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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Neighbours from hell round 2

64 replies

Rolyplumcake9 · 16/02/2022 20:06

I recently moved to a new house after escaping neighbours from hell, they ruined our lives for years in so many ways it was a relief to get a fresh start.
But I’ve once again walked into a home with neighbours from hell. I haven’t stopped crying since I realised they are a carbon copy of our old neighbours.
When I couldn’t take it anymore I reported them to the council noise disturbance team and they received a letter about anti social behaviour. They knocked on my door and denied it then ramped up the noise x100.
I am a nervous wreck I cannot sleep and my children are picking up on this and won’t settle. I am desperate to move house yet again despite spending £6000 decorating this house and building a driveway.
It doesn’t seem that we will be able to repair civil relations with these people and the council have warned me it is very difficult to prove they are doing this maliciously so if they get away with it they can do whatever they like without fear. We are tiptoeing around because if they hear one little noise they begin their ‘big noise’ for the day.

It feels like no one will help me and I have to go through this cycle once again being yet another neighbour punch bag.
I am tempted to knock on their door and confront them but I fear this will make things worse. I’m so scared I don’t know what to do anymore and it doesn’t feel like anyone cares enough to make it stop

OP posts:

EmbarrassedAllOver · 17/02/2022 00:38

You need to move ASAP. Don't waste time trying to improve the situation, just focus all efforts on moving.

EmbarrassedAllOver · 17/02/2022 00:41

I hope this isn't upsetting OP, as I don't intend to rub it in, but why did you invest £6k into a house when you had bad neighbours? Wasn't it obvious from the get go or has their behaviour deteriorated?

Either way, whatever the financial implications, I would move. Save your sanity

Florenz · 17/02/2022 00:44

Councils are worse than useless when it comes to things like this, an utter waste of space. The people working there are literally stealing a wage for doing nothing. It would be very simple to sort stuff like this out in a matter of hours but they just don't care.

WildPoinsettia · 17/02/2022 00:59

Have you reported the antisocial behaviour, every incident, to the housing association they rent from? These are the people who can evict them for their behaviour, not the council's noise nuisance department.

Some housing association are useless though and I think some areas get written off as troublesome areas where more antisocial behaviour is tolerated than would be the case in other areas. Nobody official is ever going to admit this though.

I imagine most people doing an exchange on their housing association property will be doing it due to nightmare neighbours. If they have a good place they're not going to want to leave it for fear of this happening, surely? You can hardly blame the previous person living there for saying that the neighbours were great and putting their own needs first in their desire to move out, it's human nature, did you tell who took your old place that those previous neighbours were utter bastards?! Or did you think it might put people off?

RedCandyApple · 17/02/2022 01:08

Tbf you can’t blame the woman you swapped with, did you tell her the neighbours in your old area were neighbours from hell? I’m really doubting that you did so you both kept quiet about nightmare neighbours , it does seem odd to spend that much money on a house with neighbours from hell next door 😕

ThisBooksCanDo · 17/02/2022 01:15

They are sleeping when you're out the house. This is when timers to start speakers are your friend. Get all the speakers turned to the party walls and go on and off all day when you're out

UsernameInTheTown · 17/02/2022 06:39

Soundproof the party wall. Place bookcases of books, shelving and furniture along the shared walls if you can.
The Police should attend for noise nuisance and council will install noise monitoring equipment. Find out about mediation through the council too. Good luck OP I've been in this situation and it's the pits.

Butterfly44 · 17/02/2022 12:12

You spent money on the house. That's irrelevant right now - either you move or stay.

bluepeacock · 17/02/2022 12:16

I'm sorry you are going through this however :

you spent £6k on decorating and putting a driveway in a rented house??.

I'm stunned!

WouldIwasShookspeared · 17/02/2022 12:22

So you and their old neighbours swapped houses?
Which means you swapped nightmare neighbours. They've now got yours and you've got theirs? You've both been very very unlucky haven't you?

I suggest you record the noise and keep on asking to be housed somewhere else. If you gather enough recordings to prove constant harassment then you could ask your MP for help.

Rivering · 17/02/2022 12:35

Move to Rochdale or Blackburn, they’re paying people to move into council estates up there.

IntermittentParps · 17/02/2022 12:43

Get on to the housing association. And log with police. Every time. And write to/go see your MP.

Movinghouseatlast · 17/02/2022 12:44

I want to say how sorry I am you are going through this.

Could you soundproof the party wall? You can use soundproof plasterboard filled with rockwool. You lose a few inches of space but it makes a massive difference. Whatever it costs it is worth it for your sanity.

Thebestwaytoscareatory · 17/02/2022 12:48

Councils and housing associations have a legal obligation to all their tenants and can't just evict them/make them homeless. I'm interested to hear your solution to this issue that would solve everything in a matter of hours?

Abitofalark · 17/02/2022 12:57

It's an awful situation to be in and very stressful. If the police are often called out to next door, who is calling them - other neighbours? It does mean that police are aware there are problems. You can use this when dealing with the council, because it shows that there is anti-social behaviour and it's not just something in your head or that you are making up.

I would be inclined to contact your local elected councillors for your ward if the housing department. And your MP, as posters have suggested.

As far as spending thousands on the council property, I would suggest you consider applying for reimbursement or some sort of grant towards this expenditure on improving their property. The councillor may be able to help you with this. There may not be an entitlement to refunding you if you did this on your own but maybe there could be scope for a discretionary payment or a rebate on some rent. Just a suggestion.

PriamFarrl · 17/02/2022 12:58

I know what you mean about not sleeping. I have neighbours who don’t sleep too.
There is always someone up banging doors or watching tv loud.
Fortunately they aren’t so loud that it causes a problem.

Abitofalark · 17/02/2022 12:58

...if the housing department isn't helpful.

Ohmybod · 17/02/2022 13:02

You spent 6k decorating and building a driveway before finding out that the neighbours were noisy? Sorry if this sounds unhelpful but based on your previous experiences would you not have waited to be sure all was well before committing so much finance to the place??

It’s really bad luck and bad form of the previous neighbour to lie, but there’s a chance that she did so because she was desperate to escape them.

I think you just need to put all your efforts into moving again and hope it’s third time lucky.

northernsquirrel · 17/02/2022 13:09

Why are you spending money like that on a council rental??? Just rent privately, you have more than enough for a deposit!

Katya213 · 17/02/2022 13:11

@Cheekypeach

Your only option is to move.

This.

It’s the only way. Been there myself.

SmellinOfTroy · 17/02/2022 13:15

You have to try to move. You won't change them, so you need to get out

Report everything to your council, then you will have evidence of why they need to move you.

GrandRapids · 17/02/2022 13:17

I also think you should move. It's unlikely to stop and the ongoing stress is just not worth it.

Im surprised you had to fork out 6k for a driveway? Shouldn't the housing association or council pay for that? It might be worth asking if they would consider reimbursing you for part of it because you've been forced out by nightmare neighbours

Going forwards is private renting a nice house in a nice area an option? Detached or semi? You can't keep going around in circles but if you keep getting housed in undesirable areas then this will likely happen again.

Katya213 · 17/02/2022 13:22

I had to go for private rent in the end, it has crippled me financially as I’m a single parent but with housing association, I had no luck,just the worst neighbours you could think of. We get a good nights peaceful sleep, there is no noise at all and I have decent neighbours.

MrsMoastyToasty · 17/02/2022 13:29

What have other residents in your street done about them? Maybe a joined up effort with your other neighbours may be the way forward.

Wtfdoipick · 17/02/2022 13:38

Noisy neighbours have just forced my next door but one neighbours to move out and they are both private tenants on a street that is a mix of privately owned and rented property. I wouldn't give up a secure council tenancy for no guarantee of improvement. Things can change so easily in either direction. Just keep reporting and buy ear plugs

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