoughts as they too can not sleep. I told them about my calls to the council and police.
I have spoken to owner of the car, he makes excuses and promises to get it fixed. This been happening since July it is now December. Any advice to stop the happening to us, greatly accepted.
Our neighbors fight almost every 2-3 days and they always start at 12:00 midnight. Shouting swearing, throwing things and slamming doors are part of their routine which is now causing me a lot of stress. We have told them by our land lady and they still carry on.
Please what can i do about this as i can sleep at night and am getting panic attacks because of their horrific fights.
if I record the noises. Does the court accept?Because the council refused to investigate.
They turn on the intake fan which is 3 metres away from our living room and bedroom from morning till night. They turn on the loud extractor fan for the whole day with lots of kitchen noises. They will use the kitchen when ever they like with noises. During the night they turn on loud laundry machines which are facing to our bedrooms.
I reported to the council. They wouldn't admit these were nuisance and refused to investigate any further.
Who can help me what I should do next?
She knows what time he gets up take he dog out and comes back. Goes to work comes home. What time we go to bed during the week and what time at weekend
She now says that we should sound proof our flat.
As I suffer from a rare form of MS this stress is making my condition worse.
Jax
One of my neighbours go to work at 5am. He leaves in his truck parked down the road on a dead end road.
He reverses out of his parking spot every morning and it bleeps really loudly. It goes on for ten to 20 seconds. Sometimes more.
It wakes me and the bsby up.
I've written a letter asking him to reverse in to his spot at night so he doesn't have to wake us up. But he's ignoring me.
It disturbs our sleep. And also he puts cones out to "hold" his space everyday without council awareness.
What can i do. What should I do?
I've got single glazing windows and my landlady just won't change them either.
Thank you
My bedroom window is right next to my neighbour's council flat. She stays out in the garden til around 11:30pm at night talking, and her children also make noise in the house and leave the windows open. Even when I close my window I can still hear the noise and it's so hard to sleep! I have to wake up early but I often find myself waiting for her to go inside before I can fall asleep.
I've asked them if they can keep it down or go into the house earlier but they don't want to. My housing association said they're allowed to stay in the garden as late as they like, and they're not breaking any noise laws. Is this true??
I'm so confused because I thought legally you have to keep the noise down after a certain time. My housing association is completely useless and rude.
Can someone tell me what the laws are, and what I should do?
What can we do to object to the change of use; which is resulting in very serious ill health for the person who lives nearest to them and will sell up rather than stay. This is our forever home which we have worked hard to secure; our peace and tranquiity is bieng ruined by this farmer - who is earning £2,500 each weekend. please help
It needs to be turned by twelve o clock
We have recently had some new neighbours move in next door it's the house joined on.
She has two children under the age of 6 I would say. It's only a small 3 bedroom house and thin walls, but her children scream constantly, through the night, early on a morning, throughout the day, it's non stop! We can't even have the windows open in the bedroom on a morning because they are screaming out side. In fact today the boy was screaming and crying for 1 hour solid this afternoon and crying for his mum. I mean I know children cry but its constant. One morning around 7 am they must of been running something along the radiator and banging of furniture. One evening at 12:30 just as we was going to bed she was hoovering and dragging the Hoover up the stairs, how do we stand with this?
This spring the noise started again and eventually I went round. I was planning to ask my neighbour to removethe boxes in autumn since we didn't want to evict nesting birds but could not tolerate the prospect of the noise again next year. However, when I spoke to my neighbour she revealed the noise is not chicks at all... It is a bird noise machine pumping out near constant noise of swift calls in order to attract birds into the boxes.
Our neighbour has agreed to only play the noise on workday mornings for the next two weeks but says she will switch it on again next year for six weeks over May and June.
I often work from home and my wife is home all day and we do resent the prospect of this being an annual six week disturbance to our lives. What our neighbour is proposing is literally a twenty second burst of screeching with a few seconds silence on a continuous loop that is being played directly into our back garden for four hours at a time every weekday for six weeks.
We don't feel we should have to put up with it. Can we obtain an order for the machine to be switched off permanently?
only has parking for three vehicles and customers are not allowed to park there.
Is there anything that can be done to restrict the business activities and if so who does the complaint have to be made to and do a certain amount of people have to complain. Most neighbours have voiced the opinion of being unhappy at the situation.
We've had an ongoing problem with noisy extraction, a total blight on our lives including affecting sleep as it gets left on all night at times.
We complained, we kept the diary etc etc and the EHO agreed to install sound monitoring equipment.
The recording picked up nothing, for the whole time it was in situ the extraction was never left on overnight and its general level was much lower than was usual.
We subsequently discovered that the EHO told the noisy neighbour (a business) that recording equipment was being used. The EHO justification was that 'it was in the interests of fairness' that the other party was informed of monitoring.
The equipment was removed and the noise went back to normal, overnight etc.
Some EHO automatically err on the side of businesses and we, the homeowners, have been treated like we are whingers.
Everybody who visits our home is horrified with what we have to live with. Sadly our council are simply not trustworthy and have, in fact, created a situation that has meant the problem has got worse as the offender thinks they can do what they like with impunity.
EHOs are not always the help they are supposed to be.
There is actually no sound insulation at all and this is the root to the problem.However the neighbours are in breach of their tenancy agreement by having wooden floors and I am at my wits end.
What can i do?
If you are watching your TV or are talking so loudly that your neighbours are disturbed by it, then it is you who has to change. Particularly if it is late at night (I note your entry time being 10pm so you might prone to being night-active) as you are interfering with your neighbour's enjoyment of their property. The law applies to you as to everyone and if your behaviour affects your neighbours then it is you who has to change - certainly something as easily as a TV where you can turn the volume down or use headphones. As for the talking I am sure you can close windows and doors or take other precautions that will enable you to have your conversations without interfering with your neighbours.
Your response to me sounds more like that of a someone who is quite young, has had no real job or familial responsibility and only see his/her own interest and who declares anything not in line with his/her own interest 'irrational'. I suggest you grow up and see normal people live. Normal people are in bed by 10pm as they have jobs / children to attend to the next day.
Finally from your entry I would infer that you have likely come from a different country / culture. So, I suggest you learn what is acceptable in England and behave like local people rather than labelling them that they are irrational.
You should particularly take into account you neighbourhood: if it is terraced houses mainly lived in by families and working adults, then you have to behave like them. If it is flats inhabited by students, then obviously habits will be differently.
The noise is no longer from music but from noisy conversations, people arriving and leaving loudly and sitting in the garden to talk at 1am. Our Local Authority have told us they only help when the noise is coming from equipment. This seems contrary to the information on this website. Do we have grounds to challenge the LA to take some action? Is it possible to enforce Landlords to not re-let the property to students again?
Thank you!
We had a few gripes from him about us going up the stairs but hey what can you really do about going downstairs to work and upstairs when home.
Recently he has stepped up his complaint due to squeaky board in kitchen floor but again does he suggest we float above the stairs and the floor??
We are not noisy people and are out for at least 10 hours a day working. We do stay up till about 12ish but most evenings sitting watching TV and making cups of tea etc.
Apart from that we go out a couple of saturdays per month and we may come home and speak for ten minutes or so before going to bed.
We recently raised issue with landlord and he may fix kitchen floor but since then we have a council complaint and a complaint via the owners of the whole site.
Mainly noise complaints to do with foot steps, dropping things (which puzzles us) and saturday night noise.
The concern is he will continue to complain.
More than willing to have noise levels measured to prove him wrong but can he really complain about a few minutes on a saturday night.
My last recollection is that when I had a noisy neighbour who had dogs and loud music we had to spend many months recording the noise and making notes of dates and times etc but nothing came of it.
What can happen to us if he keeps complaining how can we disprove him and show he is just obsessed with small insignificant very rare instances?
we have checked with the usual utilities and no pumps so assume it could be a gshp - not a ashp as we can see into the gardens and there are none.
any suggestions as to how we can trace this to the source and get it insulated would be helpful,
I phoned the out of hours service at the council but they said they would make a decision on how and what action to take if any. The Police and Council won't do anything about her. She is abusive to me and my family if she sees us in the garden or street.
please help!!
Please someone give me some advice
I can't speak for her; As she manipulates the situation.
I have no clue who it belongs too because I have never seen anyone in it!
It is parked so no car can park behind or infront of it.
I mean it might be taxed but is there a way to find out because if it isnt I am going to get it moved, because it is getting ridiculous it is parked so at least 4 house cannot park outside there own homes (one of them might own the car). Others may not mind but I have people round and that have to park like 3-4 house down.
My area isnt the best so I cannot go knocking on doors in fear of retaliation.
Nursing my poor head again today. There is a person who has been walkkng this little Bichon Frise dog around 6 am each morning, thing is this person will shout at the dog full volume every time the dog stops or slows down.
There is always something to wake me as i live in a crowded residemtial area, I can often get back to sleep; However by the time this guy has finished walking his dog I am fully awake with no hope of returning to sleep.
I used to like living here but now I feel really uncomfortable and are reluctant to let the kids play outside with the dogs like they normally do in the summer in case She sends more Facebook messages to my daughter on how 'P#€$ed off she is getting' what can I do?
We spoke to the neighbour and they were understanding in person, however they then continued (making the parties louder) and even shouting 'F*** off' at us while they parties were happening should they see us. The neighbours now won't even speak to us in order to resolve this issue, and it is happening twice in the weekdays, every week, without fail.
What can I do?
Peace and quiet should be respected by everyone,I already have dangerously high blood pressure.How idiotic do you have to be to move into somewhere that's clearly not child friendly and then not be aware that you are the only ones who are making noise?
I hate how child obsessed this country has become.
what does that mean to you?
Here in the London borough of Brent
It is meant to signify something better.
But sadly what is said is always different from what Is made.
so we in Brent are Told that the council are planning to regenerate after decades of allowing people to live in rundown council housing.
the estate is knocked down and replaced by a much smaller estate run by a Housing association.
it looks good on the outside but when you move in and settle down you eventually realize that once again you have been mislead into believing that the council had noted your complaints and had used them in such a way that would ensure that the new estate would be better.
but no it turns out to be the same as the previous estate but on a smaller scale.
all the faults are the same.
1. poor sound insulation.
2. insect and rodent infestation.
3. the tenants turn the place into a nightmare
and you end up feeling even more depressed than you were in the former council estate.
its a unfunny joke.
I know it's a young child and I don't expect absolute silence but, I now regularly spend the greater part of the week sleeping at other relatives homes. I have been advised that because it is a child, there's nothing the Council can do.
When they get up for work in the mornings between 5.30 and 7am I am been woken (with earplugs) by them shouting at thier child or banging. The first time I went around I was told the child was doing thier head in that much they were banging thier head on the doors - hence banging. I feel stupid ringing the council but after going round again today they just denied it. In the end I rung the council becasue its obviously not going to be resloved by doing the right thing, I even did the right thing and informed them I made the complaint.
He owns a huge steam engine which he fires up most weekends. It sends thick brown smoke into my garden. I have to keep the windows closed & cannot hang out washing. I am worried about the health of my hens.
He & his friends work on the engine - they are loud & the language is terrible. When they are working on the engine they look down into my garden & will be out there all day. It makes sitting in the garden during the summer impossible.
He also uses a box to look into my garden, I have also caught him looking at me through my dining room window.
He comes onto my property to cut the his trees & never asks for permission.
He has shouted accusations over the fence because the council contacted him about the steam engine.
I have heard him literally screaming at his wife & grandmother on a few occasions.
Now he has befriended the people next door to him who's garden is at the bottom of mine. They also want to buy part of my garden. These neighbours have reported me to the council 3 times which have not been upheld but this has only happened after I moved the chicken coop into the part of the garden they want to buy.
I am a single woman, I live on my own & have always kept my self to myself. I find it all very distressing.
I spoke to the police a week ago about the problems. They told me to keep a log of everything, photos etc & said they are going to contact the council. I haven't heard anything since. I don't feel supported by either the police or council.
What else can I do?
I can't have any guest stay because they wake up as miserable as me and a few times I've had to calm them down because they wanted to go up and scream at them to shut up!! what is it going to take for these councils to actually make the effort to fix the problems with flooring. like I said to the victim support woman " I feel like the only option is killing her which I wouldn't do or killing myself" to which she said "don't say that, that wouldn't make it better" which I answered "well it's the only way I'll ever get some peace".
I'm at a complete loss right now, I have no clue what's left that I can do. Does anyone have any advice to give me ??
I've now got the ASBO team involved due to the noise. I know kids cry but this kid cries ALL THE TIME. every day this week I've been woken up at 2am till around 2.40 then 3.10-3.45 then 5am till about 5.30 n then 6.50 when they get up to wander round the house, play with toys and sing or even argue above my head until about 9-9.30am when they leave for "work" n then back home between 12-2pm to start the same nightmare all over again. Some times they sit and talk on the fone or yap and laugh n giggle or moan at each other until 1.30am. the child doesn't even go to bed till about 10-11pm n I think he's about 2. I think what is the main problem is that al she needs to do is take the kid and the cats through the living room and a lot of the problem wouldn't be so bad. When I say it's noisey, I mean to the stage where no matter how quiet they are I can hear ever conversation perfectly clear-word for word. I'm now on sleeping aids and anti depressants because I feel like if I don't take a pill to make me stop feeling I will lose it completely. I put a sign on my door every day I'm on nightshift so they know but it's like they make even more noise especially in the bedroom above me like they are trying to test my limit. The police have been called because a few times the fights got that bad I was more worried about the kid who was screaming his wee heart out. I've recorded everything I could,wrote down times and dates etc. I also have the out of hours service to phone at night but they didn't even get back in touch or phone back a few times. I'm at my whits end. I'm in a bought home that in all honesty.... Who the hell can I sell to if I can't even bare it here!! their cat sits on my window at about 10.30 at night crying to get in my house for u
Many thanks Doreen
at the place of work, the company on the opposite side of the road have installed poles with chains on the pavement up to the road to prevent us from utilizing the pavement in front of his property for us to park our cars. currently we park in the street and are obstructing and narrowing the road and the use there off for other road users. is such an act legal and is it allowed to have the pavement closed off.
the property is in Crucible Road , Heriotdale Johannesburg thanks Roland
Thanks in advance for any comments.
The problem i have now and have had for a few years is the Neighbour in the house next door. I've had to complain about their dog being left in the garden for hours on end barking, got that sorted eventually by a letter being sent to them via the Housing Associating.
Now what i have from them every year during the Summer months is occasional parties. The worst (about 4 years go) went on until 3.45am! On top of this they are always in the back garden which is approximately 30ft from my Bedroom window. Because of this i have to shut the window and put earplugs in which i find wholly unacceptable. Most of the time the 'noisy' ones end about 1 - 2am which is still unacceptable in my mind. I don't mind if the noisy element finishes at say... 12 midnight, i can handle that at a weekend.
It just puts me on edge all the time wondering when it's going to stop, so even when there isn't a party, or after it's finished, i'm so wound up i still can't sleep. It's so bloody unfair!
On one occasion last year i actually called the Police for advice on their non-emergency number because it had been 2 days in a row ending at 2 - 2.30am. Initially they said it was an Environmental problem but to leave it with them to see what they could do. Well, i recon they contacted them because the next day she (the Neighbour) knocked on our doors and appologised about the noise... but then announced it was going on for the next 2 days because of 2 family celebrations! So that's 4 days in a row, starting on Thursday ending Sunday, all 'till around 2.30am! Why appologise when you're just going to do it again? To be fair to her she did say "you're welcome to come over for a drink" (which the Police probably advised her to say) but what about those of us that just want to get a decent nights sleep? I need my sleep because i suffer with anxiety and occasional depression which can be very draining at times.
This year i have kept a diary of when noise occurs, or parties. I've also managed to take a couple of small videos, one out of my Bedroom window last night funny enough at 12.15am to give an idea of the noise i have to put up with and the proximity to my Bedroom.
To be fair to them it isn't that often, but as i said to her, "every time you do this i lose a nights sleep".
Is there anything more i can do other than move?
As a footnote, i just don't get how these people can continue to do this without any concern for their Neighbours? Well, actually i do know... they don't care, they're just selfish!
The whole thing just makes me i'll, every year my Summer is ruined because of these people and their selfish attitudes!
Going all the time. He works on them up to 11pm constant power tools.
Its driving me nuts. Is there any law of what time he should finish.
i play in the shed, use a mute, and lock the shed doors and play in the afternoon for 2 hours every day
funny thing is that its always neighbours 3 houses away that complain
what can i do
The other problem is that because the parents of the children have to drop them off and collect them at certain times it is always stressful coming home and struggling to find a parking space outside our OWN home. They own about 3 or 4 cars themselves and take up SO much space and park really spaced apart. This makes it difficult for others to atleast get their cars parked too.
She's running her house from a council house and I don't know much about the law when it comes down to that sort of thing either to atleast complain. I don;t want to approach her because she is a VERY loud person herself.
Go see your G.P and get tables to help you sleep or get anxiety pills or become an alcoholic and drink yourself to sleep because no one does anything to stop unsociable,ignorant,obnoxious pig heads in society making the rest of our lives miserable.
You could forget all the above and go to your m.p or write to him/her,but always keep a diary of noise and never give up pestering those who can do something (m.p,landlord,c.a.b).
From a long time sufferer,good luck!
Now I have a neighbour who lives underneath the ranting neighbour, who has recently been transferred to the flat on the ground floor from another part of the building. This neighbour has outside space, and he plays his radio for up to 15 hours a day, starting just after 6am. This is very noisy for us as he has the outside space with his door constantly open and in the nice weather I have to have my windows open in this airless, cramped flat or I will suffocate. The noise travels from his open door to my open window 2 floors above.
I put up with it for 3 months, and finally after being woken up at 6.15am with his loud radio noise, I went downstairs and very politely asked if he could turn the radio down, he looked at me with a look of hatred and his face had a nasty scowl on it, but he said he would and I said I would appreciate it.
Anyway, he did the turn the radio down, but it was still too noisy, and I had to close my window.
He is playing his radio as I write this and the level is back up again.. He acts like he lives in a detached house with his own land, and has no neighbours to be considerate of. I wear ear-plugs, I have been wearing them for years, and Also I have a fan to drown out the noise, but it is very expensive in electricity, and I can still hear his radio. The thing is I am now sensitised to noise, and have very bad nerves.
What can I do?
The noise is high, especially at night, till at least 3 a.m. and it doesn't allow me to rest properly.
The manager says that it's all legal, so he won't move a finger.
I contacted several times the Council also at night to demonstrate them the sound pollution I have in my bedroom.
But apparently they didn't do anything at all.
I was surprised when the guy from the Council told me, listening at the noise "Well, it is invasive, but it's constant so I guess you can sleep with it."
I was feeling offended, to be honest!
Also, when I asked for thei instruments in order to take mesurement he answered indicating his ears "These are my instruments".
And this is the seriousness of a British Council in London???
What do I have to do to let respect my rights to sleep in the night???
Please can you advice?
Its not just council tenants that cause problems , These people are buying their home and have no consideration for others , dread every day living next door with these people :(
When we moved here in 2011 it was difficult to adjust to the floorboards creaking and constant pounding/thumping noises but at least whoever the tenant was used to sleep at night. So we never lost sleep because of the noise, during the day we tried to ignore it. He threw parties in the middle of the week and people dancing on a badly insulated floor, no soundproofing at all. It was a nightmare at times, triggered migraine every once in a while.
Then he left, a new and improved nightmare came in his place, who has no job or no other activity except for pacing around in the flat till 3-4 am. Slept on a mattress above our heads for first year and a half, we could hear him snore, so imagine when he walks heavy on his heels, its like we are under attack. Bringing women and we have to listen to their muffled chatting and some other not so muffled sounds at 5 am on a Sunday.
In summer his family of 5 was living in a 1 bedroom flat. I was going out of my mind. The niece was jumping all over the place, and if we knocked to tell them to keep it down, they'll start banging the ceiling. It felt like its going to fall on our heads. Since we spoke to the guy calmly many times over, and he shouted at us each time. Kfh told us to contact the council.
I contacted the letting agent KFH, got no help whatsoever, we have never spoken to the landlord; all the dealings are through KFH (who are utterly useless for tenants, only loyal to the landlord). I was told to contact the council, which I did. They said since its not a council flat we can't help you with privately owned flat. I was told to keep a diary for a month (which no one even bothered to check) When the time came everyone just said we can't do anything, find another place to live. Is it that simple? to just pack up and leave? My husband works abroad and everyone's situation is not as simple to just quickly pack bags and find a new place because an insensitive idle middle-aged man is hopping around the flat till 4 am. And has no respect for anyone. He has shouted at me, even threatened me because he knows my husband is away and council wont say a thing to him. As a last try I spoke to the landlord/landlady of the flat above; they were even bigger bullies. Landlord came to put a new bed in because we complained about the embarrassing noises we have to listen, so very kindly he bought his tenant a bed. After the bed assembly he came down to bully me on his wife's behalf. As she had already done so previous week over the phone. Since then I have been told countless times to find a new place. A lot has happen
Like Lottie I am literately being driven insane by the constant noise form upstairs.
Why is there no regard for people, for if there was there would be clear legislation!
Upstairs hoovers at 3am, she drags furniture around and when one is on 13 hours shifts day after day is utter torture.
My life is living hell and the lfat a doss house for there is no point doind anything to it for is not a home but a sound box.
The council told me they have no evidence of excessive noise so they can't do anything, like another poster here we are the only ones with any direct contact to their property (being directly above in a block of three and three) therefore I'm not surprised.
I'm at my wits end, my partner and I bicker constantly because we both feel helpless but somehow responsible. I don't see a way out. Any comments or advice would be much appreciated.
We are now looking to sell and move. My question is legally what do we have to disclose to potential buyers about the dispute with our neighbour? And legally what comeback is there for us if we dont mention any dispute which the buyer later discovers? I know this may not be morally right but we have got to the point where we cant bear to stay in our flat anymore and need to leave.
While perhaps we're being a bit mean in not allowing them to use our drive, we have to upkeep the surfaces and also are concerned that we may be setting a precedent and eventually lose our exclusive use of the driveway. This must be a bonus should we ever sell our property.
Anyone with experience of a similar problem - any advice appreciated.
oth the dining room and lounge so it occludes light across the whole of the back area. Now my horrid neighbours have erected a wooden shed thing with a sloping roof to house the BBQ. It is 12 ft high and 14 feet wide. It touches my fence and occludes more light and is an eyesore. What can I do. They laugh when I mentioned it. Strumper
RAN
RAN
I get on ok with the guy and am scared to say anything to him as he is not from the uk and by the sounds of things also has anger management issues.
My kids stay with me now on occasion and constintly comment on the smell which puts me in a very difficult position.
All advice greatfully appreciated !
We admitted we worked for about aweeks till very late about half 10 when the elderly lady came round to complain we were very sorry as we didn't realise she was quit aggressive but we completely understood we even went round with apple pie to say sorry and agreed we would't work any time after 7pm(We have kept to our word). We thought the matter was sorted but since then she has been very nasty spreading unpleasant comments to other neighbours be more annoyingly everytime we do any kind of DIY weather it be banging drilling at 1pm or 5pm she comes round and knocks our door to complain. I also think she has a problem with us because were asian as when she came round last she was very rude (bearing in mind it was only 5pm on a week day) complained about the noise and also went on to say you kind of people are alwys a neusense and use have been since you got here. what rights do we have????
Tradesmen saturday and sunday ?
and self work DIY times for weekend again ?
i heard work on saturday 8 till 1pm ?
also no work on sundays any idea ?
i am keen to find out these times mainly for sunday work times for DIY and trade workers
On the evening of the party two men from Envirocall came to the house at approximately 11pm. They came onto the property, uninvited, via a garden gate. They advised that a complaint had been received and that the music had to be turned off as it was after 9pm. They also said the sound recording levels were too loud. ...............It was explained that we had called the police and that the music would finish at 11.30pm. There are no negotiation and they were aggressive to me (one waving a finger in my face).............They said that 'unless I turned that off' they would issue a writ and if I still failed to turn off the music, they would confiscate the equipement..........
Is it possible for me to obtain the following information?
1) copies of the sound records - notes taken by the two individuals that came onto my property.
2) The time that Envirocall received the complaint.
3) Newcastle City Councils and Envirocall's policy in terms of the training advice given to their employees regarding the issuing of a noise abatement notice.
4) Full details of the exact policy in terms of noise levels from private parties and acceptable times when music might be played.
5) Is it normal procedure to 'turn off' music in the absence of a noise abatement notice?
6) Is it normal procedure to 'turn off' the music, with out first asking to perhaps 'turn down' the music?
7) Is it normal for one complaint to stop band at a private party - bearing in mind that they were going to finish in 15 minutes anyway?
This party had been planned for many months and my husband and I consider ourselves to be very reasonable people and good neighbours. The event cost a considerable sum and was held as I really wanted to celebrate being 50, having been diagnosed with breast caner in 2008.
These individuals ruined the event and upset me greatly.
I believe it is my human right to have a 'one off' party in these circumstances. Am I correct?
When it is warm, opening the windows is not an option as it sounds as though there is a party in my house. Even with the windows and all internal doors shut, their noise can be heard above the TV in our front room - their back garden backs onto ours, so this should give some indication of how loud they are.
Unfortunately, my bedroom is also at the back, and due to illness I am regularly bedbound and need lots of quiet rest. This has now become impossible and I find myself constantly hoping for rain so that they will go inside!
The summer holidays has made things even worse as the friends and family bring along their children, who are allowed to kick balls against the fence; throw band snaps (those exploding cap things); and scream without being taught any consideration.
Right now there are 6 adults, 2 teenagers and about 5 children in one small back garden - this is the norm. We have fantastic children's play parks only minutes away on foot where the children could be playing without getting under each others feet, which causes constant bickering.
I am now sat with ear plugs in but still the noise is unbearable.
Being that the noise is caused by conversation rather than loud music or arguments, I feel as though my grounds for complaint will be limited and sound petty. It is truly ruining my life though. My health is bad enough without having to endure this every day. I am at my wits end. The neighbour simply laughs whenever we tell her how noisy they are.
comments appreciated.
Our neighbours 'Organic" milkman delivers 3 times a week, Mon, Wed Fri, any time between 3.30am and 4.30am.!!!
As soon as she barks, the neighbours complain straight away and are quite aggressive about it to me (yesterday they shouted that they would have my dog taken away from me.). They've now taken to standing at the gate and bad mouthing me to other villagers - playing the "gentle old couple" card. They bang their doors (to entice my dog to bark) and shout at each other. Their dog is not allowed to poop or urinate on their own grass but is actively encouraged to go on the front of my garden. I've suspected that a few stones have been thrown at my dog but cannot prove it.
We do live in a village where there are a lot of other dogs, some of which also bark but my neighbours only complain about mine (they complained last year about the noise from my dog although my dog had died 2 weeks earlier). As they are being so obviously unreasonable, I'm taking the stance of ignoring them and refusing to play along - hoping that they will make a complaint against me. But its not easy.
Since they have got rid of the dog, we have now suffered from the "lady" of the house slamming the front and back doors whenever she goes in and out...including taking a single item to the bin - just to have the excuse to slam the door.
Last July my wife and I had driven from Edinburgh to our home, North Manchester. As you can imagine we were very tired after the journey and just wanted to spend the remainder of the Saturday in front of the telly (we both work during the week). We had not been in for more than 10 minutes when the front door of my neighbours house started to constantly bang. I went around to ask if they could stop it because it was becomnig annoying...to be told that there was "nothing I could do" from my neighbour (the "lady" again!). I even suggested propping something behind the door to stop the banging. I was told that "The front and back doors were open so a breeze could blow through the house...and there was nothing I can do about it". Not even a hint of cooperation.
I escalated matters to my local council. They follow the practice of sending out a letter to the noisy party and a log book to the complainants - which allows me to record incidences for a period of 1 month - they have done this twice. However my next door neighbours go mysteriously quiet during these periods, leaving me with nothing to record.
We hear EVERY cupboard door slam, every footstep throughout the house - including their 8year old son running and jumping everywhere. I'm not a killjoy, but when you hear this from c6am right through to gone 10pm most nights it becomes annoying! My house actually shakes on occasion through the violence of the door slams and heavy "thuds" that emanate through the walls. The "thuds" sound like someone dropping heavy items on an upstairs floor.
My wife and I are at our wits end...
HELP!!
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