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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To want to move...(nightmare neighbours)?

21 replies

ohbigdaddio · 02/05/2017 15:52

Help!

Some new neighbours have moved in and they are making our lives hell.

They've been here about a month and from what me and DH can gather they are 'settled travellers'. They consist of a man, woman and 2 - 4 children (can't quite tell how many they have), plus 3 dogs. The man in particular is very intimidating and the woman is pretty rough too.

We've realised the children don't go to school and we have experienced all sorts, mainly noise, including: having bonfires and BBQs when they can see our washing is on the line, playing really loud and utterly crap autotune music when we had a nice sunny day, always having all windows in the house wide open, always shouting and yelling rather than talking to each other (we can hear a lot of this as the walls are fairly thin), the woman seems to stay in one room and shout to her kids who are in various places in the house, calling their kids choice names such as 'fat bitch' and 'disabled' when telling them off, keeping their 3 dogs permanently outside even in pouring rain (they do have a little shelter but this seems cruel), the man climbing over our garden wall once when locked out(!) (I went out to see what he was doing and he didn't even introduce himself, just asked if he could climb over!) As I said the kids don't go to school and stay up til all hours, shrieking, arguing and shouting, and we had two horrendous nights over bank hol weekend where they were doing DIY at 1.30 am both nights plus combining that with arguing at full volume and then on the 2nd night it progressed into what sounded like domestic violence with the woman screaming at the man to get out.

I don't feel able to have a friendly word about noise (I'm scared of them!)...these neighbours don't seem the sort who would take it well and I could imagine them being extra loud on purpose, they really don't seem to have any awareness or consideration.

I work from home so can hear a lot of this during the day too. It's making me very anxious and pretty upset as I love our home but am now feeling very uncomfortable here. We would probably have to leave the area if we moved as house prices have gone up and my income has decreased. I also worry about being able to sell due to the neighbours and so feel very trapped here!

On top of all this we are going through infertility investigations and may be starting IVF soon. As you can imagine the stress of this is quite enough without the neighbours too.

I really want to move but DH thinks we should stick it out. The neighbours rent and may only be here 6 months/a year.....but I don't know if I can take it! AIBU?

OP posts:

brummiesue · 02/05/2017 15:56

Oh my god that sounds like hell! Keep a diary, phone noise control whenever there is an excessive problem and the police if its thing like drilling at 1.30am, feed it all back to estate agents/landlord...hopefully they wont last long then!

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 02/05/2017 15:59

If they rent, can you complain to their landlord? Also might be worth keeping a log of all disturbances to report to council (although that could take a while). Sorry not to be more help other than offer sympathy, they do sound like nightmare neighbours!

Lelloteddy · 02/05/2017 16:00

Did you call the police when you suspected DV?

allegretto · 02/05/2017 16:01

There is a good chance they are already known for noise if they are like that. I would sit tight, keep a diary and contact the council. Are any other neighbours affected?

Pawsbutton · 02/05/2017 16:04

Had almost identical nightmare with neighbours.

I reported them to RSPCA/Environmental Health/Social Services/Police for animal neglect, noise, domestic violence, harassment etc.

I'm afraid the situation only improved once the evil horrors finally moved away.

Keep a diary and report everything - I really hope you have more luck than I did.

diaimchlo · 02/05/2017 16:06

As Brummiesue says make sure you keep a written record and try to record the noise levels at inappropriate times. If they are persistent in their behaviour pass all information and evidence onto the relevant agencies.

Original poster

ohbigdaddio · 02/05/2017 16:56

Thanks all. The landlord lives in Mexico!! No joke! The house is managed by a random agency that I've never heard of and the website seems a bit odd, has no properties on it, just says it guarantees landlords their rent and is all about the property from the landlords point of view. It's got some bollocks on there 'Landlords prefer tenants who are professionals; we become your professional tenants.' ??? Very strange. So I've no idea who to contact about it. The house was in a fairly poor state of repair until recently and the agency were obviously aware of this so I don't think they'll be arsed!

We didn't call the police lelloteddy The couple are so intimidating I'm pretty sure we would get abuse for doing this. What we heard was the woman shouting at the man that he would get 5 years in prison if he touched her again and she was talking about DV. So we don't know if anything actually happened. If she'd been obviously being attacked then we would have done.

Keeping written records but I'm aware if we make a formal complaint then this will have to be disclosed if decide to sell.

My dad suggested reporting that the kids don't go to school but again I'm really scared of doing that. I don't want to make my life any harder at the moment...It's a flaming nightmare!

OP posts:

expatinscotland · 02/05/2017 17:01

But then if you move you might again wind up with shite neighbours.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 02/05/2017 17:07

Could you email the landlord in Mexico? Failing that you will have to get in touch with the agent.

In terms of putting your house on the market, it would be a straight out 'no' from me if there were nightmare neighbours in place during a viewing, most people just don't want the hassle. Which unfortunately, is what you're facing...

Fortnum · 02/05/2017 17:07

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Elendon · 02/05/2017 17:09

Moving is costly. You need to factor in thousands for the estate agent's fees, the solicitors, and the home buyers survey plus the removals. Be of no doubt that your buyers will find something wrong and drop the price accordingly. Moving is also very stressful, up there with a death and divorce.

I would stay in your house for now. Your DP has it right. They could move in a few months. Remember. You could move to a house that has worse problems.

Can you buy some earphones to block out the noise during the day? Can you get tapes of Scottish bagpipes playing continuously on a loop to play loudly outside (with apologies to those who love this type of music) when they go outside? I bet they don't go out during the morning and this could be the time to put the washing out. But washing usually dries inside the house on a rack anyway.

Feel your pain. I lived beside awful neighbours, our daughter came downstairs one night to tell us there were nude men running around in the garden next door and they were keeping her awake. She was six at the time. It was at 10pm at night. The day we left there was a happy day for me - my children were also accused of trying to kill her cat.

Good luck. Stick it out for as long as you can.

FanaticalFox · 02/05/2017 17:13

They won't be there long trust me. Stick it out but keep complaining anonymously. Constant complaints will sort it out in the end sometimes I report my neighbours under other neighbours names so I don't get any abuse

Elendon · 02/05/2017 17:17

PS my neighbours were homeowners, so we knew they wouldn't move. They were white English.

Original poster

ohbigdaddio · 02/05/2017 17:17

Thanks people. Wouldn't have a clue of the landlords details!

Fortnum

Elendon some good points. Yes, I probably need to stick it out. I'm aware we are coming up to a stressful time in our own lives which is what my focus needs to be on. Your ex-neighbours sound similarly charming!

OP posts:

Original poster

ohbigdaddio · 02/05/2017 17:20

Just to add, we were totally willing to look past our neighbours different culture as long as they were reasonable and considerate! I don't mind what colour/religion/culture etc if they are nice...but they're not!

OP posts:

FanaticalFox · 02/05/2017 17:39

Being a "settled traveller" is not a culture! In fact that phrase is just a made up way of describing certain people in society who are absolutely unbelievable in the way they conduct themselves. They are vile and not a race, culture etc just horrible people and some identify as "travellers"

stella23 · 02/05/2017 17:43

Move now, before it escalates and you have to declare it.

Original poster

ohbigdaddio · 02/05/2017 17:54

hee hee, FanaticalFox ok! I just assumed it was a culture!!!

OP posts:

highinthesky · 02/05/2017 17:57

It would amaze me if they aren't violating the terms of the lease. Most will have a clause insisting on allowing "quiet enjoyment".

Out of interest, is there a friendly PCSO you could chat with?

myoriginal3 · 02/05/2017 18:01

Lelloteddy - were you suggesting the OP used domestic violence as a way to have the neighbours evicted? Because that would be a pretty sick way to view things.

Lelloteddy · 02/05/2017 18:25

WTF Myoriginal ? That's one hell of an extrapolation. If fewer people turned a blind eye to domestic violence and picked up the phone to report it as it's happening, then perhaps fewer women and children would be living in fear.

Anything else you'd like to wildly spin or twist or is that you done?

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