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

[Stillmonday]

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?!

I cant believe the people on this page who think it is unreasonable. The neighbours have complained to the counsel and they are just letting you know. the neighbours are unable to see any point of view other than their own. Of course you are permitted to improve your property.

My friends are lIving next to somebody who is having an extension, which is continuing at the moment, it’s very noisy for them and even more as they are home all day long. They are relatively happy though as the neighbours warned them before it started, and they know that once the extension is done it will stop, perhaps that’s the problem, you’ve finished one job and launched straight into another and perhaps their worried that you are going to start another straight after.

Don't people read you rarely do anything duhhh..carry on and finish it not like thousands of people don't do it and more besides. There is a law about noise and it sounds like you are sticking to it .council are being petty as usual just ring and explain you are not putting music on full blast every day or having parties every night which is when the council supposed to be involved not silly things like kitchens and decking which is over and done with soon as done .

It's just some decking. It's life, this is what happens when we have neighbours. Some people have work done on their house. Some houses need more work than others. Oh well. If you wanted to meet them half way you could ask when they are out for their hours exercise and schedule at least that hour to coincide and then ask when they will be inside generally and schedule that too. But they have gone to some lengths so you might not reconcile easily.

I can see both sides.

On the one hand, no, you're not being unreasonable to be able to want to improve your home and generally once you've done your kitchen and garden it won't need doing again.

I also understand what it's like to have awful neighbours and there's a world of difference between DIY and all night weekday alcohol fuelled parties.

It's just difficult at the moment as everyone is confined and under stress so now is not the best time to be doing this. It also depends on how much you like your neighbours.

I've lived in my house for 11yrs and had zero money until now so I'm going to be renovating my entire house and quite frankly, I couldn't give a flying f*ck if my neighbour likes it or not.

He's not the most reasonable of people anyway (despite me desperately trying to be get on with him) so he can like it or lump it.

Personally, I don't mind be careful and sensitive to others but what other people like or dislike is not more important than my need to live my life in a reasonable fashion.... you're allowed to do DIY and actually, no one NEEDS to like it? It's your life and your house so crack on.

Just play dumb and ask why you've been sent this letter over installing a simple piece of decking and inform them you are sticking to their own noise level requirements.

our neighbours have a gardener at least 3-4 days a week
leaf blowing, mowing, jet washing the fish pool on and off all day .
A bit of diy for a couple of hours a day is nowt

God, are people really this intolerant?! We've recently moved into a total renovation project. We have neighbours. It's not their fault that the house was left in a dire state, but it's not our either, and we have a right to renovate it, surely?! Otherwise what are people supposed to do with houses that need a lot of work?! Just live in a shit hole and do a tiny bit at a time? Not very practical!

A kitchen and then some decking is not much, it's really not.

I am astounded at the replies here! Clearly we're monsters for buying a house that needs work and expecting to be able to do the work.

You've received the standard 'We've had a complaint' letter. There are guidelines about what hours are acceptable for noisy building work. I suspect you're within them.

So, finish the job. But try to patch things up with your neighbour. A bad neighbour will diminish your quality of life rather more than a scruffy kitchen would!

I would speak to the council

@Stillmonday You have every right to build your decking so just carry on. You had every right to have a new kitchen too x ignore letter and carry on.

I have neighbors like you. I also have an adult son with ASD and sensory issues. It used to be just the weekends but now he’s on lockdown it seems to be constant. They have two kids and his wife is a key worker so who’s supervising the kids? Both under ten. Because we are stuck at home it’s like torture.

Each council have noisy working hours, check with them what they are and provided you do it during that time there shouldnt be a problem. Weekday and weekend hours are usually different.

Wtf is wrong with people. If you dickheads wanted to do some diy then you would. Talk about being kind where tf has that gone eh? Two projects is nothing. Fuck the moany ass mugs and carry on. Jesus Christ shame on you people.

People are using this time to do some work in their houses and garden. It's just how it is. I'm not massively keen on the neighbours who let their dogs out to bark either, but that's just living beside other people.

I never comment but seriously what is wrong with people. WE ARE ALL PISSED WE CANT LEAVE SO PUT SOME MUSIC ON AND SHUT UP!

Tough tits on them I say. You’re entitled to work on your home within reasonable hours which you are adhering to.
People improving their homes will always be something that happens. Some people just like moaning.

I think that yes you've done your kitchen , then said it was a one off ...and are now doing decking. I can appreciate that it is your home and you want to decorate it , but also everyone is stuck in their houses , and having lived through my dad gutting our kitchen for 6 months , it was not fun. Book some time off when this is all blown over and do it then . I can see it is frustrating for you but I can see it from their point of view too.

And yes you are technically allowed to do it during the day...but it doesn't make it any less noisy or annoying when people are stuck in their houses all day listening to your banging /hammering . Surely you can do it another time ?

Hi OP sorry you’ve had such a bashing. YANBU at all for doing your diy as described in the hours you state (I have read all of your comments!). Don’t take other malicious comments to heart.

You did mention though that is a concern that they go away every weekend. Has that continued during the lockdown? I couldn’t see mention of it other than the once. If they are still going away then that is breaking lock down and I would have no hesitation to report them for this to the police.

Good luck with finishing your DIY and enjoying your garden!

We flipped a house last summer, all work done during working hours and no complaints. I would of found it odd if we'd had complaints as some jobs require noise to be done. I assume the complaint is because they are trapped in the house so already a little unsettled and now they have loud noise on top of it too. You are well within your rights to do the work but can understand why others are less tolerant during this time.

It's really impossible to say if YABU or not unless you are actually there to experience the noise first hand. Some people are just born complainers, I have a flatmate that just makes problems up just to have something to complain about, so it's entirely possible your neighbour is making a mountain out of a molehill. On the other hand there's nothing worse than noisy neighbours, whether it's shouting, kids screaming, music blaring etc

If you read the OP reply’s you would see that the kitchen noise was TWO hours a day 4-6 probably cos hubby had to work, so yes it would take a month, suprised it didn’t take longer. People need to get a grip

If you read the OP reply’s you would see that the kitchen noise was TWO hours a day 4-6 probably cos hubby had to work, so yes it would take a month, suprised it didn’t take longer. People need to get a grip

YABU for saying the word "hubby"

Book some time off when this is all blown over and do it then

Why on earth should they? This is the perfectbtime to get all the jobs done in the house and garden. Round here it's a mix of hammers, drills, lawn mowers, strimmers and why not?

Can I suggest you go round and apologise. Take a nice bottle of wine and some flowers. Kick off by seeing their point of view Listen. Tell them you will do everything you can to minimise the nuisance and that it will be done soon. Promise to have them round to view when you can. Spread good neighbour vibes thickly. Do not talk about your rights. Often all that is needed in such a situation is a bit of grace on someone's part. Let that person be you.