For years I've put up with my neighbours playing loud music. The problem is that it doesn't happen all the time, we have a flare up, as in this weekend, then it doesn't happen again for weeks. This weekend has been the final straw. They had a BBQ on Saturday night - very loud music until 11.00 ish. Then another BBQ on Sunday afternoon - very loud music from 4.00ish to 9.00 ish. The music is so loud, that we cannot sit out on our garden (there's only so much UB40 a girl can take!). We've tried to talk to them in the past, but they won't even answer the door - in fact they turn the music up and laugh at us. I've now decided we need to take some formal action, so I'm composing a letter which I'm going to post through their letter box tonight stating how they are upsetting us and what I want them to do to make this better. Have any of you had any similar problems, and do you have any advice on what I should put in my letter?

To be honest if the attitude is to 'laugh at you and turn it up'
I wouldnt bother with a letter, sounds like they are morons anyway.
When I was in this situation a few years ago I was on the phone constantly for a few months, firstly to the police everytime the music was of an unaceptable level, and also to the enviroment section of the council who deal with noise polution. eventually they got fed up with my constant barrage of phonecalls and complaints and the problem was sorted..
It's amazing what a bit of perservence can do!
I hope you manage to resolve the problem, because its a highly stressfull situation to have to live in.. good luck :)

I'm gonna ring the council in a bit to see what they say - but from what I've read on their website, we need to do the informal approach first, ie trying talking (they won't) and then a letter. A letter is probably safer, 'cos I'm so stressed by it I don't think I could actually bring myself to talk to them anyway.

In that case maybe go with the letter, when I posted 'the letter'
It seemed to only make the situation worse. But in my case the neighbours in question were junkies and seemed to thrive on making the normal decent folk's lives a living hell.
I used to find myself spending more and more time out of the house just to get away from the stress of it all.
I also found that with the council the firm and persistant method seemed to have the best results.. (I think in the end they helped just to get rid of crazy woman) :loopy:

Depends on whether you own your house or not. If you own your house, are you going to stay there or sell? If you are planning on staying, then fine go ahead. If you are going to sell in the future, think carefully. If you have a disagreement with the neighbour and police/council are involved you have to declare this when selling which may put off potiential buyers.

If you rent the house, then you don't need to worry about this and go ahead.

Personally I wouldn't bother. One set of neigbhours decided that having a drum kit in the bedroom 1 inch from our adjoining wall was a great idea. It was even better when he had band practices. I went and asked them to stop as I really don't think having a drum kit is considerate and playing at 9am on a Sunday is just taking the pee. I should have know better, they made our lives worse after that. We ended up moving. If they are reasonable types, then I would speak to them, but if you can tell they aren't reasonable people, don't bother you will only make it worse.

Stand in your garden sharpening an axe, and practice your insane laughter. That might get your point across.

We do own our house, and we've put this off for a few years because of the need to declare if we decide to sell. But we really don't want to move, so we've decided the time has come to try and tackle it.

As for axe-sharpening, I did have to stop my husband going round there with a sledge-hammer yesterday, after about 5 renditions of "Red Red Wine"!:loopy:

I had this problem with a couple next door - except it was their dog making all the noise.

1. I wrote a fairly nice letter, asking them to stop their dog from barking as it was very annoying.

2. I talked to them about it.

3. I wrote a second letter - a tad harsher, saying it was unacceptable and was causing problems as it was keeping me awake at all hours.

4. I wrote out a diary of a every day it had started barking, what time it stopped, what effect it was having on me, my sleep, my work, my partner, my life!! etc.

5. I posted them a 3rd letter with an example of the diary (a few days worth) . . . and said I had enough evidence to send to the Environmental Health Department who would soon be in contact with them if the noise didn't cease.

6. They moved out 2 weeks later.

7. I had a party and made lots of noise.

If you or your neighbour are council tennants then get the council involved first thing. The police will not get involved whilst mediation is taking place.

If mediation is unsuccessful, Local authorities and the police have the power to issue ABSO's or ABC's (Anti Socail Behavoir Contacts).

If you both own your properties and talking hasn't resolved the problem contact the mediation service or police yourself.

Deepest sympathies amber, there's not many things worse than having noisy neighbours. Good luck with the letter, though (as I mentioned in another thread), if people are inconsiderate/drunk/drugged up enough to be playing loud music for hours on end, they're not likely to be very good at seeing things from other people's point of view.

This is the main reason why I've never bought a house, but have always rented - I like to have the option of moving on if noisy people move in next door.

Honeyplanet - what did the council to do help in the end? Was it a council property? I guess they'd have more clout if it was.

It was a hostel owned by a housing assosiation, the enviroment people contacted the assosiation and then the police became involved. I had a diary to fill in and send to the envioment place and I think that they sent copys of it to hostel officers involved. they moved them all out in the end in turned out they were dealing herion as well as treating the place like a night club. We have moved since because in the end one tennant was just as bad as another. In certain cases they leave noise monitoring devices as well as asking you to fill the diary in.

had the same problem @ my current abode - still do have it but it's only once ayear now & not once a week.
i tried the knocking on the door routine complained about me being 2 streets away & unable to sleep, this had little effect.
eventually i contacted NEDDC(my council) , they instructed i keep a diary but as it was infrquent their was little evidence to gather.
i than asked the council to contact the address & complain about the noise levels (and obtained an email address for the council dept) now everytime the noise starts i email the council so they have a "live" record.

Well - the letter is drafted. I found a good template on a "neighbours from hell" website, so just filled in the blanks. It's going through their letterbox tonight, so I'll see what happens.

I've spoken to a woman at the council, who has logged it and says she will try and get info from police, etc who should be able to get involved.

She also confirmed that if we were council tennants, the council would have more power ... but just because we're home owners we shouldn't have to put up with riff raff neighbours.

I'll let you know how I get on.

My friends have the opposite problem their neighbours complain to the council about the smallest things and make their lifes hell.

He is no longer allowed to work on his car in his own garden.

The latest one is they complained about their horse to the council saying it bit them. There is a 'Please do not feed the horse' sign on the gate. :rolleyes:

Any advice on troublesome neighbours who have nothing better to do than spoil someones pleasure?

Originally posted by amber181
Well - the letter is drafted. I found a good template on a "neighbours from hell" website, so just filled in the blanks. It's going through their letterbox tonight, so I'll see what happens.

I've spoken to a woman at the council, who has logged it and says she will try and get info from police, etc who should be able to get involved.

She also confirmed that if we were council tennants, the council would have more power ... but just because we're home owners we shouldn't have to put up with riff raff neighbours.

I'll let you know how I get on.

How is your relationship with your other neighbours? If it is good, then why not ask them if they want to put their input into the letter and if not to the council if it goes further?

I’m sure a group of people complaining will hold more weight than just you. Also shows you are not just a moaning old coot.

I think a letter has to be your initial step Amber. If you report it to the council or police, then the first thing they will tell you to do is write a letter.

I'd keep it very polite and non-agressive though - if you go in with all guns blazing you could just agrivate the problem. Don't mention council action yet - just drop them a friendly little note (keeping a dated copy of it for your own reference), and then if they don't take notice you may have to write something a bit harsher and tell them you'll be contacting the relevant bodies.

But to begin with I'd go with something like...

Dear Neighbour,
I regret having to complain, but the noise coming from your BBQ this weekend was a little on the loud side and prevented us from sitting in our garden. I did try to knock on your door a couple of times to ask you to turn it down a notch, but there was no reply.
We don't mind a bit of music, but I write to ask you to please keep the sound levels down a bit in future. Or perhaps you could give us advanced warninng when you are planning a party.
Regards, Ect ect..

I know it sounds a bit soft - but if will make you look very reasonable if you end up taking more formal action.

I didn't read this whole thread, but in the instance of loud music, can't the council do them for unlicenced broadcast? ;)

Relationships with other neighbours are fine. Trouble is the only other neighbours that are possibly affected by noise as much as us are separated by some huge trees and a bit of distance between their gardens, so they won't get it as bad as us. Plus they're are on the old side, so they probably don't want the hassle of getting involved.

Anyway if the letter doesn't work, I'm going to get the hubbies Shakin' Stevens records out - see how they like that!!" :clap:

Or you could try my sister's cure :D

Forum bike meet at amber181's place - bring your death metal records :hihi: :hihi:

Perhaps you should host a mini-rave in your back garden.

It may mean your lawn gets trampled, but after listening to 12 hours of Happy Hardcore, MCing, whistles and horns, I don't reackon you'll hear another peep for the neighbours for a very long time.

Either that, or you'll get an ASBO!

Forgot to mention that I have heard you can contact their mortgage lenders and complain to them. I'm not sure what good this does though??

If the music is that loud then you should be able to get some action by involving Environmental Health (I Think). Phone number for all these nuisance type calls for the council is 0845 605 2222