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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

'He can make as much noise as they want between 7am and 11pm

49 replies

Noiseandputty · 01/06/2018 10:33

We have a new neighbour in our block of flats.
They have been very noisy and quite frankly antisocial and another neighbour has complained about them.
The landlord has spoken to them and asked them to be quieter but has ultimately said they have a complete right to make as much noise as they want between 7am and 11pm

Aibu to think that is bonkers? They can completely disrupt our life as long as its between 7am and 11pm?

OP posts:
IIIustriousIyIIlogical · 01/06/2018 10:35

That's the letter of the law.

If you can prove they're being unreasonable, you may have a case. The only way is to get in touch with your local council & start things off.

InspMorse · 01/06/2018 10:35

They are wrong.
They can't make as much noise as they like.
He needs to take a look at anti-social behaviour laws.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 01/06/2018 10:36

Environmental health might disagree. I’d be tempted to go back to the landlord reminding him that you’d like to sort this out informally as a dispute between you might have to be declared to buyers if he wishes to sell. This will only work if you have no plans to sell.

MsHomeSlice · 01/06/2018 10:39

well it all depends on the noise doesn't it?

NotDavidTennant · 01/06/2018 10:40

That's the letter of the law.

No it's not. Nobody has a complete right to make as much noise as they want, even between 7am-11pm.

OP, what kind of noise levels are we talking about here?

IIIustriousIyIIlogical · 01/06/2018 10:42

Nobody has a complete right to make as much noise as they want, even between 7am-11pm.

Actually, it depends on the noise doesn't it.

If it's kids playing, baby crying, TV at a reasonable volume, washing machine etc. - then it's fine.

If it's unreasonable noise, then no they can't do it.

RebelRogue · 01/06/2018 10:42

Depends on what the noise is,how long for,the frequency of it etc.

InspMorse · 01/06/2018 10:42

For the noise to count as a statutory nuisance it must do one of the following:

unreasonably and substantially interfere with the use or enjoyment of a home or other premises
injure health or be likely to injure health

Councils are responsible for looking into complaints about noise from:

premises including land like gardens and certain vessels (for example, loud music or barking dogs)
vehicles, machinery or equipment in the street (for example, music from car stereos)

Noise from dwellings
If the noise comes from a dwelling the notice must say that the person responsible may be guilty of an offence if noise exceeding permitted levels is made in the period specified.

Permitted noise levels
The permitted noise level using A-weighted decibels (the unit environmental noise is usually measured in) is:

34 dBA (decibels adjusted) if the underlying level of noise is no more than 24 dBA
10 dBA above the underlying level of noise if this is more than 24 dBA

Original poster
Noiseandputty · 01/06/2018 10:46

There are quite a few issues but the neighbours who live under them have complained as it is so loud they physically can't hear each other talking. Think night club loud. In fact so loud a business down the road has complained they can hear it...

There are other issues of course.

OP posts:
BoneyBackJefferson · 01/06/2018 10:48

You have the right to enjoy your home. They do not have the right to make as much noise as they like.

Keep complaining/reporting. The worst that will happen is that they continue till they get kicked out.

InspMorse · 01/06/2018 10:49

Record the noise & open up a complaint.
Tell the landlord you are doing this & send him a link to the Gov.uk webpage above.

MunchausensLovelyHorse · 01/06/2018 10:50

My council's noise team will deal with daytime cases, where there's a clear, unreasonable, repetitive nuisance. They start off with warning letters, build a case with evidence if warning and a noise abatement notice doesn't work, and then take to court as necessary.

Mostly it's very loud daytime music or quad bikes in gardens, that kind of thing.

Dinoraw · 01/06/2018 10:52

We had this a while ago. We were trying to get two tiny babies to sleep and my neighbour had their music on really loud, it shook our walls, bbq outside at 8pm.
I wrote a letter asking them to turn it down because of our children sleeping whilst they were well within their rights..
He came over and got aggressive with us. Very aggressive and started coming towards dp with our newborn ds in his arms and trying to get into our house.

I went up, told him to calm down and that I'd be reporting him to his landlord and environmental health. Not heard a peep since. The music used to be all day. Nothing at all now.

Report to environmental health, keep a log of disturbances but other than that and talking to them. There's not a lot you can do unfortunately. Some people are just inconsiderate dickheads

NotDavidTennant · 01/06/2018 10:53

In your neighbours shoes I would stop trying to deal with the landlord and go straight to the council noise team.

DarlingNikita · 01/06/2018 10:55

Dinoraw, he was a cunt, but I have to say that a BBQ at 8pm really isn't unreasonable.

OP, go to the council about the noise levels. Maybe make a joint approach with the business who are complaining too.

Sprogletsmuvva · 01/06/2018 10:55

Was about to say a huge amount can depend on crappy soundproofing, so that even normal ‘household going about its business ‘ stuff can be heard by everybody (there was one case I read of where neighbours could hear a pan being put on the stove and even the light switch being turned on).

However, turning your flat into a nightclub is miles from this.

BlueJava · 01/06/2018 11:08

Keep a accurate track of noise - what you hear, when and duration. That will be useful for your case later as it's often the first thing the Council asks for (and you have to endure longer if you have to start keeping a record and then go back to them after a month or something)..

RedPony1 · 01/06/2018 11:11

bbq outside at 8pm.
Quite a normal time to have a BBQ?

AnnieAnoniMouser · 01/06/2018 11:14

You can make quite a bit of ‘normal family life’ type noise before EH will take action, but they’re generally pretty good when it’s anti social noise (very loud music, very frequent party type gatherings etc).

You & your neighbour should both go, separately, directly to the council and in the meantime start keeping a log of the noise.

I hope you can get it resolved quickly.

OliviaStabler · 01/06/2018 11:19

Firstly, I'd go back to the landlord and say that you will report the tenants to the Environmental Protection team at your local Council who look after noise pollution if he does nothing about it. They can fine a landlord who does not deal with noise that is deemed a 'nuisance'. Your Council will have a page and possibly a leaflet you can look at on their website outlining what is and is not acceptable noise wise.

If he still does nothing, go to the Environmental Protection team directly. Best if a lot of you make similar complaints. It takes time to get this solved but it is effective. They wrote to the landlord of the house next door to me that were terribly noisy and said that if there was anymore noise from the tenants, he'd be fined £2,000 for each breech. Didn't hear a peep from them after that and they moved out swiftly.

Butterflykissess · 01/06/2018 11:19

I Also think a bbq at 8pm is fine.

Faultymain5 · 01/06/2018 11:22

I'm sure the BBQ didn't start at 8p.m.
We have BBQs they finish after 11p.m., we all come in at about 10p.m. But they don't start at 8p.m.

KittenBeast · 01/06/2018 11:24

I live in a very, very old converted house, on the top floor, the conversion and floorboards are well below par, the guy that used to live below us actually put in a formal complaint, in the formal complaint he noted that he could hear every footstep, my children (2 and 4 at the time) were too noisy, and my tumble dryer was on at 10pm. And we were investigated for anti social behavior, visits, interviews, the lot. If they're going to be ridiculous enough investigate that, surely you have a case against your arsehole neighbour. Report them ASAP.

Original poster
Noiseandputty · 01/06/2018 11:27

Does that government page apply to daytime noise too please?

OP posts:
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