Noisy Neighbours

[JohnC6]

My wife's friend and her husband have been looking at houses in the Scarborough area and after two trips there found a lovely bungalow. I've seen the photos .It's detached, a lovely interior and a decent-sized garden. They put in an offer for it two weeks ago. For whatever reason they returned over the weekend and spoke to the neighbour, My wife didn't ask if they called next door or the lady was out on the front when they spoke to her..the latter,I asume but they got chatting and the lady said that her husband likes to play loud music and one of her teenage sons plays the drums in his bedroom.. I assume she was letting them know what they might be in for .The vendor(s) had not mentioned this and as far as I know they have to even if there hasn't been any dispute about it. The offer has been withdrawn and they continue their search and are very disappointed.

Is going to a neighbour something anyone here would do ? The other thing is that even if the purchase had gone ahead and then they found out about the noise they could sue the vendor up to six years after the purchase.

 

[woof woof]

My wife's friend and her husband have been looking at houses in the Scarborough area and after two trips there found a lovely bungalow. I've seen the photos .It's detached, a lovely interior and a decent-sized garden. They put in an offer for it two weeks ago. For whatever reason they returned over the weekend and spoke to the neighbour, My wife didn't ask if they called next door or the lady was out on the front when they spoke to her..the latter,I asume but they got chatting and the lady said that her husband likes to play loud music and one of her teenage sons plays the drums in his bedroom.. I assume she was letting them know what they might be in for .The vendor(s) had not mentioned this and as far as I know they have to even if there hasn't been any dispute about it. The offer has been withdrawn and they continue their search and are very disappointed.

Is going to a neighbour something anyone here would do ? The other thing is that even if the purchase had gone ahead and then they found out about the noise they could sue the vendor up to six years after the purchase.

Yes. Why not? In fact going to several might be a good idea as if you only go to one they could give a biased view.

 

[Box Brownie]

Purely my understanding?

In the form the vendor has to complete and they have stated actioned neighbour disputes. Anything that is not externally recorded e.g. getting the council involved for noise nuisance complaints is simply heresay.

But like you say there is legal recourse if they neglect to share such actions taken. It pays one to careful whether one makes issues like noise nuisance 'official'.

As for talking to the neighbours I see nothing wrong with that.,...afteral it is in ones interest to know what they may be like?

 

[simon ess]

I'm a little sceptical of this story TBH.

What might be the motive of the neighbour to declare that?

Why not ask the neighbour to turn their music up full for a few minutes to hear how loud it really was?

 

[Cockney]

I'm a little sceptical of this story TBH.

What might be the motive of the neighbour to declare that?

Why not ask the neighbour to turn their music up full for a few minutes to hear how loud it really was?

I took it that the neighbour was saying " we're loud and we don't give a s***, be prepared.

 

[woof woof]

I'm a little sceptical of this story TBH.

What might be the motive of the neighbour to declare that?

Why not ask the neighbour to turn their music up full for a few minutes to hear how loud it really was?

The house is detached and that'd likely cut the noise issue down if you're inside but if you have the windows open or like to sit outside I can imagine noise being annoying. Mrs WW is more sensitive to this than me, she lies to sit outside but noise from our neighbours does put her off.

 

[JohnC6]

I took it that the neighbour was saying " we're loud and we don't give a s***, be prepared.

That's the impression I got.

 

[simon ess]

I took it that the neighbour was saying " we're loud and we don't give a s***, be prepared.

You're probably right, but if they really don't give a s*** they wouldn't say anything. Because they don't give a s***.

Oh well.

 

[Cockney]

That's the impression I got.

They're well out. Walk away.
When we moved from London to Sheffield, we got let down on 2 properties. The 3rd turned out to be by far the best option, so it did us a favour. We're still in it. Karma

 

[JohnC6]

You're probably right, but if they really don't give a s*** they wouldn't say anything. Because they don't give a s***.

Oh well.

That's good logic..

 

[Cockney]

You're probably right, but if they really don't give a s*** they wouldn't say anything. Because they don't give a s***.

Oh well.

Quite possibly. Either way you don't want them as neighbours.

 

[simon ess]

if you have the windows open or like to sit outside I can imagine noise being annoying.

Quite. Hence my suggestion to ask the neighbour to put their music on full blast.

 

[JohnC6]

I'm a little sceptical of this story TBH.

What might be the motive of the neighbour to declare that?

Why not ask the neighbour to turn their music up full for a few minutes to hear how loud it really was?

They've visited two areas up there and several visits and it's a long trek . If it had been any other reason my wife's friend would have told her.She's one of these people who tells you everything.I think Cockney has hit the nail on the head.

 

[Cockney]

We had decided to buy a place in Bexley heath. We had one viewing and all was good. We had a 2nd viewing to do some measuring, but this time about 3.30. Thats when we realised how close we would be to the local school. There were yummy mummies in their chelsea tractors parked over drives, on pavements, up trees, everywhere.
That was the end of that house hunt.

 

[JohnC6]

Quite. Hence my suggestion to ask the neighbour to put their music on full blast.

I suppose that would have been a good idea but if they are like that re noise what other annoyances would they indulge in ? A football hitting the back fence ? What about summer and having loud music on outside ? There's a young lady who lives quite close to us and she has a sporty BMW and each time she starts it up..it roars. I asked someone who lives a few doors away from her why she doesn't get the exhaust sorted. He said it's something to do with the engine..suped-up..I think. Anyway, it annoys the heck out of me so I wouldn't need someone to turn music to a high volume to know that it would cause me problems because music..especially rap..would annoy me at any level . As it is, 95% of the time the only 'noise' we hear comes from bird song. Other than that it's light traffic going to and coming home from work..we barely notice it.

 

[Mr Bump]

I suspect the answer you have got is because the previous house owners complained a lot so you are being given due notice , personally I might be tempted to walk away.
When we bought our house in Greece we knew the Greeks could be noisy so we did do a lot of looking at our area , we holidayed there for two weeks and just hung arround places before deciding where to buy. in Greece when people know you are selling they keep the cockerals indorr or move them out for a while , then bring them back when youre settled

 

[JohnC6]

I suspect the answer you have got is because the previous house owners complained a lot so you are being given due notice , personally I might be tempted to walk away.
When we bought our house in Greece we knew the Greeks could be noisy so we did do a lot of looking at our area , we holidayed there for two weeks and just hung arround places before deciding where to buy. in Greece when people know you are selling they keep the cockerals indorr or move them out for a while , then bring them back when youre settled

My bold..

They are now going back to the area but about 20 miles down the coast. They are from the Midlands so a three and a half hour drive each time. Quite stressful,I'd imagine.

That's funny re the cockerals in Greece.

 

[Mr Bump]

My bold..

They are now going back to the area but about 20 miles down the coast. They are from the Midlands so a three and a half hour drive each time. Quite stressful,I'd imagine.

That's funny re the cockerals in Greece.

yeah the Greeks are an odd bunch , where our house i it is semi rural and they do like to keep small animals, thankfully we have a very large plot but they love to party.

 

[Harriers9]

When we moved into a new house twenty years ago the family helped us. It was getting towards tea time so my dad volunteered to go down the chippy.

We carried on moving stuff in and when he got back we sat on the stairs, front door step and various places out front (it was mid summer and hot). That's when the neighbours announced their presence.

On went the loud music and we just sat there looking at each other. Over the years it continued with my ex wife being a nurse on a night shift the loud music would come on during the day while she was in bed. Christmas Day? Nothing but loud music all day. Summers day outside? music.

We also lost our cat one time. Asked her next door if she had seen it and she said she hadn't. One day, months later, there had been a storm and part of the fence blew down. I went to sort it and just happened to glance towards their kitchen window and there was our cat sat in the window (she had unusual markings so was easily identifiable). I went round and she admitted it and said that she had rescued it because we were ill treating her. Load of nonsense. We had to involve the police.

The last straw came when we submitted plans for a small extension and him next door went around the area with a petition against our plans. Luckily a friend was asked to sign and she took it off him, ripped it it up and told him to f off. We put the house up for sale a few weeks later.

My partner and I now have wonderful neighbours. Thankfully.

 

[AshleyC]

isnt it a bit odd to knock on someones door and ask them if they're loud? I just ask the owner who the neighbors are. Young couple, avoid, older gen probably ok, pensioners fine

 

[mj4456]

Elderly neighbour just moved into a nursing home and the house went up for sale, masses of viewers but it turns out another neighbours daughter has bought the house and she’s a quiet, single lass so there should be no problems there, hopefully.

 

[JohnC6]

isnt it a bit odd to knock on someones door and ask them if they're loud? I just ask the owner who the neighbors are. Young couple, avoid, older gen probably ok, pensioners fine

My bold:

I'm sure no-one does that. Yesterday, my wife has told me that when her friend and her husband arrived to view the house the lady next door saw them and invited them in for a cuppa ,an offer they took up.That's when she told them about the loud music her husband plays and her son plays the drums. Completely selfish and uncaring. My wife will be chatting to her friend again shortly and I've asked her to askl a few more questions. Has the vendor ever asked them to reduce the noise ?..not that drums can be played quietly., anyway.

On the face of it, it looks like Brian was right. Post #5. Ie...The neighbour saying that if you come to live next door this is what you can expect. Murders have happened over neighbour disputes including excessive noise. This incident below was reported six days ago and the aggrieved neighbour went out with an airgun to confront the people making the noise...drums. I think many people will put up with a neighbour having a party for a one-off occasion. Each July..I'm sure on a Saturday, someone living not far from us celebrate a birthday by having a party in the back garden starting from about 2.00pm and going on until almost midnight. The music is very loud and the voices and laughter get louder the more they drink the alcohol. I really wouldn't like to live close to them. I know it's a birthday party because about 5.00pm they sing "happy birthday"

The police have no powers to close down noise. It beggars belief when you consider the seriousness of it. They'll tell you to contact the Environment office . On a Friday/Saturday night ?. Sure. Click on the back button of this link to see more questions on the subject. I've just copy/pasted the answer to ...paraphrased" What can the police do re music/TV noise ?"

Video included. https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1...-man-charges-neighbour-firearm-loud-music-row

 

[mj4456]

When I upgraded my HiFi set up last I put something raucous on and turned it up LOUD, then up a bit more, I then walked around the outside of the house and garden, very little sound leakage so I reckoned anytime it was on at normal volume we’d be ok. More problems likely when wife and are watching rugby on the telly.

 

[JohnC6]

When I upgraded my HiFi set up last I put something raucous on and turned it up LOUD, then up a bit more, I then walked around the outside of the house and garden, very little sound leakage so I reckoned anytime it was on at normal volume we’d be ok. More problems likely when wife and are watching rugby on the telly.

What I find with loud music is that most times you can't actually hear what the song is but it's the base (low frequency) that carries . I'm sure if these people kept the bass low it wouldn't be such a problem. I haven't experienced a neighbour playing drums,though.

When I sit at the patio table in the summer and have the radio on I walk away to see how far away I get before it can't be heard. 10m..at most.

Re. rugby. I assume you're not detached.

 

[Clive K]

My bold:

I'm sure no-one does that. Yesterday, my wife has told me that when her friend and her husband arrived to view the house the lady next door saw them and invited them in for a cuppa ,an offer they took up.That's when she told them about the loud music her husband plays and her son plays the drums. Completely selfish and uncaring. My wife will be chatting to her friend again shortly and I've asked her to askl a few more questions. Has the vendor ever asked them to reduce the noise ?..not that drums can be played quietly., anyway.

On the face of it, it looks like Brian was right. Post #5. Ie...The neighbour saying that if you come to live next door this is what you can expect. Murders have happened over neighbour disputes including excessive noise. This incident below was reported six days ago and the aggrieved neighbour went out with an airgun to confront the people making the noise...drums. I think many people will put up with a neighbour having a party for a one-off occasion. Each July..I'm sure on a Saturday, someone living not far from us celebrate a birthday by having a party in the back garden starting from about 2.00pm and going on until almost midnight. The music is very loud and the voices and laughter get louder the more they drink the alcohol. I really wouldn't like to live close to them. I know it's a birthday party because about 5.00pm they sing "happy birthday"

The police have no powers to close down noise. It beggars belief when you consider the seriousness of it. They'll tell you to contact the Environment office . On a Friday/Saturday night ?. Sure. Click on the back button of this link to see more questions on the subject. I've just copy/pasted the answer to ...paraphrased" What can the police do re music/TV noise ?"

Video included. https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1...-man-charges-neighbour-firearm-loud-music-row

John, the responsibilty for prosecuting noise complaints was passed to the local authorities along with parking enforcement, dog poo issues and other things around 20 years ago. When you consider how many complaints are trivial, the amount of time and equipment required to prove the offences and the rise in more serious offences it made sense to devolve that sort of thing. I cannot remember any noise complaint escalating into violence.

When I have been looking for a house in the past I have always visited the area in the evenings and at weekends before committing to buy.

 

[JohnC6]

John, the responsibilty for prosecuting noise complaints was passed to the local authorities along with parking enforcement, dog poo issues and other things around 20 years ago. When you consider how many complaints are trivial, the amount of time and equipment required to prove the offences and the rise in more serious offences it made sense to devolve that sort of thing. I cannot remember any noise complaint escalating into violence.

When I have been looking for a house in the past I have always visited the area in the evenings and at weekends before committing to buy.

Yes, Clive...I'm aware it's the responsibility of the LA and has been for many years but if a household is having a party over a weekend that is causing a problem for the neighbourhood or there is another form of excessive, disturbing noise,I think the police should have the power to intervene given that the Environment office will be closed. If it carries on after a warning then the police should have power to seize the source of the noise. I wasn't suggesting any kind of technical monitoring. After that ,the LA should take over. It needs to be dealt with there and then to avoid escalation. If excessive noise is a regular occurrence then the complainant can contact the LA and start making a record of the events.

The reason I cited the man with the air rifle is that domestics, I think these kind of incidents can be categorised as such, can lead to violence.

Re buying a house. Agree that's what I'd do.

Re parking. As you'll know the police can issue FPNs and should do so if a vehicle is causing a safety problem and definitely if it's parked on the zig-zags of,at least, the approach side of crossings. Maybe they don't carry FPNs these days. I'd imagine Traffic officers ..an endangered species in most parts of the country... would.

 

[Clive K]

Yes, Clive...I'm aware it's the responsibility of the LA and has been for many years but if a household is having a party over a weekend that is causing a problem for the neighbourhood or there is another form of excessive, disturbing noise,I think the police should have the power to intervene given that the Environment office will be closed. If it carries on after a warning then the police should have power to seize the source of the noise. I wasn't suggesting any kind of technical monitoring. After that ,the LA should take over. It needs to be dealt with there and then to avoid escalation. If excessive noise is a regular occurrence then the complainant can contact the LA and start making a record of the events.

The reason I cited the man with the air rifle is that domestics, I think these kind of incidents can be categorised as such, can lead to violence.

Re buying a house. Agree that's what I'd do.

Re parking. As you'll know the police can issue FPNs and should do so if a vehicle is causing a safety problem and definitely if it's parked on the zig-zags of,at least, the approach side of crossings. Maybe they don't carry FPNs these days. I'd imagine Traffic officers ..an endangered species in most parts of the country... would.

If there is a liklihood of a breach of the peace then the Police can act. Otherwise it would be unlawful for them to do so. Same with parking offences. If the vehicle is causing an unnecessary obstruction or danger then the Police can prosecute and / or have it moved to a secure compound. I had a debate with a local councillor in a public meeting about this very issue. He was unaware that it was the LA who were responsible for parking enforcement so I let him rant on about a specific problem and demanding immediate action from the police before turning the tables and asking him what he was going to do about it.

One of the problems of devolving powers to local authorities is that they know full well that the Police are open 24/7 and that the public will call the Police when they are closed. I raised the issue many times without anything being done. About ten years after I retired several Chief Constables and the Commissioner of the Met' started to take steps to make local authorities more accountable out of office hours.

Whilst domestics can turn nasty if you look up the stats you will find very, very few that result in serious injury. Back in 1987 in the village where the film Brassed Off was set there were many domestic disputes between neighbours. The standard police write off was: "All quiet on arrival. Both sets of windows have been put through. No further Police action requested". These days it has become overly political and if the situation concerns any of the race, gender or whatever political priority issues then it can take many hours to achieve basically the same end result as we had in 1987 - no further action. But by then a million boxes will have been ticked. You only hear of the times that the Police or whoever get it wrong. Just before I left in 2011 I spent more time dealing with threats made on social media than crimes of real violence and thefts, burglaries, etc. I suspect that it is far worse now.