to make a noise in my house

[softcat]

Hello

This situation is driving me a bit mad. I live in a semi detached house with DH, DS1 and DS2. Our neighbours moved in a couple of years ago and since then they have not stopped complaining about footfalls, kids "screaming and crying all the time" (I think they seem pretty cheerful but perhaps this is subjective). Doors slamming (again I think this is normal door shutting). We have tried to minimise noise by fitting the thickest underlay possible and fitting soft closers on all doors that we can. I feel that I spend my life telling the kids to be quiet and get really tense if they raise their voices, run or get upset.
They are threatening us with environmental health and solicitors. There is a bit of finger pointing and bosom hoiking. Some pretty heavy insinuation that I am a shit parent and I am aware that she is pretty nasty about me to anyone who will listen.
So… how much noise is acceptable! How quiet are your kids? Do they walk around in the house and do they ever shout or jump? Do they always keep their hands on the door handle and make sure it doesn't bang?

I remember reading your thread when you originally posted softcat. happy to hear you've moved as your neighbours sounded doolally. Hope you're very happy in your new home.

Happy new home! Glad it all went well.

Just read the thread. So glad your nightmare is over!

Congratulations!

That's great news, enjoy your new home!

You can't be apologetic for living normally. And don't let it stress or alter your interaction with your children. I once viewed a house (didn't buy it) where I could hear the tv programme (birds of a feather music) from next door while in the kitchen. Could you imagine if the people living there had walked around normally?

Good news softcat.

Hurrah!!

Hurrah!!

Am so pleased for you. There are no words for how intolerable (murderous??) your old neighbours were. Hopefully you will now be able to have a normal family life inside your house.

Congratulations!!

Hello again. We are still v. happy in our new home (and the neighbours like us!). However the people at our old house are starting to have difficulties. The crazy neighbours have started on at them and they told us that they are starting to work on closing doors quietly and rehanging doors. Our other old neighbours have confided that crazy neighbours have said "I'll make sure I get these bastards out like the last lot.", we were dead honest with the people who bought our house so there will be no legal come back. However I am not sure whether to talk to our buyers about it or just leave it. I would rather just leave it but wonder if we could help them? I don't know. Any ideas?

I would tell them to say they will call the police because of harassment.

Tell them to call environmental health - the neighbours were obviously the problem, environmental health could go and listen to give an independent ear and tell the neighbours that they are cunts (possibly using more professional language - the neighbours need telling by an independent body that they are not suffering noise nuisance.

Thank you, it is harassment isn't it. Poor buyers are first time buyers and so idealistic. I almost feel vindicated by them being shits to whoever lives next door. Part of me just wants to leave it in the past but then I think our experience could help them deal with the situation better .

Ps offer to be a witness and ask the other neighbour who was told that they would "get them out like the last lot " would be good too.

I wonder what made them ignore your warning ? I expect they thought it could have been you were actually a noisy neighbour and that indicated that the neighbour would be quiet?

I think they thought it would be different for them. The neighbours complaints centred on the children and their daytime noise. Their complaints to our buyers centre on their evening noise x

Do you think they are trying to make the house unsellable to buy it themselves? Knock through or sell cheaply to family?