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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

REPORTED neighbour to council

135 replies

Brighton5555 · 25/01/2023 17:12

But it seems I may have made it something bigger and now I fear the backlash.

For 9 weeks they have almost daily been doing heavy diy/remodelling/building to downstairs always starting around 3pm to gone past 8pm.

i spoke to them back in November and could see when they opened the door wearing those professional style ear defenders due to the noise from the equipment being used that there was no kitchen and the floorboards were stripped back .. that it was obvious they were doing the work themself and her son in his mid 20’s is a carpenter by trade so explains the work hours being when he comes home.

we share thin walls in a terrace and I’m the only joint house to hers . WhTs pushed me to contact the council was the fact on 4/5 occasions they have used a drill of some kind as late as 10.30pm making my whole
house shake knowing full well I have a young school age child and a Sen young person in my home that they will be disturbing given the time of night..

a few nights ago my patience left me when again on came this heavy drill in short bursts at 10.35pm and I called the council
housing team and environmental health hoping and assuming they would call her and warn her about guidelines for noise .

It transpires she hasn’t applied for any permission to do any changes or work to the property and they are now doing a home visit about the noise and about the breach of tenancy. The noise and duration is clearly not someone changing flooring or replacing a door it’s more than this .

it didn’t even cross my mind about permission and all that I just wanted her to be told to stop making noise after the guideline times …

she will know it’s from me even though they won’t disclose it.

im nervous for the potential backlash but after 9 weeks and having approached them once before I couldn’t accept them being okay with the late late noise …

Should I feel bad now it’s going to be more problematic for her given she’s not applied for any permission to carry out said work?

OP posts:
Gh12345 · 25/01/2023 20:13

If we’re looking at it fairly, people are allowed to have work done… but there’s a limit on what’s ok and some people really don’t give two hoots. So I don’t think you’re wrong

catskittens · 25/01/2023 20:19

tough on them

to many who rent dont seem to understand it is not their house and cant do what they like
it's about time they realised

DarkDarkNight · 25/01/2023 20:58

I wouldn’t worry. They have been incredibly selfish using a drill at that time of night when they must know how thin the walls are. You asked them to be more considerate, it’s not your fault they took the mick.

lifeinthehills · 25/01/2023 21:16

Not your problem. If they had listened to reasonable requests about the time of work, they wouldn't have been found out. That's on them for first, not being considerate so you were pushed to take action, and second, not getting the permissions needed. All on them.

rumship · 25/01/2023 21:18

@Brighton5555 Well just know not that if you come to sell your house you will now have to officially declare that you have a problem with your neighbours. Well done 👏

ButterCrackers · 25/01/2023 21:21

You asked them to not make so much noise but they continued and into the night. You reported them which was the right action. Their not having permission for their work is not your problem and you did not report on that.

MissMaple82 · 25/01/2023 21:23

It's their problem, not yours. They have been very irresponsible and inconsiderate. Think no more of it.

Tiani4 · 25/01/2023 21:26

Omg
Why are you stressing on this?
You told your NdN s/he were waking you up late evening and asked them to tone it down

They didn't. They were waking you up

If they don't even have planning or LL permission to do this work that's their look out

All you wanted was to be able to sleep which you haven't been able to do for best part of two months

user143677433 · 25/01/2023 21:31

I voted YABU because you only spoke to them about it once before escalating it.

But then I read your update about her having a warning for race gate so can understand why you probably didn’t want to deal with her.

Had they been more normal neighbours it would have been better to say it was still bothering you.

HamBone · 25/01/2023 21:44

rumship · 25/01/2023 21:18

@Brighton5555 Well just know not that if you come to sell your house you will now have to officially declare that you have a problem with your neighbours. Well done 👏

Tbf, she does have a big problem with them @rumship! It sounds as if the OP is a tenant so she wouldn’t need to declare any of this.

I think it’s bizarre that they’re making all these changes to a rented property, why would you spend money on a house that doesn’t belong to you?

Drilling at 10:30 p.m. is completely unreasonable, OP, I don’t blame you for reporting the noise and the permission issue is nothing to do with you. If she says anything, just keep quiet. She’s created this situation.

Nat6999 · 25/01/2023 21:48

My dad had to go round to the neighbours when I was still at home because he was knocking walls down at 2.00am, his excuse was he had just come in off the late shift & couldn't sleep so wanted to get "a few bits done" My dad never made me turn my music down when the neighbour was on nights after that & the neighbour didn't dare come round.

Naddd · 25/01/2023 21:51

Who cares if they know? She can't have the brass neck to say owt after u putting up with all that noise for all those weeks?

I told a neighbour I'd be complaining to the council about their dog fouling in the shared yard didn't end up doing it cos im fed up of being the only one who tried to keep it clean n complained.

Babooshka1990 · 25/01/2023 21:52

She can F right off, you can’t do noisy work like that at night time when you live in a terraced house. Rude, inconsiderate and deserve what she gets.

ImmigrantAlice · 25/01/2023 23:12

realmsofglory · 25/01/2023 19:39

thats what i was thinking!
is it a council listed building op?

Show quote history

Why would it need to be a listed building? If any of my tenants decided to dig up the floor or knock down a wall they’d be out on their ears as soon as possible.

fUNNYfACE36 · 25/01/2023 23:24

ImmigrantAlice · 25/01/2023 23:12

Why would it need to be a listed building? If any of my tenants decided to dig up the floor or knock down a wall they’d be out on their ears as soon as possible.

Show quote history

I meant to say is it a listed building OR a council house.

ImmigrantAlice · 25/01/2023 23:28

fUNNYfACE36 · 25/01/2023 23:24

I meant to say is it a listed building OR a council house.

Show quote history

I think (but am not certain) that the OP’s neighbours are council tenants.

If so it’s fair enough that the council wants to have a word.

MarkWithaC · 26/01/2023 17:54

You're in the right, OP. She's had a warning for race hate; you really do have the moral high ground here. No need at all to feel bad.

ImBlueDab · 26/01/2023 17:58

You're in the right op. You asked them to be considerate to you regarding noise and they've chosen to disregard this request. It's not your fault they haven't asked permission - that's completely on them

Rosie22xx · 26/01/2023 18:21

Never feel guilty for someone else's wrong doings.

Justalittlebitduckling · 26/01/2023 18:50

I probably would have followed up speaking with them to writing a letter before complaining to the council, but you’re not in the wrong.

tinatea · 26/01/2023 18:53

Serves them right.

They deserve it. No consideration for others is a big no in my book.

Huxley1234 · 26/01/2023 19:20

Your in the right. They would know but not care about your children. They deserve everything coming to them because if they were decent they wouldn’t have even thought about making that kind of noise at night. Don’t care about their feelings. I know it’s hard if you hate confrontation but anyone who does should be the person feeling bad.

Shudahaddogs · 26/01/2023 20:03

gamerchick · 25/01/2023 17:19

They should have followed the rules then if they were going to upset everyone with their racket. Stop feeling guilty.

This. They should of come over before..let you know what was happening with wine...flowers. its them that should feel guilty not you hun xx

VeganStar · 26/01/2023 20:23

ShakespearesBlister · 25/01/2023 17:22

Keep it in perspective. What you know for a fact and what you suspect, are two different things. They might suspect you said something but they won't know for a fact. Frankly if she's stupid enough to do something like that without permission then more fool her. I certainly wouldn't be loosing sleep over it. So they might stop talking to you and avoid you. Is that any great loss?

If it’s just not speaking that would be fine but the OP said she’s worried about a backlash which could be anything when you think of it. It could turn nasty.
I don’t think the OP was being unreasonable though. Definitely not.

Norwegiancopice · 26/01/2023 20:47

Jenasauras, was the person who heard hymns at 5 am elderly? There is a condition in some older people where they hear music when there is none. I came across this when I worked with older people.