All these threads about horrible nasty anti-social noisy neighbours .

Councils are generally crap, especially with their limited resources now.

And here in the U.K, I think most people are quite nervous about confrontation and would rather suffer in silence.

I pray that when I move I never, ever have to live next door to scuzzy low-life's like the ones I do now.

Seems that way. The tractor nappers show no sign of fucking off.

Hi SP,
How are the tractor napper's windows - broken yet? I really don't understand why councils seem to let some tenants get away with murder.

Just scared too, I suppose.

You have to have documented proof that they are causing the disturbance, and then the council have to follow it up, and then they can contact those responsible. However, if you're that much of a tit that you think mowing your lawn at 8am on a Sunday or yelling obscenities throughout the night or playing your music deafeningly loud is fine and dandy then you're probably not going to care much about a letter from the council.

Did you get the tractor back?

Tractor nappers are the dosser neighbours. Smash their own windows sometimes twice a month yet still there.

Got it back as I went round and took it. They threatened to phone the police

It takes a long time through environmental health - the burden to prove "statutory nuisance" is big and it is hard to prove - neighbours making the noise are warned of the potential for noise recording taking place during a finite period as it is a legal requirement so they can keep quiet then.

Eh are reluctant to go to court for noise abatement notices unless it is ridiculous noise - far beyond the point where it is an actual nuisance - as they have to bw sure of a conviction.

And by reporting home owners are screwed as it will impact any future sale (and value) as it has to be reported (well you should report any complaint but it is only "provable" if you make the complaint officially.)

Our was solved!

Our neighbours kept partying on weekdays starting at early a.m and going until we were leaving for work in the morning.

I tried repeatedly to knock round and just have a quick chat with them but they used to just peep at me through their peephole and I could hear them taking the piss out of me on the other side of the door.

Called the specialist noise team through the police control centre the next time. Team did Thurs - Sun night and their final party was a Sunday thankfully.

Probably because they panicked about the amount of weed in their flat

I think when spring/ summer time comes, the noisy irritating neighbour issue usually becomes more obvious and intolerable, as we all love to sit outside in the garden and joy the sunshine without loud music/screeching kids/barking dogs

I have found that the secret is to get as many neighbours onside, because chances are if you are being disturbed, the NFH (neighbours from hell) are probably pissing plenty of other neighbouring families off too.. A lone voice can lead to bullying, worsening of the disturbance, tit for tat etc and being left feeling rather vulnerable as some of these NFH can turn pretty nasty. A group of families complaining can isolate the NFH, or make them feel it at least. And pestering the council collectively can work wonders too occasionally.

We have photographs dating back 10 years now of my neighbours blocking my drive. Anytime we've approached them (politely) we've been sworn at.

Council came out but all they'd suggest was mediation. I refuse to sit in a room and talk with people who think it's okay to swear in front of small children.

Police won't come out. They say it's a civil matter.

We love where we live. We love everyone else who lives here but unfortunately we have a shared access driveway with vile people.

I realise we're very lucky compared to some though. I hope they all get what's coming to them.

About noise: is there such a thing as a cheap decibel-recording device?

marj, sorry to read what you're experiencing right now.

i dont even care if a house is too small or whatever its alwasy about the neighbours and the area isnt it?

Couldn't agree with you more. Much better to be a bit cramped and live in a nice area with civilised neighbours than the opposite.

Hoe you have a peaceful Sunday.

I agree that it's far better to live in a nice area even if the house isn't 100% perfect.
I'm doing that right now. I'm shifting to a slightly smaller place - finally! - because our downstairs neighbours are just unlivable with. I have literally had anxiety attacks over our issues with them, and I'm so thoroughly sick of having to tell my son off for doing normal child things.

Neighbours from hell don't necessarily have to be doing something illegal/actionable to be neighbours from hell. Which is even worse, at least if they're breaking some rule you've got a chance of getting rid of them!

They're always much, much more noticeable when the whether is warmer, and open windows let more noise in, and generally being outdoors makes everything's more conspicuous.

I don't (touch wood) have problem neighbours, but there's a house on the next street that appears to be inhabited by colourful characters. And their activities are much more noticeable to passers by in the summer when they use their garden more. Goodness only knows what it's like for their direct neighbours.

We have massive problems with our neighbours which means we have to get the police out (and when I say massive I mean threatening to kill the kids, flyering the neighbourhood inciting people to attack us, damaging our property). Despite us being the 4th set of neighbours this has happened to, the police aren't interested.

We were told there were no disputes, legally the last one had been so previous it wasn't seen as worth declaring apparently. We just have to hope theory concentrate on the newer neighbours for a while so we can sell in a few years.

we are ha with problems with the area but there is little that gets done. complaints are logged but people carry on regardless. there needs to be a lot of complaints to warrant any action and evicting is lengthy and costly if its extreme. not suggesting they should evict people for DIY but there is little they can do apart from a letter reminding of the points in tenancy apparently

No one is prepared to do anything about it. It's the same problem as dog crap all over the streets. People feel they have the right/there are no consequences...

Unfortunately it seems there is no consistency over councils.

I think anyone being affected like this and having no joy through official routes should be writing to their MP.

Problem neighbours are blighting peoples lives up and down the country, and its leading to some people killing themselves. What can you do if you cannot take sanctuary in your own home?

Much more legislation needs to be in place to deal with naughty neighbours and bad landlords.

We had massive on going problems, its aged me. It affected my life so much.

In the end I wrote to my MP and said if the issues are not resolved I will go to my council offices, chain myself to them, and invite the media down, and tell them, I am here because I cannot live in my house anymore due to the neighbours, so I will have to live here until they finally do something about it - oh and show them my huge file of letters and evidence of problems!

Put it this way. The problem is being sorted now!

Remember heads will role, if you have evidence of letter to them, and they did nothing and something nasty happens!

For us, our neighbors are aggressive, feral,animals. We are far too scared of them to say anything or complain. A previous neighbor did and the feral husband attacked him - he is mad. We are moving instead.

We are in rented property and someone is coming to view it on Monday with the estate agent. I really want to warn the viewers off but can't if agent is there, can I?

Problems like this with neighbours continue because local authorities simply just don't have enough staff for the number of complaints.
Wage budgets are cut, slashed and cut again, and when staff leave because they're sick of the pressure, their vacancy will be deleted. When someone is doing 10 people's jobs they cannot provide an efficient service.
The ultimate people that suffer is always the public. But that's what happens when local authority funding is cut. Services become crap :(

I think you answered the question in your own OP. The reason why there are so many of them is because there's little way of dealing with them. So many people know you can get away with it there is little way incentive for people that way inclined not to behave like that.