Who is BU? Neighbour's heat pump

[ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs]

Help to resolve a dispute between DH and I.
Neighbours have installed a heat pump on the side of their house close to our boundary. It is very noisy! DH is not happy with the noise level, he has researched and regulations state should be no more than 42 dbs from our side. He's measured it as 60 dbs and 58 just outside our bedroom. He has sent an email to neighbour asking him to check it out, but no reply.

Relevant back story: We have lived in our house for 17 years, with no close neighbours (woodland). Couple of years ago the land was sold and developed. DH and I had different opinions on this- he thought having a house there was a good thing for security, I was really upset at the destruction of the trees.

Things got worse when they "accidentally" tore down our hedge (outside our fence but inside our boundary). There was then a boundary dispute, we had to pay for a land survey to resolve. Eventually "resolved" but boundary still not completely adhered when they erected fence.

So things were a bit awkward, then we had months of noisy building/ builders. Neighbours finally moved in and I was happy to let it all go for the sake of good relations. Have spoken to them briefly and all OK.

Now DH is complaining about the noise of the heat pump, where it doesn't really bother me that much and I would rather leave it. Especially as we have dogs that occasionally bark, and I'm sure we make noise of our own at times. I really don't want to be on bad terms with them- the reason we left our previous house was that our neighbours were horrible

Who's BU- DH or me? I think DH is being a bit petty, he thinks he is right to complain and that they are taking the piss! It was his idea to ask MN....

(Sorry about the essay, trying not to drip feed!!)

I think you (he) will need to get over it. Everyone is acting like heat pumps are a lifestyle choice; eventually we will all have them and where are they supposed to put the thing- the middle of the lawn? Against the neighbours fence on the other side? They’re not deliberately making it noisy to annoy you, it is what it is and what they’ve destroying trees at least they’re somewhat offsetting by not using additional fossil fuels?

What is wrong with you?

Ancient woodland?

I'd have been devastated

@TheJanuaryPinks you must be joking right?! I love trees, they're beautiful.

No, we won't

Many houses are not suitable for them

Where in the Country are you that the Council ignores the destruction of bat habitats?!…. Our council would’ve had the culprits at the police station sharpish…to be honest they’re a little ott on the subject but better that than the opposite I suppose!!! If your other neighbour had to seek permission to prune are you in a conservation area? If so they would have needed pp to remove the trees and if they did so without then they should have been prosecuted. Something very very wrong at your council if these are the circs!

Vast majority of UK homes are not suitable for air pumps - really only work in ultra modern houses or complete retrofitted refurbs.

Their right to have a heat pump doesn’t trump your right to have peace and quiet. Don’t worry about upsetting them. They didn’t worry about upsetting you!

We (and several other neighbours) officially objected to the planning on various grounds. I mentioned the lack of bat/ badger surveys, and they redacted those paragraphs on the public page! Don't know why... Got in touch with bat and badger conservation societies, but the trees were gone, so but pointless. Police useless at prosecuting, Animal Welfare Officer didn't know he was one, and suggested the local animal charity...
They had planning to cut down some trees, some were deemed healthy, but no-one seemed to care when we (and other neighbours) pointed out they had taken them all (very quickly, in just a few days). Have to say, have lost a lot of faith in the council after this whole thing. I can guarantee you, if those bats had moved into our attic you can bet they would have become protected again.....

@ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs the thought of falling out with neighbours may make you feel stressed but there is plenty research that shows that long term exposure to noise levels above 50db in someone's home environment causes so much stress that it actually reduces life expectancy and causes diseases. If your husband is already bothered by this noise then it is likely already affecting his physical and mental health. A temporary stress for you in surely better than your husband feeling stressed all the time in his own home because of noise pollution. There are laws about the placement of these pumps for good reason! Also, if you don't address this through the appropriate channels you may have difficulty selling your home if/when you decide to do that. Your neighbours sound like CF already with the hedge/boundary nonsense. I wouldn't be trying to appease them when they couldn't give 2 hoots about your property and rights.

DH is not happy with the noise level, he has researched and regulations state should be no more than 42 dbs from our side....

Quite a lot wrong with this statement so will just give you the actual legal facts so you can take things forward. I am an ex EHO who dealt with statutory noise nuisance for over 20 years and was also a member of the institute of acoustics when I was working.

The issue here is, does it constitute a statutory noise nuisance. first off there are no set levels and no set times of day. None. 42 dB(A) so what if the background is 90 you wouldnt hear it.

For noise to be a nuisance depends on lots of variables - tonal characteristics, frequency, duration, level, audibility, back ground levels etc. The law isnt prescriptive and case law which goes back almost 100 years defines statutory noise nuisance as "that which is a nuisance or annoyance to the man on the Clapham omnibus" (sic)

There are two ways to take action for SNN. one is through the local authority. start off by keeping a diary of the noise - when you can hear when you cant, where in the building you can hear it, how audible is it (do you have to turn up your radio or TV) does it interfere with speech, does it affect the quiet enjoyment of your property. Does it have any tonal characteristics (thump whirr thump etc) keep this for several weeks. then speak to your local EHO and ask them to do a noise assessment. either someone will come around with a noise meter and take readings including background ones with the noise off or they will basically just come and listen. if they agree its a SNN they will serve notice under S79 - 84 of the Environmental protection act 1990 requiring action to be taken. this could be attenuation (baffling, mounting on rubber etc) or could be relocation who knows. If the EHO does not agree with you that its a SNN then you can take your own action. used to be called a S99 under the Public health act 1936 but same provision is in the EPA. again you keep records and you take to the magistrates court. I would suggest you employ your own acoustician to do the report. In all of this bear in mind - all complaints are logged and you have to declare them if you try to sell up within 5 years which may adversely affect your ability to sell. falling out with your neighbours is fucking miserable. there will be constant tit for tats between you, you will really hate living in your home. so before you do any of this, suggest mediation, try and find a solution because once you open that pandoras box that is legal action it is horrible.

Thank you @mumummymeister , really useful information! I'll pass it on to DH

I think you will.

how are you going to heat your house when you cant buy gas boilers anymore ?

I don't know about @Nanny0gg's residence, but my flat is all electric

EHO - environmental health officer. There are policies on this, they will need to move it or install something to reduce the noise (box it in?!)

https://fischerfutureheat.com/5-alternatives-to-heat-pumps/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAnfmsBhDfARIsAM7MKi2-sf0W2-9Zuw2Giz9CD5kSwFekspjM06yKYV5-cNNWMrpWni41e-saApVgEALw_wcB

No worries. So many people think that you cant make noise after a certain time or to a certain level and thats really not how statutory noise nuisance works because there are so many environmental factors to take account of. Good luck

how are you going to heat your house when you cant buy gas boilers anymore

I suspect heat pumps will prove to be a bit betamax and they'll instead find more environmentally-friendly fuel sources that can be run with minimal conversion to current central heating systems, like hydrogen, or veg oil for oil burning systems.

I’m a bit unsure, 60dcb is the level of normal conversation, which makes me think you’ve poor windows if you can hear it inside, it’s not exactly loud noise. But continuous if you’re poor windows would be annoying.

You should have the expectation of being able to open your windows though. You wouldn't expect conversation to be happening directly outside your open window 24/7.

It's the bitchy giggling emoji.

To be fair I don’t think it’s normal other than on mumsnet to be crying over trees, normal trees not iconic ones cut down for no reason in an act of vandalism. Even then I’m not sure it’s normal to sit and cry.

Most people can absolutely understand being driven to tears over the illegal destruction of ancient woodland and habitats that should be for the enjoyment and benefit of all future generations.

This is not an abnormal MN reaction . It is a normal reaction. Another sociopath joins the thread. Welcome.

If someone decides that the heat pump needs relocating, are you going to pay for that ?

If a fence needs building, are you going to pay for that ?

If the heat pump needs a service are you going to pay for that ?

It sits on your neighbours land

So I think the 42db at 1m limit relates to the microgeneration certification scheme (and therefore the ability to receive a discount on the installation etc). So I think it would be that route rather than a general noise nuisance that you might need to use? Not sure how if works if they have already received the grant though.