Unreasonably noisy neighbour's children

[karenharry1]

I am 60 yrs old and disabled and have live in my ground floor flat for 17 years. For the last 7 years the neighbour who moved in above me has allowed her very young children to scream at the top of their lungs for up to 6 hours a day and bang and jump around to such an extent that ornaments of mine have fallen of shelves and broken. I have spoken with her so many times and was happy to agree to a 2 hour period of noise, but 6 hours is just too much for me. I've tried to move, but ground floor flats are hard to come by in my area. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a fair amount of noise, children need to play, and when the noise is limited, it's a pleasure to hear them play. But am I being unreasonable to ask for the screaming to be limited. I promise, this is screaming literally at the top of their lungs...for up to 6 hours a day (they like to play dinosaurs and chasing). I need a parent's perspective as my son is in Uni now so I'm child free.

Did you have children?
Do you have GC?

This has been going on for 7 years?

what has finally made you post? Have you spoken with the parents? Have you pursuers with the council?

Sorry you have spoken with her.

but in 7 years never complained to freeholder? Or the directors if you are the free holder?

Surely her “very young children” have grown up over 7 years a bit??

Who owns the flats - your flat and neighbour's flat? Because if they are not owner occupiers then you can go to the association/landlord for help - have you tried this?

I have complained to the housing officer but noisy children is not really their priority. 6 neighbours in total, all 5 of us complained about her noise. To be fair, how does one complain about children playing too loudly in a flat - so hard. I need a parent's perspective and advise before I talk to her again, because I don't want to antagonise her.

You can devices which measure the noise level in your flat, thinkthe council supply them which will be helpful in pushing your complaint

Surely the very young children are now approaching (if not already at) big school and lying on their beds playing with their phones now? (or at least some are?), how many and what ages are they?

thank you so much for responding. Yes I have a son who has left for Uni in Lincoln. She complained about his noise once when he was using his PS and so I bought him earphones! She complained about us not using correct parking bays, so we adhered. She complained about the children above her making too much noise and would bang on the walls and scream and swear. A previous neighbour she got on with was evicted for cannabis growing, but she accused my son of it to housing and police. Luckily the police informed housing who it was so that me and my son were not evicted. I'm scared of her.

Have you used your real name as your poster name for this? If you're scared of her already, your post is very specific and outing anyway, let alone using your name in the username.

You aren't being unreasonable if they are truly screaming at the top of their voices six hours a day, this would drive me round the bend. But she does not sound reasonable and I'm not sure what you could do that would not cause retaliation.

That's how I feel. But, to be honest, having somewhere to vent today, with you guys responding, has helped me more than you can know. Thank you so much <3

At first it was the eldest, who was 3 when she moved in. Dinosaur fan and screamer banger, jumper of furniture. Now she has another 3 year old who out screams his big bro lol. She is a great mum, I have to be fair. She works as a nursery school assistant and her life is young kids. I appreciate that living in a 1st floor flat can't be easy. But I hate hypocrisy and I don't understand why she hasn't put in for a transfer to a house with garden like all the other tenants here with young children have?

Hi DuchessDandilion yes I have a noise device fitted, but it's outside. As she keeps her windows shut, it doesn't really help my cause lol

Ok

So there’s a lot of history 😂

I highly doubt any “talking” in this situation after this history and7 years is going to do a damn thing.

So you will have to move, but you’ll struggle as you will have to declare the nuisance issue because you complained to housing officers.

Do you own or rent? Is this housing association property?

Ah housing association

because garden isn’t the be all and end all and clearly if staying for 7 years it suits her and her family

why haven’t you put in a transfer?

If this has been going on for 7 years, surely they’re now in school?

Covered up thread

The reality is if the noise is household noise during the daytime then unless you get it measured and its above certain decibels it's just that - normal household noise