Neighbours called cops on me.

[Happyjoe]

For reference, I live in a terraced house, been here 14 years with no problems, though currently put an offer in another house far away, then need to sell this somehow.. My next door neighbours have been hell since they moved in about 14 months ago and are council tenants (which I think the council should be responsible for). They have a small 4 year old child that runs up and down some badly fitted laminate and screams her head off all day long, result is a loud banging on my wall/floor. Every footstep, from child or two adults is like someone is hammering next door. Can actually feel the vibrations through the wall.

The kid is up til the parents are up, as all sleep in same room. That can be anything from 10pm to 1.30am. I cannot sleep til they sleep and am up when they are up, as no option. I cannot read a book, I cannot watch TV. I've tried noise cancelling earphones, ear buds. Thump thump thump all day long.

They don't clean up their rubbish, recently had to get the council involved for them to clean their general waste that was full in their garden and blocking a shared alleyway at the bottom of the garden. Rotting, liquified food, been there over 6 months.. They smoke dope, it comes through the shared space under the floor. This is the point I contacted the council. Horrific. Started well with the council, next door said they would put a rug down for the footsteps. Of course, never happened. The council then just walked away from it all leaving me with my home completely destroyed by neighbours.

Anyway, the only thing that blocks them out is music. I put the radio on most days, just loud enough to cover the screams and shouts, but not loud enough to block out the bang noises. Occasionally, like today, I lose it as I've just had my fill for the day. I then put on the stereo, which is a very very powerful stereo and put some old punk music on loud, shake the ground loud. It's just an albums worth, about 40 mins worth but enough for me to feel better.

So about 30 mins ago they called the cops on me. 3 policemen came indoors. I explained, played them a video of the noise they create. All 3 were totally understanding, one of the policemen couldn't believe the noise I had to endure daily, another had just been through the same with his own neighbours. So they are going to write to the council, complain on my behalf, explain that I am at my wits end and that they do not appreciate the tenants wasting police time.

So kinda backfired, I don't suppose the neighbours expect that outcome? Best thing, I said to the police that I was going to put the music back up when they leave and they said totally understood.

Why is it that people are so bloody entitled these days that they cannot see the issue they cause others? Or do they just not give a toss?

YABU to keep playing more music, more than I normally would just to piss them off back?

Why did the police come out to you? What did the neighbour say? In England (it’s different in Scotland) noise nuisance is the council, the police don’t come out for it.

I would be trying hard to avoid winding them up as you need to sell the house

I asked them that as knew noise a council issue. They said they heard screams. A lie from my neighbours, which annoyed the police..

Cannot sell with them there at the mo. Anyone viewing will see, plus we have to declare issues, which I did last year with the council. The best we can do is sell it to someone who wants to rent it out and doesn't care.

Plus, asking them nicely at the start made no difference. They will do what they want to do regardless.

You sound as bad as them. Trying to get one over never works

If you're trying to sell id avoid starting a war with the neighbours as disputes have to be declared

They do, we called them at 3am once as the fuckwit junkies next door were screaming and shouting for 2 nights in a row with loads of people in the house. The police attended and they warned them to quieten down and also arrested 3 of them for drug possession. That was Scotland.

Agreed - you will need to disclose this dispute when completing the property information form

I don't suppose you've ever lived with endless noise? Every day, all day? Until you have, then you'll understand sometimes you lose your rag.

Yes, as above, already aware.

I'd be really cautious not to start WW3 here as that might be something you'd have to declare to your conveyancer. You only need to stick this out until you move (yes, it's unfair).
I am grateful on a daily basis for my super quiet neighbours and sympathise hugely with anyone who lives next door to a chaotic family.

OP - you are shooting yourself in the foot.

You have decided to move - just get on with it. But you have given yourself a big problem by escalating the tit for tat situation and will now have to declare neighbour dispute on the form you have to provide as part of the sale documents.

Do not do one more thing that will cause those neighbours or any others to complain about you. You will now also have to declare that you have complained to the council and the police.

Just focus on getting yourself out of there! IF anyone will now buy, given that you will have to declare disputes.

It's too late. We already have to declare as I contacted the council last year. But, regardless anyone visiting the property will hear them. It's relentless.

I would actually prefer a war to break out properly, with the police involved and the problem solved once and for all.

As I already have written in other comments, I complained to the council last year. So already have to declare. I am well aware of it.

I didn't call the cops, neighbours did. I explained to the cops what's going on, they're taking it from there.

OP has already said they are aware they will have to declare and they already have declarable disputes so that ship has sailed

OP maybe ask the council if they’ll purchase it.

I don’t blame you for losing your shit but if they call the police back the police probably won’t be so sympathetic next time!

well done for getting out, you’re lucky to be able to. This is awful for anyone.

She’s at her wits’ end. How would you deal with the situation?

Yes. In Scotland the police will attend for noise issues. In England it’s only if there is something else alongside, like fighting.

I’ve known the police to come out for it in London too - but I suppose it depends on resources, plus I think there has to be a potential anti-social element (harassment, intimidation, aggression, disruption to the community etc).

You say they are tenants. Who is the landlord? Can they help?

I sympathise. Years ago,I had the neighbours from hell. Non stop noise from early morning until gone midnight. They lived in the flat below me,so heaven knows how much worse it would have been if they had lived above me. They had wooden floors which magnified every sound. 2 kids who never seemed to sleep. They smoked cannabis non-stop,and he was obsessed with DIY. A weekend or bank holiday never went by without him undertaking some extremely loud project. They had frequent barbecues on their balcony during the summer, meaning I couldn't even have a window open because of the smoke. He kept a motorbike on their balcony and kept revving it up making exhaust fumes waft in through my windows. They had non-stop visitors,day and night,always seemed to be some sort of celebration going on. Then to cap it all,he hung a massive punch bag on their balcony and would be out there for hours thumping the shit out of it. The reverberations went right through my kitchen floor. But....god forbid WE made a single noise. I had a very unpleasant (unsigned,but I know it was them) note put through my door on one occasion, accusing us of hammering at 11 pm. I don't know who it was,but it certainly wasn't us. Then one Christmas day,he started using an electric drill,at midnight. I'd had enough and thumped on the floor shouting 'Shut up!'. A minute later,she was hammering on our front door,asking just who the hell I thought I was?! When they moved out after 11 years of this shit,I was happy beyond belief. I heard that they'd moved to live by the sea. In the words of Basil Fawlty,'preferably in it'.

YABU, two wrongs do not make a right. I assume you have neighbours on the other side, who do not want to be blasted with loud music.

Good for you and the Police! It's so unfair having to put up with selfish neighbours 😒

So many people posting here apparently can't read.

The police told you what you wanted to hear.

They don't get involved in complaining on anyone's behalf about neighbour's kids running up and down inside their own home, and making too much noise.

You've shot yourself in the foot if this goes any further because their noise will be considered 'family noise' but yours will be considered anti-social because very loud music is.