Neighbours from hell advice

Teresavonlichenstein · 27/02/2026 13:21

Pinklipglossx · 27/02/2026 13:16

Would you class this as a nuisance ? If you were living next door to somebody with dogs that bark all day every day for upto 15 minutes at a time? Going in our garden makes them bark, doors shutting outside, people knocking on the door, garages opened and closed, every little noise it reacts to. It's making our home life miserable and getting to the point we don't want to live here anymore.
People are telling me this is a nuisance and something should be being done about it but why am I doubting myself ?

Any advice please for a very stressed woman 🤣

Have you or are you able to approach your neighbours and say how stressful it is and disturbing to your peace and yes you can record it and log it report it to the council.

Original poster

Pinklipglossx · 27/02/2026 13:23

Teresavonlichenstein · 27/02/2026 13:21

Have you or are you able to approach your neighbours and say how stressful it is and disturbing to your peace and yes you can record it and log it report it to the council.

Show quote history

I have tried speaking to them but I was made to feel as if I was overreacting

OP posts:

MatildaTheCat · 27/02/2026 13:24

That certainly sounds very annoying but what have you done to address it? Have you spoken to them and tried to find a solution?

Is the dog outside when it barks or can you hear it from inside?

I have a barker and keep him inside unless he is with me and supervised. He barks inside too if triggered but we live in a detached house so it’s not too much of a problem. It’s also not for lengthy periods of time.

Buscobel · 27/02/2026 13:25

You can report to your local council, but they require you to keep a diary over time, noting when the barking happens. That’s really not practical for most people, who aren’t at home all the time and can’t fill in a diary for every minute of the day.

You could try reporting it though and see what the response is. Or record it maybe. We have one here, but it’s not as close as yours, but is annoying, every time you step outside the back door.

Teresavonlichenstein · 27/02/2026 13:26

Pinklipglossx · 27/02/2026 13:23

I have tried speaking to them but I was made to feel as if I was overreacting

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Keep a log for the next 2-3 days and then go back and say right your dog has barked 43 times - you made me feel like I was overreacting it’s my right to have a quiet private life. Repeat this- I deserve and have the right to a peaceful enjoyment of my home.

Alwaysontherun · 27/02/2026 13:27

Yes that is a nuisance and it would drive me around the bend too. If you feel like you can approach them you could try to talk to them but in my experience people who are oblivious to their dogs barking often aren’t the most receptive. The alternative is to contact the council who will send them a letter saying that there has been a complaint regarding dog barking. They won’t say how has made the complaint. You will then be asked to keep a log and if there is no improvement then they will send out recording equipment, which if the barking is found to be excessive they will then take them to court & a fine may be issued.

Original poster

Pinklipglossx · 27/02/2026 13:29

MatildaTheCat · 27/02/2026 13:24

That certainly sounds very annoying but what have you done to address it? Have you spoken to them and tried to find a solution?

Is the dog outside when it barks or can you hear it from inside?

I have a barker and keep him inside unless he is with me and supervised. He barks inside too if triggered but we live in a detached house so it’s not too much of a problem. It’s also not for lengthy periods of time.

We can hear it from both inside and outside. It isn't just the outside barking we have to deal with as the houses are joint so we get the luxury of hearing it in their house too. I have tried speaking with the neighbours but they are uncooperative and aggressive and defensive

OP posts:

Original poster

Pinklipglossx · 27/02/2026 13:30

Alwaysontherun · 27/02/2026 13:27

Yes that is a nuisance and it would drive me around the bend too. If you feel like you can approach them you could try to talk to them but in my experience people who are oblivious to their dogs barking often aren’t the most receptive. The alternative is to contact the council who will send them a letter saying that there has been a complaint regarding dog barking. They won’t say how has made the complaint. You will then be asked to keep a log and if there is no improvement then they will send out recording equipment, which if the barking is found to be excessive they will then take them to court & a fine may be issued.

It is driving me insane, I literally just burst into tears today because I can't take it anymore. I will try emailing my council. Thank you

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WeepingAngelInTheTardis · 27/02/2026 13:32

My next door neighbours have two dogs, they work long hours and leave the dogs ALL DAY with the back door open.
They bark constantly, if I go out in my garden (low fence) they go nuts. It’s really annoying and yes I have spoken to them, they had family pop in occasionally to calm the dogs down but that stopped and they are back to barking all day every day. They even do it at night and we have thin walls.
Make a noise complaint to the council, I would do the same but I am not brave enough for the fall out even though I’ve stopped speaking to them
over it!

Original poster

Pinklipglossx · 27/02/2026 13:35

WeepingAngelInTheTardis · 27/02/2026 13:32

My next door neighbours have two dogs, they work long hours and leave the dogs ALL DAY with the back door open.
They bark constantly, if I go out in my garden (low fence) they go nuts. It’s really annoying and yes I have spoken to them, they had family pop in occasionally to calm the dogs down but that stopped and they are back to barking all day every day. They even do it at night and we have thin walls.
Make a noise complaint to the council, I would do the same but I am not brave enough for the fall out even though I’ve stopped speaking to them
over it!

Edited

I really feel for you. It is emotionally and mentally draining isn't it. I have never felt so stressed in my life, having to deal with this daily for months. I feel like I'm going to have a mental breakdown 🙃

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Ablondiebutagoody · 27/02/2026 13:37

Buscobel · 27/02/2026 13:25

You can report to your local council, but they require you to keep a diary over time, noting when the barking happens. That’s really not practical for most people, who aren’t at home all the time and can’t fill in a diary for every minute of the day.

You could try reporting it though and see what the response is. Or record it maybe. We have one here, but it’s not as close as yours, but is annoying, every time you step outside the back door.

That's not always the case. Some councils give you a number to text when it's noisy and then come round to listen. Apparently if 2 council officers witness it, that's enough for them to take steps.

Disneycharacters · 27/02/2026 13:38

How long have they lived there? How long have they dogs been barking?

Youllnevergetabetterbitofbutteronyourknife · 27/02/2026 13:38

Hi OP. I've dealt with nightmare neighbours in the past and barking dogs. I just wanted to offer empathy. These types of people are entitled and think that their rights trump everything and everyone. Go to the council. You do NOT have to live like this! 💐

Runlikesomeoneleftgateopen · 27/02/2026 13:42

It's a bloody nightmare.
Why on earth do selfish inconsiderate, thick as two short planks people insist on getting these types of dogs, only to inflict hours of daily torture on the rest of us?
Train your dog, it's not that difficult or only get a non stop yappy barker if you are fortunate enough not to have neighbours.
It's all because these type of dogs apparently look cute. Spine stretched to max, or skull too big for head, hence the poor popping eyes. It's an utter disgrace how these dogs have been bred.
My advice would be to speak to neighbours, but in my experience your banging head against brick wall, or record it and inform council, buy one of those barking deterrents on Amazon, or say to neighbour your moving because of noise and your house will become a multi let.
I think non stop barking is classed as biggest culprit of noise nuisance now.
My neighbours son got one, him and girlfriend spent every second taking selfies of it when it was a puppy, but couldn't be added to train, now they're fed up of telling it to shut up, it doesnt, so now they just completely ignore it.
It has completely ruined last few summer's and destroyed neighbour relationship.

Toomanysofttoys · 27/02/2026 13:42

I downloaded an app called The Noise App and it let's me record noisy behaviour and sends it to the housing association. Then it gets assigned to an agent. It's GPS tracked so concrete proof where noise is coming from.
If you can speak to other neighbours for support. Safety in numbers and if multiple people complain then more will be done.

Original poster

Pinklipglossx · 27/02/2026 13:44

Runlikesomeoneleftgateopen · 27/02/2026 13:42

It's a bloody nightmare.
Why on earth do selfish inconsiderate, thick as two short planks people insist on getting these types of dogs, only to inflict hours of daily torture on the rest of us?
Train your dog, it's not that difficult or only get a non stop yappy barker if you are fortunate enough not to have neighbours.
It's all because these type of dogs apparently look cute. Spine stretched to max, or skull too big for head, hence the poor popping eyes. It's an utter disgrace how these dogs have been bred.
My advice would be to speak to neighbours, but in my experience your banging head against brick wall, or record it and inform council, buy one of those barking deterrents on Amazon, or say to neighbour your moving because of noise and your house will become a multi let.
I think non stop barking is classed as biggest culprit of noise nuisance now.
My neighbours son got one, him and girlfriend spent every second taking selfies of it when it was a puppy, but couldn't be added to train, now they're fed up of telling it to shut up, it doesnt, so now they just completely ignore it.
It has completely ruined last few summer's and destroyed neighbour relationship.

I like you 😂 you sound just like me 🤣
I have got a deterant but it doesn't seem to be working which is just my luck! They really shouldn't own a dog

OP posts:

Original poster

Pinklipglossx · 27/02/2026 13:45

Youllnevergetabetterbitofbutteronyourknife · 27/02/2026 13:38

Hi OP. I've dealt with nightmare neighbours in the past and barking dogs. I just wanted to offer empathy. These types of people are entitled and think that their rights trump everything and everyone. Go to the council. You do NOT have to live like this! 💐

Thank you. It really is draining and stressful. Don't want to live here anymore and we've lived here 6 years now. I have emailed my council, so hopefully will get back to me quickly

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scobe · 27/02/2026 13:50

From experience barking dogs aren’t really taken that seriously and take forever (if ever) to be resolved. A complaint to the council would have to be revealed when selling your house (if you own) - on balance trying to figure it out with your neighbours is the best bet - easier said than done though!
Speak to the neighbours again - tell them about the impact it’s having on your life and ask them how best they think it can be resolved as you don’t want to take formal routes… might kick them into gear. If they are council properties the council are more likely to act and you won’t have to consider the selling reveal thing so that would be your next step. I would make them aware you’re planning to do it though to give them a chance to change things and before an official letter came out of the blue.

Draculaaaa · 27/02/2026 13:50

We had this. It was constant for a year. I kept a diary on my phone for a month then contacted the Council. I had to upload my diary evidence. They then let them know they'd had a complaint made, but the barking continued.
When the barking started up again, we had to call a number and 2 council staff came out and listened to it in our house. They then called the neighbour and spoke to them. It stopped pretty much immediately!!
Just shows they were leaving their dog outside to bark all day instead of controlling them. I have dogs myself and I found it infuriating listening to the constant yapping all summer. Wish I'd reported them sooner.

Catwalking · 27/02/2026 13:50

look online what your local council will do & what evidence they need (all councils are not the same!).

Original poster

Pinklipglossx · 27/02/2026 13:53

Draculaaaa · 27/02/2026 13:50

We had this. It was constant for a year. I kept a diary on my phone for a month then contacted the Council. I had to upload my diary evidence. They then let them know they'd had a complaint made, but the barking continued.
When the barking started up again, we had to call a number and 2 council staff came out and listened to it in our house. They then called the neighbour and spoke to them. It stopped pretty much immediately!!
Just shows they were leaving their dog outside to bark all day instead of controlling them. I have dogs myself and I found it infuriating listening to the constant yapping all summer. Wish I'd reported them sooner.

I feel you, it really is stressful. I will be keeping a diary from now and hoping it will support my case. Thank you

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TranscendThis · 27/02/2026 14:13

I live in Housing Association so I don't have to worry about selling my home and declaring anything. You also get CF behaviour regularly from people who often had no sense of considering others.

You're going to have to record it on your phone. Record incidents where you hear it inside and also outside. Log the times and days. It's exhausting but if you can commit to this for say two weeks. Its very difficult if you just say dog barks all the time. They won't do anything.

Some people don't deserve dogs and should not have them. My neighbour had an over active barking dog they should not have had. They didn't do what you should as a pet owner and it caused me no end of stress. The dog eventually got re homed.

It's not ok to leave your dog barking continually so they're absolute dicks.

In the interim - if you have Alexa, there's an app called sleep jar which offers choice of noise. I play rainforest sounds 24 hours a day now. It is actually very relaxing and I have become accustomed to this all the time. It makes it easier to deal with neighbour noise, I also hear their noise less or feel less bothered.

Original poster

Pinklipglossx · 28/02/2026 11:28

TranscendThis · 27/02/2026 14:13

I live in Housing Association so I don't have to worry about selling my home and declaring anything. You also get CF behaviour regularly from people who often had no sense of considering others.

You're going to have to record it on your phone. Record incidents where you hear it inside and also outside. Log the times and days. It's exhausting but if you can commit to this for say two weeks. Its very difficult if you just say dog barks all the time. They won't do anything.

Some people don't deserve dogs and should not have them. My neighbour had an over active barking dog they should not have had. They didn't do what you should as a pet owner and it caused me no end of stress. The dog eventually got re homed.

It's not ok to leave your dog barking continually so they're absolute dicks.

In the interim - if you have Alexa, there's an app called sleep jar which offers choice of noise. I play rainforest sounds 24 hours a day now. It is actually very relaxing and I have become accustomed to this all the time. It makes it easier to deal with neighbour noise, I also hear their noise less or feel less bothered.

Edited

I'm really hoping these will get rehomed too, they never even take them for walks, just stuck in the house all the time and if they go in the garden all they do is bark and become a nuisance. They know it's a problem and they just make matters worse if I'm honest. I don't get how these irresponsible owners can be so defensive over their poor behaviour as an owner. Just so fed up with it

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AddictedToBooks · 28/02/2026 12:17

OP, I really feel for you.
I have two Border Collies who have become very reactive and bark and I feel so guilty on my (lovely) neighbour who lives adjoined to us. I've brought it up with her and acknowledged that I know my dogs are barking and I'm currently working really hard on stopping that behaviour.

I adore my dogs but that doesn't mean that they can bark all of the time (biggest issue is one of my collies goes mental as soon as I pick up the phone or hoover or cuddle the other collie) - it's something that I'm determined to get under control - some days I feel like I'm winning and some days he drives me to utter frustration.

My neighbour has been so polite and extremely forgiving and claims she doesn't hear him but I know she does and if I were in her shoes, I'd be extremely frustrated.

Lightuptheroom · 28/02/2026 12:29

It would be classed as a noise nuisance, but you'll need to keep a diary of dates and times and the council will then review it.
It's annoying when people allow their dogs to annoy other people. I have 4 dogs BUT one of us is always at home. If they bark it's very occasionally and they are trained to be distracted if it looks like they are trying to carry on. We are also very very strict about them not barking at night or early morning. Neighbour always states he can't hear them but we check periodically anyway.