Recording equipment/Noisy Neighbours Advice

[Sparkolls]

Hi all,

Sorry if this is not the right place to post this.

My life is being ruined by my neighbours, I need something to record how loud they are, our phones aren?t good enough.

Southwark noise team aren?t currently sending people out and have so far not answered whether or not they offer any recording devices anyway. Yes we?ve spoken to them. Yes we?ve spoken to their landlord, who has been no help and actually just made things worst.

We live in a house that has been poorly converted into flats. The issues are everything imaginable, loud basey music at all hours, bangs, thuds and crashes that sound like they will come through the ceiling, screaming shouting and laughing like they are in the room with us. There?s more but I have no more energy to list the ways they torture me.

Does anyone know what type of a recording device would be good to capture the true level of noise they make?

Thank you

[Adidas_guy]

There is a very good app called decibel x

[KidKruger]

Pls make sure that you keep an exact record (if not already). If ever this gets resolved having a catalogue may be useful to demonstrate an overall picture of frequency of occurrences, duration, description of noise and how loud, things heard said through the floor / walls, summary of affect on your home life per occurrence. Plus any measurements of noise you may make.

It's labour intensive but very useful when approaching council, landlord, or even the tenants if a proper conversation is ever possible with them.

[IlonaM]

The Noise Team do have recording devices which are used to document noise, but last time I checked they cannot be used in court. A noise diary detailing source, date, time started/stopped, duration, type of noise, room/s affected and how the noise affected/disturbed you and your family is a good way to document the continuing nature of the disturbance. Unfortunately the noise team are running a reduced service - you can still report by phone/email, but they are currently not attending (though this may change if lockdown relaxed). They will review cases for potential retrospective action when they return to the office. Have you talked to other neighbours to see if anyone else is also affected?

[ianr]

"Adding an external microphone is the single most significant way to improve the quality of the sound your phone captures." says https://www.popsci.com/record-better-smartphone-audio/. I'm not sure that it has to be a large professional mic. I'm pleased with what I get from the small stereo mic that came with my pocket voice recorder, though I'm not able to make any statements about the actual improvement. There should be someone here with audio knowledge who can advise on that.

[Chick]

I have a sound pressure level meter you can use.

I have sent you a pm.

Sparkolls Wrote:

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

> Hi all,

>

> Sorry if this is not the right place to post

> this.

>

> My life is being ruined by my neighbours, I need

> something to record how loud they are, our phones

> aren?t good enough.

> Southwark noise team aren?t currently sending

> people out and have so far not answered whether or

> not they offer any recording devices anyway. Yes

> we?ve spoken to them. Yes we?ve spoken to their

> landlord, who has been no help and actually just

> made things worst.

>

> We live in a house that has been poorly converted

> into flats. The issues are everything imaginable,

> loud basey music at all hours, bangs, thuds and

> crashes that sound like they will come through the

> ceiling, screaming shouting and laughing like they

> are in the room with us. There?s more but I have

> no more energy to list the ways they torture me.

>

> Does anyone know what type of a recording device

> would be good to capture the true level of noise

> they make?

>

> Thank you

[Con]

I am having similar problems. On which road do you live? Anywhere near Colyton?

[Chick]

This can't be much of a problem as he asked for help but doesn't check his PM's.