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Dealing with Noisy Neighbours

By: Jeff Durham - Updated: 3 Jun 2024 | comments*Discuss
 
Dealing With Noisy Neighbours

Some of us will have had to deal with noisy neighbours at one time or another. Often, this might be simply because of the types of personality they have and not because they want to be disruptive.

Remember, we’re not all the same ‘types’ of people. You might prefer the quiet life or you’d much rather enjoy doing all of your socialising down at the pub. Others, however, might enjoy socialising at home and having parties, they might be DIY enthusiasts, or have a small tribe of children and we’re all aware of how much noise a group of kids can generate.

The problems arise when the noise becomes excessive and it can escalate even further over time if ignored. It can cause stress to those it affects as well as inflicting sleepless nights and can, in effect, completely ruin your enjoyment of your own life in your own home. However, you might be surprised to discover that many people who are considered ‘noisy’ and disruptive are often totally unaware of the effects they are having on others, and a simple polite conversation will often resolve the issue.

Speaking to your Neighbour First

No one should have to tolerate Excessive Noise Pollution, but it's not very neighbouring if you immediately call the police or your local Environmental Health Department at the first sign of any loud noise. Many noisy neighbours might consider this to be a bit like ‘going behind their back’ instead of speaking to them first and, if a complaint is made anonymously, it can often cause an even deeper sense of resentment. They may then become suspicious of everybody in their immediate neighbourhood, and their mistrust can sometimes lead to them becoming even more disruptive.

That doesn’t mean you, as the person under sufferance, should have to put up with their behaviour, but talking to them first about the situation can often nip in the bud a potential long-term noise problem. What is important, however, is the way in which you choose to speak to them and, quite often, the timing.

Choosing the Right Moment

Even if you’ve been tearing your hair out, it’s important that when you go to speak to your neighbour, you stay calm and remain polite. Simply point out to them what effects their behaviour has had on you and your family. You can be firm and get your point across in a polite manner. Most neighbours should be reasonable enough to understand and to take your views on board which should keep things harmonious between you, and also should ensure that they do not repeat the same mistake again.

If you’ve hardly spoken to them previously, you’ll naturally feel a little apprehensive about doing this, but it’s usually the best solution and stops the problem from escalating. However, the other crucial issue is the timing and not simply what you say and how you say it. A house party is a good example.

The Right Timing

If a party is in full swing yet the noise is excessive, it’ll be no doubt very tempting to go and confront your neighbours there and then. The best advice would be to leave it until the following day, as they may have had a few drinks too many and be right in the party spirit. So, if you confront them when the party’s in full flow, they may simply see you as a ‘killjoy’ and/or will simply not be in the frame of mind to give any thought to how their behaviour is affecting you. So, whether it’s a party or a DIY project that’s giving you grief, you’re much more likely to get your points across and produce the desired result if you wait a day or so.

The fact is that most excessive noise problems with neighbours can often be better resolved between neighbours themselves. Sometimes it’s even more effective if a few neighbours who have been affected go round together and state their case, as nobody likes to feel a social outcast within their own neighbourhood.

This all said, however, there may be several reasons why you might not wish to have a chat with your neighbour first to try to resolve matters. Perhaps they are renowned for making people’s lives difficult, or they might want to provoke you into a confrontation that might get out of hand. So, it may be a ‘judgement call’ depending upon the ‘personalities’ involved.

However, no one has the legal right to make someone else’s life a misery through excessive noise, so don't feel guilty about Contacting Your Local Environmental Health Department or even the police, if you strongly suspect that by confronting the issue directly yourself, you could be putting yourself at risk of harm in any way.

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Yet another reason to build more housing to fit humans, not fit more humans into the same overpriced housing! People also need space to party and make merry. Soundproofing is a must.
Burnaht - 3-Jun-24 @ 11:18 PM
Hi, I complained about loud music coming from the Bridge Pub Preston on a Sunday afternoon last year. You did give me a form to fill regarding the times of which it started, yet again we are faced with this racket coming from the pub. I would be grateful if some action could be dealt with regarding this unnecessary noise on a Sunday afternoon. Your sincerely Mr I R Newbold
fed up - 5-May-24 @ 4:52 PM
I am victim for noisy nighbours from first day i come to live in UK until the moment i write this comment! I live in UK from five years now,all this years i move to so many homes,cities,but every house i live in it is same story repeated with me again and again! In every house i suffer from housemates or nighbours who are noisy 24/7 and racist and bully too! I suffer all kind of abuses physically and mentally,i never recive any help or support from any organisations at all,not councils or polices or landlords! Every time i complain all those organisations for disgusting reasons they only take the bad tenants sude and protect them and justify their noise and all their violence and ASB!!!! they always take bad people side not the victims!!!!! Now to make this more unfair and horrible,i was being evicted previously unfairly from housing association and throwing to die in cold streets just because i insist to complain and refuse to (shut up and put up)when i suffer 24/7 harmful nuisance and abuses from nighbours! Now i live in council housing and now council want to do the same by me by taking me ro court to evict me hecause i was annoy their precious ASB racist nkisy tenants by my complains since nobody still do anything to stop them!!!!!!!!! So now i am titally destroyed mentally physically financially from suffer long years of this hell,and they want to compensation me by get rid of me and evict me to die in streets in most cold days ever in the year,so i don't annoy them again by keep try to push them to do their duty in protect me from noise and abuse from nighbours!!!!!!! Anybody else was being evicted unfairly just because they are victim of noise and abuse and insist to complain and refuse to shut up when authority try to shut you up instead of help or protect you?! Very unfair and disgusting.
Victim - 22-Oct-23 @ 8:30 PM
I have to agree with Mr John, the diplomatic road is pointless. Landlords can no longer drive out problem neighbours with no fault evictions so essentially you will either have to wait for them to move, make a criminal mistake before the police will act or try and fight back as best you can. Problem is, many older people with money live in nice detached homes in nice areas and they're not the ones who have to live with uncultured bad people that respect nothing that often rent or are housed by an association. It is an absolute nightmare, I have just managed to drive out a family renting that had a complete disregard to the fact I am a shiftworker, do not like kids, and live in a town location unsuitable for children. I had no choice but to play loud music everytime the noise went up or they would still be here. It truly is a ridiculous state of affairs when you have to resort to such a measure to get a result.
Agma - 26-Sep-23 @ 11:11 PM
I live in a semi on a very quiet close my elderly neighbour died on Christmas Eve last year and the family sold the house straight away. Since then I’ve been worrying about my peaceful life being ruined by new neighbours. I tried to stay optimistic. The new owners moved in only 3 days ago and they seem lovely. They did knock my door and tell me that for the next few weeks there will be a lot of noise which is the right thing to do but it’s driving me crazy. They are ripping out the whole house. Sawing, drilling, hammering banging doors my walls are shaking and haven’t been able to have my much deserved afternoon nap. I’ve lived here for 11 years and I’ll never leave. I’ll just have to put up with it. I know other commenters have a worse situation than me. I just hope everyone can eventually find peace. Not being able to relax in your own home is just too much to bare.
Fed up already - 20-Aug-23 @ 5:28 PM
Why bother, you call the police, they tell you to call the council, you call the council, they tell you to call peabody house association. All while your neighbour is having a massive party using a profesional sound system at 3 AM. The laws and guidelines in this country assumes people are nice and respectful…. Part of society abuse the system, and we the respectful tax paying idi@ts suffer.
Mr john - 7-Aug-23 @ 4:34 PM
My neighbour has a piano which she plays constantly. When not playing the piano she decides to move furniture. We live in an old terraced cottage and furniture moving at 1.30 am is driving us nuts. We have now made a decision to move as when asking her about the noise she advised ‘get better earplugs’. Neighbour from hell
Fed up Cheshire - 6-Aug-23 @ 2:32 PM
My neighbours moved in around October last year and since then it has been awful. We had only moved in five months previous to them the house next door was empty and my other neighbours are really quiet so it was great. The day they moved in me and my partner were so annoyed, they decided to move in around 9pm at night. They have four children who range from around 11-15 and three massive dogs. They were running up and down the stairs, playing music and scraping the wallpaper off! The woman that lives there doesn’t work and her partner did tattoos from home. She constantly shouts at her children, the children scream back. Anyways around 2 months ago now her husband left her. She decided to have parties every Wednesday and every Friday starting from 5pm and I would hear people getting into taxis and leaving around 5am! After a couple of weeks of this I got my boyfriend to go round and ask if they could keep the music down as we have a two year old and the partying was waking him up. She screamed at my boyfriend saying she can do whatever she likes in her own home, so I went out and said “look it’s not fair I’m pregnant and he has work in the morning” and she was punching her fist into her hand saying “don’t start,ooo sorry for you that your pregnant” then she slammed the door. I was raging! The partying carried on that night until 6am. I think she does drugs as well as drink. Since then I’ve managed to find out who her landlord is and spoke to him, he said if she carries on she’ll be thrown out. Two days later she came round and apologised. I Since then it’s been slightly better. No parties but her children are driving me mad, up running round until 3am every day! Thudding up and down the stairs, howling to the dogs to make the dogs bark. I don’t know what to do I don’t want to go round again Incase she kicks off again, I feel awkward telling her landlord cause he probably won’t kick her out for her children making noise…I’m in no position to move for a while yet either.
LW - 30-Jul-23 @ 5:09 PM
Reply to Driven to the brink Your situation is very similar to my own which started in 2019. I have persistently recorded disturbances and reported them. When I did not think my landlord was doing enough or taking any notice of me, I went to the council and got the environmental team involved. Things are not perfect, but it is greatly improved for me. If the noise is bad, try and record it to get the landlord to listen.
crissy - 15-Jul-23 @ 11:21 AM
The noise of heavy pop/scar music from Volksfest was insistent and long-lasting during the weekend (7-9/07/23).It was very loud even with windows closed in Wareham town until late on Friday and Saturday nights.The noise definitely affected the enjoyment of the long-booked outside theatre production at West Holme on Friday and enjoyment of the band music on the Volksfest site itself on Saturday leading us to leave.Is it necessary to have the PA up so loud?
ms - 10-Jul-23 @ 5:35 PM
Our new neighbours moved in a year ago - they are inconsiderate and don't seem to care about the disruption and noise they cause. They have three dogs and three children. The dogs bark constantly if no-one is at home. The parents argue and party in equal measure! It's a nightmare. For example, last night they started partying late pm and it carried on until gone 2am. Shouting, music and drinking. It's making our lives a misery, as we are on edge all the time :-( The police and council won't do anything, and the neighbours just do not care. I feel sorry for all of us who are putting up with the madness and really the only option is to move.........what a terrible indictment of how some people affect others.
EndOfMyTether - 18-Jun-23 @ 10:18 AM
To driven to the brink.. You poor thing.. everyone on here understands how you feel. We have lived in housing Assoc homes and had to move 4 times due to noisy neighbours.Then we bought our terrace house and it is just as bad.Next door slamming their back door too many times to count to let their 3 dogs in and out. Just thick people. There is no peace. I have friends in detached who are suffering with neighbours parties all day.If you can, please try to move.Get the doctor to write a letter to housing. There will be help available for the cost.Your mental health is suffering and you need help.You are not alone.This problem is worldwide.
Suz - 13-May-23 @ 6:20 PM
I am tearing my hair out with my situation. I live in a small block of 4 flats and I live above a woman with some sort of issue with how she walks (turned in feet) she has laminate flooring throughout her property, every single step she takes is a loud THUD THUD THUD . She also has mental health issues and NEVER seems to be calm or still, it’s ALL I hear 24/7. She also bangs doors and manically moves furniture around. I have so far had no help from my housing association or real support. I have logged incidents and asked my housing support worker for help. Nothing. I am at my wits end I can’t sleep or relax so I can’t function properly during the day, my mental health has suffered so badly over the last year because of it I have contemplated suicide. I can’t really afford to move and I just don’t know what to do. I am not prejudice at all about peoples disabilities but I can’t take the thudding steps anymore. If she’d only get some carpet fitted……on top of this her mother puts bullying letters through my door telling me to not “target” her daughter! does anyone have any advice about where I could turn for some real help? I’m losing my mind here.
Driven to the brink - 10-May-23 @ 12:57 AM
I've got a neighbour that insists in doing his yard/DIY and he waits until either bank holidays or Sundays. He gets going at 8 am and it's ridiculous. Everywhere is so quiet. It's this heavenly quiet with just bird noise. Then he's BANG BANG BANG. BANG BANG BANG. Then it's drilling and power washing his garden. It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't so quiet when he does it. It's so quiet that you can hear for miles, and there's not one person even mowing within the considerable earshot you get when it's that quiet. What's pathetic is that he stops at 10am then never makes another noise all day. My days is ruined, I'm exhausted from having my lie in torn away,and I'm stressed out for hours. He's got his jobs done and he then relaxes for the rest of the day.Some people have no consideration for others. I was so close to going round this time. Next time it's kicking off.
Markf - 23-Apr-23 @ 11:42 AM
They are too scared the police and council to confront any one who is not white , I find this is the case so many times , they are terrified of being called racist !!!!
Danny - 22-Apr-23 @ 3:49 AM
It's bank holiday Monday and neighbour started hammeringWe live in a tiny terraced cottage with a next door neighbour who could not care less how she lives.Think filthy house. Smashed up garden. She does not work, lays around all day then starts hammering and banging at 6pm.Weekends and bank holidays are no exception. Other neighbours tried to talk to her. She's just thick. No consideration at all. 2 big dogs barking all day.Banging doors letting them in and out. Loud TVs.. Our house is up for sale now.Can't complain to council as we'd have to declare it.So suffering in our own private hell. Understand everyone in the same situation here. There's something deeply wrong with society now.You can't deal with thick people who don't know what it is to read a book.They should all be put on an island somewhere in the middle of nowhere
Martyj - 10-Apr-23 @ 7:10 PM
Some new people have moved in under my flat and and they are throwing parties to 2am in the night every weekend .. I can hear music and people laughing and moving furniture in the middle of the night despite using ear plugs.. Why are some people so inconsiderate??!
Suffering - 7-Jan-23 @ 10:07 AM
I have been suffering a lot of issues with my neighbours recently because I live in block of flats In killamarsh near Sheffield I lived in that flat four years now I have had hell of a lot of problems with my neighbour who lives below me and every time go to the bin in the flat communal area the neighbour always bangs and shouts every time I go to the bins or I hoovered up in flat and she has grassed on me to the council and the council have believed what she has about me making a noise and it is making me I’ll because I have got autism and adhd I can’t help been hyper and overexcited but my neighbour is who lives below does not understand my disability because she is so bias of me living above her at my flat at killamarsh because her stupid jack russel keeps bloody barking at night when I am trying to relax at night and I can’t afford to move out my flat again because of that poison dwarf neighbour
The oracle - 28-Nov-22 @ 5:24 PM
Reading all the comments here really helped me feel less alone but made me more upset for all of you suffering like I am. For about 6 years now since my evil neighbours moved in they've have been constantly building and drilling much so that my health has suffered severely and I have trauma/ptsd from he way they've treated me.Since day 1 they've been building and it never ends. Last week he drilled so loudly and banged so lots my bathroom wall cracked and the kitchen floor was shaking. In the past I've tried calling the council and when I do the neighbors make some lies up about me and call the police ON ME!!!!! They're clearly experienced psychopaths and because they're not English the police always believe them. They even put up illegally high fences so I have no light and they have completely destroyed my life I moved here for the garden and can't use it anymore it used yo be my hapoy place. Now I spend my life in misery and pain being bullied and have noone to call coz 5hyere viscious and don't think twice about lying to get me into trouble for things didn't even do and wouldn't dream of doing. Compulsive liars like psychopathic 5 year old. I wish someone could help me Im Suicidal all the time due to this. Noone is protecting the innocent peaceful people of this world. The law is retarded and I'm scared to call the council coz whenI do they lie about me and get believed voz they're foreign!!! Help , I'm desperate please someone help me
Sensitive suffering - 19-Oct-22 @ 10:59 AM
In rural Dorset it is very dull.All i get is dogs barking when i have nothing to do.Kids whining that they can't be clever.It is a place to avoid.Nearby counties are much more preferable. If you want to have problems, i have aspergers, then you won't be well treated.Don't be fooled by the shallow media points it's not the best place to be.Sensitive people will get heckled and riled for ages.If you want a quiet life the right thing to do is avoid this dump and find somewhere else. If you don't think i'm being honest then i can assure you that my starsign is Scorpio and we don't lie.
Dean - 27-Sep-22 @ 6:49 PM
Over a year ago, I moved into a rental terrace house(with v thin walls) and have been here for over a year. Within this time I have been living next a DIY enthusiast. Anytime I don't hear drilling,hammering and banging,I call a good day. It can be all weekend, evenings and even up to late at night. I barely hear their five kids! God knows what he is doing as they are tiny houses. The only way I can cope is by wearing ANC headphones. I would love to move out,but rental houses are few and far between.
Mad cat lady - 8-May-22 @ 2:10 PM
I've been living in a semi detached house next to a multigenerational Pakistani family and the only way I can describe it is hell Screaming coming through the walls regularly from their grown up adult sons whether it's about the football or the bloody playstation that still live with them. They don't give a toss about anyone else, have 5 cars between them and regularly entertain visitors late at night on weekdays. They couldn't care less about keeping my young children up even on school nights and have made multiple threats to my family including hurling sexist abuse at me when confronted. Neither the council or police are the tiniest bit interested in dealing with them despite the fact their noise is a nuisance to the neighbouring properties. Honestly sometimes I wonder what I did in a previous life to end up in a situation like this, I now hate my own home and get anxiety at night or anytime I know the football is on
Fedupofneighbourhell - 29-Apr-22 @ 9:51 PM
I want to say that my situation is same the comment writing by nmf! The only diffrent is my noisy nighbour is a psychopath woman in her 40 and feel jealous of me,so she keep banging literally all the time,she keep make one bang every second,not every hour or every minute,no,i am serious when i tell you she make bang every second,so i live in my flat and this upstair sick jealous psychopath make me sufffer in every second. I record her and police and council do nothing as everybody said here! And i am exactly same nmf situation,can't move out and have nowhere to go. Situation make me very depressed and drive me to think about suicide. I am left under dirty evil woman control who is dirty by her jealous and evilness. What make it more painful is council and everybody take her side and believe her lies,and every time i complain they return accuase at me and accuase me that i am the one who make the noise which is a very big evil dirty lie.
Victim of noise - 3-Apr-22 @ 4:32 PM
I'm STILL in the same property since before 1st lockdown and EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. ALL. DAY its BASS. BASS BASS BASS from an elderly woman in her 80s. Pop music. ...YES!!! THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP. ON and ON and ON. EVERY. DAY. ALL. DAY. WHY haven't I moved? Because there is literally NO WHERE to go to, seriously, NO WHERE. I'm TRAPPED. Council and landlady won't do anything. I just want it all to be over. Everything ended. I can't even sleep. As she plays music at night too and there is random loud crashes and bangs all through the day and night. Her daughter is terrifying, her own family is afraid of her and she controls the situation. She wants me out because I dared to complain once Sunday morning when it was blasting at 9am. They completely dominate the entire property. I sit in a 2m x 2m space all day every day with headphones on and I can still hear it. I'm mentally ill, I'm not right in the head now because of it, it's gone too far for too long.
nmf - 4-Oct-21 @ 4:26 PM
My neighbour said he’d moved in to get away from noisy neighbours. He seemed nice at first (always a bit noisy) but then became strange (watching me in the kitchen etc). We started to avoid him and he’s turned. He does diy from around 8 until 2am sometimes. Hammering loudly on the wall that we share-upstairs and down. I then got my back done and started to sit out reading. He decided to basically copy what I’d done but move his frequent nightly guests out there. I’ve just been woken by him and his friend laughing in the back. I can hear every word they say.He’s definitely an alcoholic so it’s every night he’s got people round and he gets louder as the night progresses. I’ve already spoken to him about playing a trumpet at 1am! I just don’t know what to do. I’m exhausted and I now hate him.
Maz - 25-Sep-21 @ 11:41 PM
OK I really wish I could move i think housing associations should also have child free housing I hate the noise of kids would kill to live in an area without them I know it sounds mean but I hate other peoples darling little snowflakes and can't understand how some people reproduce when they obviously don't like kids I think it should be optional to live next to people with children and should be part of the initial housing registration process if renting just think how much simpler life would be for families who want to make friends with other families or the people who just want a quiet life
Tired as - 20-Aug-21 @ 5:21 PM
My neighbour runs a beauty business from home. We have lived in our house for 16 years and she moved in 13 years ago. Her beauty website says its open from 8am until 8pm but she has customers pulling up on her driveway as late as after 11 pm. She ran her business throughout lockdown and also sold food from her house during lockdown too despite having no food hygiene certificate. Her children has thrown food in our garden as well as nitrous oxide canisters which they get high on and continue to make our lives a misery. The mother also has another job which she leaves the house for at approx 5 am and when she returns from at around 7 am plays the stereo in her car full blast in her driveway directly outside our house for around 10 minutes until she decides to leave her car. I have not had a lie in since she moved in and i can honestly say she's the nightmare neighbour from hell. Never move to Groundwell Road Swindon
Nee - 29-Jul-21 @ 9:22 PM
We were woken at 2.45am today by our neighbours shouting in their garden. They were having another party. They also had a party on Sunday night, July 18th that ended at 5am on Monday July 19th. I shouted out the window and asked them to be quiet. They told me to F off. We then went round and received verbal abuse. They said a one month old baby was in the house so If the baby was asleep then we should be! I have notified the local housing office as their house is owned by Incommunities housing in Bradford. I did phone the police at 3am when they became abuse at us but the police never turned up.
HB - 25-Jul-21 @ 6:25 AM
My neighbour runs a childminding business from home, the day to day background noise doesn't bother me but it does when kids are screaming , fighting,she's shouting at them and then starts arguing with them herself.One kid was screaming so hard that they kind of did a loss of breathe moment,the boy is shouting "kill you kill you",and its generally very loud,she doesn't seem to break it up.She turfs them out in the garden early morning until teatime, so its all day that I can hear them unless I put my TV on loud. I have complained once and it was a bit quieter for a while.,worse thing is that I have had viewings on my house and there is constant kids noise to an increased volume which I am sure has put people off. They are generally shouting at their own kids and arguing , do I really have to put up with this ?
Bedsblonde - 24-Jul-21 @ 4:01 PM
My neighbours are about to start a loft conversion to their 1930s semi. They plan to put a skip on the very small drive (we each have a drive that accommodates one medium sized car). We have a downstairs bedroom used by a lodger and the skip will be placed along the boundary, inches from her window, and have a chute from the first floor and roof. I am concerned about noise and pollution, and that basically for the 12 weeks of building work that her room will be very dusty, she'll be unable to open the window and there will be a lot of noise. She works very early shifts and usually sleeps when she comes home. They do not consider putting the skip on the street to be a viable option, especially as it costs more. I have asked the builder to put up some kind of screen, however he says inevitably she will still have a lot of disruption. My lodger's rent pays my mortgage, although I feel I should lower the rent while the work goes on, but I do resent bearing the financial cost of the disruption my neighbour's building work will create. The neighbours will be moving out while this goes on. Any advice on what is reasonable for me to ask and whether there are any regulations about waste going into a skip so close to a bedroom window?
Stella - 24-Jul-21 @ 11:19 AM
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