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Original poster

We've had a noise pollution letter from the council!!!

472 replies

Stillmonday · 17/04/2020 11:26

We aren't big DIYers but February my husband fitted us a new kitchen, it took a whole month inbetween work and he always stopped any noise at 6pm.
Now we are doing some decking in the garden whilst on lockdown. Some sawing, sanding & banging again stops at 6pm.
A letter has just arrived warning us of noise pollution and excessive hammering, banging & use of power tools.

Our neighbour was really annoyed when we had our kitchen, they even recorded the noise it made one day but I tried to explain it was a one off and that's what happens when a new kitchen is being fitted.

Now we are quite shocked to receive the letter but don't know where we stand. Are we allowed to finish the decking or shall we not bother?!

OP posts:
OhLookHeKickedTheBall · 17/04/2020 15:24

We've had a similar letter from the council years ago, well 2 in face but over different things.

First was a noise complaint. We scratched our heads but assumed that perhaps it was when we were putting some furniture together for the baby's nursery a month earlier. Called the council and they advised it was about noise during the nighttime, which we definitely weren't making other than said baby crying that we pointed out, and they agreed, there was little we could do to stop as at that point she was weeks old. It turned out neighbour had submitted a diary including nighttime construction noise from our house at the time I was giving birth. As we could prove neither of us were in the house at that point, and also that it turned out neighbour had made a series of complaints over the years on various neighbours similarly they chose to look at it as vexatious thankfully.

Second was a fly tipping complaint. The pictures showed not only building materials on my own land, but the builders working with them. The council quickly decided not to pursue that complaint too.

Call the council and talk to them. I know another neighbour received a complaint when they were having building work done and the upshot was that so long as they were working in permitted hours then the builders were fine to continue.

Iamamoleinahole · 17/04/2020 15:25

Nobody ever does anything wrong. We are always in the right. It is always the other person. Hammer on.

Alsohuman · 17/04/2020 15:25

I’m firmly on team neighbour. If ours were doing this at a time when we can’t go out and get away from it, I’d be so pissed off.

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sleepingpup · 17/04/2020 15:31

incredible.

During this national emergency if your Council waste their time persuing a complaint about you putting decking down after installing a kitchen, we really have things to worry about!

MarieQueenofScots · 17/04/2020 15:33

My thinking would be that ordinarily it would be no issue doing the work.

However during a time when the neighbours can't escape from the noise it pays to be mindful as to how you can minimise impact.

Maybe speak to them (from a distance obviously!) and ask for when would be least irritating.

RenegadeMrs · 17/04/2020 15:34

Honestly, a month to fit a kitchen sounds a lot?

I get your point of view, and of course you should be able to do home improvments but after a month of noise, 2-3 weeks off (assuming you finished at the end of Feb) now in a lockdown where they can't just up and leave you to it for a few hours I'd be worried what you have planned next as well! Things are strange and nerves are frazzled.

Perhaps just finish the decking asap (within allowed noise hours) and then just leave the powertools alone until the end of lockdown?

SmokedGlass · 17/04/2020 15:34

@Stillmonday

Why bother replying to any of these awful replies?
You’ve done what you’ve done, with still a bit of work to go, so I’d just leave it for now and restart after lockdown
It’s not even worth reading any more of the comments from now on, they are just picking at you cos they’re bored and looking for someone to take it out on 😂

I bet your kitchen looks lovely, and the decking will too, especially with the really modern ones of today, they look cool
Good luck with it all

Springersrock · 17/04/2020 15:38

The council do not send letters out without good reason. It has to be really unbearable with plenty of proof.

We had a noise complaint letter a couple of years ago. Complaining about a dog barking non-stop

We didn’t have a dog

When I phoned the council they said they’d received a complaint from a neighbour and that they’d submitted a noise diary

I pointed out that we didn’t have a dog so it must be completely fabricated, they said it was standard for them to send out the letters without investigating the complaint themselves

MrsNettle · 17/04/2020 15:40

I wouldn't mind you as my neighbour OP 🙂 If your work stops at 6pm, that's fine. Just don't do any diy at the weekends given the circumstances.
We just sold our house because of inconsiderate twat of a neighbour who EVERY night and all day at weekends had his fucking TV on the loudest possible setting. Your daytime DIY is nothing. Good luck!

sqirrelfriends · 17/04/2020 15:44

They're being ridiculous complaining to the council, I'd be give ung them a call to give your side of the story.

Smilebehappy123 · 17/04/2020 15:45

Tell them to fuck off the scruffs, sounds like pure jealousy , our neighbour has just built a lovely log cabin in their garden , its bloody gorgeous, was noise every weekend for months we couldn't care less. DH is currently doing our decking and guess what they dont care either

CrocodilesCry · 17/04/2020 15:45

I do sympathise with your neighbour. We have a nightmare neighbour two doors up who burns rubbish every single day and does noisy work day in day out usually starting from 8am - and it hasn't stopped now we're in lockdown.

He's spent the past three days noisily drilling the render off the whole house and then when he's not drilling, he's burning stuff in the garden.

The whole neighbourhood has just about had enough. I know work needs to be done but people are extra sensitive at the moment - and more so if you've already been pissing them off.

Sorry but I can see why they are annoyed.

Dieu · 17/04/2020 15:49

If I was to do work of this nature, I would always approach my neighbours in advance, and mention it to them. That way it doesn't come as a surprise to anyone. I can't imagine going ahead without having given them a heads-up.

Orangecake123 · 17/04/2020 15:53

I've had building works near me which have been on going for the past three months.They start at 7am and are done by 6pm honestly it's awful 6 days a week. I can't open the windows and I live in a studio flat.

cologne4711 · 17/04/2020 15:53

I'm wondering how fitting a kitchen can be so noisy, quite honestly. You were doing it in the winter, so presumably the windows were closed? I've had work done in the house over the years and it's really not been that bad, and I am sensitive to noise.

And how can having new decking be noisy? We are not getting the full picture. I imagine the council did get the full (audio) picture, and sent the letter accordingly.

sleepingpup · 17/04/2020 15:58

I imagine the council did get the full (audio) picture, and sent the letter accordingly.

I imagine the neighbours next door are always making a fuss about people.

Yogawoogie · 17/04/2020 15:58

I can’t see why people are being so negative!
Ring the council and explain. Finish the decking.

OneandTwenty · 17/04/2020 16:06

I can’t see why people are being so negative!
because they can imagine how unbearable a noisy and inconsiderate neighbour can be?

Original poster
Stillmonday · 17/04/2020 16:08

I've finally managed to speak to the council who told me to carry on doing what I'm doing as my neighbours are too sensitive with acceptable noise!!
He said they send out hundreds of these letters and not to take it personally as what I'm doing is perfectly normal!

So I'll carry on with our garden. Enjoy the weekend everyone ☺️

OP posts:
Original poster
Stillmonday · 17/04/2020 16:10

@SmokedGlass very true ☺️

OP posts:
Bookoffacts · 17/04/2020 16:10

Possibly they went away every weekend to get away from you and the noise.
That's hardly fair.

If I were them I'd be looking at moving and definitely complain to council.

sleepingpup · 17/04/2020 16:14

Moving because someone installed a kitchen and some decking within a 3 month period .@Bookoffacts

🙄

BacklashStarts · 17/04/2020 16:19

Well that proves them and a lot of posters on this thread wrong. Turns out you can’t expect the whole world to be silent!

BoomBoomsCousin · 17/04/2020 16:20

I can see why they find it annoying, but that’s the nature of construction and it’s not unreasonable to fit an new kitchen or build a deck, even one right after the other.

OP it seems unlikely that you’ve broken any noise regulations and most likely that the council are currently sending out letters in lieu of investigating. But the only way to tell is to call them up.

Hope you deck is fabulous for sitting out on when it’s done.

MarieQueenofScots · 17/04/2020 16:21

I predict a post in about 6 months with the OP bemoaning her noisy neighbours who have suddenly got the DIY bug to spend all their riches on Grin

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