• Derry
  • Noisy neighbour
  • Offline
  • Registered: 31 January 2011
  • Posts: 171

Topic: Neighbours From Hell

Hi All,

Found this forum while searching on the Internet for advice regarding my terrible noisy neighbours ,so I am very pleased to have found this forum.

My neighbours moved in next door to us last July.Since then we have suffered so much noise from them.
We have lived in our property now for 19 years,and its been lovely,always loved living here.
My neighbours are Turkish,and have friends and relatives round every day.They dont speak in a normal tone they shout,shriek and scream exitedly, constantly.When they first moved in we put up with their DIY,as everybody has things to do in a new home.Their constant shouting goes on from 3pm till 11pm or even later,sometimes it can vary.My husband went around to my neighbours and asked very politely if they could be a little quieter.There is a husband,wife and daughter of around the age 20 years or so,who live there.They also look after children,who are constantly screaming,not because they are hurt but because the people next door are chasing them around the room,shouting exitedly,encouraging the kids to screech and scream.This can go on all day and into the evening.We understand that kids get excited,but this is constant,and encouraged by the people who are looking after them.If it is not the kids screaming its the women there.When we went round there,they were hostile,and said "its only 9pm,we can make all the noise that we wish,and there is nothing that you can do about it".I had a Heart attack 5 years ago,and am worried that the stress will cause me to have another one.We cannot enjoy our tv,radio,or even a phone call to our friends and family.When one of the people who live there is on the phone,we can hear them shouting,and this can go on for 3 hours at a time.If we want to read a book its impossible because of all their noise.My neighbours seem to love the outdoors and stand on the front step talking loudly,while having a smoke.In all of the snow rain,wind,cold my neighbours will have BBQs out back.We are dreading the summer as we wont be able to enjoy our garden as we get the feeling that they will be having lots of BBQs in the garden.The smoke that comes from the BBQ is horrendous,as they burn charcoal,and wood.Its not bare wood,its furniture wood,is that not Toxic?.

We have been keeping a log,which was provided from the Council...The council have looked at the log,and are going to put a Recording Device in next Monday.Last week the noise got so loud we actually called them out.The Noise and Nuisance Officers came,but parked right outside our house,where they could be seen.Well needless to say one of the relatives saw them,ran back in, told my neighbours and everything went quiet,dead quiet,so the Noise and Nuisance Officers had no evidence.

The Officers did not seem very interested,and told us that it is very hard to do anything about Noisy Neighbours,because you have to prove Statutory Noise,and more often than not,nothing can be done,as its classed as general noise. (HUH?) Also they said that we cannot do anything with children screaming even if its all day,and evening,but these kids are encouraged to scream,when the people next door are playfully chasing them around the house.The children's excited screaming then goes on all day into the evening.We also experience banging and thumping noises.The adults of the house also laugh loudly,along with excited screaming and shouting.Last night I could not even eat my dinner because of the noise was so distressing.We have actually turned up the volume of our tv,to try and drown their noise out,but they just turn theirs up,so we have them making noise and their tv. Are we doomed to put up with this?We would so love some advice.Thanking you all for assistance.

Quote Post 1

  • Joanna
  • Up all night!
  • Offline
  • Registered: 7 December 2010
  • Posts: 1,918

Re: Neighbours From Hell

Oh Derry I completely sympathise with your situation.

In terms of the officers not witnessing it due to them parking right outside, this is common. It happened to me the first time I called them out. The second time I called I asked them to park further down the road, they did and they witnessed the noise. But the officers I encountered were lovely and said "It happens all the time". You have to just perservere with it to be honest. If the noise is happening during the working day you can call out the person in charge at the Housing Office. I did this on Christmas eve and she came out, witnessed the noise and told my neighbours to turn down their music. Now I know music is a different matter to just the general banging, shouting you are experiencing but it is still a disturbance and allowing kids to scream all day and run around is not on really.

And the recording device will pick up all this noise, so you will have evidence! The equipment i had installed, picked up the phone call my neighbour had and they are downstairs!!! You could literally hear every word on the recording so dont panic. They are good!

Hope you get some peace soon x

Quote Post 2

  • Derry
  • Noisy neighbour
  • Offline
  • Registered: 31 January 2011
  • Posts: 171

Re: Neighbours From Hell

Hi Joanna,

Thank you for your response to my post.Yes I have heard that Music is different to loud talking,screaming,etc.Last sunday I put my tv on,which was really low,and they had the cheek to bang on our wall,and while they banged on our wall,there was all sorts of noise coming from their property.I have to say though that just before they banged on our wall the noise from next door stopped,just for a moment,then after they banged,then they laughed and continued their noise.We have this suspicious feeling that they had their ears pressed up against our wall,as that would be the only possible way that they heard our tv.Oh I did forget to mention that we have taped their noise on our mobile phone,which you can hear very clearly,we did present the phone to the officers,so they do understand the amount of noise that we have to put up with,as its only a mobile phone,so you can imagine what the Recording Device will pick up : )

Quote Post 3

  • Joanna
  • Up all night!
  • Offline
  • Registered: 7 December 2010
  • Posts: 1,918

Re: Neighbours From Hell

If you have recorded it on a mobile phone and it can be heard when played back, then its sooooo too loud!!!! I tried this with my neighbours music and it was banging through my flat but the phone didnt pick it up very well. You will get some clear recordings off the official device. It also tends to pick up a minute before you press the button so it is a good indicator as will pick up your tv noise against their noise.

These neighbours sound like arrogant idiots who are seeing how far they can push their luck. Dont give up Derry!!! We are all here to support you x

Quote Post 4

  • Derry
  • Noisy neighbour
  • Offline
  • Registered: 31 January 2011
  • Posts: 171

Re: Neighbours From Hell

Hi Mac,

Thank you so much for your quick response.I have read your replies to others on the forum,and have found them to be quite helpful,as your reply to me is.

The court case that you cite is one of where a persons sleep has been disturbed,but this is not the case with my complaint,as the noise that we are experiencing is occurring through out the day and night up until around 11pm,sometimes 12am.However, the stress which i suffer from the noise is causing me to lose sleep.I feel as if I am living on my nerves.They also constantly bang their doors and front wooden gate to the point,my front living room windows vibrate.Oh I forgot to mention,that the Officers before putting in the recording equipment,will be paying 3 visits this week,to try and catch them out.I am so worried that they will be seen,before they put in the recording device next coming monday. : (

Quote Post 5

  • Derry
  • Noisy neighbour
  • Offline
  • Registered: 31 January 2011
  • Posts: 171

Re: Neighbours From Hell

Hi Joanna,

I am feeling so much better with the support that I have already recieved on here,thank you so much  : ) x

Yes the mobile phone voice recorder picks up the neighbours conversations very clearly.If they spoke in English we would know all of their business,and anything private that they would discuss.I do wonder that,if they were not Turkish and knowing that we could speak their langauge,whether they would be so
ready for us to hear their conversations.Last week they were rolling things across their living room floor,with one of the children shouting and screaming exitedly,and somebody hitting my wall with what ever object they were rolling,it sounded horrendous,and made me jump.The adult women were screaming also.

Quote Post 6

  • Derry
  • Noisy neighbour
  • Offline
  • Registered: 31 January 2011
  • Posts: 171

Re: Neighbours From Hell

Thank you Mac for your reply.

I am going to try and get hold of the Noise and Nuisance Officers to see if the case is that if they witness nothing,they will cancel the Recording Device because of insufficient evidence.
I am sure though that we did ask them the question."If nothing is witnessed what happens then?they said that they would go ahead and install the Recording Device,but i also got the impression that even if they do witness anything,that they would still install the device,for evidence purposes.

Quote Post 7

  • Derry
  • Noisy neighbour
  • Offline
  • Registered: 31 January 2011
  • Posts: 171

Re: Neighbours From Hell

Hi Mac.

The Council did send out an advisory letter a couple of months ago,telling them that there had been a complaint regarding their noise etc,they went quiet for a couple of weeks,then started up again,so basically they ignored the advice to be more considerate and quiet.When the Officers visited our property after us calling them out,over 3 weeks ago now,the officers were seen,and they went dead quiet while the Officers were listening for noise coming from my neighbours,but not a peep,because my neighbours knew that the Officers were here.It was bliss for around a week and a half,but yet again have now started again.When the Officers left the tennant next door was actually standing on his front porch smoking waiting for the Officers to leave our property,the officers saw him.To be honest Mac I think that my neighbours think that they have got away with it.They have assumed that we called them out,which we did,Officers left because we did not have a case,in their eyes.

They are so sly Mac,and your right we have to be like them,kind of box clever really to catch them out.Its safe for us to have the recording device out I think,because they feel relaxed enough to continue with their noise.I dont understand how people can be so selfish.The thing is also,is that we ourselves are going around being more quiet than we actually would be,to the extent that its really silly.I have even  got to the point where i am nervous about doing the hoovering,as I dont want to ruin our case against them.We have a 19 year old son who is living at home,but goes to University,and he is having trouble studying,because of the noise.When a student complains,you know its loud sad

Quote Post 8

  • Registered: 16 November 2010
  • Posts: 3,787

Re: Neighbours From Hell

Hi Derry,

Sounds like there trying to get you to move out, sounds like they've done this before. Sounds like Hell.

xx

Quote Post 9

  • Derry
  • Noisy neighbour
  • Offline
  • Registered: 31 January 2011
  • Posts: 171

Re: Neighbours From Hell

No dont worry,I am not vacuming at night Mac lol..mornings around 10am usually.Thank you so much for your advice.I will give you an update on how we go on with the Recording Device.We have asked for the planned visits to be cancelled,and for them just to just install the Recording device this coming monday.We are waiting for a call back from them,as we had to leave a message on their answering machine.

Quote Post 10

  • Derry
  • Noisy neighbour
  • Offline
  • Registered: 31 January 2011
  • Posts: 171

Re: Neighbours From Hell

Hi Pandora,
Well i have been living in my property for 19 years,my neighbours have only been here since last August,no way will they get me to move.

I meant to say,that not only do we have to put up with their noise,but their back garden is a mess.They have dirty bed pillows hanging over their fence,wet rugs on the patio,that have been out there for weeks,also lots of other rubbish.Paint pots thrown at the end of their garden.We are buying our property,now I think that the value of my house will certainly go down.Not only because of the rubbish in their garden,but because if we decide to sell,its law that we tell the people who are going to buy my property about the noise complaints.I think its going to be very hard for me to sell up in the future. : (

Quote Post 11

  • Registered: 16 November 2010
  • Posts: 3,787

Re: Neighbours From Hell

Hi Derry,

I have the picture, thats also covered in the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Hey, whose talking moving....

don't you wish you were a dalek and "EXTERMINATE"!!!!  xx

Quote Post 12

  • Derry
  • Noisy neighbour
  • Offline
  • Registered: 31 January 2011
  • Posts: 171

Re: Neighbours From Hell

Pandora lol

Well eventually I will want to move,when my son finishes University,but thats not for another 3 and a half years yet.Mind you the way things are going with the economy,think i will be here for a while yet.

Oh I would love to be a "Dalek"at this moment big_smile

The people who lived there,were a lovely couple,there garden was their pride and joy.Soon as these people moved in,they dug up the back garden,and front,its just soil now with lots of rubbish.I have no clue why they did this.They also cut half of my tree back so much from the legal boundaries,well I say cut they hacked everything in their garden,plus my tree.I was not a happy bunny. I have an idea that they are going to grow veg.Hmmm hope the foxes tear it all up..Ohhh "Did I say that"lol Honestly these people bring out the worse in me.

Quote Post 13

  • Registered: 16 November 2010
  • Posts: 3,787

Re: Neighbours From Hell

Grow vegetables.....sounds like growing rubbish..... My "neighbour" used to put a can of petrol in my tomato bed under my kitchen window.....they died and even if they had'nt I could'nt have eaten them....

Quote Post 14

  • Derry
  • Noisy neighbour
  • Offline
  • Registered: 31 January 2011
  • Posts: 171

Re: Neighbours From Hell

Mac,

What do you make of this?This is from The Royal Bourough Of Kingson Upon Thames..I dont live in this brough but its got me a little worried,regarding why this Council wont take action for people shouting in from their premises.Does this mean its the same everywhere?


What constitutes a statutory nuisance?

A statutory noise nuisance is a noisy disturbance that materially, and therefore significantly, interferes with a person’s lawful rights to the enjoyment of their home. Audibility alone is not necessarily an indication of nuisance as neighbours living in close proximity are always likely to be aware of each other’s activities and it is not reasonable to expect a silent environment. Nuisance is judged from the viewpoint of the average person’s sensitivity to noise and no allowance can be made for people on shift work or those with particularly sensitive hearing. Case law also requires that the noise must arise from the unreasonable behaviour or conduct of the person responsible. The law does not specify noise levels or set time limits but requires an objective judgement to be made by us based upon factors such as:

How often the noise occurs
Its duration
How loud it is
The time of day/night
The character of the noise (whether it has any particularly annoying characteristics)
The nature of the area
We must also consider the reasonable likelihood of us being able to gather the necessary evidence to witness the noise which in the case of random or short lived noise occurrences is rarely possible.


We can take action for noise disturbance from:

Amplified music
Barking dogs
Noise from DIY activities
Audible Intruder Alarms

We cannot take action for lifestyle noises such as:

Footfalls
Dropping objects/moving furniture
Light switches being switched on/off
General talking
Shouting and singing, except in cases where disturbance is caused frequently at night (after 11pm) and for prolonged periods
Slamming doors
Toilet flushing
Babies crying
Children playing
This is because case law from the House of Lords states that noise from the ordinary and reasonable use of residential premises cannot be considered a nuisance. Case law also prevents us from requiring any owner or occupier of premises from carrying out works to improve sound insulation.

Quote Post 15