Neighbour Noise Nuisance - are they doing anything wrong?

[tuliprosedaffodil]

Opinions please.

We have a neighbour about six doors down (big houses so a fair way away) who every single day without fail gets their modified boy racer car with a stupid exhaust out of the garage, turns it on, leaves it idling on the driveway for about an hour and then sits for a good 15 minutes revving the bejesus out of it before putting it away again.

It is driving me mental. DH is getting disturbed on conference calls (currently WFH and likely to be permanently), it disturbs my baby's naps, and it's generally really annoying. We've got new double glazed windows and doors too. It is so loud, even idling. For comparison if our next door neighbour leaves their big old work car idling outside if it frozen of a morning for example we can't hear a thing indoors and that's right next to us.

This happens between 1pm and 2pm every day. So not unsociable hours.

Is it worth me contacting the council or am I wasting my time because of the time it's happening at?

I haven't personally spoken to the neighbour before anyone asks but one of their closer neighbours has asked him to stop and got a mouthful. So he's not approachable about it.

Thoughts?

I don’t think there’s anything you can do tbh. Like you said it’s sociable hours, and while annoying it’s only an hour a day

Yes I would say that’s unreasonable behaviour on part of car owning neighbours so worth phoning environmental health.

It wouldn't hurt to call your councils noise team for advice. They'll tell you if the neighbour is doing anything that they can take action against. The idling might be something they can take action against.

No matter what your other neighbours say, it's still worth trying to speak to him again yourself. You might get somewhere, you might not, but its worth having a try.

@ThreeLeggedCat

Yes I would say that’s unreasonable behaviour on part of car owning neighbours so worth phoning environmental health.

The environmental impact irritates me too, I mean who thinks it's ok to leave a car engine running for an hour! It stinks too if you walk past.

But the noise is what's really getting on my nerves. I don't know if the council would act on the environmental aspect would they?

We had a similar issue here and our council got involved because it’s so regular. Just because it’s not during unsociable hours doesn’t mean you can just do what you like between 9am-11pm!
If you know other neighbours don’t like it ask them to complain to the council too. Our council you fill in a form online, really easy

Vehicle idling is illegal IIRC.

@megletsecond

Vehicle idling is illegal IIRC.

On public roads, yes. But not on his own driveway.

Unfortunately the little fucker probably knows that as long as his twatmobile isn't on the road, this isnt an offence. I'd love to know where he gets all that free petrol to waste.

Try the council, nothing to lose. Alternatively if you know any dodgy types, the keys must be in at this time so it would be a real shame if it got nicked...

Between those times I'm not sure if you have a come back, he is clearly a twat.

Potato up his exhaust pipe?

Idling IS illegal if there is no one in the car.

@murbblurb

Unfortunately the little fucker probably knows that as long as his twatmobile isn't on the road, this isnt an offence. I'd love to know where he gets all that free petrol to waste.

Try the council, nothing to lose. Alternatively if you know any dodgy types, the keys must be in at this time so it would be a real shame if it got nicked...

He's not even a little fucker, he's a mid-fifties man!

And someone (not me, I am a law abuser and I don't know who it was) did damage the car two years ago. I don't remember him doing this then though so I don't know if it's related. They squirted some sort of foam that was really damaging up the exhaust... hence it's now kept in a garage I expect!

I am not a law abuser! I am a law abider! 🤦‍♀️Oh dear.

I'd go and talk to him directly, I know you said your neighbour tried but got a mouthful, but did you actually hear the mouthful, or is it just what your neighbour told you?

If he's that worried about his bloody battery/engine he'd be better off going for a 15 minute drive.

We live by a dick like this but he has a motorbike.

I have neighbour about 6 doors up that does this at 5am every morning!!! He's been reported numerous times but nothing ever happens it drives me and my immediate neighbours mental !

Mid fifties? Bit late to grow up! Try the council, the nuisance bar is high but worth a go. Tell them that he is not receptive to common sense so they must keep your anonymity. As he will be pissing off the entire neighbour hood that should be easy.

We have a dicky neighbour with a penis extension trike that he revs every weekend. I nearly asked if he would like my mechanic friend to have a look at it as obviously something wrong! He races up and down our cul de sac with his small son on the bike. No helmets . An elderly neighbour challenged him and got a mouthful of abuse . Also constant stream of bike mates even through lockdown.

@Lovewinemorethanhusband

I have neighbour about 6 doors up that does this at 5am every morning!!! He's been reported numerous times but nothing ever happens it drives me and my immediate neighbours mental !

Omg I'd be murderous if it was at 5am! That's so out of order.

Report him and keep doing so.

I really don't feel comfortable going to speak to him. I'm usually pretty forthright but I know the other neighbour well and she said he was quite aggressive about it, he swore at her. So if I am going to report him I don't really want him to know it was me, which he will if I speak to him first because it will be blindingly obvious!