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What can be done about noisy neighbour issues?

9 replies

Jasmine888 · 31/08/2024 21:52

Our neighbours have a large dog who I think is being left outside for long periods of time, the dog must not like this so it barks (very loud and angry, not taking a breath just constant non stop barking) until they let it in, the dog sounds so distressed, all of that barking must be awful for an animal. It was allowed to bark like this for the last few hours, nothing will drown out the noise, all my windows are shut and the TV is on, I am also across the road from them so I feel very sorry for their actual next door neighbours. I’ve only lived here for 5 months but my next door neighbours have told me that they have written letters, called the RSPCA and nothing has been done. I’ve been told that if any of us start an official complaint with the council, we then have to declare it when we sell our house, no one will want to buy it once their checks come back that we've made noise complaints against the neighbours are they… I can’t get access to their property to speak to them plus they don’t sound very nice from what I’ve heard from other neighbours, it is the back of their house that backs onto our road, I don’t know where the front of the house is and their land is massive. The dogs barking always comes from the same location so it’s clear it is not allowed to run up and down and it is stuck in one place. I’ve also read that the RSPCA will only care that the dog has access to water. How selfish these people are is just unbelievable, both to the dog and their neighbours. You can hear this dog from streets away, that’s how loud the barking is. Just feel like crying because I don’t understand why they don’t let it inside?? I genuinely want to sell my house but I can’t because I’ve only been here a short amount of time. Also the next place I move might have issues with neighbours too.

OP posts:
Jasmine888 · 01/09/2024 08:43

I have just gone to the RSPCA website and it won’t let you do anything if the issue is about animals being kept outside or barking. It says it is a council issue because of the noise.

OP posts:
Nextdoor55 · 01/09/2024 20:46

I'd move. Or try talking to them or the neighbour you mention.
Could you call the RSPCA to discuss & get advice rather than online? Explain that you are concerned about the dogs welfare being locked out. I would find out yourself if they do nothing or will help.

Jasmine888 · 04/06/2025 08:08

Just wanted to write an update and ask for advice again… the dog is now outside until around 11pm most nights. I can see it from my window, a lot of the times the lights in the main house are off so it seems that no one is home. It just sits there and barks non stop without taking a breath, while staring at the house (for hours). It looks like the dog just wants to be let inside. I can’t get access to their property to knock or post a letter as there is a massive gate and no postbox.

I’ve checked the council website again and to make a complaint they want all of my details including address, and it says that I must return all noise diaries and recordings to them otherwise my complaint will be not be actioned, there is no way to do this anonymously. For the reasons mentioned above I cannot do this, I get the feeling my other neighbours are not able to either as we are all worried no one will buy our houses when we do decide to move if we have a noise complaint.

I can sometimes see a woman on the property who lives in the main house (from my upstairs window) but I can’t exactly shout from my window at her across the other houses as everyone will hear me… I don’t understand what we are supposed to do… has anyone got any ideas because the noise is horrible but it’s also about the poor dog too being locked outside. Do you think it might be worth phoning the RSPCA? and also surely there are laws about dogs barking past unsociable hours… 😴

OP posts:
ComtesseDeSpair · 04/06/2025 08:59

There are laws about antisocial noise at antisocial hours, which is why the council have a procedure for addressing it - but if you don’t want to begin that process, they can’t get involved. Yes, it will have to be declared when you come to sell; but it may in fact be the jolt the neighbour needs to do something about their dog, which they haven’t yet had if nobody in the neighbourhood has done anything yet, so that all you’ll need to declare is that you made an initial report which resulted in the barking being addressed and the problem no longer exists.

Otherwise, call the RSPCA and report it as a welfare concern for an animal left outside with no access to shade or shelter: this will be a concern as we’re approaching hot sunny weather. They may, or may not, come out: I’m pretty cynical about them generally because their core interest is pretty much high profile animal abuse cases they can generate fundraising from, but if you aren’t willing to go via the council nuisance route, they’re your best bet.

Shesellsseashellsnotinmystreet · 04/06/2025 09:03

I reported ndn for locking their ddog out for hour intervals every day. Council wrote to them and it stopped... Just bite the bullet and fill in the form..

Blackcordoroys · 04/06/2025 09:03

You just need to go through the council procedures without thinking about future possible sales of your house.

I did this for a different neighbour issue, and she was moved on (she was in a HA house on our street). Should I sell soon (I’m not planning on it), I’d declare it and say she has moved. People thinking of buying the house can see for themselves it’s a quiet street. Your mental health now is more important than potential problems with the form in the future.

however the other thing we did which worked was email our local community police officer. She was fab. See if you have one - this is the sort of thing they can do.

Blackcordoroys · 04/06/2025 09:06

Saying ‘I don’t understand what we are supposed to do’ and ‘surely there are laws’ straight after acknowledging there are laws, you just don’t want to engage with the process in case it affects your house price - surely you can see this is self defeating

Sixpence39 · 04/06/2025 09:31

Go through the council procedure and try to get it sorted. You can just put on the form when you go to sell that the issue was resolved (even if it wasn't... just don't report anything in the run up to putting it on the market and you can play innocent). That's actually what our seller did to us - they said issue was resolves but it wasnt. we didn't query it and moved into a terrible noise nuisance situation. So not everyone will be put off - some people are naive like us!

Otherwise, could you post them an anonymous letter?

TY78910 · 04/06/2025 09:54

I would just report to RSPCA for animal neglect not noise. They can work with local police to get this investigated.

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