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AIBU?

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Original poster

Neighbours called cops on me.

156 replies

Happyjoe · 31/12/2025 17:31

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?

OP posts:
Original poster
Happyjoe · 01/01/2026 11:25

Lavender14 · 01/01/2026 09:19

Sorry op, I think you're right in that your best option here is selling up and moving.

I think the difficulty the council likely have is that the noise of children running and playing is considered normal household noise. Children are noisy some more than others depending on age/personality/sen but they have a right to play in and enjoy their home. Equally footsteps are normal noise within a home. Not everyone can afford to put down rugs big enough to cover full rooms nor carpet a house they've just floored.

Obviously some people will naturally be more noise sensitive than others. My previous ndn were very noisy because they had loads of kids, sometimes it was annoying but they're kids and sometimes they will be noisy when they play. I think it's the downside to living in a terrace. This type of noise is also treated very differently to intentional nuisance noise - which is what you are creating when you are blasting the stereo (intentionally trying to annoy them) so by doing this you're completely weakening your own hand and they can put a complaint into council against you if you do that regularly as unfair as that may sound. The noise falls into different categories of normal household vs nuisance which is why you're not seeing the council act.

The smoking weed and the rubbish is a separate issue and you're completely right to have reported it. I'd continue to report the rubbish because that's got the potential to create a rat issue in your area and the smoking because that's a tenancy agreement breach, but also on top of all this it sounds like there's a child safeguarding issue here if there's a small child in the house, if the house is not being properly maintained and rubbish is left lying, if there's no bedtime or routine and if there's regular drug use in the home when the child is present. Depending on the child's birthday would they not be in school at 4 for at least part of the day? Id be inclined to submit an anonymous report to social services.

I understand why you want to get back at them and blast the music etc, but realistically you need to look at this long term. You're working on getting moved you don't want this getting worse between now and then. Make the reports that are absolutely necessary and try to focus on the move otherwise. Could you take out a second mortgage and rent out your home? Are you able to get out and about as the noise will be more of an issue if you are sat at home every day? Can you work from an office base/ shared workspace hub if you wfh or if you aren't working could you get out volunteering or similar to fill your time and have a purpose you enjoy while getting space from the noise?

All you say is fairly reasonable but I don't think OH should have to rent a hub in order to work in his own home. This is pandering to people. I already volunteer (gardening) and also am out the house roughly 4hrs a day with animal care too. That doesn't help the rest of the time - should I be driven out of my home during their waking hours???

The screaming and shouting from the child, of which is plenty, does not bother me so much because this is what I say normal child noise, esp young. Shared joists and their laminate flooring is what is the problem. No, perhaps they could not have afforded a carpet when they moved in, but they did afford new laminate and last time I checked carpet was cheaper. They also have managed to deck out their garden with furniture, outdoor rugs, a trampoline, a sandpit, loads of new planters, huge umbrella and the child's dad has just got a 2025 plate car. So if money was an option to them I presume this couldn't all be free?

There is nothing in the law to say that I cannot play music. It is not late at night, it is for an LP's worth, approx 40 mins, this is not a noise issue as far as council goes because music needs to be prolonged or late at night to fall into this criteria. This isn't a constant noise from me, this is me reaching the end of my tether and playing music to block them out primarily, for me to sing along and dance to, to make me feel better and it does, very much. Am not going to lie, it does make me feel better too thinking that they will not be able to enjoy their home for 40 mins, whereas I can't enjoy my home for 3/4 of a day. Perspective is needed here, no?

By the way, they are aware of the issue of the thumps due to my council contact over a year ago and myself talking to them and asking them very nicely at 10.30pm one night if it could be possible to stop the little one running around so much. They simply do not care. So if they put in a noise complaint to me, I say go for it. I would welcome the intervention of the council and use that opportunity to try and come to some solution that helps us all live in our homes.

OP posts:
Original poster
Happyjoe · 01/01/2026 11:29

EleanorReally · 01/01/2026 06:24

so your mental health needs loud music, try head phones
two wrongs dont make a right

Show quote history

And I cannot dance with headphones on, lead is too short.
I also do not care for 40 mins. Nor should I have to.

If you have such an issue of me playing loud music, for approx 40 mins once a month or so, perhaps you'd like to go talk to my neighbours about the cause and effect thing. Cheers.

OP posts:
Original poster
Happyjoe · 01/01/2026 11:30

Elektra1 · 01/01/2026 08:34

You will have to declare this noise dispute to any prospective buyer when you try to sell your house, so it sounds like you’ve shot yourself in the foot massively here.

If you read the start of this thread, you will see that a, I am already aware, and b, because the contact was made to the council by me a year ago, that ship has flown.

OP posts:
Original poster
Happyjoe · 01/01/2026 11:33

Tartanelf · 01/01/2026 11:18

I don't blame you OP. We once had neighbours that would play ridiculously loud music and were just loud in general. I once had to report them to social services as I could hear them slapping their child through the walls. The violence certainly calmed down after they had a visit from social services but the music didn't. To get our revenge, I put my amplifier against the wall, turned it up to "11" 😉, plugged it into my computer and put "Star Trekkin' " on repeat. We then went out for the day. It was the last time they ever played music.

Lol, I wish my neighbours would take a hint like that! And funny choice of tune.

Feel sorry for the child and well done for trying to help.

OP posts:
Original poster
Happyjoe · 01/01/2026 11:36

LakieLady · 01/01/2026 11:21

My builder BIL does a lot of refurbs for a property company that buys houses to lease back to councils in exactly the way you describe.

It could be a good option, OP.

Show quote history

Thanks for that, will look into it. I am thinking the only people that will be interested will be landlords. It is ideal to rent out. We don't want to because we're moving (hopefully) about 100 miles away and tbh, just want to leave it all behind us, its a bit of a bad dream being here now.

OP posts:
ByPoisedRaven · 01/01/2026 19:49

Happyjoe · 01/01/2026 11:25

All you say is fairly reasonable but I don't think OH should have to rent a hub in order to work in his own home. This is pandering to people. I already volunteer (gardening) and also am out the house roughly 4hrs a day with animal care too. That doesn't help the rest of the time - should I be driven out of my home during their waking hours???

The screaming and shouting from the child, of which is plenty, does not bother me so much because this is what I say normal child noise, esp young. Shared joists and their laminate flooring is what is the problem. No, perhaps they could not have afforded a carpet when they moved in, but they did afford new laminate and last time I checked carpet was cheaper. They also have managed to deck out their garden with furniture, outdoor rugs, a trampoline, a sandpit, loads of new planters, huge umbrella and the child's dad has just got a 2025 plate car. So if money was an option to them I presume this couldn't all be free?

There is nothing in the law to say that I cannot play music. It is not late at night, it is for an LP's worth, approx 40 mins, this is not a noise issue as far as council goes because music needs to be prolonged or late at night to fall into this criteria. This isn't a constant noise from me, this is me reaching the end of my tether and playing music to block them out primarily, for me to sing along and dance to, to make me feel better and it does, very much. Am not going to lie, it does make me feel better too thinking that they will not be able to enjoy their home for 40 mins, whereas I can't enjoy my home for 3/4 of a day. Perspective is needed here, no?

By the way, they are aware of the issue of the thumps due to my council contact over a year ago and myself talking to them and asking them very nicely at 10.30pm one night if it could be possible to stop the little one running around so much. They simply do not care. So if they put in a noise complaint to me, I say go for it. I would welcome the intervention of the council and use that opportunity to try and come to some solution that helps us all live in our homes.

Show quote history

I understand OP. I have things I previously wouldn't have done myself, that I might have enjoyed doing, just to be considerate to the neighbours. Once the neighbours lower the bar and become inconsiderate, there's less need to worry about your own noise. I have also taken up some things, like playing a small amount of music without headphones occasionally, because I want to and I don't feel the same need to be considerate. If it happens to annoy them, there's some satisfaction in that.

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