Noise pollution advice please

[Le_37]

There is a property near-by inhabited by a group of young people. They can be noisy. Yesterday and today they have been playing capital radio at full blast with a loud bass system which can be heard clearly doors away. They live three properties away on another road and I could hear / make out every word from their radio even indoors with the doors and windows shut.

It is far from peaceful and as they normally have loud drunken / drug fuelled summer evenings, I am now concerned this is going to be a daily routine as well. I feel like I am in a youth resort on the med during the summer season.

I just wondered if people have had a similar situation and how they dealt with it.

Thanks.

[Alan Medic]

Well, when I had this problem with next door neighbours who had a party without giving us any notice I entertained myself as follows. I found a stick, some string and a tennis ball. I opened the window on the first floor and bounced the tennis ball off their window. I did this at irregular intervals. I'm sure I must have spooked them as when they looked out (as I'm sure they must have), there was nothing there to explain the thud on the window.

PS I'm not making this up.

[giggirl]

Commisserations - this can make life very difficult. Don't get into playing childish games with your neighbours. That's rotten advice. If they catch you at it then the situation could escalate and you may unintentionally make matters worse. Behave like an adult and hopefully they will do the same. Go and have a word with them. Be reasonable and be polite. Ask if they are aware that noise from their property is carrying down the street. They're young so maybe they're just being thoughtless and need to be told.

Southwark has an excellent team that deals with noise polution so if you can't resolve the matter yourself then phone them for advice.

[Alan Medic]

It wasn't advice gg. It wouldn't work if it were 3 doors/windows down anyway. It was just an anecdote. I ended up phoning the noise pollution police who are very good. But I'd ask the nearest neighbours what if anything they are doing about it first.

Love to know how you know their evenings are drug fuelled?

[Le_37]

'Love to know how you know their evenings are drug fuelled?'

That is a fair question. This happened a lot last summer. Both my neighbours and I noted this as they were up till stupid o-clock and conversation was not just alcohol fuelled; coherent in voice and yet not in thought. plus certain odours or sounds are a clue.

Thanks all to your advice so far. It has given me an idea of what to do next. Do not worry Alan Medic, I understood your anecdote and it made me smile. I also agree with giggirl about avoiding childish games, hence why I am seeking other people's opinion before action.

[tallulah71]

I have a similar problem, although my neighbour does her yoga at day break above my bedroom - 4.30 - 5.30 sometimes earlier. We live in a Victorian conversion and she is incredibly heavy footed. I don't sleep at all in the Summer because I wake when she does.

I have stopped having my parties because she has told me to stop playing loud music, so I have... but she thinks that because she is a yoga teacher, she is entitled to carry on waking me up all the bloody time. My chandeliers literally shake 3 x per week when i'm watching tv because of the classes.

[giggirl]

No money was spent on soundproofing in those conversions. Shocking really. All done on the cheap.

I doubt that your neighbour is that heavy footed and I seriously doubt that she feels she is entitled to wake you. Does she know? Have you discussed it with her?

Maybe you should try knocking on her door at 5.30 and explaining that she wakes you every morning. If she doesn't already have carpet down then ask her if she would do so - it's the only practical solution I can think of. Can she work in another room that isn't directly above where you're trying to sleep?

I don't see why you should give up your parties. We are all entitled to live a little. Maybe explain that the lack of soundproofing that causes her problems when you play music works both ways, and that you're woken every morning way before the time you would normally get up.

East Dulwich is full of houses with non-existent sound proofing. So many neighbours fall out. It sucks.

[Monkey]

Le_37, when people make so much noise, it's clear that they just don't care so talking to them won't help. Come down hard on them and call southwark's noise team. They'll get a warning and if they continue making noise, their stereo will be seized. Also worth finding out who their landlord is and making him aware that their tenants are causing huge disturbance. A landlord has a duty to ensure his tenants behave. Good luck.

[tallulah71]

"I doubt that your neighbour is that heavy footed and I seriously doubt that she feels she is entitled to wake you. Does she know? Have you discussed it with her?"

Well, she is you'll just have to take my word for it! The previous owners only let me in on it when I was moving in. She has another flat mate there who I can barely hear. She walks around barefoot on her heels...but, like you say no proper insulation in Victorian conversions is a bit of a nightmare...And yes - we have had several words. Like I said, I stoppped my parties (just not possible in such a small space when others need to sleep at 11.30pm) but come the Summer - she's yogatastic with the sparrow!!

Why else would I be up at 7am on a Saturday :)

[giggirl]

My house is fully soundproofed between floors. It was done as part of a rennovation. It cost a lot of money and the work was disruptive. This corner was cut on so many ED properties and it creates misery for the residents. Without proper soundproofing the only way forward is compromise and a spirit of goodwill on all sides.

Tallulah - you have compromised. Personally, I don't think it is unreasonable that someone should have the occasional party and be playing music at 11.30pm. Yes, some people do need to sleep at 11.30pm. But some people (most definitely myself) need to sleep at 5.30am.

[Alan Medic]

There's a good chance she doesn't have the right to operate a business from her flat. If you own your flat and it's leasehold then have a look at the agreement.It may contain a clause regarding 'business'. She presumably would have something similar. If so you could use it as a bargaining tool. You keep quiet in the morning and I'll say nothing about your classes, in the nicest possible way.

[giggirl]

Well spotted Alan Medic. The "classes" had passed me by. But that happens a lot when I'm on the forum in the wee hours and a few glasses of red.

Sounds like you all need to get together to talk about the problem. From what you've said, sounds like you're the one doing all the compromising. That's not really how it should work. Sit down and talk about the parties, the 5.30am unwanted wake-up calls and the classes. Find a way forwards that everyone can live with.

[Applespider]

She might not believe that walking around barefoot can cause a noise below. Have you thought about perhaps asking her to try sitting in your bedroom while someone else (or you) walks around upstairs? She genuinely might think that you are making a mountain out of a molehill and looking for something to complain about just because she had asked you to stop the music. I've tried this approach with a previous neighbour who was genuinely surprised when she heard exactly how much I could hear in my flat - and did at least try to move around more quietly!

[Earl Aelfheah]

Southwark noise team no longer work at night, so of little help unfortunately. The type of people who act this way are unlikely to be reasonable so be careful goi ground and trying to reason with them. Best bet is to get a group of neighbours together and goi g around together.

[RosieH]

And don't forget your pitchforks.

[pipsky2008]

I think the thing to do is to ask once in a mature reasonable way, but only once. Then go through due process. Get your neighbours on board where possible and when emailing cc your local beat officer as well as the environmental enforcement team.

Do try at least once to notify the people involved what impact it is having on you but do ensure to get it in writing also and witnessed where possible. A paper trial is important in these matters.

[tallulah71]

Applespider: I did invite her round to sit in my flat so she could appreciate the noise disruption - but that would involve me going up to her flat and walking around heavily - all a bit farsical! Anyway, she ignored the request. Previous owner also invited her to do the same thing....this morning she was up at 3.30 (nature I guess) then 5.30...

We both work from home - so that's a no go. I have now taken to putting notes to her with lots of, pleases....just a reminder that...thank you's....smiley faces and so on because neither of us can bear confrontation. I even bought her flowers once when I received a furious letter regarding a party but that was a long time ago.

My next door neighbours meanwhile let their 3 (very sweet) children into their garden at 7am on a Sunday where they play really loud shouty games - but what can you do? Say, "sorry, do you mind not letting your children tear about their own garden in the Summer"....You can't lock 'em, in!!!

[emser]

Call the council! They will deal with it!

[emza78]

rahrahrah Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Southwark noise team no longer work at night, so

> of little help unfortunately. The type of people

> who act this way are unlikely to be reasonable so

> be careful goi ground and trying to reason with

> them. Best bet is to get a group of neighbours

> together and goi g around together.

The noise team work till 230am and start up again about 7am

[*Bob*]

It's like having a central heating repair outfit - who only work in summer.

Good thinking, Southwark.

[Earl Aelfheah]

The noise team stop work at 2.30. They are generally very busy and so in practice, stop going to new call outs around 11.30 - 12.00 in my experience. So unless you log a complaint before this time, they're unlikely to be able to help. As this is the time most people start getting back from the pub (and therefore the time that disturbances start), it's all a bit unsatisfactory.

They used to be 24 hours, but to save money decided to reduce their hours, choosing to keep the daytime service, rather than the nightime one (seems like an odd decision to me).

Anyway, good luck. pipsky2008 suggestions seem sensible.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Small correction to my last post - I believe the noise team work later on Friday / Saturday and so on those nights they may typically stop dealing with new issues around 1 - 1.30 (although it will depend on how busy they are). I'm sure everyone will have different experiences of the service, but that's mine.