To report my neighbours

[MrsDeathOfRats]

WIBU really.

I live in a council tower block, standard entry phone system at main doors. I've lived here a fair few years.
Couple years ago new neighbours moved in. Originally it was just mum and 2 dc. Then a sister moved in, and another, one sister had a baby, grandma appeared to be living here too. I think grandpa lives there too, or he at least comes and goes ALOT.
So it's a 2 bedroom flat with up to 5 adults and 3 kids living there.
This of itself isn't a problem except the rubbish piles up fast (they pile it outside their front door and take it down to the bins randomly) and they are constantly doing diy which results in mess noise and debris strewn all over the communal hallway for days/weeks.

My biggest bug bear though is the fact that they have one door key.
One entry fob for the front door and one physical key to the flat. You can get second or third ones from the council for £15. Instead, they buzz my door and ask me to let them in.

This regularly happens at 8/9pm and last night 3 times at midnight.
Im a single mum with 2 dc 6&4 who are asleep at those times.
I've asked and asked them not to buzz my door, I've even asked why they don't buzz their own number.
They usually stop understanding English at this point but speak it perfectly when they want something from me (like a delivery taken in)

I'm now at the point of having to turn my buzzer off when the kids go to bed and turn it back on in the morning.

I'm certain they aren't supposed to have that many of them living there and that's why they won't go get more keys.
Would you report them?
WIBU to report them to the council?

I would report just because I was pissed off with the buzzing.

Not sure what to do in this situation as live in a house and have no experience. Just wanted to let you know you have my sympathy for your situation. I would report if you think that they are breaking the rules. Also piled up rubbish would be a fire and evacuation hazard.

Report them

1. For the overcrowding
2. For the rubbish, fire hazard
3. For the noise of the DIY, which they may not have permission for
4. For the nuisance to you

Keep a diary, keep complaining. You don't have to put up with it! They need more appropriate housing, obviously. So your complaint may help solve 2 problems!

Report the rubbish/debris as that’s anti social and a fire risk, and the buzzing because it’s bang out of order.

The council will find out in the course of things how many are living there, and deal with it that way.

I feel for you OP I’d be heartily pissed off if they kept buzzing my door too. You shouldn’t have to switch your buzzer off.

Definitely contact the council for all the reasons stated by other posters. The buzzing would have had me going batty.

I would definitely do it. They are being selfish and it sounds like youve already put up with a lot.

Can you turn your buzzer off? My mum lives in a flat and she can turn hers off which she did after a certain time because the people downstairs were always ordering take away and the delivery person would always buzz my mum's door.

But yes in the meantime defintley report them for everything

Selfish buggers.
Fine if they want to flout the terms of their council property, but to involve you is really selfish.

I would have no qualms at all in reporting them. Bloody cheek.

Report them.

We had this at our old place, except our buzzer couldn't be turned off. Next door's extended family who stunk out the place with weed who would randomly press buzzer buttons to be let in, at all times of the day and night. DH ended up taking it apart so that we could connect and disconnect the wires easily.

*@hannah1992 'I'm now at the point of having to turn my buzzer off when the kids go to bed and turn it back on in the morning.' * She does.

OP YANBU - report them today.

I'd report and with immediate effect do not let them in when they buzz. With people like this, a conversation about it won't work; if they buzz and you let them in that's all they care about. The only way they'll stop buzzing is if there's no point because you never let them in.

Not council but I had the same, even the DIY. A single person on the lease in flat above and many people coming and going all hours, ringing my bell and hammering on my window pretending to be emergency services to get in.

Because the landlord had to give notice they were coming round they weren't caught for ages and I got a lot of trouble from them and landlord for being nosy.

That is, until, my landlord did one of their "suspected-emergency-so-we-let-ourselves in" checks and found the floor covered in sleeping bags and in the bathroom they were growing marijuana!

In addition to the other points raised, does their DIY involve changes to electric wiring or gas connections?
I'd be on to the council right away, for my own peace of mind. Do you have a local housing office? Call them or better still go and see them.

I feel very sorry for you. One of them at least must speak English. If you can corner that one, tell them the rubbish outside their door is a nuisance and also that they should get more keys cut. Most people, if they are not horrible, want to be on reasonable terms with neighbours so you might find they comply. Worth a try. However turning your buzzer off after a certain hour is a good idea for the time being.

I certainly wouldn't report them for overcrowding, that's their business but you or someone else might report them for other things like buzzing to get in and rubbish so it's a kindness to speak to them about it.

Good luck.

I would switch the buzzer off. Any of your friends or family wanting to visit after, say, 8.00 pm should phone you to let them in. But YES you should report them as well for the noise, rubbish and overcrowding

Yes, report them.
They're a health hazard for the rubbish alone, and antisocial for the buzzing.

Yes agree with curiousaboutsamphire

You can get any number of keys and fobs, for any reason (to let a babysitter have one, a spare one to leave with a neighbour for emergencies etc) so I can't see how that is related to overcrowding.

Personally I think they're just doing it because they're reluctant to shell out £45 when you're opening the door for them. Just keep your doorbell off at night for a while (like, a long while -- six weeks to two months) and see what happens. I suspect they'll get their own keys cut and fobs copied by then!

Incidentally, you can get the fobs copied at many key cutting shops, so you don't have to go to the council for this.

And no, I wouldn't report them as long as this solves the problem and how it's impacting you. If it doesn't, then yes, I would consider having a word.

I would have turned my buzzer off after the second time, people visiting you can call on your phone to be let in. Then they have to get keys.

Report them. I don't see why you wouldn't. Take pictures, keep a log... whatever it takes. just report.

Turn the buzzer off when your children are getting ready for bed.
Don't take in their deliveries.
Report them for the disturbance to you. Presumably the council will then figure out the rest for themselves.

Can't believe they are buzzing at midnight - SO so so so thoughtless and rude.

chat that's all in the OP!

Report the DIY noise and the rubbish. Maybe the door buzzing too - but are you really supposed to be letting them in yourself?

But keep your judgements about there being 'too many' people in the flat to yourself. They probably can't get anything bigger, you don't know that the landlord aren't fully aware of the number of residents, and it's a distraction from the real issues.

Yes, report.

Yes. I would report.