Noisy student neighbours: how do we deal with this?

[thestudentsnextdoor]

So we live next door to students. The ones we had for the last two years were lovely. They warned us every time they were going to have a party, kept the noise down after midnight, brought us round chocolates to say thank you for not complaining, and generally were very sweet. They even changed the dates of some parties to nights when DH didn't have to work early the next morning, so we could cope with the noise. One of them was really friendly, and gave us his mobile number in case we needed to ring to ask them to be quieter. We got a bottle of wine before they moved out (no doubt left over from the mega post-exam celebration they had ).

This lot are not so sweet. Over the summer, there have been a number of nights when they sit outside their back door, which is under a shelter, and talk loudly, swear a lot and smoke weed. DD struggles to get to sleep, and has important exams this year, and the noise and the smell goes straight to her room, and to ours. Last night we rang their doorbell twice - the second time at midnight - to explain we could hear and smell everything, and they didn't stop. We could hear the person who answered the door tell them to keep it down, but they just ignored it. My worry is that as smokers they will be there all winter, as well as next summer when DD is doing exams.

So DH wants to do it nicely - just keep asking until they get the message. (He is a calm and determined personality who is pretty good at defusing bad feeling in his job to achieve the best outcome for everyone.) I want to lean over the back fence, and tell the potheads ones who sit outside to stop it or we will get the landlord involved. The landlord absolutely does not want any trouble - there's a pretty anti-student/landlord group in our street - and I think he would be on it. (I am a middle-aged woman with a scary bitch-face who might be a little tired and hormonal.)

So, I guess my question is: AIBU to go in pretty hard straight away? Or should we do it DH's way?

I'd find out the landlord and complain. If you own and are planning on moving anytime soon probably not though. It would have to be disclosed when selling.

Could you put in writing how you hope the neighbourly relationship should be - for them to read in the cold light of soberness? Suggest the way forward as you really don't want to get the ll involved but you will if necessary. .

Talk to them when there isnt a party in full swing.

Like the idea about writing.

The thing is, it isn't even a party - it just seems like most nights the smokers sit out and either don't know or don't care how much we can hear and smell.

I guess we need to make sure that everyone in the house - it is quite a large one - gets the message and not just the poor sod who has to open the door to us.

We live next door to a 10 bed student house. We had one nightmare year where they had loud parties three or four times a week. The only thing that worked was when I complained to the university. I am not sure what they did but things improved after that.

There are three universities in my city and they all work together so you can complain about any students, regardless of which one they go to, and they will sort it out. They are very big on curbing anti-socal behaviour.

If you know which uni they go to, you can complain to them.
Most have a clause in the student code of conduct about not bringing the uni into disrepute, which includes not pissing off your neighbours and they will take it seriously.

Hadn't thought of taking to the university - I guess that is a last resort.

And we don't particularly want any neighbour disputes, both because we want to get on well with our neighbours, and because we don't want to have to declare them if or when we sell. I do think the landlord will be sympathetic - he did tell us when we moved in a few years ago to let him know if we had any trouble.

I guess I'm missing last year's lovely lot. Who actually had quite good taste in music, and didn't swear very much.

I do have a junior brass player in the family, and could let him practice near an open window early on a Sunday...

Go round, ask for them to all come to the door and explain that the smoking fags (and weed) outside by your house is disturbing you. Ask that they are more consideration (quiet, smoke away from the house, whatever). Explain that you have previously got on very well with the students who lived here so have never had cause to complain before, but you understand that making a complaint with the university about the noise and weed smoking is your next step if you can't come to an amicable solution.

Its not just students...we had this.
Part of the problem in shared houses can be that whilst some in the household are sympathetic and trying to keep noise down, others couldn't care less.

The only thing that worked for us was writing to them, writing to the landlord's agent and complaining through the Council noise team. We kept records of everything and were persistent. We did speak to them too but the non-sympathetic ones refused to engage.

The landlord sold the house and we now have lovely neighbours. :)

You could also report the drug use to the police if you wanted to be really mean....

That's a good idea about keeping records. I did contemplate calling the police but that feels a bit shock and awe, even for me.

Ok, so talk to them in the cold light of day, making sure all of them hear it. Follow up in writing if they don't seem repentant. If it continues, keep records of everything. Options going forward: contact landlord. Contact university authorities. Contact council noise team. Call police about the drug-use.

I'm going to try it DH's way first, but it's good to have some options. Thanks all.

'Go round, ask for them to all come to the door and explain that the smoking fags (and weed) outside by your house is disturbing you. Ask that they are more consideration (quiet, smoke away from the house, whatever). Explain that you have previously got on very well with the students who lived here so have never had cause to complain before, but you understand that making a complaint with the university about the noise and weed smoking is your next step if you can't come to an amicable solution.'
This, but add 'and the landlord' after 'the university'.

I'd turn the hose on them from over the fence and say I thought there was a fire. Bastard kids.

Good luck OP, keep us updated so we know what works. You are right not to ramp it up so it goes on the books - but any decent buyer's solicitor would point out the fact you live next door to a rental. You're also right to keep records. While Acquamarine's suggestion is funny you'd probably be done for assault especially if one of them is a law student planning (if his/her earlier transgressions with dope aren't discovered) to be a QC or Master of the Rolls. Photographs and video would be good too.

I would have a chat to all of them at a time when they're not doing anything, just say that the noise and smell are really disturbing you and can they stop or at least be more considerate

If you get no joy then complain to their landlord. The LL sounds decent in your case thankfully, but if you still get no joy then complain to the university.

Admittedly the previous tenants sound way above average but this lot sound less considerate. Not sure softly, softly approach will bear fruit, they have already disregarded polite requests. See how things go when term starts but have their landlord's number handy.

I second the advice about speaking to them before you get another issue - it's no use when they are totally off their heads. I'd tell them exactly what you've said here about the difference between their behaviour and those other students you've had before, and explain the needs of your kids. Then give an ultimatum: you don't want to have to complain, but if the behaviour continues one more time, you will write to the landlord and get environmental health involved.

My local council has sample letters to send to neighbors about noise.

www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/article/3293/Report-noise-nuisance

I'd copy in the university and landlord if you know who it is. If you still have the number of the nice student they can probably tell you..

I've got a question that just occurred to me...

If you involve the landlord, you have to disclose this disagreement when (if) you sell your house...right? Well, when you come to sell, there could be a completely different set of students in the house and therefore any disagreement you'd had with the previous set would be over and finished, so why would disclosing that a set of students( that might have been years before) had caused you to complain, be a problem worthy of record?

Just curious.

I don't think you would need to disclose an informal chat you had with the landlord if it was along the lines of "I am not prepared to tolerate drugs, swearing and loud noise from your current student tenants and I am asking you to ensure the situation does not get unpleasant by speaking to them now". If you involve the council or police, or formally get the university etc involved then you would need to declare it. I have to admit that whether any dispute was declared or not, I would be very wary about living next to a property that was rented out to students.

I think the previously lot spoilt you. Seriously, they changed their parties to suit you and brought you treats? Please tell me that you also gave them presents or did something to thank them for their extraordinary niceness.

If your daughter keeps her window shut smoke can't get in. The noise is a pain but how late is it going on? Don't think you can complain before 10pm.

That's a point, Zaphod - would it be a neighbour dispute between us and this particular set of students, or between us and the landlord?

But yes, millie - we live near the university so buyers would be aware of it being a student house anyway. The whole street, mostly long-term residents, is pretty feisty about student housing because of a nightmare landlord who owns another property. We say hi to this landlord when we see him, and he's always been pretty good, so we would tell any prospective buyers that. Not that we are planning to sell!

Rhi - they really were lovely - at least the one we got to know was, and the others kept a low profile. I think he kept the others in line and definitely has potential to pursue a career in diplomacy. I think we were lovely in return in various ways.

Last night the noise was still going at midnight, and you can hear it even with the windows shut. DD is only a couple of metres away because both of the houses are built up to the boundaries so she can still hear the noise through the window - and she will swelter in the summer.

It's not really more than drunk/stoned people talking, unless it's a party, but they are so close you can hear every swear word. The summer will be the worst, but I feel like we should try to knock it on the head now, really.

You are a bit quick off the mark, as they have just moved in and are excited etc and will be inviting friends over etc. And its not even been cold and rainy yet, but you are assuming the worst for ever.

If you over do it now, you'll generate a 'fuck you' attitude.

I'd be nice and try to chat they are much more likely to come your way if you are more familiar to them, and if you do the 'the world agrees with me because I am am adult and you are pretty much children who should be compelled to live like I want you to, then you'll be in a standoff.

They are people and residents and give and take should be on both sides. Their behaviour will change throughout the term

scaryclown I take your point about not going in too hard but they moved in at the beginning of July and at least some of them were around all summer - at least the smoking and talking late ones were.