Problem Neighbours.....?

Question

I moved into a new house about 4 months ago... and have had problems with the neighbours within 1 hour of moving in. They have complained, and continue to complain about the noise by little boys make, they are 1 & 2. These neighbours bang on the wall, have played music extremely loudly in the early hours of the morning on a weekend, and have confronted my wife. They have just kicked off while my wife was tidying the conservatory, because she was "making too much noise" and they have sprayed the conservatory with there hose. The have complained to the council, as have we...... but are we doing anything wrong, we are living our lives, we are not a nuisance but they are totally intolerant of ANY noise (this is a five bed semi you'd expect normal family noise). My wife feels intimidated and is now reluctant to go into the garden! What rights do we have, as I feel we have done nothing wrong. We just want to live our lives! Please only informed sensible answers, this is my life!

Answer 1

I have a simlar experince although our kids are 8 and 9. We moved to a new develpment of 4-5 bedroom houses in a cul de sac, to allow the children to play safely. Next door we have the worst neigbour ever. They keep the kids footballs if they go in the garden, and are always shouting at them to keep quite or they will call the police.

i get the impression that they have saved all their life to get there big house and therfore fell superior to us being younger. The best of it she is a school teacher. I think they are trying to hard to be middle class.

In term of what to do.. don't let them think it bothers you. Encourage your children to be kids and make noise as children do. Play loud music when you feel like it, etc etc two can play at that game.

sorry to hear of your prob...

Answer 2

Reading through the answers, I think you need to be careful before involving solicitors, police & possibly the council. If you later decide to sell up and move, one of the things you have to declare is any disputes with neighbours - which could obviously deter potential buyers. I'd tend to go with the try and behave like grown ups and stay calm, don't descend to their level, but try and have an adult conversation and as someone else said - ask them what they think would be the solution. If they're completely nuts and unreasonable then trying to put on a brave face and ignore them may be the best answer short of legal actions. Alternatively buy a cockrel - then after 6 months get rid of it - they won't complain about the children any more (but you might fall out with the rest of the neighbours in the process!!)

Answer 3

Sounds like they are the problem. Maybe have a meeting with them and the council. Ask the council if they could mediate while you talk to them. Ask them what you are doing that is causing so much grief.

Some times people do this, I have seen people do this when i lived in in a duplex.. they would complain about me and my husband, but yet we worked all day and did not make noises at night, as we were hardly home. The owner new that the problem was with them... They try to get others to move that way they can be loud and obnoxious.

Answer 4

I had this Problem also. It is horrible expertly when they are being ignorant about it! And yes you should be aloud to live your life and a child well be a child and you can't expect them to be quite unless they are sleeping or deep in to TV! I fell you are not in the wrong but your neighbors are and i would try to talk to the council again and see if maybe they can solve the issue maybe relocate you with nicer neighbors!!! The only rights i can see is the laws which state noise ordnance which is from 10p to 6am and those don't include normal family life!! But do obtain to the pounding of the walls, loud music!! I am sorry you are having this problem have you tried talking to the neighbors?

Answer 5

If you are a council tenant you need to contact your housing officer - who should issue you with Anti Social Behaviour diaries - you will need to make a note in them of every incident along with Police Incident numbers for two weeks (this is in order to provide enough eviedence) although you might need to keep them for longer than this. You may wish to speak directly to your housing officer face to face, he or she then might recommend mediation where you and your neighbours can sort out any issues with a no bias third party. If you are threatened or intimidated by your neighbour, call the police or you way take pictures on your mobile (these are also useful as evidence). I work for a local authority and deal with such cases on a day to day basis and whilst it is frustrating for you and your family to live as 'prisioners' in your own home - action can be taken, there is also something called a good neighbour contract where acceptable behaviour is agreed between you and should that be broken then the Local Authority can begin legal proceedings.
I hope this has helped

Answer 6

Have you been on the phone to the environmental health people, they are generally pretty good at giving advice and help, Jesus they sound horrible neighbours and I sympathise with you so much, we have lived next to the neighbours from hell for 22 years, we have found the best thing to do with ours is to ignore them but that took time and strength, people like yours and our neighbours hate been ignored and give up eventually because they see their pettiness has no effect, god what right have your horrors of neighbours got to make your life so hard and to intimidate your wife like they are doing, she is a mother and is only trying to do the right thing for her children just like you are, your little boys have a right to play and to make kiddie noise, its what children do, I suggest you either try the environmental health or the citizens advice people they do this mediator thing were both neighbours get round a table and slog it out and hopefully sort it out too, failing that continually ring the police and have them make a log of the intimidation so when you get legal action against them you have proof, sorry but legal action tends to be the only thing that stops plonkers like your horrid neighbours, good luck and I hope they move soon.

Answer 7

I think you should speak with the "Council" about the problem, - but not in the context of who's right and who's wrong. Instead you should aim toward setting up a meeting in which you and your neighbor's can meet, with someone from the council serving as mediator. The goal should not be to point out each other's transgressions, but rather to "get to know each other" in a less emotional setting and to set the groundwork for how you can coexist going forward.

Answer 8

get video, audio or photographic evidence of thier behaviour and go to court

spraying your conservatory with anything can be considered to be damage of private property as it will need maintenace to bring it back to its prior condition. this is a punishable offence.

get all the evidence together then before doing anything with it try and have an adult conversation with them asking them what bothers them and how they think this could be delt with. put the ball in their court and give them the opportunity to say how they think a resolve could be made. make them think they are in charge of the situation but if they just act like idiots and are rude just walk off and take them to court if you have evidence of them being a nuisance

Answer 9

i feel so sorry for you, it is awful to feel you cant go into your own garden, i too have felt this way, when my husband was away i crawled through my own house on my hands and knees to avoid being noticed by my neighbours, my husband eventually had enough and made me go out, im glad i did and they stopped bothering us, your neighbours sound like lunatics, and no you are not doing anything wrong, i suggest you keep a log times and dates, maybe use a video camera, you gotta start now if you want an end to this good luck

Answer 10

i sympathise with you all the way ,we have miserable neighbours ,but you should not let them intimadate you or your wife get yourself a tape recorder and tape them when they are playing their loud noises,or video it ,video them anoying you ,what you did not mention is this a counsil house or your own if it's council you could get them to move you,any way they have no right to tell you your children have to play in silence,have you got a six foot fence that would help i do hope you solve this i wish you all the very best stand by your wife and children ,,,,