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Original poster

Baby crying solicitor threatened

60 replies

Neighbourwoes1 · 17/08/2016 20:13

I have a DS 19 months who wakes in the night up to 3 times a week. Each time he crying for 5 mins tops while we do his nappy and get milk etc. Very occasionally he'll cry for longer or will wake more times a week but that's not usual - less than monthly. Many weeks he'll sleep through every night.

A few months ago neighbour came to complain about this. We were flummoxed. We don't leave him to cry and couldn't see what more we could do but anyway started being even quicker to respond to DS.

Neighbour now bangs on wall when DS cries - sometimes before I've even got down stairs so we're talking under 2 mins.

I went round to see neighbour as this is getting bonkers and he went on about how we're totally unreasonable, he's not going to lose years of his life over this, we're entitled and should make sacrifices etc and them said he might instruct a solicitor.

I'm at a loss really. What more can I do? And what would a solicitor do? Can you really take action again someone for a crying baby?

I'm quite good at taking the heat out of debates so we left it with me saying 'we're doing all we can' and him saying 'ok but it can't go on'. He suggested in all seriousness I give DS gin but said 'you don't have to I'm just saying it works'

Any advice apart from ignore it from now on?

OP posts:
OneEpisode · 17/08/2016 20:15

You could put in writing your neighbours suggestion that you give ds gin?

PitchFork · 17/08/2016 20:16

a solicitor will probably laugh them out the door and charge them£££ for that

Liara · 17/08/2016 20:16

Send him a link to detached houses on rightmove.

ivykaty44 · 17/08/2016 20:17

Just keep a note of every time he hangs on the wall. Just in the event that he does see a solicitor and you get a letter, you can write back and say he needs to stop knocking on the wall and making a noise in the middle of the night....

Otherwise ignore and continue as you were

QuiteLikely5 · 17/08/2016 20:17

A solicitor can't do anything.

Why is your son waking three times for milk and having a nappy change at 19 months??

Unusual imo

OneEpisode · 17/08/2016 20:18

If you wanted to, you could look at who sleeps where. So ds is closer to you at night. Further from that neighbours bedroom. 19months .,so in a cot still? Cot bed? Could he still be in your room?
Or do nothing. It's normal family noise.

veryproudvolleyballmum · 17/08/2016 20:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BombadierFritz · 17/08/2016 20:22

See it the other way. Your neighbour is harassing you - what can you do to stop it? If you own your house you might not want to take formal action eg community police but you could label his behaviour for him as harassment and let him know you are starting a diary of days/times

ethelb · 17/08/2016 20:22

I would be telling the community police officer if he continues to harass you.

Your son has every right to be a child. I shudder to think how they would treat a disabled neighbour, for example.

BumpPower · 17/08/2016 20:22

quitelikely if Op could answer the why question she wouldn't be posting as she would be in a huge mansion bought on the profits made from her magic baby reading skills. Your question was unhelpful.

ethelb · 17/08/2016 20:23

Quitelikely OP said three times a week not a night!

Dontyoulovecalpol · 17/08/2016 20:23

Let him instruct a solicitor and waste his money- stupid dick

KondosSecretJunkRoom · 17/08/2016 20:23

quite the baby wakes (once?) in the night on three nights per week. I think that's pretty good, it would be an improvement on the 2.5 it's sleep.

RoughMagic · 17/08/2016 20:23

It's normal family noise. He may find solicitor willing to take his money and send you a letter but it will mean fuck all and is absolutely not enforceable.

You, on the other hand, could have grounds for complaint if you decide his constant demands to stop the noise and his banging on the walls constitute harassment.

insancerre · 17/08/2016 20:24

Is 19 months a typo?
19 weeks I could understand nighttime feeds and nappy changes but 19 months is a bit unusual to be waking that many tines
I don't know what your neighbour is expecting from solicitors letter
You have no reason to worry, there is nothing a solicitor can do

Isittimeforwineyet · 17/08/2016 20:24

A solicitor could take his money then provide him with the legally sound advice that he is being completely unreasonable and that any injunction application in this case would be very unlikely to be successful. I second the advice about keeping a log of his bangs on the wall/ceiling and any helpful advice he gives you. What an idiot!

KondosSecretJunkRoom · 17/08/2016 20:24

...my 2.5 yo's sleep..

CafeCremeMerci · 17/08/2016 20:30

Have a 🍷

He's being a tit, any solicitor would laugh him out of their office.

If he keeps banging on the wall I'd go around and tell him you will be speaking to a solicitor if he keeps it up. A baby crying briefly is unavoidable, an adult thumping on the walls is not.

I'm a very, very light sleeper and generally sleep badly. If I was your next door neighbour your DS would wake me & chances are I wouldn't get back to sleep. However, that would be my issue not yours - it's normal, unavoidable noise, it's not like you're doing something deliberate or even something inconsiderate.

Bagina · 17/08/2016 20:33

At 19 months I'd be dropping any milk at night, then he also won't need nappy changes. You need to start ignoring him. Also your neighbour is talking bollocks.

talksensetome · 17/08/2016 20:38

My DS is 4 and probably wakes as often as your DS. I don't think it is that unusual. 3 times a WEEK and people think that is excessive?

drinkingtea · 17/08/2016 20:39

Why on earth are people dropping the silly claims that waking 3 tkmes per week is unusual for a 19 month old? Utter nonsense! Have a look at the "sleep" section of MN!

Some babies sleep through the night from a few weeks old, some still wake every night at 2 years old - neither are unusual! Some adults still wake and go to the toilet and drink some water a few times a week and then go back to sleep - they don't cry and disturb anyone because they sort themselves is the only difference.

MerlinsScarf · 17/08/2016 20:41

There's a gov.uk pdf on noise nuisance which sets out that babies crying, phones ringing and suchlike are classed as normal noise and shouldn't be treated as noise nuisance. I can't get the link to work as I'm on my phone but please have a google, it's got exactly the info you need.

SharonfromEON · 17/08/2016 20:42

I would not be running to a baby the second they start whinging..

My DS did not sleep through till he was 4 so 3 times a week at 19 months sounds a dream..

I agree tell him his banging on the wall is not normal family noise a baby crying is..

Original poster
Neighbourwoes1 · 17/08/2016 20:42

Quitelikely it's 3 times a week not a night :)

OP posts:
Mirandawest · 17/08/2016 20:42

At 19 months I have no idea how many times a night DD used to wake up but it was a lot more than 3 times a week.

(She is nearly 11 and has done good sleeping for many years now)