To ask for revenge ideas on the sodding students next door

[HomeIsWhereTheGinisNow]

At the end of my tether. Group of students have just moved into the terraced house next door, and had a 21st birthday last night. It was ludicrous, music pounding until 3am when the police finally shut them down. Desperate requests for the music to be turned down (not off...) at 8pm and midnight were met with serious attitudes and an expectation that as it was a birthday party we should just deal with it ("it's not Sen midnight...!"). The London council in charge of the borough has helpfully closed down their noise officer service, and as we're London we're bottom of the list for the police. So basically we're stuck. Begging them to turn it down so our two year old could get some sleep didn't work as they literally told me that they couldn't imagine what it'd be like to be a parent, it must be hard etc.

So here's the rub. Their landlord is gong to have a word but I'm not sure what he can do. The authorities won't help. So I suspect we're in for an academic year of misery, what would you do?

Just a thought but have you tried being nice to them, the trouble with revenge is it escalates and you'll come across as being as bad as them, nobody will listen to your grievances then, no matter how justified. Their revenge attacks will get worse and its welcome to months of hell. Maybe if you are nice to them they might even like you and not want to upset you. Get in there before the others have their birthdays! After all they are kids away from home, there will be things they'll need help with. You could even find you like them. Try swapping the occasional meal for some gardening work, but honestly, having had some horrendous neighbours myself the answer is not revenge, like the police have said, they can't help and the housing officers take soooo long, the landlord will turn his phone off or block your calls and you'll be on your own at 3am. Students have so many holidays how long will they actually be there, then you can look forward to the next batch..

Wait until they've gone quiet after a night of jollity then put your music on loudly for at least two hours, something like Max Bygraves, Des O'Connor or Vera Lynn. Obviously you don't own records like this but I bet your gran has some so borrow them.
When they complain say that it's time for your party now. Warn your nice neighbours - why not all join in? Dance on the patio. Two weeks should do it.

po-faced harridan will be knocking on his door demanding it stop at 8pm!

ffs RTFT! The OP knocked at 8pm to ask if the music could be turned down a bit so she could enjoy her Saturday night too. She didn't demand it stopped!

Exactly Fairy, the OP didn't demand that the party was stopped or the music turned off. She just wanted it turned down slightly. I think that she has as much right to be able to sit in her house and hear the TV as they do to have a party.

Apologies if this has all been said, but we had nightmare downstairs neighbours last year. We have other student flats on the stair that are fine. We are not anti-student. What helped was joining forces with other neighbours that were disturbed. Researching the council's licensing arrangements. Landlords/property managers are expected to take steps to ensure HMO tenants are expected to be reasonably considerate of neighbours, or they are in our neck of the woods. The landlord/manager has to apply for the HMO to be renewed annually and in our area this has to be posted publicly. In our case it wasn't properly displayed but together with other neighbours we found out when it was due from the council. We lodged an objection to the HMO application. We had to make our case in front of the council licensing committee. This involved sitting through other applications and objections which was a learning experience. I learned it is the management companies worst nightmare if you are reasonable. Objectors that are slightly hysterical and anti-student don't fare so well.

It helps if you have lodged noise complaints with the proper authority, this was reported at the committee meeting. The council noise team came out twice. DH is a police officer, believe it or not there are quiet nights when they could attend a noise complaint, although it might depend where you live (he used to be in the Met). I saw other objectors that hadn't lodged any complaints with police or the council, and they got nowhere, whereas we had 3rd party witnesses to the noise.

The management company were actually quite helpful, they don't want to lose the HMO license. One of their people came out and mediated a meeting between me and the students. Apparently it made an impact for them to meet me while sober and for me to calmly explain the effect their behavior had on us.

The students ended up on a final warning and it was fairly quiet from then on. The HMO was renewed but with fewer tenants and the bedrooms re-configured (involved building work and expense to owner) so that we no longer had their social room directly under our bedroom. They also have "sensitive let" arrangements where they vet the tenants more closely, try to get older students and visit them after they move in to set discuss the need for consideration. It is a pain and it might take ages for anyone to come, if at all, but do call the council/police, do inform the management company or the landlord every single time in writing, with details (e.g. the music started at 8pm, we asked for it to be turned down at 10pm, it finally went off at 2am). Keep a log of incidents. Our council noise team came round before midnight by the way, and we were not their first call.

This year's tenants have moved in and I don't believe we have heard a peep so far.

I wouldn't care if it was 8pm or even 4pm. It isn't necessary to have your music so loud that it is disturbing to neighbours.

Lots of things aren't necessary. So I'm assuming by that token that there will be no noisy playdates or birthday parties in the garden for the OP's DC? Because an afternoon party is just as bad as a night time party.

Yes because a child's birthday party is just as noisy and annoying as a thumping bass.

So I'm assuming by that token that there will be no noisy playdates or birthday parties in the garden for the OP's DC?

Well it depends on whether it interferes with the neighbours' ability to peacefully enjoy their home and get on with normal life. So having friends round for tea and a play in the garden is fine but if it gets loud enough to disturb people I assume that she would tell them they either have to keep the noise down or come in. That's what I do. If she wants to have 30 kids round for a disco party with Frozen karaoke in the garden on a Sunday afternoon then that would clearly be unreasonable. Though it might not be a bad idea if the parties continue...

I reported a student last year to their uni in Kent for sitting on the window of a 2nd storey room with most of their body out of the window. The uni took it seriously.

I'd report them too.

avamia yes I am being serious about social responsibility clauses - they are often required by local councils to prevent fly tipping and anti-social behaviour. I know they are not squatters, but sometimes people in rented accommodation can't be bothered to keep places looking tidy or building relationships with their neighbours as they are only there for a short term. I'm not saying all tenants are like this or indeed that these students will leave rubbish out; it is just an example of a common tenancy clause which ends up being required in all agreements because of the few irresponsible tenants in the world! And if it it gives the OP some help, then all the better.

Yes because a child's birthday party is just as noisy and annoying as a thumping bass.

I would argue that screeching children is a lot, lot more annoying than loud music.

Can you have a discussion with the landlord about possibly getting the sound-proofing between the houses improved? Either he installs sound insulation in his house, or perhaps contributes to the cost of you installing it in yours? Giving you better protection against noisy neighbours into the future. On the plus side, students will be away quite a bit (long holidays and many probably go home at the weekends) and things will get pretty quiet during exam periods as well. If they were non-student noisy neighbours they would be there all the time! Perhaps this was a bit of a one-off anyway - they won't have a 21st every weekend, and they are just freshly back after the long holidays. Give them a chance, and as others have suggested, try being nice to them - they are more likely to co-operate if you get them on your side. Maybe they could be a useful source of baby sitters?

You say they'd just moved in, and it was a 21st birthday party. This to me sounds like more of a 1 off.
I am a student myself (though not a 'typical' student if you go by stereotypes. Most students living in private rented accommodation are either 2nd or 3rd year students. And once term starts properly, things will settle down.
Also 8pm is not late at all, especially for a Saturday. Granted the polite thing for them to have done would have been to let you know in advance that there would be a party, however most students simply wouldn't think about that, especially if it's their first proper house.

I once lived in a flat with students on one side and small children on the other. I'd have signed up for all the thumping base in the world if it had got rid of screeching children at 6 am on a Saturday.

Honestly, I think starting a war over a 21st birthday party is a bit of a waste of energy. If it was happening every weekend, then fine, but once? Maybe give them a chance.

I'm afraid a neighbour who contacts the council's noise team, the police, the university, the landlord and the queen after one annoying party won't be taken terribly seriously in the long run.

Try a friendlier approach, pop over and talk (not during the party), it might be more fruitful.

Not read through the whole. But really do not agree that anyone has the right to inflict their music or choice in to shows onto anyone else regardless of the time. Unless at a concert or pub etc music is a personal thing and really should not be inflicted on others. Venues can be rented or just go to a pub, they're music is often as loud as a nightclub or go to a nightclub. Annoyed the hell out of me when my housemates used to ramp up their music or tv - grab some fucking headphones like I did/do if you want to listen to loud beats. And if you're wanting to share loud music - pubs, clubs or rent a venue where it's acceptable. Not a home. It really is selfish. Why should I listen to other people's music when in my own home? Just because it's not 1am I should suck it up? No. I do not agree. Yanbu to complain at 8pm or indeed anytime before then! Sorey, just a sore point with me.

I agree excessively loud music at any time is wrong. It can be all consuming and there are halls to book or just have the music at a normal level. Not everyone, like me can live in 2 acres with distant neighbours. When you live close together, you need to be considerate in all aspects of life.