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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have a word with new neighbours?

27 replies

PrammyMammy · 11/07/2009 11:37

Neighbours again.
I wish i lived in the middle of no where sometimes, but instead we live in a 4 in a block type flat.
Our close has always been fairly quiet. I've lived here for 2 years and the neighbours are all elderly and have lived here for 20 years plus.
We got new neighbours 3 weeks ago, a very young couple, both about 16. They have been quite loud, but nothing much just drunk and shouty.
Last night/this morning, 2.30 am, they were in the close hallway, banging and smashing things up, throwing bricks. I?t was the crash of my ds pushchair being thrown across the hallway that woke me, followed by a girl screaming as if she was being murdered, and lots of boys shouting and smashing. DP went down and they all rushed inside.
This morning there are bricks all over the hallway and a smashed hole through the bottom of the shared security door.
Now we have a one year old and i am 7 months pg with dc2, thats why the pushchair was downstairs as i cant bump it up atm. Our neighbours wheel chair and mobility scooter are also in the hallway, but i don't know if they were touched as they are back in place.
I don't want them to carry on, for ds sake who was woken and was crying for about half an hour afterwards, and if it involves the shared close being wrecked it isn't fair for anyone.
Should i say to them today or just go straight to the council on Monday?

OP posts:
McSnail · 11/07/2009 11:47

God, that sounds AWFUL.

Tbh, it doesn't sound as though 'having a word' would do much good. I would go straight to the council.

SarahL2 · 11/07/2009 11:49

Is the pushchair damaged? The door is at least - I would call the police!

Original poster
PrammyMammy · 11/07/2009 11:53

yeah, i didn't know if i should go straight to the council or if i should say to them first. Either way i will be at the council on Monday.
Pushchair isn't damaged from what i can tell, it is a Maclaren, i think they are indestructible lol. The door had a big spikey hole in it, and the metal surround is lying on the floor. I didn't notice that until this morning though, or would have called the police last night.

OP posts:
mumbee · 11/07/2009 11:54

never been in this situation but for the sake and health of your children go to the council and get advice - do not say anything to the new neighbours they may not like it and the fact that you are pregnant may not elicite any sympathy

Momdeguerre · 11/07/2009 12:05

YANBU but I think this is probably way over the point of normal noisy neighbour behaviour where you can just ask them to keep it down.

I would contact the council and start reporting all incidents to your housing officer and next time call 999 when it is happening since they seem to be having some sort of domestics? Causing damage? If they are arrested for damage it will make it way easier for council to remove them from the property.

ThePhantomPlopper · 11/07/2009 12:20

Council first, let them have a word or do whatever it is they do and then the police if it continues.

I wouldn't have a word with them, go straight to the council.

lucykate · 11/07/2009 12:28

i would report the damaged door to whoever it needs reporting too in order to be mended, and if it happens again, just call the police, report the disturbance and let them deal with it at the time.

hullygully · 11/07/2009 12:33

You could always phone 999 as it happens (if thee is a repeat) abd say you had no iea who it was - you were too scared to go out and look...

nickschick · 11/07/2009 12:34

I think you need to report this to the police,especially if your pushchair is damaged, so at least when you visit the council on monday you will have a log number,also it can be a long weekend with drunk abusive neighbours and if you tell the police now they may be more inclined to visit quicker tonight if you need to call them.

We work hard to protect our children from these things and its unfair that your dc should be affected by other peoples ionconsideration and juvenile antics.

motherlovebone · 11/07/2009 12:36

make photos of the damage/mess

nickschick · 11/07/2009 12:39

And dont approach them - you are too heavily pregnant to be having arguments with unreasonable people - I think its gone way beyond a quiet chatty 'would you mind keeping the noise down a bit' chat.

KIMItheThreadSlayer · 11/07/2009 13:08

What the hell are 16 years olds being given a flat for in the first place?

Police first then council.

Original poster
PrammyMammy · 11/07/2009 13:42

Can i call the police today even though it happened last night? Haven't seen them today but the other neighbours came up to my door to say they were going to the council.

The boy said the girl was living n a homeless hostel for 8 weeks before they moved there.

OP posts:
KIMItheThreadSlayer · 11/07/2009 13:49

Yes but not 999 call the local station

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 11/07/2009 13:50

Wow! In my local authority under 18s cannot get tenancies - if they are homeless they get put in supported housing, not just chucked in flats with regular people. TBH she's unlikely to succeed in that tenancy - I doubt (unless she's a very special kind of 16yo) that she's mature enough to handle it. Which is why you need to report any and every incident. She shouldn't have been put there unsupported and your council have been remiss in putting her there in the first place - so contributing to getting her moved isn't out of order - just speeding up the inevitable and hopeully but I wouldn't hold my breath) escalating her needs assessment so that she gets more support in future.
I know I'm making all kids of assumptions about her circs but homeless under 18s should not be given council tenancies on the basis that they have been homeless. In fact very shortly they will require a full SS assessment which could mean they enter the 'care' system with much more support, practical and financial. ATM too many councils shunt them into unsuitable accommodation and leave them to fail

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 11/07/2009 13:52

oops by regular people I meant adults with families - not that young people are irregular or anything!

KIMItheThreadSlayer · 11/07/2009 14:18

My sister and her partner have just moved in to a new build 75% private £3000k and 25% social housing.
Now sis worked a city banker till last year, her BF has a Harley Davidson, (bit of a biker) they are "normal" people sis is not working at the moment as she is having chemo (again).

Now in their little block of flats they have the chap downstairs who is a junkie he has taken to locking the gate to the communal garden, the woman next door to sis has left her husband as he has got friendly with the junkie and spends all his time down in his flat getting stoned, (this was after she smelt drugs and accused Sis and her BF of smoking dope (well a biker would wouldn't he ) then she found out it was the junkie downstairs and said sorry to sis.

There are houses next door and sis was talking to the mum of the family who live there as she is always sat outside (woman not sis) turns out they are travelers but have been given a house and must live in it and send their kids to school or the kids will be taken in to care.
The eldest daughter has AS and hates the house and spends hours just screaming
She and her brothers were caught chucking wet sand at the bike, Sisters PIL went round and "had a word".
It sounds like hell on earth and if I had paid £3000k I would not be at all happy.

sallywilliams · 11/07/2009 14:56

The sad truth of the matter is that they could make your life very difficult if you approached them directly. I think the council need to be informed initially but next time i'd be inclined to contact the police immediately but if possible anonomously. I know it sounds cowardly but you have to live with these new neigbours. Their behavoiur is completely antisocial and unacceptable. A police report or two would give weight to the council's ability to deal with the problem and issue warnings. Good Luck.

TheChilliMooseHasGreenFingers · 11/07/2009 15:10

In future, call the police ASAP. The council will take a lot of notice of that. You have the right to leave peacefully and without fear, and the landlord, ie the council, has a duty to ensure that happens.

raindroprhyme · 11/07/2009 19:05

is everyone phoning the police because they are 16!!!! why would they be unsympathetic to a heavily pregnant woman. Just cos they had a party and it got out of hand?

would you phone the police if they were 30?

go round say you were worried, it was too much noise, they woke the baby.

if it happens again then go down the council route if they damage property phone the police.

You lot sounds like awful neighbours. glad i didn't end up living next to you lot when i got my first flat.

milkyandhoney · 11/07/2009 19:29

raindroprhyme -what planet are you on? They were smashing the place up ffs not simply making too much noise!

barnsleybelle · 11/07/2009 19:44

FWIW I think I would be too scared to go and see them first.
Defo council first for me.

HecatesTwopenceworth · 11/07/2009 19:45

I think tackling them directly might be a mistake.

The type of people who smash up a place - including other peoples property that happened to be in the way, and do not come round when they've sobered up and apologise and try to make amends - well, I can't see them being the type that will be reasonable to deal with.

OP might find one wrong word starts a campaign against her.

I would advise informing the council of the damage and how that damage occurred, and being ready to keep notes if anything else happens, plus phoning police if there are further disturbances.

And their age is not relevant. The behaviour is.

Original poster
PrammyMammy · 11/07/2009 19:50

Thanks everyone, I will be calling the station if there is anything tonight, and i will be talking to the council on Monday anyway because the door needs to be fixed no matter what.

Raindrop - it wasn't a party, they have only been here a couple of weeks and they have had a jumping house most nights. Last night it was fighting in the close, the door got smashed in, there were bricks everywhere and ds pushchair was thrown across the hallway. TBH if they were 30, i would have called the police already, a 30 year old doesn't have the excuse of being young and not knowing.

They are in just now, their living room windows are wide open and music has started already, but i haven't seen them or spoken to them. DP is in from work now anyway so he would be doing the talking.

OP posts:
KIMItheThreadSlayer · 11/07/2009 20:14

PM see if you can get you nice neighbours to complain as well, and keep doing it till they are dealt with

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