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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To get even with my noisy neighbours?

21 replies

LittleBairn · 12/10/2013 12:07

My neighbours are a complete pain in the arse, we have been renting this house for a year and the noise and their 'socialising' is getting worse.
So tomorrow it's Hoover on at 7am and the middle of the week when they have work some nice loud music nice and early.
Or am I just a miserable cow?

Today the stared playing music really loudly at 10am Jack Johnson crap FFS it's getting louder and louder and he's now singing along to it.

They regularly allow their teenagers to have parties when they are away for the weekend. During the last one I went around and gave the kids an earful at 2am ( this was the 2nd night of a 48 hour party) after their friends were vomiting in our garden and over our car.
I made it clear the only reason I hadn't called the police was because the dad is in the local force and I didn't want to embarrass him.
To be fair to their daughter she was apologetic and it did quieten down.

But the parents are also just as bad loud music, karaoke parties (and trust me they can't sing!) and regularly have get togethers.

Then they have the cheek to call our landlord and complain when in their opinion (they are obssessed with their own lawn) our grass got too long.

Now our landlord is our good friend, he's very very pissed off at them because the agreement was we would rent for a bit then buy the house. Needless to say we no longer want to buy. But at the same time we would like to rent for awhile longer I'm pregant and if we move I may have to move hospital and Consultant which I really don't want to do.

I'm just really fed up with not being able to have a quite weekend, my DH works very long hours and is tired all weekend because he can't rest and I'm pregnant and unable to sleep so this constant interruption really effect us.

Or are we just being pathetic?

OP posts:
RedHelenB · 12/10/2013 12:22

Have you told them the music is too loud & asked them to turn it down. If you have you need to contact environmental health, if you haven't then YABU - talk to them! I would think it a good thing he's in the force cos it won't be good for him if you ring & complain about noise.

WorraLiberty · 12/10/2013 12:25

YANBU

But my neighbours regularly hoover early and it really doesn't bother or even wake us.

'Getting even' will only help them to justify the noise they make.

Original poster
LittleBairn · 12/10/2013 12:36

Yes we have spoken about the noise they just shrug and say they don't make houses like they used too. The houses were built in the 60's they are semis, we gave lived in a terrace previously and never had ny problems. Basically they don't give a shit.

We were worried if we escalated it to a formal complaint it might make it awkward when our friend needs to sell his house.

Worra that's the reason why we have tried to ignore it we don't want tit for tat but at the same time I feel like they are walking all over us.

OP posts:
Original poster
LittleBairn · 12/10/2013 12:38

I should add when our friends lived here for 5 years they didn't have as many parties and the noise level wasn't as bad.
I wonder if they feel they own us less courtesy since we are renting.

OP posts:
flyingwidow · 12/10/2013 12:41

Make a formal complaint. I would. Sounds like they don't care. The occasional bit of loud noise- fine... All
the time- not okay. Warnings of loud parties- fine, no advance notice- not okay. Simple courtesy.

nennypops · 12/10/2013 13:00

Is it a short term tenancy? Will the landlord be able to get them out when it comes to an end? If so it could be worth sticking it out and having a party when they go.

TheUnsinkableTitanic · 12/10/2013 13:05

police!! everytime......

pigsDOfly · 12/10/2013 13:17

I feel your pain OP. I live next to a house that's always rented out to student (not saying all students are noisy) and it's so bad I'm seriously thinking of selling my home that I've spent a fortune on renovating.

Do they own their house or is it rented? If it's rented they are in breech of their tenancy agreement and could ultimately be evicted because of it, so speaking to their LL or agent might help, although that very much depends how seriously they take it.

If they own it then environmental health is the way to go, police won't get involved, complain, complain, complain; it's so incredibly wearing to have to live with this level of noise.

Original poster
LittleBairn · 12/10/2013 14:22

nenny we are the ones renting they have lived in their house for about 20 years. We wanted to buy this house, ticks all our boxes and in a nice area. I'm so pleased now it took so long to sell our old house that delayed the sale.

unsinkable he is the police! That's why we haven't gone to them we didn't want to embarrass them. But if we ever have a weekend like we did with the 48 hour party we will no warnings first.
The first night they were still partying at 7am in the morning after keeping us awake all night.
Other neighbours were furious too they have made a right mess of the street so one of them pick it all up and put it all over their cars to make a point.

Another reason for police is I'm concerned there is drink driving going on with the teenagers and their friends.

I really need to find some balls and call environmental health. I just worry about it getting worse this is a high risk pregancy and I can't cope with any more stress.

OP posts:
Seoulsister · 13/10/2013 21:31

The house next door was bought by a woman for her dd. She works odd hours and rents to students. The house was "renovated" five years ago, but now it is multiply -occupied, the problems are a lot more apparent-loud conversations all night and outside, shouting, clonking on the wood/laminate floors and stairs, sounds coming through from their loft to our bedroom, loud TV, fire doors banging. Have gone round, spoken to them, written polite notes asking for specific but reasonable things, but last night, when they seemed to be re-enacting "Stomp" for five hours from 7-12, rang Environmental Health as younger ds wanted to go round, and as nobody but me as back-up, didn't want him made fun of or threatened in any way. Have been here for years. Feel moving or spending a fortune or insulation to make my house smaller is giving in, but...

ShakeRattleNRoll · 13/10/2013 21:53

two wrongs don't make a right.Try and talk to them and if that fails get the authorities involved

Original poster
LittleBairn · 14/10/2013 10:20

shake if you read the thread you will know that I have spoke to them and even made it clear the only reason I hadn't called the police when their kids had a very rowdy 48h party was because he's a police officer.
I'm giving them way more respect than they have ever given me.

seoul that sounds tough, people don't realise what a strain it is on a family living next door arseholes.

Anyway the father informed DH that they were going away this weekend so the kids might be up for a bit of fun. DH told him it was a pity because anything like the last time we won't hesitate to call the police especially if we suspect drink driving. He also dropped in that we know his 15/16 year old son nicked his sisters car recently..... He's a traffic cop.
Lets see how they behave now they know how pissed off we are and that we are willing to play hardball.

OP posts:
nicole1528 · 14/10/2013 10:33

I know how your feeling I was in similar situation with my neigbour I live in a upstairs flat with 2 babies.. she would be out all day come in have hoover on at 7 at night my babies have bed time so that would delay bed time. Then she would have her dryer on all night so thst would vibrate through our house. at weekends she would party alot with blasting music but the thing I never understood was she had a kid her self. But the good thing is she had just moved out. So peace at last. The best thing to do is thing enviro call theu will get noise squad out and after so many warnings the remove the thing rhats causin the noise. No one should have to put up with it.

DrHolmes · 14/10/2013 11:54

Just because he is a police officer doesn't mean you can't call the police on hjm. I would not hesitate to call. Why try to help him out by not embarrassing him when they make your life hell?!

I know all about noisy neighbours. So glad i live in a nice quiet street now!

Inertia · 14/10/2013 13:45

You can still call the police. You've given them plenty of fair warning. If the father doesn't want to be embarrassed by his colleagues being called out to his family then he needs to make sure his teenagers aren't being left at the house with free rein for parties.

GhostsInSnow · 14/10/2013 14:08

When I originally moved in here my NDN had 2 teenage DD's at home who were a royal PITA with music at all hours. I asked nicely, I begged, knocked, had the council's noise abatement send a letter. Nothing. We were waiting to get the recording equipment when I reached the end of my rope.
The end of said rope involved Metallica's back catalogue on repeat, 4 stereo speakers aimed at the bedroom wall and 6.30am. Then I went out.

I don't advocate revenge but in this case it worked a charm and the music was always at a level I could deal with after that. Kids grew moved out, she's now on her own with a dog that barks the second she leaves the house. In fairness to her she has tried to deal with it, but it has serious anxiety. I find myself now cranking up the TV/Stereo to drown the bloody thing out now and am again at the stage where I don't rightly care anymore. She's a nice woman, we get on well enough, but when she has to listen to yap yap yap between 2 - 10pm 6 days a week I think she'd snap as well.

wink1970 · 14/10/2013 14:43

I'm afraid that the fact that he is a policeman is your biggest asset - a formal complaint could seriously jeopardise his career.

Go around and talk to him, make it clear that next time there is a teenager party you will call the police - you could even say false-naively that it might be 'for his own good' as having drink-driving, drugs and antisocial behaviour at his own property (even though it's not him) would surely be viewed very darkly by his force......

Be aware, though, that police people can stick up for their mates; depends whether he is liked and/or respected by his colleagues. You won't know until the time comes.

comingalongnicely · 14/10/2013 16:15

Every time my old neighbours had a party until shitty-O'clock during the week, I'd go & ring their bell at half 5 on my way to work & say "you were a bit loud last night weren't you?".

They soon learned....

comingalongnicely · 14/10/2013 16:15

As said above, get Plod involved - the embarrassment might do the trick!

austenozzy · 14/10/2013 17:13

I often found it necessary to get the mower and strimmer out at 7am when the scrotes that used to live next door made loads of noise well into the night. No other neighbours close enough to be disturbed by it. The sight/sound of slamming bedroom windows was at least a little cathartic! They got evicted after a while and a nice lady and her son moved in.

BurlyShassey · 14/10/2013 18:16

If their dad is in the police he should know the law regarding noise/drink driving etc etc.

by all means emabarras him, he sounds like a nob and jsut cos hes a police person think he can get away with it.

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