To think I shouldn't have to pay for this?

[Pollyxplummer]

I have been complaining to the council about my noisy neighbours for THREE YEARS and they have done absolutely nothing until last Tuesday when they finally wrote them a letter. A bloody letter after three years of complaints. Thanks
Anyway, the noise has of course not stopped and in the email where they informed me they were going to send a letter, they also said that if the noise doesn't stop, I shpuld record it using an app and send them the recordings. They put a link in the email.
I went to download it tonight ready to use for tomorrow mornings inevitable 4am start, and it is a paid-for app!
They haven't sent me a discount code or anything. Are they actually expecting me to pay??
Should I??

I agree if more neighbours are complaining then it is more likely that the noise is happening but there are going to be occasions when this is not so. This can often be the case with council housing where a street or flats has mainly had elderly folk who have lived there all their lives and are replaced by families who are naturally more noisy than elderly people so it isn't always so cut and dried. Therefore it needs proper investigation

I really don’t see the point of this post. Councils across the country are awful and neglect their tenants. I needed a bathroom changing so my elderly parent could wash but it took over 18 months to get done despite social services being involved. By the time they installed the shower my parent was too ill to use it. Frankly, ongoing noise is stressful and can cause poor mental health but your council don’t care - it’s all about the bottom line and evictions cost money. So you have 2 choices: either download the app (free or not. We don’t know because for some inexplicable reason you won’t say) or don’t.

LMAO

How am I "busted"?? 😂😂😂

Because some lady says some app is free?

She doesn't even know the name of the app 😂

You're pretty hard pushed to find a paid-for app these days OP. Since you've made the point that it's not the amount but the principle that matters, you may as well share which app it is. Otherwise people will assume that you're talking about The Noise App and that it is in fact free and you've got it wrong.

You probably don't care about what people think, which of course is a good thing. But if I were you I'd rather prove I was right about there being a charge and be unfairly accused of looking like a 'cheapskate' than just leave it with people assuming I'd lied or got it wrong.

For the record, none of us are council tenants. Just wanted to clear that up as I think a couple of people have assumed that.

Noisy neighbours own, their neighbours one side own and have also complained and tried to reason. Their neighbours the other side privately rent and have complained and tried to reason, I privately rent and live opposite.

Whether it’s £4.99 or £99 isn’t really the point, it’s that councils or at least this council is dictating what software to use and it’s not free, I get that’s annoying op but actually you want resolution so just record the noise you are complaining about, using the app suggested or the free one others have suggested, they once you have the required quantity of data evidence you can argue with the council over costs/used a different app. I suspect the reason they are putting hoops in place is that a lot of people are unreasonable in expecting silence in busy places, councils are fed up with this. Your complaint may be upheld op but many aren’t because they are normal household noise that’s not being realistic to think people can’t make

She does actually 😉

It is free.

And you're going to waste these three years for £1.99 worth of principle!

What a RIDICULOUS post this is! The OP, comes on to ask is it unreasonable for her to have to pay for an app, in order to try to get some action against her nuisance neighbours. When people show an interest and try to help, she proceeds to waste everyone's time, by refusing to tell us how much she thinks she has to pay, or even what the app is called. PATHETIC! I'm out!

I wouldn't bother.

We did the diary pages, the reporting, offered them our camera footage of which there was a lot, had neighbours back us up, they even had their own sound recording equipment put in (that they have to tell the neighbour when it's going in and for how long so is entirely pointless) and still did nothing. For 6 years.

You see, this is what I'm thinking.

I know how I'm coming across. Abut I've gone through three years of sleepless nights because of these people. My son had to go and stay at my mums just so he could have some sleep during his GCSE exams.

I've filled in three lots of diary sheets, I have made countless phone calls, I'm talking over 100 phone calls, where I have left on hold for hours, and passed around countless departments and begged them to please do something about my numerous complaints. I have sent no less than 47 emails - I counted.
I have put up cameras - they got smashed. My neighbours have sent numerous emails, made numerous phone calls, they were ignored. Another neighbour even went down to the council office and demanded to see someone.
They also offered their ring doorbell footage, it was declined, but they emailed it anyway - numerous times.
Basically we begged and begged and begged and gave evidcne and nothing. For three years.
And now, after all that, they've written one poxy letter and asked me to buy myself an app - with what reassurance?!?!!
Honestly, sod this. I'll buy their shitty app so they can ignore it and then I will take matters into my own hands
It's easy to judge when you haven't lived through it and you're not feeling the bitterness I am.

Oh absolutely. The bitterness, hopelessness, anger, despair. We got very little sleep, barely left our house, couldn't enjoy nice weather in the garden. It got so bad we often talked about doing something to ourselves that would cause pain for our families but we'd have been free.

And then we found our new home and we now have some slight PTSD over the last place but are much happier.

They're absolutely useless, you jump through all of their fucking hoops and they shrug their shoulders and send fucking letters that do nothing!! I still have most of the letters (we also got one everytime saying they sent him one saying they had sent one) over 150. The phonecalls were in he hundreds too and I'm still angry about it even though we're now in a much better place.

I'd love the people judging to have to live with this kind of shit for years and have no resolutions. Then see what they say.

Tbh i dont think they'll do much even if you have the recordings

Yes, I would suggest just making sure OP that you crank that stereo up to 50 decibels in the morning when they're dropping off to sleep and want their precious long lie.

I do this with my next door neighbours as they keep us up til 2.30am with pub level volume voices after they've been drinking. Happened end of last month and just the weekend past. They even have their youngest (4yo) sleep elsewhere so they can get a long lie after staying up that late. Then collecting her 1pm on a Sunday.

They'll get a surprise this Saturday and Sunday....

Use noise back at them! I do it regularly as I am getting nowhere in the meantime. For us this has been going on for two years on and off. They own their home though so not as easy to sort out. They've been sent a letter, DH has spoke with them face to face on three separate occasions now and they just don't care. They don't think they're doing anything wrong. Just living their lives? Unfortunately it's gone way beyond that if it's disturbing other people's sleep. They're selfish d*cks.

And the classic from her..."can you not wear earplugs"?
WTF

This is an old thread, it's about 7 months old I think.

I did buy the app, the council ignored my findings.

But I am pleased to say noisy neighbours moved away just after Christmas.

I came downstairs one morning, opened the curtains and there was a big removal van, with the neighbours moving their stuff into it.

I physically felt a wave of relief wash over me, as though I had just sunken into a warm bath.

They've been replaced by a lovely quiet family.

All is well!!

Wonderful news thank you for the update

Similar boat op. The way our houses ares set out is one house lounge against kitchen.. That house lounge against ndn kitchen other side... So I've complained about my kitchen to ndn lounge side.. I've been using YouTube to disguise the din. Yet they can complain about me because kitchen noise isn't counted as disturbance apparently.. They offered noise recording equipment in my ds's bedroom... He's 11.
And yes the app is chargeable.. No price given
.

It’s your home, of course you had to pay for the app.

Why does everyone expect to be funded by the government?!

Anyway glad it’s resolved.

I did buy the app, the council ignored my findings

I'd expect nothing else, @Pollyxplummer, but thanks for updating us and I'm so glad to hear they've gone

Because my council tax is my second biggest bill after my rent. It's a huge expense of almost £2000 a year. So I do expect them to do their jobs.
That's like saying why should the council empty my bins for me.
Anyway. It's over now. Thank for all replies.