Council have asked me to move my keysafe, for the carers round the back of the block of flats.

[patsy999]

Does anyone know if the council are in the wrong here. I have a keysafe for the carers, which i was given permission for when i moved in 6 years ago.
Next door keeps complaining that it makes a noise and they have written to me asking for it to be moved round the back.
The back way isnt very safe in the winter as there is a very dim light round there, but the councils answer to that was the carers can use the torch on their phones.
I cant get the new keysafe fitted till fri the 2nd, so the carers cant use the keysafe till then.
Its a block of flats, with a communal back and front door.

This doesn't really make sense.

You've only used it once in 2 months and they're complaining, and the council is backing them up. It can only be for short time every time they use it too.

For any noise complaints then they normally ask you to make a diary and that's not really going to cut it:
"On May 10th 2024 there was 4 beeps and a bang as they shut it" "Anything else?" "No!"

Is it an electric one that buzzes all the time, maybe?
Or is it perhaps that you're not allowed to fasten things to the communal wall?
Or is it that it's actually the carers themselves making the noise and they think they always use the keysafe, so if they move it, then they'll be quieter?

I'd query exactly what the noise is, and point out it's only been used that infrequently, because it would be frustrating to move it, and then find they come back with more complaints which were the real cause.

Suggest to the council that they can source a silent key safe for carers if other residents are complaining (I mean how noisy is the key safe in the grand scheme of things) or they could perhaps send some ear plugs in the general direction of these sensitive of hearing neighbours.
You have no plans to relocate your key safe as it is not just the key safe, you're considering the overall safety of the carers who come to visit you and use the safe. The torch on their phone won't be much help on a cold wet day when they have to visit you and go around the back to let themselves in. That's crazy and shame on your council for even suggesting it.

Have you met people? Lots of people complain without good reason.

Call the police? Whatever for??

This situation is a complete waste of police time!

You haven’t answered the question but how much noise does a key safe actually make? Surely it’s not that noisy it generated antisocial behaviour complaints? I also think you need to argue this more robustly, you say another resident already has a key safe on the same wall - so how do they even know it’s your one making a noise? I’m struggling to see how this is an antisocial behaviour issue? Why can’t the care company have their own copy of the key? We have 8 key safes here, they don’t make a sound. What am I meant to be listening for?

It all sounds a bit suspect OP. Councils have a duty of care and safeguarding which seems to be being ignored .
Have you taken photos of the alley in question , position where they are wanting the key box removed to? I would submit them with a letter of appeal and also get your local councillor involved.
Is it the noise of the key box that’s being objected to , or your Carers talking outside ?

Not odd at all. The antisocial behaviour team here are on call outside office hours. They attended in person and put letters through doors. In our case they just asked the complainant to let them in.

That’s exactly the point.
The “noise” from key safe is a big nothing. Not illegal, not a nuisance. Thru obv won’t take it further with police.
OP had permission and a pissy neighbor making a complaint.

A key lock used occasionally shouldn't make enough noise to warrant the council intervening; they're usually awful at dealing with noise complaints. I'd be dubious about this, is there anyone you can contact to raise concerns about the dimly lit access and claiming back for the key lock if they insist it needs to move?

So, the antisocial behaviour team has done this for a 'noisy' key safe that has been used once since May10th?

'Not odd at all,' is your opinion of this.

Even if the OP's flat was in Clarence House, and 'Bob downstairs' was actually called Charles, it would not get this speed of response.

Yes it is all a bit fishy. Is Bob from downstairs sending out letters pretending to be anti social noise enforcers one wonders.

Do not move it op!

Not odd at all that they do turn up and do put letters through doors is what I meant.

Have I not already said that I cannot understand how this is even an antisocial behaviour issue? Stop splitting hairs.

The antisocial behaviour team are on call as I've already said. They attended when people call them where I am, and post letters through straight away.

As I said upthread, I think your neighbours might be behind the letter/phone call etc.

The key safe has been used TWICE...

If your key safe belts out "Welcome Home" (cue Peter's & Lee earworm) at 100dB each time it opens, buy a new one. Would be cheaper than the £80 you will be charged.

@Elleherd what a great analysis; though I'm sorry to hear your neighbours are that terrible 💐

@patsy999 If the person who rang you was genuine, maybe he's an acquaintance or friend of someone in your building; I cannot see either how something like this gets dealt with that quickly, compared to many other stories on here.

Perhaps the person who made the complaint really does hear the other keysafe or other people chatting or similar; and it's a mix-up.
The suggestions by PP were all very good.

Something else is a possibility but it's fixable, too: some electronics make a permanent buzzing sound, sometimes because a cable isn't connected correctly or similar errors, could that be what the person hears?

No he was definatly from the council as noone in this buiding has my mobile number.
Plus i rang him back on the councils number. I also googled his name. its not an electronic buzzing either.

So what is it then? What noise is your key safe actually making to be generating noise nuisance complaints? You seem to be avoiding that question?

Key safe's don't make a noise.

I also can't understand why this is even an antisocial issue if it has only been used twice. Unfortunately in spite of multiple people asking, OP seems to be avoiding answering what sort of noise the key safe is making to generate complaints.

As an example of how antisocial behaviour teams operate these days, it is a more sledge hammer and zero tolerance approach now although this case does seem over zealous and OP does need to challenge it.

Our antisocial behaviour team has a mobile number. Last year in my block they were called because a resident was causing nuisance. They attended promptly but he wouldn't open the door so they went back to the office, printed a letter and put it through his door. All within the hour. It really was that quick and the nuisance stopped.

Maybe other authorities still drag their heels but ours certainly doesn't.

OP seems to be avoiding answering what sort of noise the key safe is making to generate complaints.

I think the reason the OP is avoiding answering that question is in fact because key safes don't make a noise, but she doesn't feel she can say that - for whatever reason.

Surely it would help formulate a response to the letter though if you can show categorically that it is just not true? She also said there was another key safe on the same wall, in which case how would they even know which one is making the noise?

I'd tell the council to sod off. Twice a day, during reasonable times for seconds at a time is utterly ridiculous and they need to not be pandering to an unreasonable neighbour.

But how did the guy from the council's anti social behaviour unit get access to your mobile number.

There is something wrong here.

My keysafe doesnt make any noise. Especially, since the cover was smashed,
His just a nasty, horrible man and as i said before its only used when they come early and im still asleep or if im ill and cant get to the door. Its been used once, since may the tenth.
There is another keysafe on his flat wall as thats the only place they can go, due to the other wall being taken up by the buzzers.