Nightmare neighbour

[Honeysweet25]

I moved into social housing in 2020 due to no fault of my own. I have a really lovely ground floor flat. However from the get go I have had to deal with what can only be described as a nightmare neighbour. I was hoping to be gone by now but house prices increase quicker than I am able to save a deposit and I can not afford a flat/house in my area with the bedrooms I need. I also work full time and can’t move away as need family for childcare due to having sole custody of children with no contact allowed from other parent.

Neighbour has a young child but child does not attend school and is schooled at home. Child is often running/jumping and banging about till 1am.

Neighbour smokes weed in the flat so my flat and the surrounding area stinks most the time.

Neighbour often has TV or Music on very loud. Can be heard talking extremely loudly with all windows open 24/7.

Whilst annoying we have put up with it for many years and been polite, the neighbour is not in anyway approachable. We understand social housing does not always attract the best tenants. And I understand you can’t complain about a child being a child despite it being 1am 😭

However, lately since the neighbour has left her partner and he has moved out it’s gotten much worse.

The loud music is on till very late at night to the point you can hear it over your telly sometimes this will last for days at a time. A small number of people come and go very quickly.

The neighbour has put up lots of offensive posters and this makes me embarrassed to have anyone round.

AIBU to not accept this behaviour anymore?

I have spoken to the social housing association and they have been of limited help other neighbours have also spoke to social housing. I am scared about speaking up but equally this is effecting our life and impacting my work life. One weekend the party was going all weekend and I was exhausted but had to attended work and was to the point of tears. I just want to be able to get some sleep with out having to listen to loud music or being woken up from banging. My child would like to sleep in his room and not spend every night having to listen to all her kids YouTube videos on full volume. He alternates now between my room and the front room depending where is quieter.

I have tried to exchange but there’s no surprise that this has been unsuccessful.

I earn a decent wage but can not afford private rent. If I do go privately I would have to go back on benifits to cover some of the rent. I’ve spent a long time working hard to be benifit free.

Does anyone have any ideas on what to do?

In your position, I would move, but not before you’ve reported this parent to social services. You can use benefits as a short-term measure to get you through this blip.

You cannot complain about noise made by children playing and running about as this is regarded as "normal domestic noise". However the volume of music you describe is an offence and you can press your case with the HA and the local authority. Can you get together with other tenants to make a joint complaint? That will carry more weight.

Please don't report it to SS my stalker neighbour did and ruined my family for over a decade.by doing so you would be punishing the kids who are innocent. The HA should take notice if you do a diary and record noise levels. As A housing Officer I would say that a lot of flats are poorly built and even the quietest neighbours sound like baby elephants.

Keep complaining then

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/anti-social-behaviour-asb-case-review-also-known-as-the-community-trigger

You absolutely can complain about kids being kids when they’re making a racket at 1am and affecting your quality of life. Pretty sure it’s antisocial behaviour

As a housing officer, that wouldn't be enough, whereas loud music might be,its very difficult to take action and get a repossession hearing. As housing is often allocated to those in priority need you will also get clients that are poor neighbours, addicts poor mental health poor boundary setting etc.