To think I have no choice but to report the neighbours?

[Carlie97]

They have three dogs, one of which barks throughout the day without a break of more than half an hour. It's especially barky in the morning, but can go on anything to 11pm at night. Their reaction to it barking is to shout at it to shut up or to ignore it, both of which prolong the barking.

I've been off for a week and the barking is really getting to me. I have pets of my own and realised that the barking must get to them too. I do work from home sometimes too and the barking interrupts my working day, including meetings etc.

The neighbours are aware of how the barking affects me but still haven't taken effective measures to stop it. I must admit to have shouted through the walls a few times in sheer frustration. It feels like I live with them most of the time because when the dogs not barking, they argue and shout at each other. This is usually evening around 11pm or later. I'm certain that they can make the dog be quiet because when I've shouted previously (not something I am proud of but I was in an important work meeting and trying to present) I've not heard another peep all day.

I spoke to the council recently and they said I may have a case. The next steps would be for the council to send a letter to the neighbours and then if the noise continued, to install noise recording equipment. In the interests of good neighbour relations, I don't want to go to the council, but feel I have no choice.

I'm off at the moment on annual leave and cannot enjoy my break. I had grand plans to go out and do things but I've felt quite depressed and I think the noise is the reason why.

She specifically said in the opening post she wants to stay in the property for a long time. It would be remiss to mention this might piss them off and affect this.

Theres loads of stuff we are entitled to do, but those around us may dislike and act out on.

I have said three times to report it. But having seen this situation between neighbours, I would not just gloss over the implications and say report to the council and it will all be ok. That would just be falsely soothing

You have my sympathy as someone who lived across from a constantly barking dog for 2 years. This is antisocial behaviour affecting the use of your home.
I would make a log diary, gather evidence such as recording the noise inside your house (also maybe talk to other neighbours to see if they have the same issue?) and tell the landlord how much this issue is negatively affecting you and see what they think. Maybe they could be involved with having another conversation with the neighbours and if nothing changes reporting them? The landlords may be willing to help. Personally, as a previous landlord, I’d want to know if a complaint is being made to the council around a neighbour.

Why wouldthe landlord not wantto hear? You have a right to quiet enjoyment. As a one property landlord i would want to know.

Could you speak to them again and suggest some solutions? Explain that it’s probably because the dog isn’t being walked. You understand that might be difficult for them so could they ask their children to do it and pay a dog walker a couple of times a week. You shouldn’t have to but it might achieve the outcome you want. Like you say, if your report them, will they be able to make the dog stop? Will the council enforce it? How long will that take?

Is your landlord also the neighbours' landlord? If so I'd be pointing out that they are the problem here. Let's say you moved: the next tenant might make a complaint that goes on record. The solution is for the neighbours to be told they must keep the dog quieter.

Report it to the council. My council has been very good over the years and it's only required one report for the noise to stop (different dogs barking constantly, one was a child screaming a lot, also had out of control bonfires by one neighbour over the back). The only way I knew the various neighbours had been spoken to was by how bloody quiet and peaceful it became. No issues with selling my house as it didn't become a "dispute". You won't regret it OP, report.

Maybe it'd be worth showing the log to your neighbours. And explaining the impact this has on you. Point out that there are a number of actions they could take which might help (eg arranging for the dogs to be exercised) but you're at the end of your tether and if there's no change you will have to go to the council... If they're nice/ considerate people, they will do something, and hopefully you can remain friendly.

Nice bit of victim blaming there!

I'd move. I know you've got the place nice, but how can you want to live there for a long time when living there is so miserable? It honestly seems like a sunk costs fallacy/cutting off your nose to spite your face type of thing to me.

If you report them what improvements do you honestly think will occur? I suspect that you'll report them, the noise monitoring equipment will be installed, the council will speak to them about the nuisance and nothing will change. After all, you've already spoken to them and did absolutely nothing, so unless there is some kind of enforcement or punishment that the council can impose I wouldn't expect any positive changes, if I were you. So if the situation is never going to change until the damn dogs kick the bucket I think I'd just move. What price peace and quiet? Priceless IMO.

I feel for you, I have neighbours whose kids are in the garden screaming shouting and banging for hours on end. Even when they’re not Im waiting on edge for it to start. My neighbours darling barks sometimes, it’s to be expected. But constant noise is awful.

I suggest you approach your neighbours with solutions rather than more problems.
More likely to avoid an escalation rather than a resolution.,

It's absolutely not on the OP to offer solutions and brainstorm. She has already spoken to them. What she needs is for it to stop. That's on the owner, not the person who's life is being made a misery by noise nuisance.

Why does the op have to do this they are not causing the issue

You have my solidarity, OP! My NDN has two very barky dogs, which upsets mine. Although they bark constantly, it gets frantic whenever they see another person/dog indoors or out... to the point that my dogs and I couldn't go near the windows at the back of the house, until I put privacy film up, so that they can't see us anymore!

I see that your neighbours are aware of how the barking affects you, and I completely understand that you don't want to rock the boat too much- I'm the same. It does ruin your time away from work, as you can't enjoy time at home... and it's frustrating when the NDN's dogs wake you up or disrupt you to the point that you can't concentrate on what you're doing, which ruins your mood- and enjoyment of your home. When the barking is at its worst, I have shouted, "SHUT UP!" and slammed the windows shut in frustration, or sent my neighbour a message to say that I have a migraine, and could they take the dogs in? It is wonderful on the rare occasion that NDN sends them to doggy-daycare, or they go in kennels when NDN is away.

Would the neighbours be open to trying anti-bark methods? I have one that I used to leave up high in the same room with my youngest dog (who used to bark indoors when there were deliveries and things), and it's been much more effective than an anti-bark collar. It's a Queen Mew device, and I have strapped it to the fence to try with the NDN's dogs. You're unlikely to be the only neighbour that the excessive barking is bothering. It's just worse when you're right next door to it!

Tough shit for the LL - if they don't want the issues that come with renting property, they shouldn't rent property.

The OP has the right to live peacefully in the house.

The council will have a department that deals with noise abatement. Environmental Health or Department. They deal with dogs barking, loud music, public nuisance.
My neice works in such a department (she get to go to festivals just to check decibels).
These are your people and they are usually very good at sorting things out.

It’s not victim blaming, I’ve said she’s entitled to complain. All I am saying is that after seeing one of my neighbours raise a complaint about another, just think it through first.

Report them. Don't feel bad about it. They're selfish people.

That's awful. I hope you come to a decision soon.
How long have you lived there? I'm surprised you didn't move when you realised this problem?

If the neighbours dont realise that their dogs are causing a nuisance then they have a screw loose.

If they or their family try to play silly bs after you complain the Police and The Council should take a very dim view of it.

As far as the landlord is concerned its not his complaint so if and when he comes to sell the house he would not have to mention it as he doesnt know anything.

I think you should go to the council if you've complained and they weren't apologetic or since discussed how they maybe working to reduce noise in the hope you'll be patient with them. Are they actually home while their dogs are barking away and ignoring it as more commonly it's separation anxiety while the owners are out?

They could easily put that opaque window film up so let's in light but reduces the visual trigger of street passerby's or keep the dogs in back room.

Old or disabled people can use mobility scooters to exercise dogs, hire a dog walker or charity like cinnamon trust volunteer walkers. Some dogs due to lack of early socialisation or a negative event do find the outside world too scary to do regularly but still an owner could be engaging their brains and bodies within the home but sadly a lot of people are minimum effort with the pets they chose to get.

I don't agree with PP It's not fair for owners to whack on a aversive bark collar to avoid effort of solving why the dogs are barking so much ( a form of communication) in first place and retraining. A puff of citronella may sound minor to us our smell capacity compared to a dogs is miniscule so we can't know what that actually feels like and if it's triggered by sound do they also get punished for one of the other dogs barking.

Thanks everyone. The neighbours are aware of how much the barking bothers me but haven't engaged in any training methods to reduce the barking so my only option is to go to the council if only to get some of my sanity back. I'm still hesistant but feel it's the only way to some sort of resolution.

This is exactly the sort of thing your landlord should be dealing with otherwise they'll have a never ending stream of tenants leaving due to noise nuisance. I once left a rental because of party people next door and the landlord said he'd wished I'd told him so he could deal with it.
Anyway good luck. Barking dogs next door are bloody awful and antisocial, I have one too.

Do they rent or own?
Noise complaints could affect their tenancy and end in eviction if they are tenants, but if they own then the council probably won't have any result as they can't make them sell/move out of an owned home.
Not sure if they can force people in an owned home to rehome a pet.

I feel your pain. It becomes all consuming, it affects your sleep, work, peace of mind. The council are often ineffective. Put a complaint in with the council, write them a note. Speak to their landlord. Try not to let it take over your life, but it is hard.