new neighbours smoking outside at night

[AntiHop]

New neighbours moved into a house opposite a month or so ago. They're renting. It's a 3 bed house but I've seen lots of people come so I think 6 or so people are living there.

Most nights, midnight or later, a car draws up and several people get out noisily - music from the car, loud voices, doors slamming. At some point during the night, people come out of the house and smoke outside their front door. Whilst they're doing this, they're talking loudly. This happens around 1 or 2am. Some nights one there's been 5 of them smoking together and talking loudly.

Am I justified in knocking on their door and asking them to keep the noise down as it's waking me up every night? Especially the smoking as that's for several minutes.

Or would an anonymous note be better?

Or just ignore it?

Once they're inside i don't hear anything. No noisy parties etc.

By all means ask them to keep it down but leave out the smoking. They're entitled to smoke outside and they'll dismiss you if you put it in your complaint.

They need to keep it down though, you're within your rights to complain about that.

I'd leave out the fact it's when they're smoking and just say I'm sure you weren't aware or meaning it to be but it's quite noisy outside the front door some nights, would you mind keeping the noise lower after dark if you're outside?

I'd say it casually and in introducing myself to my neighbors initially. People are always more considerate if they think you're nice

Oh yes I wouldn't tell them to stop smoking. Just to do it quietly. They've got a large garden at the back. I don't know why they don't do it there where it would it be less disturbing.

YWNBU to ask them to be a bit quieter at that time of night but agree don't mention the smoking, it doesn't matter why they're out there it's the noise that's bothering you. I'd speak to them face to face (maybe take a bottle of something to say welcome to the street) and then it's harder for them to be shitty about it.

Can I ask why people always mention when someone is renting?
Anyway I would just have a word with them, an anonymous not comes off wrong I think!

I mentioned they're renting as I expected that might affect the advice people gave me ie to speak to them letting agent. I know which Ietting agent it is because there was a sign outside before they moved in.

Would you really consider contacting their letting agent before having a conversation with them?? They don't sound hideous, they probably just don't realise that you can hear them. I'd just pop over and politely mention that their sound is travelling at night. Give them the opportunity to rectify the situation.

I’m not sure it’s something the letting agent would get involved with. Especially when you haven’t actually addressed your neighbours first.

It has absolutely nothing to do with the letting agent. If they bought a house with a mortgage would you call the mortgage company to complain that someone was doing something which in no way affected the property they have an interest in?

Ask them directly if they can keep the noise down or if they could do it out the back if it causes you less disturbance out there if you involve the letting agent I can only see things going worse for you.

Of course I'm not going to contact the letting agent without trying to speak to them first. That happened to me once when a neighbour complained about our bins to the agent instead of knocking on our door.

I've decided I'm definitely going to knock on their door. I'm feeling really pissed off now as I'm really tired. I'm already not sleeping enough because of my long hours at work, and being disturbed so regularly has pushed me over the edge. I'm really struggling at work today.

If they don't respond to my polite request, then I will contact the letting agent. Surely being a noise nuisance is in breach of your tenancy? If they were the owners, then I'd contact the council noise team.

Feeling really angry at their inconsiderate behaviour.

As others have said, have a word but leave out the smoking bit.

I understand why you mentioned renting, as the normal advice is to complain to the Landlord if speaking to the tenants gets you nowhere.

If they were homeowners, I expect the advice would be to complain to the council, if the noise exceeded a certain level.

Sorry, X posted.

I understand your tired and it's annoying but I think being breezy and casual at first would be a better idea

I get how irritating it is.... but they haven't clicked clearly that they're annoying you as they think your in bed and asleep unaware not being disturbed by them

Unless they are shouting outside I don't see there being anything the agent or any council could do about someone talking outside.

It may be annoying and wake you as it is during the night when everything else is quiet but they'd need to be shouting to reach the noise levels required to be classed as a noise nuisance.

If the neighbour isn't shouting while outside and doesn't respond to your polite request as inconsiderate as it is there will likely be little you can do other than give the neighbour more reason to be even more inconsiderate by approaching council/agent.

I get how irritating it is.... but they haven't clicked clearly that they're annoying you as they think your in bed and asleep unaware not being disturbed by them

I don't understand how some people can not realise that they're disturbing others when they're standing on their front doorstep talking loudly at 1/2am in the morning. Do they a) not realise or b) not care?

Agree with PPs that a breezy, casual approach is best in the first instance though.

Thanks all.

Had a stroke of luck tonight as my neighbours were standing outside smoking as I got home from work. We had a nice friendly chat. So it turns out that some of the people I see coming and going, and smoking outside, don't live there, but live near by and they work together so they often go back to this house together after work.

After a bit of a chat I mentioned being woken up when they stand outside. They seemed to take it on board. Let's see if they keep the noise down.

I'm glad I had a chat with them anyway.

Perfect! Well done. Fingers crossed for a peaceful night.

Well that did not go well. When I met them yesterday, they said they were having a few friends round for a birthday celebration. Last night in the early hours of the morning they were very noisy. People coming and going very loudly, people running around the street shouting. This went on for hours. There were plenty of gaps between the noise but I was woken up numerous times. Finally stopped at 4am.

So what the fuck do I do now? After promising to be quiet, they're actually worse than ever.

I'm so fucking tired. I can't manage with this level of exhaustion. I'm already really stressed at work.

Sorry to hear that @AntiHop. If they're making that level of disturbance could you not have rung your council's noise team? I would maybe have a word with them again and say you will have no option but to contact their managing agent/landlord if this continues, as it's keeping you awake on a regular basis. I disagree with the PP that said there's nothing the landlord can do.

Also, have you spoken to any of your other neighbours about it? It must be affecting quite a lot of people in the immediate area.

Lastly, do you have a spare bedroom at the back of the house you could sleep in temporarily until this is sorted, so you can at least get a good night's sleep?

UPDATE

So neighbours are now being quiet! Haven't heard them smoking outside for ages. So it seems they took on board my request, which is really great. I still hear them getting home from work, when they come in quiet nosily some nights (gone midnight to 2am). But that only lasts a couple of seconds as they go in the house, so it would be petty to complain.

I am very relieved.