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Original poster

What can I do about noisy neighbours?

39 replies

janeyjinglebops · 26/12/2004 18:31

I'm at the end of my tether. Our attached house - we are in a semi - is rented out and has been since last Aug. They are a group of 20 somethings. The pattern seems to be a party every 3 weeks or so. The final straw came when they had one on xmas eve and it went on till nearly 2 am. Is that unreasonable? What can I do? They never warn us so every Sat we sit anxiously waiting to see if they will have another??? PLease help it is affecting our health with the stress.

OP posts:
Minstrel · 26/12/2004 18:38

Oh Janey, sorry I am not here with advice but just to let you know I have the same problem with our neighbours. Hopefully someone may come along to help us. My neighbours think nothing of having garden parties until all hours of the morning and will be sure to be letting off fireworks on 31.12 right under my ds's bedroom window... Sorry didn't mean to hi-jack.

Minstrel xx

ChristmasCracker · 26/12/2004 18:45

Hi jane, you need to contact environmental health about this. You may have to notify your council first and they contact them for you and then they ring you.

They will then probably give you diary sheets to fill in and then when completed you send it off and they decided if any further action needs to be taken.
They will then probably come and moniter the noise. Basically they set up a microphine and you let it record any noise.

They will also probably try and contact the landlord to let them know what is happeneing.

Hope you get it sorted soon, it is a horrible thing to have to live with i know.

Original poster
janeyjinglebops · 26/12/2004 18:51

As we have to move soon I would rather not contact the council just yet - DH may be getting a new job. Thought I might try to find out where they are renting from and complain to the landlord/letting agents first. What do you think?

What gets me is I went around and asked them to be a bit quieter and she just said it is our christmas day you know. By the time I had got back in my house, they had turned the music up and were singing at the tops of their voices.

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Original poster
janeyjinglebops · 26/12/2004 18:53

Then on christmas day their friend came around with his new crossbow and they spent all christmas day afternoon in the garden firing the thing at a target, My kids were then effectively not allowed out there - no way were they going near a crossbow with a thin fence between them and it!

Is there a law about that?

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ChristmasCracker · 26/12/2004 18:53

Do you own your house though jane ???? If you do then you have to notify any potential purchaser about noisey neighbours so it could be worth while getting it sorted before then.

You could try contacting the letting agent yeah, not sure how though.

ChristmasCracker · 26/12/2004 18:54

Ohhhh don't know aboutthe crossbow janey.

Do you know anything about the person that owns the house ???

Original poster
janeyjinglebops · 26/12/2004 18:58

No I don't know his name or number or address. I have met him once when they first bought it. Not sure I trust him though coz he told me him and his family would be moving in after some building work. 2 weeks later it is rented out...

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Original poster
janeyjinglebops · 26/12/2004 18:59

In my dreams I ma hoping he will evict them... Fingers crossed they only have a six month contract....

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Original poster
janeyjinglebops · 26/12/2004 19:00

Yes we own our house. Don't really want to move. I loved it before they moved in, but if dh gets his new job will have to. Feel like it is just one big mess at the moment. OMG I think they have started again!

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Donbean · 26/12/2004 19:44

Ok, take the advice of what people are saying and do it asap, you have to for your own mental health. I speak from bitter experience. It made me ill because i left it and left it, in the end we moved and do you know it took me about 12 months to recover mentally, even in a quiet rural area in a new house.
Do it and think of your health.
Good luck and BIG sympathies x

Original poster
janeyjinglebops · 26/12/2004 19:48

Thanks everyone.

Minstrel you have my sympathies can't you visit anyone over new year? We are going to to avoid another stressful night.

Donbean you are right - it is already affecting my health. Can't sleep or eat at moment. Food just gets stuck in my throat. Left half of my christmas lunch on the plate... and I LIKE my food normally.

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LIZS · 26/12/2004 19:48

If they are on a standard Assured Shorthold Tenancy contract which runs for minimum 6 months, it is possible that they have a clause not to disturb the neighbours (our tenants have had in the past). You could log the disturbances and approach the Agent or Landlord direct. However unless they are otherwise in breach of the tenancy agreement or have Environmental Health or other complaints about them, I doubt they will do much, especially as the rental market is so difficult atm. They could just issue the statutory notice at the end of the agreement rather than make an issue out of it specifically. Have you asked them to let you know when they plan a party ?

You could ask the police about the crossbow - think they need to be licensed - but that could well be the case anyway, assuming you could identify the owner.

JudgeFlounce · 26/12/2004 20:03

Message deleted

Original poster
janeyjinglebops · 26/12/2004 20:35

thanks judge flounce, so is it against the law to fire crossbows in a garden near to other peoples gardens?

BTW, 5 of them have just loaded up in the corssbow owners car with loads of luggage and driven off! Not sure who they were??? As I thought there were only 2 blokes that live in there. The driver finsihed off his can of Hienekin before they left though!

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Minstrel · 26/12/2004 21:48

Janey sorry to but in again but can I ask JudgeFlounce a question? Can you do anything about people having noisy garden parties until all hours/fireworks etc etc when the people responsible own their own house?

Again apologies Janey for hi-jacking.

JudgeFlounce · 26/12/2004 21:48

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JudgeFlounce · 26/12/2004 21:52

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Minstrel · 26/12/2004 21:55

Thanks JudgeF or should I say W & R. Where would we be without you!!

JudgeFlounce · 26/12/2004 22:03

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janeybops · 26/12/2004 22:23

Thanks for getting back to me and Minstrel that is Ok - must be awful for you. I sympathise.

Not sure if it is me but had problems in my old house too with a party wall dispute and an old lady who just didn't seem to understand.

My next house is defintitely going to be detached!!! We are nice, quiet people really and just want to live in our house peacefully!!!!

Have chnaged xmas name back coz I have lost my xmas spirit!

janeybops · 26/12/2004 22:25

As for calling the police about the crossbow, we did discuss it but weren't sure if it was allowed or not. Plus we had already had enough stress from the night/morning before. And we were just sitting down to our xmas lunch - lovely hearign the thud as we ate!!!

Bet my mum and dad were thrillled to be visiting.

Minstrel · 26/12/2004 22:29

Hi Janey. We live in a detached!! If we had to listen to them indoors as well as out, I would be in a loony bin by now. Just make sure (unlike us) there is plenty of room between you & next door!! Oh and view in the summer when there is likely to be outdoor noise/barbecues etc

janeybops · 26/12/2004 22:30

going to bed now.... hoping no new noise will start.

will check here again tomorrow.... after my trip to the SALES - YIPEEE, something to look forward to

janeybops · 26/12/2004 22:31

Thanks for the tip!

Is there no rest from these people? Perhaps you could have a noisy street and a quiet street and then choose where you live.!

Minstrel · 26/12/2004 22:34

Good night Janey, have a lovely day tomorrow. Hope everything is peaceful for you, can I come and live in "quiet street" pppleease!!