Your Rights Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990

Originally written by Jeff Durham, updated by the editorial team on 19th May 2026

What the Environmental Protection Act 1990 covers

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 is one of the main laws dealing with pollution and nuisance across the United Kingdom. While it applies throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, there are variations in how it is implemented in each nation, with some responsibilities devolved to other legislative bodies.

The Act gives local councils the power to investigate complaints and take action when someone's behaviour affects the quality of life in a residential area. It covers a broad range of environmental problems, from industrial pollution to disputes between neighbours. If something counts as a statutory nuisance under this law, your council has a duty to look into it and can require the person responsible to stop or reduce the problem.

For residents dealing with ongoing issues caused by a neighbour, this Act can provide a formal route when informal approaches have failed, though outcomes will depend on the specific circumstances of each case.

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Smoke and air quality issues

Smoke from a neighbouring property can fall within the scope of the Act if it affects your ability to use and enjoy your home. This might come from regular bonfires, wood burners, or other sources that produce persistent or heavy smoke.

The Act does not ban bonfires or wood burning outright. What matters is whether the smoke amounts to a statutory nuisance. This usually depends on how often it happens, how much smoke is produced, and whether it unreasonably interferes with your property or health.

If you are affected by smoke from business premises, such as a factory or commercial kitchen, the same principles apply. Councils can serve an abatement notice requiring the source to reduce emissions or change their practices. Failure to comply can result in fines or further legal action.

When making a complaint, it helps to keep a record of dates, times and how the smoke affected you. Once a council receives a complaint that appears to concern a potential statutory nuisance, it has a duty to investigate further.

Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.

Noise nuisance

Noise is one of the most common complaints dealt with under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This can include loud music, barking dogs, machinery, DIY work at antisocial hours, or any persistent noise that interferes with your reasonable enjoyment of your home.

The Noise Act 1996 also addresses noise complaints, particularly at night, but the two Acts serve different functions. The Environmental Protection Act covers noise at any time of day and addresses a broader range of public health matters. It allows councils to act against both extreme one off incidents and ongoing lower level disturbances.

Councils will assess whether the noise amounts to a statutory nuisance by considering factors such as:

The volume and frequency of the noise
The time of day or night it occurs
The nature of the area and what would be considered normal
Whether the noise could reasonably be avoided or reduced

If the council decides the noise is a statutory nuisance, it must serve an abatement notice on the person responsible. This legally requires them to stop or limit the noise. Ignoring an abatement notice is a criminal offence and can lead to prosecution and fines.

Other nuisances and how to take action

The Act covers more than just smoke and noise. Other issues that may qualify as statutory nuisances include accumulations of rubbish, fumes, gases, dust, odours, and problems caused by insects or animals kept in a way that affects neighbours. Damp or defective premises that harm health can also fall under the Act, though these complaints are more commonly handled through housing enforcement.

Each complaint is assessed on its own facts. What counts as a nuisance in one situation may not in another, depending on the circumstances and the local environment.

If you are experiencing ongoing problems, the first step is usually to contact your local council's environmental health team. Most councils have online complaint forms and can advise on what evidence they need.

In some cases, you can also take private legal action through the magistrates' court under section 82 of the Act. This route does not require council involvement. However, you will need to show that the nuisance exists or is likely to recur. It is advisable to seek legal advice before considering this option.

For detailed information on statutory nuisances and how they are enforced, GOV.UK provides official guidance. Citizens Advice can also help you understand your options if you are unsure how to proceed.

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221 questions

Ask Problem Neighbours a Question

ProblemNeighbours Editor 01/06/2026 at 3:00 am

@T That sounds really wearing, especially with a child in the house. Keep a diary of dates, times and what you hear or smell, then report it formally to your housing association as antisocial behaviour, and to the council's environmental health team as a statutory nuisance under the EPA 1990. Cannabis use is also a police matter, so report it to 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers. Don't withhold rent though, it'll only land you in trouble and weaken your case.

T 01/06/2026 at 12:27 am

I have a neighbour who is smoking weed! I’ve complained so he now goes out of his house to smoke it off of the close. He is going in and out all night and when he returns he has to walk down an alleyway which is in between our houses… he then coughs really loudly and spits!! He does this every time to the point where I felt as if he does it on purpose as a protest almost!! For the fact he has to leave his property to smoke it…I have a window upstairs on my landing that’s facing out to this alleyway! If I have my window shut I don’t hear this nuisance coughing and spitting all night …because he then will check to see if my window is shut and then smoke the weed down the alleyway which is close to my bedroom..which is even worse as how dare you think you can do that! So disrespectful!!! The ends of the weed is down the alleyway as proof! That he has been stood there! I’m fuming about this!!! All he does it smoke, spit and cough!!! It’s stressing me out and effecting mine and my daughters wellbeing!!! The fact he has the nerve to smoke it close to our bedroom windows
Is so infuriating..but I’ve decided to keep
My window open all day and night now
So he cannot hide down the alleyway and smoke it!!! As even with a window shut smells
And things can seep through any small gaps around my windows! But he then just loudly goes in and out all evening until 1-2am coughing & spitting!! Is he allowed to do this!!!! It’s disturbing my peace I cannot sleep until I feel
Like he has finished going in and out!!! I’ve complained but I will withhold rent in the future as I’m fed up with it ! I live in a shared ownership home and his house is rented through the housing association.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 18/05/2026 at 9:16 am

@Chelle Sounds grim, and sadly you're far from alone in that experience. If the properties really are in that state, it's worth reporting them to the council's Environmental Health team, as they can inspect and force the landlord to act under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. Rogue landlords can also be reported to Shelter and to the council's private rented sector enforcement team. Keep photos, dates and any correspondence, as that evidence makes a real difference.

Chelle 03/10/2023 at 2:34 am

I advise anyone contemplating renting a flat in sycamore garden's STATION STREET, LONGSHAW STREET OR PRINCE'S SQUARE to seriously reconsider. They should be condemned. They are slums and the landlords completely without scruples.

evie 18/08/2023 at 5:45 pm

I have a small gravel patio 8' by 5' the gravel has been down for 7 years without problems but a new neighbour has moved in with a cat. The 6' boundary fence blew down and the previous owner replaced it with a 4' fence - he also did not put it on the boundary line so saved a couple of panels which should have gone behind a brick built out house (victorian property) I informed the new owner and said I did not mind at all if he drilled fence posts into the back of my shed to erect a fence which would give us both privacy and because i knew he had a cat which i thought may become a problem. The neighbour has now fenced off his own garden level with my shed to create a nice clean private patio which is the other side of the fence to mine. This means his cat no longer bothers to go up his garden at all but instead takes the easy root across my shed roof and messes on my gravel pation. This is not the occasional poo which can be easily picked up it is every single motion this cat passes. When I was aaway for a week i returned to find my 8' by 6' space filled with sloppy cat faeces which i could not clean up other than to remove the stones and smothered in blue bottles I have now had to cover my patio with plastic sheeting Although I have hosed the near liquid faeces has just been washed on to the membrane so it looks like i will now have to pay to have my gravel taken away and replaced with slabs. when i tried to talk to my neighbour i.e. about giving the cat a litter tray or putting a gravel patch in his own garden (as the cat likes it so much) or even better erecting the boundary fence he just said "you cant stop a cat doing its business where it likes." so he has a nice clean patio next to mine which i cannot use as is a vile mess of faeces covered up by plastic because i cant risk any more which will happen as the cat comes across my shed roof heading to my gravel all the time. does he hqve any legal obligation to me seeing as my environment has been destroyed - i.e. to put up a boundary fence (which is his) preferably with cat spikes to stop the animal entering my garde. I am not talking about the occasional poo which can be picked up on a trowel it seems they feed the cat chuck it out and it comes directly into my garden to poo so the amount of mess is far beyond anything a roaming animal may do on occasional visit to a garden. He has the cat but I am getting ALL of the faeces every day.

Tizzy 28/07/2023 at 9:23 am

Property next door has been vacant for many years but the garden is severely comprising my beautiful well matured garden
The weeds and grass are higher than my fence which is being pushed into my garden, the weeds are self seeding into my garden and this property and garden has devaluted the small row of homes. Officer fro. The environmental health is not prepared to do anything
Is there a law that he can serve the owners who live 100 miles away
I hope someone can help

Tizzy

Angel 16/01/2023 at 1:44 am

I have the worst neighbours, from dogs barking, shouting swearing , harassing us , hate us insult us , to add more to it they throw rubbish in my front garden and they have been years throwing things in my back garden. And also now I have for a long while the smell is horrible from dogs they pee and Pooh and they don’t clean never had friends coming over wanted to have a smoke at back and my friend nearly vomit because of the horrendous stench . Don’t know what todo with this neighbours of HELL.

Pest 01/09/2022 at 10:27 pm

Our neighbors house stinks from air bricks and every night he throws urine in a 2litre bottle from top of his bedroom and the bottle smashes and we are hit with the worst most awful and nauseated smell of day old Urine. Have to close windows including the bathroom and have been retching every day. We cannot invite visitors over as we are afraid he will do this when we are sat outside or eating. We are prisoners in our own home and feel totally depressed at not being able to use and access our back garden and entertainment area! Please help we cannot go on like this !

Matthew Bredikhin 01/06/2022 at 10:30 pm

My neighbours live below me and constantly smoke on the ground floor balcony which we can smell as soon as they light up only now they smoke weed and this smell not only comes in our windows but I have to walk past there front door and it stinks out the whole entrance it is so obviously coming from there apartment they are very inconsiderate and park often blocking the path from the car park entrance doorway

Na 20/08/2021 at 1:02 pm

I live in a massionett ground floor 17 years mortgaged the property above is private landlord there has been several tenants in property with minor issues but this last tenant is persistently dispersing rubbish from her balcony onto my extension roof and also breeding pigeons

Chelle 24/06/2021 at 9:18 pm

The woman in the flat above me tip her dirty water onto my lawn after cleaning the feces and urine off her balcony caused by her dog

Debs 04/06/2021 at 10:27 am

My next next neighbour has been a problem to myself and my husband over the years it’s been that bad he has a A.S.B.O constantly drill banging hamming till early hours of the morning it’s been hell living here, his house looks like nobody lives there the front and back garden looks is a dumping ground, his grass hasn’t been touch for over two year and the rubbish is dump every where I have reported to the council loads of times the gutting has fell of the wall and myself and my husband where sitting in our garden we could smell burning and he been cigarettes out on the outside window ledge council property He has daughter there 3 times week and she is 5 years and I have hard say to her dad That she would love to play in the garden it’s that bad there is just no chance she would go out the due to it’s a dump hole and health safety, we have spent a lot on your house and keep it lovely and spent a lot of money on having a new fence up if the grass starts coming though we will hit the roof we not made of money has we are private tenants, And I thought the laws have changed that if tenants don’t keep up with there maintaining there garden they get find £1000, I’m disabled and next door has made me and my husband life a misery and put us though hell is there any way you can help us with this problem, has I have documented every think and took photo too

Guitar Fan 25/04/2021 at 10:11 am

We live in a residential Bungalow in a row with Other Bungalows, we have lived there11 years,
A man moved next Door, and has put up over 100 ft of Pigeon lofts,down one side, of the boundary and another 20 ft loft along his garden, He is breeding Pigeons, and selling them, we are having an increase of Rats in our Garden, I have seen them, going into his garden, the Noice down our garden, is Horrendous
I have spoken to the other Neighbours they have a problem with Rats also, since this man has been living here
When he moved here, he didn’t even tell us what he was doing,
I’m not against Keeping Pigeons, and I would accepted the 20ft along the garden with racing Pigeons
But this is a money making Buisness for him, I have seen people back and fore collecting the Pigeons
Does this man need permission to do what he is doing

Marma 21/03/2021 at 10:13 am

My upstairs neighbours harass me by releasing gases/chemicals fumes into my flat deliberately and it is affecting my health. The police cannot deal with it as they said it us a civil case. The Landlord, a Housing Co-Operative, cannot do anything as the tenant manipulates everything. Where can I go for help?
Thank you.

Leah 08/02/2021 at 3:48 pm

My neighbour runs a dog boarding business and also owns 9 small dogs of their own, she recently also had chickens.
To get rid of their waste she put a compost bin on the fence adjoining our property.
This has attracted rats, they burrow under the fence and dig and kick out all of this waste into our garden, this includes all the dog poo, chicken poo and scraps of food.
We have politely informed them that this is happening, and have tried to sort the rats our side but they keep coming back. The neighbours refuse to do anything about it and don’t seem to care that I’m shovelling their dog poo and chicken poo from my garden. She isn’t the nicest of people and we just want a quiet life. As a dog boarding business is this not violating her licence? Any help would be appreciated.

D 31/01/2021 at 7:13 pm

I have upstairs neighbours who let there dog urinate on their balcony which is directly above my own balcony. The balcony has wooden slats as flooring and gaps between each slat which leaves space for the dogs urine and any other droppings. They clean this by throwing a bucket of water over it, which also comes down on to my balcony. Do I have grounds for a complaint over this? As this is my personal property which now I will fear to sit on through the thought of bacteria from the dogs excrement.

Kendo 29/01/2021 at 10:04 am

Hi can you help? A niebough feeds pigeons and they are increasingly becoming a problem for me they now come onto my roof and poo over the gable end onto the foot path and it’s becoming slippery.I’ve asked her to stop feeding them but she refused to stop can the environment health do anything, cheers ken

Jo 03/10/2020 at 2:40 pm

My neighbours have 7 acres but put the stables, huge manure pile, chickens and now a male goat, all along our boundary. We are their only neighbours, and the goat smell is awful, even worse than the enormous dung heap, preventing us using our garden or opening our bedroom window. Are there any remedies to this smell problem. The neighbours do not respond to any of our concerns.

Janet 23/09/2020 at 7:55 pm

Hi Sir/ Madam, I lived in a couched house and in front of my house got six parking spaces. I am very upset by my neighbour who lived in a couched house either opposite me. They owned a dog. They always let their dog pee on the parking lots few times a day and almost every day this incident happened. Our parking lots are nearly covered by the urinate of the dog. Today the neighbour’s daughter even let the dog poo (the dog got diarrhea) nearly in front of our door and besides our carport as well. She just poured a jug of water onto it and claimed that she had cleaned the floor. In fact me and my another neighbour did ever make a complaint to them, unfortunately they just ignored us and claimed that they got the right to do so. Today I did make a complaint and they still claimed that they didn’t do anything wrong. May I know what can I do to stop the matter goes further please? Because I think this is not right and will contaminated the environment. I would be glad if you could give me some advices please. Many thanks for you assistance! Best wishes,
Janet

Kirra 15/08/2020 at 12:48 am

At nights i feel a strong smell of gas which is used to ripen fruit during transportation. It comes from the neighbour's flat below. Do you think she wants to take my flat from me or my skin looking older?

Dee 28/07/2020 at 9:35 pm

My next door neighbor's has vegetables growing in h

jonesisit 12/07/2020 at 3:20 pm

we have a neighbour at the bottom of our garden who constantly has fires which really smoke and ash flies everywhere even when we have washing out on the clothes line they have fires what can we do about it im sure its a smoke free zone we live in so its a set time

deew 05/07/2020 at 6:17 pm

my neighbour loves having fires outside and the Ash always lands on my car is there any legal way to stop this

Mazi 05/07/2020 at 12:59 am

I have a horrible neighbour next door who doesnt like cats and throws 10 year old cat feces over to my garden by the way my cat is a inside cat and only goes ourside for about harf hour if the weathers ok she scream and shouts at him that she will kill him and she will get a dog and throw it over my side to kill my cat i am keepung all the cat poo to show police if she carrys on or hirts one hair on my pet

JJ 24/05/2020 at 6:49 pm

Prior to my neighbours extending into their loft space I never heard noise but since the work was carried out it has become noisy and I can hear someone, I think their child, running across the floors. I also understand there should have been a party wall agreement and there was not. I was not even shown the plans. To demonstrate how inconsiderate these neighbours are, imagine my shock when I came home one day and found scaffolding in my garden, my permission not having been sought. I feel very aggrieved.

JJ 24/05/2020 at 6:39 pm

Since my neighbours extended into their loft space I am subjected to noise, such as their child running across the floors, which was not there before the conversion works. What are my rights. Also, there was never a party wall agreement signed and I was never shown the plans.

Shaz 16/05/2020 at 8:22 pm

Quiet enjoyment of ones home. Is there anything that can be done about a log burner from a converted garage roof..which is level with my garden when it is lit the smoke fills the garden with smoke and stench of a bonfire and enters my home ..I can no longer enjoy my home my summer house or my hot tub. Recently been done.

Mad Neighbour 28/04/2020 at 5:38 am

Did Splodge get the pigeon problem resolved and if so how?

Pensioner 22/04/2020 at 5:03 pm

We have had disputes with our neighbours for years as we have a shared driveway and access to what was two garages at the back of each property, they are dated 1930's properties.

Two years ago it got nasty and we had a new drive way at the front and fencing created, the neighbours then knocked there garage down and have built a fence/wall right up to the boundary area of the property where it is meant to be clear access at all time for turning circle for a car, we have a new garage at the back and need access to bring our car out.

Recently they have started to put items (Garden Box's) and what looks like garden waste right on the boundary lines, where do we stand on this? they are very aggressive and hostile neighbours?

Nicki mc 14/04/2020 at 12:30 am

My elderly neighbour lights fires on the most beautiful days at different times. I can put washing out at 1:30 pm and then he will light his fire, my washing stinks of smoke and needs to be washed again. This week I have washed the same items three times. What can I do please?

Self 05/04/2020 at 10:29 pm

I am so distressed by the high levels of the smells as the result of the crofter feeding his sheep very close to my house. I have to wear a mask when the garden not because of the coronavirus but fear of inhaling smells from animal waste.

123gennie 31/01/2020 at 5:45 pm

There’s a neighbour near me whose driveway is on a hill. When they go up and down the stones on there driveway go onto the pavement. They never brush them up or do anything about them. So when I’m walking my dog, the stones have covered the full pavement that I need to go onto the main busy road as my dog can’t walk on the stones and I’m scared Incase I go over my ankle and hurt myself. Please advice me on what I can do ??

splodge 02/10/2019 at 3:49 pm

My neighbour has solar panels and the pigeons have been breeding under them

There are now about 12 and they roost down the sideway and the droppings are

everywhere.I hose my side down and have spoken to him and told him he needs

to get his solar panels covered but after six months he has still not had this work done.

is there anyway that he can be advised where to get this work done as he also

says that the pigeons are a problem.

distressed 12/09/2019 at 10:36 am

Hi
I am distressed by the loud pitched noise that is pretty constant in my lower ground flat. The history of ASB since I have lived here for 5 years has included several residents and the main issue of a vulnerable adult causing the main issues has now left and been re housed. However over the few years that they have moved on I now realise that many noises in the fabric of the building were not due to the above. Skunk smells are also a big problem. I am suspicious that my neighbour above me is either growing or storing skunk as the smells are periodically strong, rise and fall. I can't prove anything and as a result I believe that they have bought an extractor fan of sorts to manage smell. They may just be a heavy skunk smoker also but I cant investigate or prove or enquire without being dismissed by them or landlord. I am not standing in judge met of anyones lifestyle choices , however I do not want others smells and noises in my home significantly, unless it is acceptable life noise within acceptable hours. There is now a constant high pitched sound ( I believe from fans...or electrics from above) there is also a bathroom fan which is connected to the light in all flats which is on much of the time and not occasionally as someone uses the bathroom. This high pitched sound sets off my tinnitus, causes constant sleep disturbance and is wrecking my health. I also have my neighbours tv above my bed ( as lounge is above my bed) This tv sound late at night due to the fact that they sleep in lounge and not in bed and is often up all night is more intermittent but I am often on edge anticipating. They also have a dog and can roll the ball for the dog, give bones to chew on floor and leave dog foul in own yard until cleared up. It is stairs down to my lower yard and If I leave my windows open I get all the flies. These issues are all really hard to capture and log constantly and I have complained through all the appropriate channels with landlord, tried to talk to my neighbour, but am never taken seriously or responded too in a timely way. AlwaYS CHASING UNTIL I GIVE UP THEN GET EXASERBATED, Again and attempt again. I am done with keeping logs as it is constant.
is there any environmental health technology for reasonable measurement of high pitched sounds? Is there a case for soundproofing a lounge above a bed if the tv is disturbing through the night. In these conversions you can even hear someone above go to the loo, cough, talk if not quiet talking, walk, dog ....its really quite distressing to live here and although I recognise my own sensitivities, I feel the noise is not imagined ( which I feel I will be sidelined with), and yet I feel too intimidated as no one , including my neighbour takes me seriously and they may well be running a business or growing for own personal needs above me. My neighbour adjacent to them have damp wall issues aligned with my said neighbours bathroom /bed wall ( bedroom he never seems to use, which I find weird )

jade gooch 01/07/2019 at 10:36 pm

My neighbour has a burger van up against his wall in the back yard, we live in terraced houses and the van is up against my wall also and towers about it. Its blocking all my light into my yard and just looks horrendous. The burger van has been stripped out and used as storage so its stationary at all times. I want to put my house up for sale and it will just be impossible to sell with this overlooking us. Its also really bright colours , rasta colours so stands out so much. Any advice would be great.

Kojack 18/05/2019 at 7:27 pm

Hi, having serious problems with selfish neighbours who have put their tumble drier in a very small storage unit fitted for small storage and gas and electric metres and gas piping etc!
It’s located at the front of the house and smells really really strongly of washing chemicals detergents etc and comes into our living room and bedrooms! It’s not fair that we have to keep closing our windows! Can anything done to stop this, they won’t even use s condenser!
We both live in council property and the council don’t care, that it’s causing us huge stress and serious lack of fresh air, can you help!

Kojack 18/05/2019 at 7:17 pm

Hi, my neighbours have placed their tumble drier at front of the house. The smell is overpoweringly strong and comes into our bedroom and living room it smells awful and always seems to be in use!
The tumble drier is fitted into a very small confined space in a shared store cupboard directly in front of our house. It’s a shared divid storage room they housed the electric and gas metres and pipes. With no adequate ventilation, is this safe and due to overpowering smell coming into our property. Can we force them to remove this or at worse make them fit a condenser. We both have council properties and council aren’t bothered, what can we do?

Paul 07/12/2018 at 9:01 pm

My downstairs neighbour has been making complaints about noise from my flat for over ten years, and every time the council visit to listen for the noise they hear nothing. I keep asking them to do a noise test to show that I am not making unreasonable noise and to see how adequate the property is insulated from average living sounds. The neighbour complained about objects falling on the floor at night and I was issued a letter describing this as Excessive Noise from Domestic Noise. I was under the impression domestic noise was loud music, parties and machinery. Excess Domestic Noise would be keeping a Brachiosaur in the flat. Are the council taking the pee by keep visiting the property of the neighbour when they hear nothing and failing to monitor the noise levels from my flat, or do anything other than offer mediation? Incidently mediation I did attend a few years ago resulted in the tenant describing light things hitting the floor and the odd light creak on the floor - Contradictory to all their previous complaints!

am 03/11/2018 at 2:45 pm

help my neighbour is having a fire at 2pm out the front number 18 oakhouse road bexleyheath da67na

Ladywriter 12/10/2018 at 7:19 pm

Our neighbours have mental health issues. Social services placed them in there. There is a very bad odour from their flat onto landing and coming in our flat. Council not doing nothing about it. It's sickening smell. All get from housing officer is she can't do much. So we are supposed to live with it. It's their hygene problem. We only live about four feet away from their front door as in a small block. Just us on this floor with them so we have no back up from neighbour below..we pay rent we shouldn't have to put up with it ..

ASB 28/08/2018 at 1:25 pm

As previously submitted some weeks ago I informed the activities of my neglectful neighbour. No attempt has been made, to my knowledge, that Environmental and Human rights are being deliberately ignored by my neighbour and by Environmental Council Officers. The situation has been and is intolerable. The various statements by the individual as to the blocking my sunset light, allowing her plants/brambles/weeds/trees to randomly grow beyond any control makes living here a mentally challenging on a daily basis. The latest situation as I predicted the claims made about selling the property were a deliberate calculated attempt to distract me and the Council Officers from pursuit of the anti social behaviour and my rights to live in a safe environment. I would like to know what has been done to seek a resolution as outwardly nothing has changed.

Dmack12 15/08/2018 at 1:51 am

I moved into my house last year may 2017 since March this year my house has smelt like waste/sewage iv been to my local council multiple times nothing has been done or fixed there has been 9 council officers out and not one can source where the smell is coming from I have a 2year old and is starting to be sick as am I please someone what can I do!! Thankyou

ProblemNeighbours Editor 26/06/2018 at 12:46 pm

As the article says:
Most of the time, many of the issues discussed here can be simply resolved by individuals (and local businesses, where appropriate) communicating with each other to come up with solutions and, perhaps, compromises in certain instances. However, the Act does protect your rights by law and if no resolutions can be reached, your first port of call will usually be your local authority’s Environmental Health Department who will investigate and if needed, take action to resolve the problem.

Ianparky 25/06/2018 at 2:43 pm

Hi I have a problem with next door neighbour he keeps a pigeon shed and also numerous dogs in his back garden.the smell coming over the fence is horrible and also lots of barking late at night and pen gates getting slammed and don't get me started on all the flies we can't even sit outside for a bbq without the awful smell and being plagued with flies also the house gets full of them as soon as we open the back door into the garden.is there anything can be done about it?

ProblemNeighbours Editor 25/06/2018 at 12:58 pm

There are no specific rules about bonfires, but if your neighbour is burning rubbish frequently you should report it to your local environmental health department.

Bettany 22/06/2018 at 3:33 pm

Hi I have a problem with my neighbour. They burn all waste from their garden after garden renovation. They doing this from early morning to evening regularly from 2 weeks. I can smell a smoke in my all rooms even without open window. I have little baby and I see she has started to sneeze and rub her red eyes because of that. I cant open window to have fresh air. We have ichy feeling at our troats. What we can do with this problem. How we can resolve it? Should I report them? If yes-where? Is there any specyfic day or hours when they can do it? HELP!!!

ProblemNeighbours Editor 23/05/2018 at 2:10 pm

Depending on the terms of your deeds it (a) may not be your neighbour's fence and (b) there may not be an obligation to have a fence there at al. You will need to check this by looking at your deeds or if you rent, ask your landlord. If your neighbour owns the fence (and the deeds to not specify any repsonsibility for maintaining one) note that there is no general obligation in law that requires a person to fence in their boundaries. If that is the case, you can always erect your own fence on your side of the boundary.

Fed up 21/05/2018 at 8:00 pm

One side of the garden fence has come down due to heavy wind in winter (left) I understand this is the neighbors to our lefts fence to fix. Now, this has still not been sorted and I don’t think it ever will by them. I have 3 children who I cannot leave unsupervised in MY back garden due to the state of there’s. weeds past your knees, old cooker, old washer loads of rubbish just all over. Please what can I do?

ProblemNeighbours Editor 08/05/2018 at 3:10 pm

Talk to you local planning department, they will be able to tell you whether there are any restrictions in your area relating to pigeon keeping.

Ben 07/05/2018 at 7:33 pm

Our next door neighbour has a dovecote and the doves spend an inordinate am pint of time in our garden, or on our roof, particularly our TVs aerial which is now giving us a problem with the signal. We also see rats coming in from his garden. They come along the adjoining fence and then go back into his garden.
We are sick of the mess and now the problem with the aerial.
Is there anything we can do legally to stop these doves/ pigeon cross - they have obviously mated with the local wood pigeons.
Thank youB

Julie 06/05/2018 at 4:16 pm

Neighbour has racing pidgeons at the bottom of our garden. What are our rights has we are selling our house and it might put off potential buyers??

Skeeter 03/05/2018 at 6:03 pm

My neighbor has now built a bonfire not 20 feet from the trailer next door. The pit itself is poorly structured but about 5 feet in diameter. They are burning trash and junk furniture. On ignition the flames reach anywhere from 10 to 15 feet. The last time a nearby couch caught fire between the pit and the trailer. The fire department only made them extinguish on both occasions. My trailer is only 6 feet from this other trailer. What is my recourse? I feel this is an extremely dangerous situation.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 01/05/2018 at 3:08 pm

Have you asked the planning department? Sometimes they can take action relating to aesthetic issues. The only other option might be a private legal action for nuisance.

Margie 30/04/2018 at 9:45 pm

I have just moved into a semi and my neighbour, who has lost ger garden centre business, has moved all the equipment into her front garden. This includes a skip, huge pile of blocks, pots, hoses, etc. She won’t respond to talking to. Is there anything I can do. Environmental department says she can do what she want. Her house is leasehold.
Many thanks for any advice as we are so disappointed.

Alyhyena 20/04/2018 at 4:15 pm

Hi
My mother lives in a semi detached house with a garage, many years ago the neighbors build a garage so close to my mother’s garage so there’s no access to do repairs . What can we do to resolve it ? Thank you

ProblemNeighbours Editor 28/03/2018 at 11:59 am

Talk to your local council (environmental health) and tell them it's causing you a nuisance. They may be able to suggest/force (they do have powers to act in this regard) re-positioning of the light so that it doesn't disturb you, but still protects the residents.

Pensioner 26/03/2018 at 2:14 pm

At the bottom of my garden I have a large sheltered housing block. They have a very intrusive square halogen light that is on all night and shines into my bedroom and through the windows in my conservatory during the evening and night.
I have tried many times to resolve the problem but they insist they are bound by law to protect the safety of their residents from falling etc.if they go outside and also to protect the cars in their car park.
What can I do?

Barry 15/03/2018 at 8:02 pm

Hi, at back of my house neighbour has security light which is on all night and shines in bedroom windows at night and is disturbing our families sleep. What do i do ?? without confronting the neighbour.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 27/02/2018 at 3:41 pm

Contact your council planning officer to see if there are any regulations or restrictions relating to keeping poultry. You could also try contacting environmental health.

Jules 26/02/2018 at 3:51 pm

My neighbour has acquired 4 guesse which make a right row morning noon and night! We live in a built up area with residential properties on all sides - can I do anything about this? She is totally irrational and rude so talking to her is doing no good

Elaine35 20/01/2018 at 11:10 pm

Hi my neighbours dog constantly barks whenever I use my kitchen! For example if I go to use my kettle it barks constantly for at least an hour to the point where it's waking my daughter up who sleeps on that side of the house. I've spoken to the neighbour but she just said well it's a dog I can't stop it barking. We have thin walls and she never even reprimands it. It's getting to the point where I avoid using my kitchen in the evening as the constant barking really gets to you. This might sound like nothing to a lot of people but when it's waking my daughter up its getting beyond a joke. Any advice?

ProblemNeighbours Editor 06/12/2017 at 3:49 pm

If environmental health are unable to help, your last resort is mediation/alternative dispute resolution or a civil action via the courts.

Johnno 30/11/2017 at 5:57 pm

hello ty for your reply. it's not coming from my floorboards. I have lived here since 2010 its only since she moved in around 2 3 yrs ago I have had this smell problem, the smell is coming from her home drifting into mine. I can't talk to her she just blanks you. council do nothing. I can even smell it in my loft and also in the main lobby as you enter the building. if you open her letterbox you can smell it there too. I know it's coming from her home. I just need to know what else I can do. thanks

ProblemNeighbours Editor 20/11/2017 at 10:22 am

Have you checked under your own floorboards to make sure it's not something there? Once you've done that , ask your neighbour if they can smell something strange at certain times of day...perhaps between you, you can pinpoint the cause and address it (if it is your neighbour, they may be embarrassed enough by this to simply act on it anyway if they know it's them).

johnno 19/11/2017 at 4:57 am

hello for the past 2yrs I have had this bad odour smell coming from the person who lives under me. I could smell it coming through the cavities and any cracks that's exposed to the building, we have wooden floors here which any strong odours can travel easy. I've lived here since 2010 it's only since this new person moved in this has been happening I can smell the same smell in the lobby as i enter the main door and also coming out of their letterbox and all around their front door, so I know where the smell is coming from. the strange thing is it’s as if it can be switched off and on. I'm lucky if I go 2 days with no smell and it's back again.
it's driving me nuts. makes me feel sick, and I get a real bad itchy nose. i feel intimidated, I've had the council here and they done nothing. tell me they cant smell nothing and just blame me. the problem is the smell is worse in the evening times and the early hrs. of the morning. by the time they do come out in the day it's not always smelly, which then makes it seem that I'm making it all up. I just don't know what else I can do. I have sealed everywhere even painted the floor hoping to at least stop the smell coming in but nothing seems to help, it still gets in. Visitors have smelt it too so i know it's not me going nuts.
if I switch the heating on its worse it's as if the odour smell reacts to heat so I have to have my heating switched off in the bedroom otherwise I can't sleep. any help would be grateful thank you.

Jools 11/10/2017 at 12:27 pm

My neighbour have over 30 scrap vehicles on their own land. Some of which we can see from our home. We live in a beautiful rural area and are concerned this devalues our property, we have no other neighbours so no one else will complain, I can find any advice on the internet - do you know if we have any rights please

ProblemNeighbours Editor 11/09/2017 at 2:10 pm

Sometimes permission is required for pigeon keeping. If you are offended by the noise/smell, your local environmental health department may be able to help.

Mary 09/09/2017 at 4:02 pm

My neighbour has lots of doves and pigeons that are constantly on my roof and soiling my windowsills. I am worried they will damage my roof tiles and annoyed that when I mentioned this to her she says she has seen other wild birds on my roof too and she cannot control where her birds go. Is there anything I do?

ProblemNeighbours Editor 26/07/2017 at 10:19 am

Yes if the council's action is not successful (there's no reason why it wouldn't be as the follow up to enforcement notice is court action), you can take private legal action. Your legal case would probably be successful based on the covenant in place.

Lindy 19/07/2017 at 4:54 pm

We live in a built up area. Our neighbour has 4 giant pigs in their back garden which is approximately 15 x 10 metres. The smell is awful daily, they are noisy, there are flies daily and now we have rats coming into our garden from the pig sty. We have contacted environmental health who are about to stick an enforcement for the pigs to be removed within 28 days but we are quite certain the neighbour will ignore this as they have ignored our pleas and correspondence from the environmental health to remove them for over 6 months now. There is a covenant on the neighbours title deeds stating no livestock on the land. If the enforcement does not work, what will happen next. Can a court order make the neighbour remove the pigs?

Karl 30/04/2017 at 12:19 pm

Hi. We live on a short row of 6 houses with a bored, retired miserable neighbour in the middle. The houses have a shared, lawned back street. It is not an adopted, unadopted or public highway. The back lawned area is shared private space. Our all houses leave their bins on this area. Our neighbour has worn the council down to the point that we've now all received warning stickers that bins should be kept within the boundary of our private property. The back street IS our private property!!
Any advice greatly received. Thanks.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 24/04/2017 at 2:09 pm

If you have already complained to environmental health about this and nothing further can be done, your only resort is to try legal action we think.

Jmw 23/04/2017 at 1:01 pm

Hi i need a little help. I moved into my new house above a shop but the shop has an industrial fan installed in beween my livingroom and kicthen window when i fan come of it makes my whole house shake even the windows vibraite and the noise that is coming off the fan is really bad that i have to put my tv up to 45 to try drown out the fan. I have went down all the right channels and the shop owner had to change the fan to a smaller fan which he has done but nothing has changed all the same things are still happening?? I need some help on where to go from here thanks.

Maz 29/03/2017 at 12:27 pm

My next door neighbours play loud music in the garden & indoors so loud we are unable to enjoy our garden or sleep. It usually goes on until early hours of the morning. They have 2 dogs that are kept in the garden 24/7 & bark at night especially around 3am - 5am. They also light bonfires during the day that blows over into over garden which is a problem as I am an asthmatic. They live in social housing from a housing association. They are making our lives miserable. Tried to speak to them they ignore us

ProblemNeighbours Editor 27/02/2017 at 12:58 pm

You should check with your local authority to make sure there are no local bylaws that prevent the keeping of chickens, goats and similar "farm" animals....even if they are kept as pets. Your environmental health officer should be able to help if there's a genuine health hazard or air pollution issue.

GUINDI 25/02/2017 at 12:17 pm

We have purchased a house only two months ago and we were unaware that next door had so many animals (6 dogs, chickens ducks...and 2 goats). we did n ot see or notice anyhting when we viewed but it must have been just a coincidence. We love animals and have 2 cats ourselves, however apart from the dogs barking at 6.30am even on weekends and everytime they are left on their own, they also bark if they hear us in our own garden...the worse is the smell is coming from the goats. It is now on a daily basis and it is winter. I refuse to go to the garden and feel that my rights should be protected. In the summer is going to be awful we have already been told by the neighbour on the other side and I am asking whether the fact that that smell is categorised as a nuisance and disturbance.We cannot open the back doors. We know we are not going to be able to sit outside or do staff due to the smell. I have simply gone out this morning to put the rubbish and the strong smell , which is like ammonia, is till in my nose and that was over 2 hours ago!. This is creating a lot of stress and anxiety to me and my partner...i have even had to see the GP - The previous vendors did not disclose anything becuase i guess they wanted to seel it...
I feel lost, trapped and worry about my health -

ProblemNeighbours Editor 17/02/2017 at 12:25 pm

You'll probably both be asked to keep diaries of the noise, for a week or two, before EHO investigates further.

Dave 16/02/2017 at 1:13 pm

I have a problem regarding being harassed by my next door neighbour. She doesn't work, rarely goes out (I've barely seen her in the six years she lived there) and never seems to have visitors which leads me to believe she may have mental health issues.

Her kitchen is adjacent to my bedroom and no matter what time I go to bed (I work shifts so some weeks early, some weeks late), she always goes into her kitchen and spends, sometimes hours, making as much noise as she can. Her main source of noise lately has been repeatedly stepping on a squeeky floorboard but she often accompanies that by making various banging noises ie slamming drawers/cupboards, hammering on the work-top etc. This has been going on for as long as I can remember and polite yet firm notes through her door have fallen on deaf ears (she never answers her door so speaking to her directly has not been an option) . The lady who lives beneath her is also having her sleep disturbed at night. We are considering contacting the local council. Would you need to provide evidence in order to make such a complaint have any effect or is the spoken testimony of her 2 neighbours enough for action to be taken

ProblemNeighbours Editor 16/02/2017 at 11:13 am

Perhaps you could pop round and have a polite word first of all? Maybe explain that you can't control where you cats do their business but would be happy to clear it up yourself if it's definitely your cats? Or give them some poop bags and say you'll dispose of them in your waste bin if they can collect it themselves. It's fair enough that they want to keep their garden free of cat waste especially if they have visiting grandchildren and do a lot of gardening.

ShazzaUK 15/02/2017 at 11:44 am

I recently moved to an adapted bungalow with my 13yr old son and 2 cats due to breaking my back.Its a bit of a retirement village but most neighbours are ok. The problem I have is my immediate neighbours feel the need to chuck cat pooh over my fence. I appreciate it's awful to have cats pooh in your garden if you don't own pets yourself but this is the 3rd time this month they have done it. Surely this isn't legal? I'm not the only one with cats so do I deserve keep having pooh chucked on my path? What can I do as I can't prove it as I can't afford cctv?

ProblemNeighbours Editor 14/02/2017 at 11:53 am

It does sound as though they're being a little unreasonable. Make sure your noise is at a minimum between the hours of 11pm and 7am. The neighbours cannot realistically instigate any action against you then.

Sappy 13/02/2017 at 4:59 am

Our neighbor has had solar panels fitted and has attracted pigeons the noise is awful they land on our roof to walk across to theirs and the noise of cooing is deafening we get woken up by them every night I called the pest control and they said eventually the pigeons will attract mites as well we have made our neighbors aware and they even said they get woken up too are they legally responsible to fix this problem we even have our house up for sale because of it

Sabyaz 13/02/2017 at 3:26 am

For past few months I have been having trouble with my neighbours, the told me not to put washing on at night (i was sometimes doing this as I wasn't home during the day) however I have stopped doing this other than on a few rare occassions. Recently I have been able to identify the smell of cannabis coming from the air vents and they are also arguing almost everyday. The man living next door has threatened me on a previous occassion and police have got involved in this matter. Now they are bagging on my door every couple of days telling me not to use my shower at night. Can they report me for the noise from my shower? It's so suffocating, I lived here 2 years before they moved in and had not a single problem, now I just feel like i'm having to move around on tip toes.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 09/02/2017 at 10:49 am

How long does the council want you to keep a diary for? It's fair to ask you to do this for a week or so, but then they should investigate themselves more thoroughly.

Husky 07/02/2017 at 2:38 pm

There is a really foul smell coming from next door . I have told him about it & about the 4 dogs barking all day & the dog mess but he won't do anything about it . All council want us to do is keep diary . His house is rented we have approached the land lord & the company he uses but no one will help us .

ProblemNeighbours Editor 30/01/2017 at 10:25 am

Ask your employer to supply additional uniforms. It's unreasonable to expect you to wash and wear the same one every day.

Zoe 29/01/2017 at 12:37 am

I work in catering so I finish work late and sometimes I work 6/7 days a week. Work only supply 1 uniform so I have to wash it every night when I get home ready for the next morning. My neighbour has started to complain about the noise and has told me that I have to turn it off mid cycle. I have informed her that I work unsociable hours and that I only have 1 uniform but this did not interest her, she just told me I have to turn it off. If I do not have a clean uniform I can then not go to work due to hygiene which would eventually result in me losing my job. Is there anything I can do to resolve this problem?

dozey 17/01/2017 at 7:51 pm

I live next door to a private school,all there waste bins are against my gable end and sometimes they block my windows of light, they also have yellow waste bins as well, this must be a health hazard and the clattering of bins go on untill 9 in the evening due to the cleaners,complained loads of times via email always say they will do something but they never do

ProblemNeighbours Editor 09/01/2017 at 10:43 am

This would not be classed as an environmental/noise nuisance really. It's more of a dispute which you need to sort out with your neighbour. A friend chat would be the easiest way to resolve this.

Had enough 07/01/2017 at 2:30 am

My neighbour has put 3 wheelie bins, close to my bay window link detached. Throughout the day and early evening you can hear the bin lids banging up and down. A few months ago I banged down my bin lid straight after my neighbours; I was hoping this would help make them think of the noise it creates, etc. However, it's made it even worse. The son (still living at home in his mid 30's) now thinks it's funny to bang the lids without putting any rubbish inside the bin.

Have I got a right to complain- this is getting very boring and frustrating now!!!!

noz 28/12/2016 at 12:35 pm

I have a friend who has let her house get into a terrible state , it is very dirty and she has not done housework or washing up for months it's full of clutter , the problem is she now has rats in the house but won't call environmental health as she is ashamed of the state of the house what is the legal position of environmental health if neighbours report this

Deejay 15/12/2016 at 8:41 pm

We live in a first floor flat our balcony is next to each other A wall is splitting the two balcony but the drain is on my side. my neighbour keeps allowing his dog to use the balcony as a toilet, some time she washes the balcony and some time with rain water the toilet is on my balcony as thr drain is on our side. I been complaining to the council for the passed 2years they seen it told the neighbour not to do it but she carrying on the councils not doing any thing about it. Where do i go? She a lazy neighbour she don't take her dogs out for a walk. Please help me

ProblemNeighbours Editor 08/12/2016 at 12:19 pm

Check this with your environmental health department, sometimes, even if it's on private property, large amounts of animal excrement will be a health hazard.

Rothers 05/12/2016 at 6:04 pm

My neighbour allows his dog to foul all over his front lawn and doesn't pick it up. There is now very little grass without faeces on it. I know from the deeds of our new development that he owns the land however, there is no barrier between the lawn and the public footpath that runs its perimeter so it is easy for children to stray off the path into the mess. I have approached him and he seemed appologetic but somehow I don't think things will improve. Does he have to clear it up?

Bobby 27/11/2016 at 1:06 pm

My neighbours have a 'cook house' lean to built in their garden where they cook everynight by burning wood - it causes a lot of smoke, acrid air, stinks out the street, our house & makes it hard to breath. Can anything be done?

Bunny 17/11/2016 at 5:06 pm

My neighbour has put 3 wheelie bins, close to my bay window semi detached. A small bush separates it. If you watching tv you can hear the bin lids banging up and down. Also they can see in our window when emptying their bins. Don't think its right.

wolfy 10/11/2016 at 9:37 pm

I park my car on my driveway facing the road. This means it faces a neighbours house.
Due to the frosty weather,when I leave for work around 0515 I start my car up to help clear the windows.
Being a newish car it's fitted with daytime running lights.
This morning the neighbour told me to switch off my headlights as they were lighting up the front of his house. He also said that he would report me.
I did tell him It was not the headlights but it was the daytime running lights which I am unable to turn off.
Am I in the wrong for this?

ProblemNeighbours Editor 03/11/2016 at 2:23 pm

Most local councils ask that residences don't feed pigeons as they can become a problem. You could try asking your neighbour to stop feeding them. There's nothing you can do to specifically keep them away from your garden really. Your local council might be able to advise you.

shorty 03/11/2016 at 11:06 am

I have a neighbour who keeps on feeding pigeons. Their feaces ends up all over my house, cars and surrounding areas. Is there anything we can do about this as I understand pigeons are protected?

Annoyed neighbour 30/10/2016 at 9:26 pm

My neighbour usual has a fire at least once a week but he has had a fire in his garden for three nights in a row, lots of smoke, our window facing theirs wide open, so whole of upstairs now stinks! My husband did have to say something to him this time, his reply was "I will have a fire when I want a fire" unbelievable.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 18/10/2016 at 11:20 am

Do you rent? Could you have a word with your landlord about this? If they cannot do anything you could try environmental health but it's unlikely they'll be able to do anything if she's smoknig in her own home.

Jamie 17/10/2016 at 12:39 am

Hello, I live in a communal block of flats and I have issue with the smell of tobacco smoke entering my property. This is due to the fact that the old woman in the flat next door to me is a heavy smoker, the smell comes through the walls and it is very strong it is very unpleasant. It affects my partner as she has asthma and everything I own smells of cigarette smoke because if this. I am going to speak to her and let her know it is causing me issue, but if she decides that she doesn't want to cooperate with me what options do I have? Thanks.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 10/10/2016 at 10:32 am

You should contact your local police about this (on the non-emergency number).

jenny 07/10/2016 at 10:22 pm

We live across the road from a restaurant the office in southport there fans are huge and noisy we contacted the council who said the noise was too loud in order to stop them
running them through the night we complained by phoning them the council said we should not have done this they also told them they would be monitoring them when speaking to them on the phone they said
Our local council said the noise level was ok and told us in an email not to phone them no more we are driven mad with these fans and beginning to wonder who side they are on
our council said they were

Annie 07/10/2016 at 9:44 am

hi. My house in right on the pavement and it is on the way to a popular dog walkers field. There have been incidents of dog pooh being left along the path, but for the last 2 occasions, it is obvious that large chunks are being deliberately placed along the wall of my house and now outside the front door. I have sent photos to the council before, they responded once saying case closed. What can I do?? I have a small child who is really upset by it as he plays outside on the path. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks

ProblemNeighbours Editor 30/09/2016 at 10:19 am

When you say they have failed to do anything, have you checked with the council? Perhaps that have given them a grace period in which to do the work or get them replaced?

anton 29/09/2016 at 12:00 am

We live over the road from a restaurant they run there extractor fans all day and sometimes through the night we have contacted the council who say that the are unexceptally loud but have failed to do anything coulu you let us know how we can get these fans made quieter please help we can't cope much longer

fansare unexptably

Ashleigh 17/09/2016 at 4:30 pm

Hi there am just wondering what I can do I have been in my house for nearly 6 mouths I have 3 kids my naugbours seem to complain about the noise coming from my house I have 3 kids I do like to have friends over sometimes but we're not loud as my kids can sleep throw it I was just wondering if there is any way I could get moved or even any thing I could do its all old ppl about me I think that's the problem to be honest but I can't stand this anymore as they don't even come to my door now when am drinking a need to go out or go to my friends house witch I don't think is fair can some1 help me thanks

ProblemNeighbours Editor 12/09/2016 at 11:42 am

Speak to your local environmental health department, they may be able to offer some advice to the bin owners/school or force them to store the bins differently.

Commercial bin smell 09/09/2016 at 4:04 pm

We live next door to a school that has four commercial bins next to the public highway but behind a metal mesh fence. Every time we go out into our front garden we can smell the bins. Can we object to it being unsightly and smelly?

Stan 03/09/2016 at 12:35 pm

Who is responsible for cleaning up faeces on council property? Over the last two years I have spent a lot of time and money trying to prevent, and dealing with, pets fouling near my kitchen window with no avail. The council won't do anything as "they don't have the authority to enforce their own rules."
Now there has been human excrement up against the back door of our block of flats since yesterday morning. Northampton Council has been aware for over 24 hours and done nothing. I have phoned them several times with two hours between each call. Was told it would be dealt with within an hour.

Lovely 27/08/2016 at 1:58 pm

Our neighbours have got approx 30 ducks and some chickens and sometimes the smell of duck poo is disgusting and our garden is now full of flies. We operate a business which involves cooking and it is impossible to keep the door closed.

Unfortunately due to having numerous problems with them in the past we no longer talk and wonder if they are stacking the poo by the fence just to irritate us further.

What can we do?

Linz 15/08/2016 at 7:26 pm

I have lived at my house for over 8 years now. I'am quite concerned about a man with a garage in my backsies, which I initially thought he was using the garage for a hobby fixing his beach buggy. He's always there which tells me he must be doing this as a job. He would be revving the engines till 11 o'clock at night. I appreciate that he can make noise till this time and never really complained that he was keeping my baby up doing so. But now my little one is old enough to play in the garden. It concerns me that the fumes off revving his engines and the use of spray paint uses every day even weekends could be affecting my sons health. We can't even go in the backsies to play on his bike as there's nails and oil everywhere. This isn't an exaggeration. We never got told when we bought our house that there was a business fixing vehicles in our backsies. All the neighbours we speak to complain about the constant noise and bad smells and polluted air. I've noticed he keeps a lot of big gas cylinders and lots of tires which frightens me if they go of being so close to my house. How will I find some information whether he has the right health and safty requirements and does he have a business permit? I would appreciate any information. Thank you

Suenav 14/08/2016 at 4:42 pm

What can I do about pigeons that sit in the branches of a council owned tree that overhangs my shared ownership property & daily poo on my car that is parked on my drive & also on my footpath?

Paulsapoet 27/07/2016 at 2:22 pm

Dear people I am living in a terraced house which as been made into two flats now I have enquired where my bins are but Bolton council say I am not entitled to any bins there is only One black bin between me and the Tennant down stairs when I asked the council why the man who delivers the bins now there should be three for recycling proposes anyway for each Tennant surely ? But the chap said that the landlord as apparently Not registered this building as two properties. So I have refused to pay for A TV licence on the grounds that its only one building am I right in doing this? There is some sort of workshop next door heavy noise and there it a continual dust in the atmosphere in my flat what can I do please its a old house it could be asbestos or anything if I complain the landlord will evict me can you help me yours desperate

Trin 24/07/2016 at 8:22 am

I am constantly picking up dog poo from outside my drive & surrounding kerb on our culdisack, my car drives over it or worse it gets stood in & trailed through, I suspect a neighbor is just letting there dog out to roam in the quite culdisack that is opposite there home, can the council do anything about this part from the notices already up stating a fine of £1000 is the penalty?

Stace 07/07/2016 at 9:57 pm

I live in a house with my mum her husband and my brother and elderly cat tom. Recently we got new neighbours which was quite exciting and eager to make a good impression I had gone over introduced myself and had a friendly conversation. After awhile the neighbours began complaining about tom because after an attack suffered by another cat he can be vocal. The neighbours would complain about lot but then started leaving nasty little notes through the door and threatening to take our Tom away and give him to a elderly lady and call rspca accusing us of also not feeding him. Which is laughable if you see tom. We decided to limit the time tom was outside but now the nextdoor neighbours cat is constantly meowing and trying to get into our house if any window is left open in the summer he comes in eats Tom's food and lays on our food services and since this we now have fleas in our house. Because of how nasty the neighbours were before I'm unable to know how to broach the subject with them. Any ideas welcome. Thanks

Concerned 25/06/2016 at 12:57 pm

My council have just introduced fortnightly black bin collection in place of weekly ones and the majority of properties have provided outside black plastic bins to store waste throughout the fortnight.

However my property is not suitable for an outside bin (as access to the property is across a neighbours front garden who will not allow us to store our bin in her garden, and the council will not allow us to store the bin on the pavement, so we are between a rock and a hard place where neither side will cooperate and as such we have no outdoor bin).

The council are now insisting that we store our non recyclable household waste (e.g nappies and sanitary products) inside of our flat for two weeks at a time. In my mind this is a health and hygiene threat and by the end of the two weeks the odor is unbearable in such a small flat.

By law can the council insist this waste remains in our property for two weeks? And if it was really ok for people to store waste inside for two weeks, why would they invest in wheely bins?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Scottyd 22/06/2016 at 3:59 pm

In answer to your reply about if my bike has all the relevant silencers on my bike yes it does..these neighbours would not even be accepting if I informed them of my times of which I go to work etc..as they I believe are targeting myself to have a moan ..every second day another neighbour strims his garden and mows it for about an hour with petrol garden tools and another neighbour has a barking dog and they don't say a thing to them about it at all ..the man and wife even though they are pensioners are quite aggressive and abusive I've now reported them myself as it's targeted bullying

ProblemNeighbours Editor 21/06/2016 at 10:05 am

We think the council could have been more helpful too. People all over the country wash their cars on their drives every week - and using just water is not sufficient to get a vehicle clean. There are lots of environmentally friendly car shampoo products available. Have a word with your local councillor about the way the council has approached this.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 20/06/2016 at 12:21 pm

Does your bike have all the necessary silencers to comply with regulations? If so, maybe you could go round and apologise, explain what times your bike it likely to be started up and for how long. If your neighbours are prepared, they may be more accepting.

mejulie 19/06/2016 at 5:41 pm

Our neighbour is complaining about us washing our car on the drive. The council called on us last week saying we cannot use soapy water, we can use only water!! This woman is not bothered about about the environment at all. Its just to cause us upset for us.
We are looking into using eco friendly products, we dont think she will be happy, we need to do the right thing for the council and ourselves.
We think the council could have been more helpful, advising options. We felt that they were being slightly biased.

Scottyd 18/06/2016 at 10:30 pm

I have lived in my house for 17 years and have fixed up and sold numerous motorbikes over the years I have recently bought an aprilia and I use it to go to work on at 3pm returning at 10pm ..less than a year ago new neighbours moved in as I live in an avenue there end of their back garden is on the side of my house as their house is around the corner, previous to them moving in another neighbour in the avenue knocked on our door and asked where our noisy neighbour lived as his friends parents were going to buy the house this couple now live in ..we replied next door as the previous owners had a dog they left outside and it howled all night.
Two weeks ago I had an accident as my newish neighbours complained everytime I warmed my bike up and it was idling for 5 minutes and my bike malfunctioned as I haven't been doing this, I have now got a broken collar bone and my wife is learning how to fix my bike under my instructions, due to my accident I haven't even started my bike up for 10 days but I did two days ago because I feel a bit better and it needs a lot of work done to it, the said neighbour started shouting indirectly to me at his fence saying it was unnecessary etc this was at 11am in the day ..I feel harassed by this neighbour and seem to be taking the brunt for their previous noisy neighbours I saw him the other day out of my landing window tip toeing around his garden his poor grandchildren the other day were hollered by him to get inside in the warm weather as he's trying to make it that I can't retaliate about his noise ..is there anyone I can speak to to him me as enough is enough

ProblemNeighbours Editor 13/06/2016 at 1:56 pm

Speak to your local councillor or MP, it's unlikely that there are any specific laws pertaining to where bins are stored but if they are causing a nuisance, the council might be able to take a joint legal action against all the bin owners. Is there an alternative access that people can use?

ProblemNeighbours Editor 13/06/2016 at 11:53 am

Planning consent is usually needed to increase the height of an existing chimney or to erect a new one. If you call your local council's planning department, a planning officer will be able to investigate for you.

Chlo 11/06/2016 at 12:34 pm

My mum, myself and my 2 younger sister live in a 3 bedroom masonette under a housing association. We have lived here for 17 year but 2 year ago new neighbours moved in downstairs. Now we are friendly and get along with all our other neighbours well. But the downstairs neighbours have a small garden maybe 4/5m by 4/5m. Now it is summer they tend to BBQ a lot. Once in a while we can live with, but my mum had COPD and my younger sister had bad asthma, and the smoke that rises is so thick it is causing problems for both of them. We have spoken to them, but it only ended in arguements with them telling us we had no rights. It is summer and we cannot keep all the doors and windows closed but it's also discolouring our curtains, and causing their health to be worsened, is there anything we can do?

Tony 11/06/2016 at 10:29 am

My wife and I live in an assisted living bungalow. Our next door neighbor has a dog, which never gets any excercise, barks and howls day in day out. Our delightful neighbor has recently taken to feeding birds, or more specifically Pigeons.He has now started to teach his dog to chase the pigeons when they come to feed, which the dog does along with uncontrolled barking and yapping. Even his own wife shouts and screams at him to stop doing this, at which he simply laughs. Furthermore, when he puts out the food for the pigeons, a large jug full, he also throws the same amount over the ground, indiscriminately, some of which gets into my garden. No other birds, except pigeons feed, how can this man be stopped, we have repeatedly put in written complaints to our housing association, apparently to no avail. Help and advice much appreciated

Jackie 10/06/2016 at 5:47 pm

I live in a row of terraced houses all owner occupied. Next to my house there is an alleyway that gives access to the rear of our property and to several others in a road adjacent to ours. The neighbour who shares this ally with me has a bedroom over the alley in which her young daughter sleeps. The problem is that the neighbours who gain access through the ally treat it as the ideal place to store their refuse bins. Despite letters from the local council reminding residents of council policy that bins should be returned to the rear of the owners property, sometimes as many a 25 refuse bins are left in the alleyway.Repeated requests to the council to address this issue have proved fruitless, apart from the letters mentioned. Is there anything in environmental law that can help us. There is a health risk as the accretion of domestic refuse attracts flies and rats, as well as foxes, wondering cats and the odd stray dog. Recently a neighbour sadly lost his life in a house fire and the fire brigade had difficulty accessing the rear of is property because of the bins. Our local fire prevention officer may therefore be able to lend his weight, however I would like to know if the council has a legal obligation to protect our environment and enforce its own instruction.

Chrissy 10/06/2016 at 10:46 am

A tall thin metal chimney has been erected on the industrial estate that is at the end of our garden, it makes a loud noise most days and even some nights decreasing the time we spend in the garden. We luckily have trees that hide it visually but it is a constant noise that we never noticed before. What if anything can we do about it! Would they of needed planning permission for it and if so can I find out if they have it?

D 09/06/2016 at 2:15 pm

Hi. We live next to a plot of land that is for sale. It is overgrown and the weeds and jaggy rose briar are growing over and under our fences. We take a pride in our garden but this mess really gets us down. We have asked but he is a nasty person and won't do anything. We are now at the stage where one of my children, who is disabled, had bad scratches from these weeds and it drew blood. We have 2 children, 2 elderly adults and 2 small dogs....all of who are vulnerable to these weeds which grow so fast. There is also rubbish and insects on the land next to our fence. Is there anything we can do? He lives in another part of our town and just won't cooperate at all! Thanks.

Terrorized 04/06/2016 at 4:33 pm

My wife and three daughters live in a Housing Association property for over 13 years. Ever since an Irish family of 5 came to live next door to us. They have been a nusance in every sense of the word and are extremely anti social. First they tried to take over the Communial drive with all their cars and commercial vehicles. Dumping of garbage on the drive, vomiting, over full bins with with rotting smelly garbage that produces maggots, flies and vermin. The head of the family attacked me with a knife and police have been called by myself on many occasions when our two car on the drive were being damaged when they deliberately opened their car doors on our cars. They and their invited guests.The housing association has acted this year 2016 and got a private parking inforcement company to inforce parking regulations. Now a parking that could comfortable hold 6 cars we are restricted to 1 per house hold so we can only have 3 cars in total. My evil neighbours are now spending their time and energy to breed as much flies as they possibly can from a bin that they stuck up against my back garden fence with offencive odour like someone has died and is in a state of decompose. They have made our life a misery and will not give up their nasty obnoxious develish behavior. We are tired of complaining to a Housing Association who seems to show prefferance to a white family over a black family.I am sure if we were at fault we would have been evicted many years ago.This family is so confident that they can get away with anything because all the housing association say they do is to write letter to them and do nothing else. I and my family would like to breathe fresh air whilst enjoying the beauty of the garden that I created. For all these 13 years every spring into summer we can't open our doors or windows or the house will quickly fill up of flies.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 02/06/2016 at 12:54 pm

If you are a home owner, your deeds will give full details. If your neighbour erects a fence on what you consider to be your property, you can take legal action.

D 01/06/2016 at 9:01 pm

I am a home owner in a four in a block lower flat and currently having back garden boundary issues with upstairs neighbour. A guy from the housing came out and gave us advice on this and said we have up to the end of bedroom window then communal path which leads to drying area measures 18 inch from our window then the rest is hers but she says different and is using this space and I think she maybe putting a fence up in the wrong place. I am at my wits end with this.

Brownhammers 30/05/2016 at 1:37 pm

Our neighbor, (home owner), has been disposing domestic refuse in their garden, just dumping it against the fence. We have now started getting rats in our garden that we assume are living in this 4ft high by 5ft wide pile of rubbish. We cannot now leave our back door open for fear of rats coming into our house. We have complained to the local council who I don't think have taken any action. Does anyone know if there is the possibility of using a solicitor to take action to get the refuse removed, (and not to return). Claim damages from our neighbour for not being to use our garden. If the house is declared unfit for human habitation will teh Council pay for the clean up?

Lou 21/05/2016 at 10:25 am

My next door neighbours garden is 6/8ft high with weeds and brambles.
My 12 yr old son suffers from asthma hay fever excma he can not have his window open due to all the pollens in her garden he is allergic to all pollens 365 days of the yr.
His skin is horrendous at the moment.
Also he is losing sleep due to her tv/radio being on at all hrs very loud.
She even hovers her walls in the early hrs.
Is there any thing we can do

ProblemNeighbours Editor 06/05/2016 at 1:44 pm

All new developments usually have to meet certain safety requirements etc. Raise your concerns with your local planning office.

ak 04/05/2016 at 5:29 pm

Hi,
I am worried about the health and safety of my children. this is due to a proposed haulage yard being built next to my property. I'm worried about the noise and the diesel fumes harming my children!! Are there any laws in place that could help me stop this from happening?

ProblemNeighbours Editor 04/05/2016 at 12:11 pm

You will lose the sale anyway if your don't get the work done as the buyer's mortage depends on this. If you don't want to get the work done yourself, you are assuming that there are other buyers willing to take it on unfinished and there's a risk that you will not find a buyer, or that it will take longer to find one.

P E L L 01/05/2016 at 7:11 pm

Hi I am selling my late fathers house
it is now sold but the mortgage people on the buyers side has told them that we have to get the party wall in the attic finished as it doesn't touch the roof.
do I have to get building reg to finish this wall as I don't want to wait and lose this sale

Ant 20/04/2016 at 6:16 pm

I have had 2 panels come down in the recent Easter weekend storm

I have purchased 2 new ones but because I have no access through my house as im mid terrace I need to come through my neighbours adjourned on whose garden these panels are damaged

I approached the lady about what I was doing and she was fine but her husband Has point blank refused to allow us access even though he can access his garden all day long through his gate

He has tried to repair damaged panels and has attached stuff to our posts and panels without our permission to try and repair them rather than just allow us the ability to walk through with just two panels it will only take a few minutes

Spin 15/04/2016 at 6:25 pm

I have a noise problem with a industrial unit next door to me.
They just moved in two weeks ago and They are start work at 10 and finish as 2 in the morning. Using grinders and power tools with the radio on.
I have early morning starts at 4 and cannot sleep during the noise. The bloke looks the door and won't answer when I ask him to be considerate to neighbours.
He is also putting a dust extractor fan in which will blast the sawdust over my garden and is approx 8 metres from from bedroom window.
What can I do?

ProblemNeighbours Editor 29/03/2016 at 12:10 pm

It is a shared soil pipe? If it's yours then you are responsible for any damage.

Normski72 26/03/2016 at 6:49 pm

Part of our stench pipe fell down in heavy winds on to our neighbours kitchen roofloor who is responsible?

Sillysue 09/03/2016 at 8:39 am

I replaced all the fencing in my back garden as it was my side so had to get it done. Since then my neighbour has taken it upon himself to attach some corrugated plastic to one panel at the rear to make a sort of shelter for himself I asked him not to he ignored me now my fence panel is warping from excess rain staying on it. Am I right to believe he's not allowed to attach anything to my fence without my permission.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 07/03/2016 at 11:08 am

Contact your environmental health department, they should not be up and about having bonfires at 4.30 in the morning...sounds suspicious.

Scared mummy 04/03/2016 at 5:31 am

My neighbor burns waste on a daily basis all hours from morning until night. It's thick black smoke with little black flakes floating around in our garden. My worry is my son 7 months old has just been diagnosed with chronic asthma and woke up 4.30 needing his nebulizar, low and behold they are burning at 4.30am can smell it all over the house. It always makes my house smell and visitors comment. Could this have caused my sons condition it's not in our family and he is the youngest of 5 children none of which have it. They are not nice people and very violent always fighting in the Street I'm scared to report them because I don't want them to know its me. Any advice please

Shelby 03/03/2016 at 4:28 pm

My housing association are considering turning the parking space at the end of my garden into bins he'd area... My problem is my back gate opens inwards and onto the parking space which I believe is already s hazard to my kids safety when running out of the garden... But I'm worried with bin sheds and rubbishy being dumped there I'm going to be blocked in and invested with the smell of rotting food ... Can they do this

ProblemNeighbours Editor 02/03/2016 at 11:38 am

Take a look at our advice on overgrown and messy gardens here.

Piphan 28/02/2016 at 3:25 pm

My neighbours garden is totally overgrown, is a dumping ground for anything and everything (some up against our fence), there is dog poo everywhere, fence panels missing and a general eyesore.
Is there anything we can do?
Talking to them just doesn't work, they still don't do anything.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 11/02/2016 at 12:37 pm

The environmental health department is unlikely to take action unless the skip is home to vermin/pests. You could try your council again (probably the planning office) to see if they can act under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 which gives them powers to act in relation to land or buildings in an unsightly condition that may be "detrimental to the amenity of the neighbourhood". The Council can serve a Section 215 notice which specifies what steps are required to remedy the problem within a specific time period.

Di 09/02/2016 at 2:39 pm

My neighbour is a window doctor he has a constant skips in the front garden full of broken glass and window frames that he brings back from work on a daily basis.

I phoned the environmental health and they said there was no problem but this skip is a complete eye soure and a health and safety disaster waiting to happen with the garden having no fences to keep children out is there another agency I could contact

ProblemNeighbours Editor 01/02/2016 at 2:03 pm

First mention it to your housing association. If nothing is successful then you could try your local environmental health department.

ja1953 29/01/2016 at 11:07 pm

I live in a housing association ground floor flat its a block of 4 (sheltered housing) the upstairs tenant has a very bad odour coming from his flat its that bad you have too hold your breath wben entering the complex who do l complain too

T 15/01/2016 at 11:56 pm

I have a noise nuisance from my neighbours 8 year old who has severe tantrums screaming and shouting from 8pm onwards at bedtime nearly everyday without fail. I asked them politely to try and curb the noise a year ago but no improvement. I have been recording all the noise but this is now so stressful it is affecting my health. I am on edge every night I come in from work waiting for it to kick off as he sounds like he's being murdered. I reported it to the council who haven't been very helpful they say I have no rights if it's a child and all they can do is send a warning letter. Is this correct? I have lived here 25 years and am scared I will be forced out of my own home. I know my neighbours are lawyers so I need to get this right before I approach then again. Any help greatly appreciated.

Dill 14/01/2016 at 6:13 pm

Myself and my neighbour own our homes our chimneys are joined.I am having water in through my chimney and 4 roof specialist have all said the bricks are porous. And the chimney could do with coming down. My neighbour has said they have no water in theirs.What can I do as patching the chimney up will not last.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 10/12/2015 at 10:55 am

Check your deeds - whose responsbility was the fence? There is actually no requirement on a property owner to fence in their land unless they have livestock. Contact the council and ask whether they plan erecting another fence. Otherwise it may be worth erecting your own fence on your side of the boundary.

Dyl 09/12/2015 at 6:50 am

My house is privately owned but borders a council property, the last tenant passed away so the council have been doing work to get it ready for the next tenants,this involved taking down 2 big sheds that made up part of the boundary with my garden along with fencing at each end of the sheds, my garden was secure so my 2 children could safely play there, but now there is a big gap where the sheds used to be and the fencing was left insecure and as now blown over, is it right that a council can leave it like this ? Very unhappy

don77 26/11/2015 at 7:36 am

My new neighbours who have recently moved in installed a fireplace and are burning smokeless fuel (I think). Since doing so everytime they turn it on the strong smell of fumes seep straight into my house through the walls. I have called out the fire brigade. The neighbours did not have the chimney inspected or swept before installation. The fumes are causing me to have chest pains, heart palpitations, a sore throat and dry eyes. They said they will continue to use it as even though they know the problems it is causing. I contacted the council but they said it is a private matter as they privately rent. What are my rights and what course of action can I take to resolve this matter? Thanks.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 25/11/2015 at 10:37 am

The best route would be to seek legal advice or to rectify the damage at your own expense and pursuse the cost via the small claims court.

T 24/11/2015 at 11:21 am

On one side of my house the neighbouring property is rented out. I have been trying to get the rental agency to make some repairs to the boundary of the property for some time. The situation is somewhat complicated by the fact that there is no agreement over who is responsible for the boundary, but the damage has clearly been caused by mismanagement of their property. viz. At the front a tree growing on their side of the boundary is pushing over the wall between the properties. The wall is now very unsafe and looks set to fall onto my house. At the back of the house, the this is caused by the fact that there is a large amount of rubble piled up in the back half of the garden (over 1ft over normal ground level) pressing against the fence, which has caused it to buckle, and a large amount of garden waste fence has holes in it in some places and is falling down in others. At least some of (mostly tree branches) that have been dumped on top of it. As you can imagine that part of their garden is considerably overgrown too.
Despite a verbal agreement from the property manager that it was their responsibility to sort this out and several emails assuring me that the work would be done, nothing has happened. For the last two months, the property manager has not responded to my emails. What should I do next? I'm worried that the bad weather will cause even more damage.

Kujo 19/11/2015 at 6:10 am

I have horses. My neighbour keeps throwing her horse and pig manure over her fence into the shared boundary hedge - her argument is that we share the boundary and so she has a right to do so. It is killing the hedge and the muck has extended beyond halfway through the hedge into my field.What are my rights? Thanks

ProblemNeighbours Editor 04/11/2015 at 2:37 pm

You should get someone to take a look at the extractor fan first of all. Are you renting? Your landlord should be able to help with this.

Little Owl 03/11/2015 at 9:06 pm

I moved into a flat with heavy smokers living underneath. The bathroom is internal, no windows only an extractor fan.... and every time it goes on the stench of old stale nicotine comes into the room and makes me gag. It cannot even be iscolated from the light switch, it comes on when the light goes on.
It is horrible, how on earth do I stop it?

nanoo 14/09/2015 at 9:04 am

i llive in a council flat and there is a neighbour when cooking tjis certain meal the smell is so pungent it goes through the block and when it comes into my flat as a asthma sufferer it sets my asthma off then i am sick , another neighbour has reported it to our ilo they are doing nothing about this issue now they cooking this meal more than once a week to annoy that neighbour who reported them it affecting her and people and me in the block please can you help us thank you

ProblemNeighbours Editor 02/09/2015 at 12:40 pm

To be honest it does seem as though the council is doing what it can regarding the dogs barking. Hopefully the recording equipment will also highlight the other noises too, which will enable the EHO to make a decision on whether to take further action.

Nick 30/08/2015 at 2:46 pm

1. I have neighbours at the side of me who's dogs bark VERY loudly (but not continuously) They never walk them and they mess in their garden. COUNCIL SAY - that the piles of dog mess are "not enough" to be a problem. It has to be "10 piles or more." Also, the dog's barking has to be recorded via a council installed recording device. This "device" has to be manually operated, so... By the time I have walked to the recorder and pressed RECORD, the dogs have stopped barking. But the council won't act until I have this equipment installed.
There is also the issue of 'drug dealing' that has occured next door which the police have been informed about.

2. My new neighbours upstairs bang loudly through to my ceiling on occasions, usually while I sleep and it wakes me up. They also seem to have visitors a lot so... As the new neighbours live UPSTAIRS it is difficult for visitors to access which result in random people 'shouting' from outside my flat, to the neighbours upstairs.

Peewee 10/08/2015 at 11:43 am

I live on 5th floor flat overlooking parade of shop all food outlets. I have had no trouble for 9 yrs. recently the fish and chip shop got a puppy about 3 months ago. The puppy is out on the roof of the shop barking and howling looks over into the street anything starts it off really really loud. Also it is pooing and weeing on top of roof which is yards away from shop door and people eating. The owners come out occasionally and pick poo up and put in plastic wheel bin in full shot of heat under there flat windows. It's disgusting surely this is a health hazard and as for the barking driving us mad. Have tried to ring them on my mobile and politely complained but got very aggressive saying the dogs got a voice. Then they started calling me up at 2 and 3 in the morning ranting just as well I had it on silent.the ringing has stopped but the barking has got worse feel intimidated by them they are foreign and they are a big family have now rang council is it right to keep dog like this? Where do I stand

Sharon12345 26/07/2015 at 7:42 am

I exchanged with person and she said it was nice here and anel of drugs with few or five more smokeing and me and my son choking and can not have out window open when it's very hot and there all dog poo in the garden smel and flys comeing in mmy window and smoke wek bad and thay drink all the time dranks and thSy said that was going to stab me and my family can. Not let my child in he's own garden and thay sceard my sin and he's neaver wet the bed tek I moive here's that smashing in my door swearing calling me names in front of my son and he's so sceard don't even like me takekng my wast out in the bin thst hiw sceard he is and the houseing said that was going to moive me and now say j have to let them do it to us and he lie and say he neaver said it and say there any no drugs ha but smoke don't smel like that choking me and my son houseing say that ok for us is that right

ProblemNeighbours Editor 01/07/2015 at 2:37 pm

@Lonzi. Environmental Health is your first port of call!

Lonzi 28/06/2015 at 11:18 pm

My neighbour has at least 40 pigeons that excrete a lot on my garden where my child plays also he burns their waste which can burn away for three days and you can imagine the disgusting smell!!!! Blowing over mine and neighbours gardens you can't have your windows open or peg your washing out on hot summer days The excrement from his pigeons also be left to mount up in his fire bin which smells ungodly!! Surely this is illegal!!

ProblemNeighbours Editor 01/07/2015 at 10:45 am

@AlbyK. If the neighbours require 14 days notice then it's best to accede to their wishes and you do have to carry out any maintenance at the neighbour's convenience under the access act anyway. As for the damage, we think perhaps they are liable for damage done by their sheep to your wall. Seek professional legal advice on this.

AlbyK 27/06/2015 at 10:30 pm

The rear of our house (kitchen) in Shropshire directly overlooks our neighbours' paddock. We had an informal arrangement with the previous neighbour such that we could just go onto the paddock to wash our windows and check for any necessary maintenance repairs. New neighbours moved in a few years ago and they are making our lives very difficult. They say we have to give them 14 days notice every time we need to wash our windows. They keep sheep on the paddock and I've noticed that one of them has damaged piping at the rear of the house (external pipework from our kitchen sink that drains into shared drainage in the paddock) over the last few days and left large 'greasy' marks along the bottom of the wall (white render so very noticeable). If my neighbours' sheep have damaged my pipework and I want to repair it, do I have to give 14 days notice? Also, are they liable for the cost of the repair (along with any other damage caused by livestock to our property such as damage to render or paintwork)? Should I being ask them to provide copies of insurance to cover livestock damage?

ProblemNeighbours Editor 30/06/2015 at 10:45 am

@TK. The environmental health dept should be able to deal with this. They can force the Landlord to take action or even get the area cleared and then charge the cost back to the landlord. They will also deal with any rat infestation that is found.

tk 26/06/2015 at 11:47 am

My next door neighbours were a groups of students who have recently moved out but I have recently noticed a pungent smell when I am out the back of my own house. Apparently, there is a pile of rubbish piled up against the dividing fence that has rotted at this stage and has attracted rats and who's knows what else. I have seen rats out the front of the house and several in their back garden and mine. The landlord is totally unapproachable as when I tried to speak to him about the level of noise coming from the house, he told me to F off! What can I do? I have contacted the city council and they tell me that they are only responsible for rubbish seen from the road. I have also contacted the environmental health, I'm waiting for them to get back to me. There has never been a management company in this estate since I purchased the house.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 24/06/2015 at 2:05 pm

@Jules. The easiest way is to speak to her and ask her not to encourage them. If that fails, you could try your local pest control office although in practice there's little they can do about pigeons.

jules 20/06/2015 at 7:11 am

My downstairs neighbour is constantly feeding pigeons all day. The birds just sit on the roof, balcony or window ledges waiting for her to fill the dishes up. There are droppings everywhere. Where do I stand with getting her to stop. Thanks

ProblemNeighbours Editor 17/06/2015 at 2:35 pm

@Cloe. If the management company or landlord will not act, then you can report it to the council. See our guide here.

Cloe 13/06/2015 at 2:28 am

Hi, My neighbour upstairs are constantly banging my ceiling in a flat managed by the trust. they are musicians and renting it. I have this problem of house parties and banging the ceiling for 1.5 years, but there agency doesnt kick them out. the trust managament is not doing anything about it. they caused me lost income and lot of fustration. How can I get them to move out and also to get compensation for the damages they caused?

ProblemNeighbours Editor 17/06/2015 at 2:19 pm

@Jeanie. It's not an easy one to resolve in terms of the cooking smells and your windows. You may be able to get your Environmental Health Officer to persuade them to keep the noise down from 10pm onwards though.

Jeanie 12/06/2015 at 10:53 pm

My neighbour has moved their kitchen to the other side /party wall to my bedroom. I can hear and smell their cooking. They also cook diner at anytime from 10.30pm and I can hear them cleaning up afterwards usually up to 11.30pm. This has made trying to get to sleep early difficult as all I can here is the chopping and stirring followed by the clatter of dishes being put away afterwards. Their extractor fan is also fairly close to my window so I'm unable to open the window to try to escape the smells of the cooking. I live in Scotland is there anything I can do?

ProblemNeighbours Editor 12/06/2015 at 1:45 pm

@Bee. No there are no hard and fast rules about this and it tends only to get left for a week or so before it's spread.

Bee 09/06/2015 at 11:11 am

Are there any rules about how close to a residential property farmers can dump their cattle manure heap? The farmer has put this heap, now five foot high (but still being added to), about 30 feet long & 10 feet wide, about 10 feet from our boundary. This has been going on now for about 4 weeks. The prevailing winds mean that most days the smell is awful, so we have to close the doors & windows on that side. The flies are also a problem; one day they were like snow falling there were so many. All our visitors have commented on the smell, flies & the sight of the heap - it is above our fence line. Is there anything we can do?

ProblemNeighbours Editor 10/06/2015 at 2:29 pm

@Bonjaboo. You've done exactly the right things. Hopefully it goes and well for you and your neighbours see sense.

Bonjaboo 07/06/2015 at 8:49 am

My neighbours of 20years have written to me informing me the the boundary needs to be moved and fence panels replaced which they plan to do in 2 weeks! I have lived here 30 years and complete with paving, the post have been in same position. Fence panels have been replaced over the years but nothing has moved. I replied telling them they need to get a boundary surveyor but in any case the length of time it has been in the same position means Adverse Possession applies. My Title Deeds confirm the position although over 100 years old there seem to comply with what is there now. I am in contact with my insurance company as I am covered for legal protection but this needs to be assessed first by photos etc. I am under enormous pressure from their harrassment and threats so may have to resort to calling the police. They recently completed a single storey extension close to the boundary but no query was made - their vengeance I fear is due to the fact they were obliged to have a Party Wall Award so now they are getting their own back.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 30/04/2015 at 2:27 pm

@bells. You could try a call to your environmental health officer regarding both the rubbish and the furniture burning. They may be able to act.

Bells 26/04/2015 at 9:59 am

New neighbours moved in over a year ago. It he problem is after she fills her bins she continually leaves food rubbish in bin bags I take her bins out every week and move the rubbish as she has been known to leave it to the extent that it has become maggot infesteted. I have asked her politely several times not to leave on floor due to rats cats etc. she acknowledges and carries on. I have children work full time and have a young terminally I'll husband and am not looking forward to the summer cleaning disinfecting and continually moving next doors rubbish, any advice would be helpful.They are also burning old furniture in back garden which causes incredible amount of awful smelling smoke. Despite all of this I am to remain on reasonable terms with this neighbour who might I add are both teachers!!!With children.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 21/04/2015 at 12:18 pm

@Misty. It's unlikely that your environmental health department will be able to deal with this. It's more likely that you will have to take legal action to persuade the neighbour to undertake the necessary repairs and pay for any damage to your property as a result of the leak. Your insurance company might be able to advise you on this too.

Misty 18/04/2015 at 11:21 am

We live in Scotland in a semi detached house. The next door neighbours bathroom isn't sealed correctly and is causing water damage on our side in the living room. We arranged for a plumber however they wont speak to him or arrange a time for him to fix it. This has been ongoing for 6 months and periodically they stop using the shower and the damp starts going away. They often won't answer the door to us. We feel that this needs escallated as a lot of damage appears to be getting caused our side, mould has started on the wall. I am pregnant and worried about the health implications this could cause. My husband has been in the bathroom causing the problem and he says its a case of an old bath unit which isn't sealed around the edges. I doubt it's an expensive job for them to fix. would environmental health be the best people to speak to?

ProblemNeighbours Editor 20/04/2015 at 11:43 am

@Liz. You should have complained at the time, but you can also take it to your environmental health office (you'll find this at your local council).

Liz 17/04/2015 at 5:53 pm

My friend and I visited a garden centre today and bought some refreshments in the restaurant. I was using a pastry fork to eat some "Rocky Road" cake when a fly crawled out of the cake. On closer inspection we found flies eggs. I have the cake in my posession. We did not complain because we had reason to complain only 10 minutes before this when an artificial tree fell over and hit my friend on her right shoulder and arm. This was while we were sat in the restaurant. The manager took details but was not apologetic. He did not remove the other trees that were exactly the same. The base of each plant was too light in weight and any one of them could have toppled over onto a child etc.
Could you please advise re this matter.
Thank you.
Elizabeth Pollock

ProblemNeighbours Editor 14/04/2015 at 1:45 pm

@K123. Have you tried your local council? The planning department may be able to advise.

K123 12/04/2015 at 9:42 am

Our neighbour has installed powerful LED uplights around 2 sides of their house to light up the walls and underside of the roof.(blue and white stripes.and), It doesn't actually spill light onto my property but is REALLY bright, the house can be seen from very far away and is lit up with tacky blue and white stripes, it looks like a nightclub and contrasts massively with the other residential houses in the street.. This is a residential street where commercial enterprises are not permitted. It backs onto a woodland area but we can't sit in and enjoy our garden without feeling like we are in a nightclub car park! Is there anything that can be done to make them tame this downor only switch them on at Christmas/new year( formal winter festive holidays when tacky decorative lighting is more reasonably accepted)?

ProblemNeighbours Editor 23/02/2015 at 10:36 am

@Treelover. Were the trees subject to a Tree Preservation Order? If so you will be able to find the details at your local council and raise a complaint. Otherwise there's really nothing to prevent tree owners from doing whatever they like with trees on their own property. You may also find that while the trees seem as though they've been pruned quite radically...they will in fact grow back to their former glory within a couple of years.

treelover 19/02/2015 at 4:15 pm

please could you tell me if you tell me if you need permission to butcher 7 mature trees and leave nothing bit the trunks, when we looked out of our living room window we had a lovely row of trees in front of us which where at the boundery of the sudbrook cricket club, these trees where not dangerous in any way, there were not any fallen branches , no matter how strong the storms of the last couple years. they have completly ruined the view from our lounge, all we have left is something that resembles breadsticks.

ProblemNeighbours Editor 17/02/2015 at 11:04 am

@mikey. Report this to your Environmental health department. It does seem as though sufficient consideration has not been given to the location of this area. If you feel it can easily be moved, you can offer this as a solution. Ask your EHO to visit on a day when it's warm and the smell it as its worst.

mikey 15/02/2015 at 4:58 pm

I live in a ground floor block of flats. The balcony door backs onto a small park which the council has decided to build a dog fouling enclosed space right next to the flat instead of building it at the centre of the papark or any other place just away from the flat. In summer especially we cannot have the windows or doors open as flys come into the flat and the smell is unbearable. This is clearly a health issue. Can we have the area moved. Mike

Tony 21/09/2014 at 7:44 pm

New extractor fan in pub kitchen directly facing my property emits noise from 9am to 9pm plus cooking odour.

non smoker 21/08/2014 at 11:49 am

I live in a bedsit within a house of flats. Both my kitchen & bathroom windows look out onto the courtyard of a B&B which has tables and chairs underneath the wall of both my windows. When the guests go into the courtyard to smoke I have to close my windows as my whole bedsit smells of tobacco smoke! Surely I have some rights within the Clean Air Act??? The building I live in is hundreds of years old built long before the B&B. Why can I not have clean fresh air when I open my with windows?? What can I do about this???

ProblemNeighbours Editor 29/07/2014 at 11:19 am

@Sharjordie. You could try contacting your local council's environmental health department...they may go and check it out to make sure there is no disease or malpractice.

Sharjordie 28/07/2014 at 2:34 pm

I live in a cottage (for 19 years) and 3 years ago a guy bought the land next door (about 3 acres) and keeps sheep and has erected a cowshed and keeps cows, (they are in the cowshed 24/7, never turned out to graze). I now have the most horrendous fly problem, I think they are face flies, I am unable to open windows or leave doors open, I cannot sit in my garden at all, let alone have a barbecue or invite friends/family round. The flies cover everything outside, my washing drying on the line is covered, my car is covered normally by at least 100 of them, its an operation in itself just trying to get into the car without flies getting into the vehicle, as with the house, the door is opened and closed as quickly as humanly possible. I have a summerhouse which we cannot use as it is continually covered with swarms of flies. This guy also has mounds of old potatoes laying in his yard which have perished and stink and I now also have tiny flies filling my kitchen. I would really like to know my rights, if I have any, because its in the country I think it will be a case of tough luck, but surely its a health hazard? I think the face flies breed in the cattle manure, I am so depressed cannot sit in my own garden or open a window to let fresh air in. I did ring the planning office to see if he had permission for the cowshed which is about 100 feet from my house, but was told because its agricultural he wouldn't have needed it.

Arlene 12/07/2014 at 6:32 am

Good Morning
My husband and I live in a tied house which comes with his job and are having horrendous difficulties with our neighbour. We have two golden retrievers who are friendly affectionate creatures. They bark when the postman comes, when we leave the house etc for approx 2 minutes. They don't bark excessively and are brought in quickly if they bark at a dog passing. Basically they just want to play. He has reported us to my husbands boss he has threatened my husband and my dog. He also makes rude hand gestures at my 15 year old daughter. When we sing to music (which isn't loud) at approx 8pm he shouts obscenities for us to shut the kitchen window. The police have the incidents logged and we are walking on eggshells living with this harassment. What should we do? With thanks, Arlene.

ProblemNeighbours 24/06/2014 at 11:56 am

Charlotte 24. This is one where you will probably need to use a solicitor. You neighbour should have asked for your consent before doing any work on a party wall. Try have a discussion and working something out between him and your parents...if that fails then legal action is your best recourse. Good luck

Charlotte24 23/06/2014 at 8:13 am

My Mum and Dad are currently in the process of moving house. They have an adjoining wall with a neighbour who lives around the back of their home. My mum and dads house is higher than the one behind them and the party wall is supporting their garden. The neighbour has took it upon himself to start knocking the wall down without their permission or evidence of a notice and decide to dump the waste on my parents land. Can we please have some advice on what to do as my parents are worried they may lose their sale because of this?

Diana 22/06/2014 at 7:34 am

Hi
A builder bought a house next to us 3 years ago. He started work and never finished. The property is not lived in and he rarely visits.For the past 2 years he has parked an old transit van on what was the front garden and now an old car has appeared which is parked partly on his land and partly on the road. The whole frontage is a mess, bags of sand have been there 3 years, garden around the van overgrown etc. we are about to put our house up for sale. We live in a nice area but feel our house will be devalued. Is there anything we can do legally? Help appreciated.

ProblemNeighbours 05/06/2014 at 10:34 am

Hi Claire. We're assuming you live in an attached home (semi or terrace)? If the extractor is fitted in his kitchen, the vent will have to exit at some point on his wall/his side of the boundary rather than yours. The vents for extractor fans are usually flush to the wall with opening louvre flaps when in use, so it should have minimal impact. Your best approach is to show an interest in the new kitchen, ask him what kind of extractor he is planning and where exactly the exit will be. Catch him early enough and you may be able to get him to adapt his plans slightly if it seems like it will be an issue. In our experience the fumes from kitchen extractors do not present much of an issue externally. Hope it goes well.

Claire 04/06/2014 at 1:46 pm

My neighbour has had a new kitchen fitted and he has informed me he is having an extractor fan fitted which will result in his cooking fumes/smoke/odours being extracted directly into my garden where we sit outside.
is this legal? is there anything i can do about this ?

Happy 18/04/2014 at 7:15 am

Hi
I live in a private house where we have a shared access to the rear of the houses to get to our back gates. The late stops outside the back of my garden as her garden is extended . My neighbour has decided to build a out building in her garden and dump all of the rubbish from the sheds she had and sheds and rubble out side my back gate learning up against my fence! I have asked when it will be cleared but get nothing but verbal abuse. This is only a right of way to her gate and not her land! What can I do to get her to clear it
Plus she keeps burning stuff thought Enfield was smoke free?
Thank you

coco 07/04/2014 at 12:49 am

im having a problem with the house next door this house is up for sale no one is living there, but the estate agents have rang environmental health on me twice now, first one was for 3 bags in which had xmas wrapping paper (no food waste) they were in a container out of sight and hardly a problem, as the bin men missed a weak over the xmas hols, n also own 4 little dogs who sometime use it to go toilet during the night which means they will be feces, this is picked up every single day, im very garden proud and own a lovely garden, my boys play out in it most days, but this estate agents is continuously ringing and complaining about me, we are a very quiet family and live in the country, and i just feel like im being spied upon all the time, these are very petty reason i feel to complain about us what can i do to protect myself from this vile estate agent.

Sharon North 21/08/2013 at 9:33 am

I live in a housing association house my back garden leads in to the back garden of private housing where an old lady has a dense wall of trees that are about 40 feet tall I have lived here 9 years an she has never maintained them in anyway over the lasr 3 years they are blocking all the light into my house, they are full of pigeons and my garden is full of pigeon poo but the main issue is the massive plague of mosquitoes they are causing all year round we are getting eaten alive and I am allergic to the bites where I swell really badly we have contacted the council but they have said if we want them gone we need to pay for the work which could cost a small fortune and quite honestly I cant afford it but where its causing health issues surely there has got to be grounds to make her maintain them? Please please help this is a nightmare I also have a child that cant even play in the back garden!

Skelly 02/04/2013 at 10:29 pm

Three years ago my downstairs neighbours flat was badly flooded due to heavy rainfall and rivers rising and bursting their banks. The property was empty for over 6 months everything was dried up or ripped out! I started to get small recurring patches of mould in my bedroom but I just cleaned it up once every few months.
The day before xmas eve 2012 we woke up to total devastation it had happened again the whole street was flooded my poor neighbour evacuated in the night on a boat :( the water stayed for about 2 days till it subsided and was drained out the property! Then my neighbours flat was left no dehumidifier or anything for a month and a half!! The housing association has since ripped everything out the downstairs flat and rebuilt it but my damp problem has gotten soo much worse its EVERYWHERE!! I have contacted the housing and they have said its condensation causing it and I have to fix it myself with mould proof paint surely it's caused by the floods and they should be fixing it? Help I'm totally confused about this :/

Mr & Mrs Stacey 05/02/2013 at 12:37 pm

we continue to have problems with the fumes from our neighbours chimney making us ill but nobody wants to deal with it , environment agency , local MP even the neighbours , we have lost two dogs over the years & had a long list of medical treatment (Appointments) & has caused previous owners ill health without them knowing, yet we find it hard to get anyone to even listen , anybody got advise on this issue , apart from being forced to move !

adam 18/12/2012 at 7:09 pm

Hi I work for a car garage and its an old barn with car ramps inside their is no exhaust vents to extract emissions its a tall asbestos roofand the doors dont go all the way to the top, half way. I am abit worried about the quailty of air in the building but my boss doesnt think its a big deal. be great to get an answer.

stan 13/10/2012 at 3:29 pm

Are a neighbour's security lights allowed to illuminate my back garden?

Charlotte 30/09/2012 at 1:59 pm

Hi I wonder if you can help me. I am a mother of a 17 month old son. I live in a rented 2 bed property and I feel the flat itself is hygienicly unsafe for me and my son. It's damp, mouldy and recently I have found fungus growing behind and beside my washing machine. I feel sick and don't know what to do about it or what I can do about it? I want to move ASAP but still owe rent and don't know what my options are? Not sure if I am able to post this here but any help would be amazing! Thankyou!

Upset 03/08/2012 at 3:32 pm

We have a fir tree that slightly overhangs in to our neighbour's garden. As soon as my neighbour moved in next door he asked if we would cut it down. We refused as it is a mature tree and has been in the garden for over thirty years. It also offers us privacy by preventing people looking into the house. Since then my neighbour has trimmed the tree many times and on each occasion thrown the cuttings into our garden and garden pond. Is there anything we can do to prevent this?

crusader 25/07/2012 at 7:39 pm

I have a friend who lives in Castlereagh Borough Council and complained to the council because her neighbour has left his back garden in such a mess since the floods there that rats and other vermin are roaming the gardens and there is an unbelieveable obnoxious smell. Someone came from the council and stated that Castlereagh Borough Council did not sign up to the Environment 1995 Act and couldn't do anything - I thought the Act was law and applied to everyone. Is this representative of Castlereagh Council bluffinf which I suspect or does the act only apply when adopted by councils?

Whitaker1 21/06/2012 at 8:11 am

For 5 years now I have been plagued by dogs barking downstairs,I have contacted the council a few times ,the dog warden has visited and warned them a few times they say our dogs don't bark ! One dog bit my neighbor ,the dogs are shut in all day which is why they bark ,because they no it was me the neighbor threatened me ,no one is interested,it is making me Ill,

chrisp 18/04/2012 at 2:38 pm

Answer for all the above.the law is there to protect you all.keep a written record of all the trouble you are having.times, dates, and what has been going on.do this over a few weeks.then make an appointment with your local council enforcement officer.take along all of the evidence.they have to speak to the people who are causing the nuisance.then if it continues they will enforce appropriate actions.we were having trouble with people working on cars, vans and other vehicles day and night opposite our house.the coucil acted on this after all the evidence and it stopped and has never started again.hang on in there as it does work.look up all of the enviroment acts.the 1 you need will be there.

Neighbour 24/03/2012 at 7:25 pm

I do not think the law is anywhere near strong enough to deter offenders.We have two neighbours who basically let their dogs (with very annoying barks), go at it for hours on end regardless of whether they are in. The dogs’ barking is louder than someone shouting, and they put the dogs right against other people’s fences. These dogs bark every day and especially at weekends. On special religious holidays or commemorations like Remembrance Sunday, it’s completely ruined. Often I have to leave the house because its so bad.One of these neighbours also deliberately aims a security light at people’s houses, causing unwanted light pollution. Like his dog, he does this for hours on end, he even puts the light on a timer. Seriously, the stress this causes is immense; it’s like living in a concentration camp. Basically these neighbours don’t care and seem to think they can do what they like. In a crowded country like this there needs to be a tougher penalty against those who are clearly incapable of acting like rational adults and respecting other people’s right to privacy in their own dwelling. These fools don’t like people sticking their nose in? Simple solution – don’t make it their business.

rainman 04/10/2011 at 9:32 pm

My wife and I have lived in a road of semi-d houses for over 30yrs and have a neighbour I could do without. He lives the other side of semi-d house and has kept approx 100 pidgeons for racing and breeding for over 20yrs. They have never been a major problem in that time apart from continuous cooing day and night. But over the last couple of years we are having a major problem with flies. They are all over my garden,walls and windows which we dare not open fully because we simply get them indoors. The neighbours around us are also having the same problem.I know they are linked to next door but he and his partner are loners who have never spoken to anybody around us for years, apart when somebody falls out with them. I am concerned about how to get rid of them and the health issues that they may carry. Also not only are pigeons the problem, he also now keeps ducks and geese which are a continues cackel morning noon and night. We cannot spend time in our own garden any more with the flies and racket from the farmyard!We no longer have guests in the back bedroom at night due to the noise.We have recently tried to sell up but as soon as next door is noticed that was the end of any interest. I would be interested to see if any help is available to ease our lives of this problem which has become a real headache.

tamsin 14/07/2011 at 6:42 pm

I live on a row of houses and one neighbour we never hear a peep out of but on the other side lives a young girl who has 4 children under the age of 8. The back garden you can not see the ground for all the rubbish that is dumped in it. Dirty nappys, toilet roll and used cotton buds. Im due to have a baby in a few months and I dont want my child to use the back garden because of this problem neighbour, but on the other hand I dont no if I want to risk something happening to mine or my partners car as she has damaged neighbours cars in the past.help.

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