grim neighbours

[Goonieref]

Just moved into a flat in gorgie and the people next door are a nightmare. They have written 2 letters complaining about the noise when I had friends round on Saturday nights, no music, just chatting and left before midnight. Last week they banged through when I was playing music as 20.55 at under quarter the volume level and yesterday they dropped to new depths banging through when I was in a conversation on the phone at 4 in the afternoon. People keep saying that I should confront them and try to find a solution but I really can't bring myself to speak to people who are clearly so unreasonable.

 

Anyone else have similar experiences? and if so how did you handle them?

[IronJambo]

sounds like they're being very unreasonable. are they old? some of these old dears sit around with no tv or radio on all day and hear pins dropping from 3 floors up.

 

probably a good suggestion to "confront" them. maybe rather than confronting them just introduce yourself and maybe ask them what their problem has been with your "noise" levels. it could be quite easy to let them know you're reasonable and approachable but you also have to live a life and function like a human.

 

would be nice if they gave your door a knock when they thought you were being noisy rather than banging on the wall and writing letters. sounds quite gutless, but they're probably a scared old couple

[Nucky Thompson]

Every time they bang thru just turn up your music to full blast for 5 minutes;) They'll soon get the message what is reasonable noise.

[Lady jambo]

Just moved into a flat in gorgie and the people next door are a nightmare. They have written 2 letters complaining about the noise when I had friends round on Saturday nights, no music, just chatting and left before midnight. Last week they banged through when I was playing music as 20.55 at under quarter the volume level and yesterday they dropped to new depths banging through when I was in a conversation on the phone at 4 in the afternoon. People keep saying that I should confront them and try to find a solution but I really can't bring myself to speak to people who are clearly so unreasonable.

 

Anyone else have similar experiences? and if so how did you handle them?

 

 

 

 

Confront them verbally... not physically

[ArmiyaRomanova]

Had a quick rake around on-line, but couldn't find exactly what I was looking for.

 

I seem to recall that there's a noise level which will attract action by the council/police. It's around 110-120 decibels if I remember correctly - round about the noise that you'd experience in a club. I take it you're not that loud....

 

I think there are also some basic guidelines on time/noise - before 9am in the morning and after 11.30 at night being times when quiet is expected.

 

 

Best check with your local Citizens Advice Bureau....

 

 

Sounds like your neighbours have lost track of what life's about though.....

[missed98]

Just moved into a flat in gorgie and the people next door are a nightmare. They have written 2 letters complaining about the noise when I had friends round on Saturday nights, no music, just chatting and left before midnight. Last week they banged through when I was playing music as 20.55 at under quarter the volume level and yesterday they dropped to new depths banging through when I was in a conversation on the phone at 4 in the afternoon. People keep saying that I should confront them and try to find a solution but I really can't bring myself to speak to people who are clearly so unreasonable.

 

Anyone else have similar experiences? and if so how did you handle them?

 

I've had a similar experience, the new tenant next to me keeps making a righ racket, wild parties on Saturday night, loud music at all times of the day and night, bloody hell he even shouts when he's on the phone. I've tried everything, banging on the walls, writing letters, the lot, nothing seems to work. Any advice........

 

[Craigieboy]

Don't let people like that bully you. Live your life in a reasonable way & if they want to bang through at all hours of the day for no good reason then **** them.

 

.

[K1874M]

If the started banging pre 9pm with me I'd turn the music up full whack until they came down then explain I had it up to drown out the noise coming from their flat.

 

Nothing worse than unreasonable neighbours.

[Ray Winstone]

You are probably best just going round and having a "chat" with them about what their beef is.

 

If that fails kill brick up their front door.

[Buffalo Bill]

 

 

Best check with your local Citizens Advice Bureau....

 

 

.....

 

 

Good advice.

 

 

Buffalo Bill

 

.

[trotter]

If the started banging pre 9pm with me I'd turn the music up full whack until they came down then explain I had it up to drown out the noise coming from their flat.

 

Nothing worse than unreasonable neighbours.

 

KennyM - I doth my cap to you sir

[Craig_]

Don't let people like that bully you. Live your life in a reasonable way & if they want to bang through at all hours of the day for no good reason then **** them.

 

.

 

Bit drastic, no? Couldn't you just have a word with them?!

[Deek]

Be careful. The city coucil can issue you with an ASBO if they consider the noise to be unreasonale. It does not matter what time of day it is.

 

Here is an example, although not in the same category as yours.

 

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/internet/internet_homepage/Council_news/Noisy%20Neighbour%20Silenced%20by%20ASBO%20-%2008%20November%202007

[I P Knightley]

Stick a cucumber through their letter box, ring their bell and shout, "The Martians are coming!"

 

 

I had it the other way round in my last place; student-type neighbours who couldn't keep their noise at a sensible level and played it with open windows well into the wee small hours. I eventually lost it, went and knocked their door, collared the person who answered and dragged him into my house, showed him my hi-fi & CD collection saying that I had more than enough music to listen to so I didn't need to listen to theirs as well. Peace reigned for a few months!

 

This was after months of peaceful & reasonable negotiations - the route that I would advise; although it sounds like they've made it difficult for you by starting with the letters and wall banging.

 

Keep us posted

[Boris]

What sort of music are you playing?

 

If it is "repetitive beat music" then it is quite possibly the bass that is causing the annoyance and not the actual volume of the music.

 

Bass can go right through.

[alwaysthereinspirit]

When they tap on the wall, tap back in the same coded way.

However they tap you tap. Just keep doing it. It'll drive them nuts.

[ArmiyaRomanova]

A former neighbour of mine was driven to the end of his tether by months of middle-of-the-night loud music and stomping from a student flat immediately above him.

 

Chats, negotiations, warnings - nothing seemed to work - until 5am one morning he rang their bell and when they opened the door, marched into their flat and launched their hi-fi out the 2nd floor window.

 

He didn't get done for it either.

[Ron Burgundy]

Using a sharp stick,poke a dog jobby through their letterbox.

[Cade]

Using a sharp stick,poke a dog jobby through their letterbox.

 

Beat me to it! A wee bit of jobby through the letterbox works wonders

[Barby]

Have you met them or spoken to them? Go and introduce yourself to them when you feel chilled. Take them a bottle of wine and say that you're sorry they seem to be upset with your lifestyle and find out what their problem is. In my experience, it's difficult to get angry with people who are nice to you and instead of building up resentment, it gives you both a chance to discuss it.

If it doesn't work, then you've done your bit.

[jambolass1000]

I blame sanded wooden floorboards in flats. They are the bain of most people's lives due to the noise levels, especially when they are above you. Stomping around, dropping things, bed moving (when they are in the mood), hoovering, absolutely ridiculous. Nothing but hassle, should be banned in tenement flats or at least the people that have them should bear in mind they are above someone else and show a little consideration.

[Edinburgh JT]

Have you met them or spoken to them? Go and introduce yourself to them when you feel chilled. Take them a bottle of wine and say that you're sorry they seem to be upset with your lifestyle and find out what their problem is. In my experience, it's difficult to get angry with people who are nice to you and instead of building up resentment, it gives you both a chance to discuss it.

If it doesn't work, then you've done your bit.

 

Best advice yet.

[Stewart MacD]

Have you met them or spoken to them? Go and introduce yourself to them when you feel chilled. Take them a bottle of wine and say that you're sorry they seem to be upset with your lifestyle and find out what their problem is. In my experience, it's difficult to get angry with people who are nice to you and instead of building up resentment, it gives you both a chance to discuss it.

If it doesn't work, then you've done your bit.

 

Buckfast should do the trick.

[Del1812]

My downstairs neighbour is a nightmare for complaining. What's annoying about it is that he the same age as my flat mate and I.

 

It's gotten to the point when we are ever in the livingroom after 12 we always need to make sure the door is closed or he'll be up complaining about the noise from the tele or our talking.

 

He's complained about noise to just about everyone in the stair though. Ridiculous considering his age.

 

He's moving out though, judging by the for sale signs. Thank feck.

[Heaven98]

What sort of music are you playing?

 

If it is "repetitive beat music" then it is quite possibly the bass that is causing the annoyance and not the actual volume of the music.

 

Bass can go right through.

 

Absolutely right, Boris. A few choice madrigals should take the sting out the whole situation.

[ardwick1888]

Beat me to it! A wee bit of jobby through the letterbox works wonders

 

Also try the inside of their car door handles, works a treat.

[K1874M]

Spike his water supply with some thing.... em uplifting, next time you've got your tunes on they'll be banging on the walls for you to turn it up, only prob is they might get a bit tetchy the next day.

[christhejambo]

When we moved into our new place, the flat upstairs was an absoulte nightmare. Girl constantly playing hardcore dance music really loud, and what with the walls being wafer thin, it was driving me up the wall. We would occasionally bang on the ceiling, but she would generally just turn it up. We eventually met her one night coming home, and had her in for a drink. We explained that we were trying to work, and that the noise was unbearable.

Now we have a kind of mutual understanding. If the car's out the front- keep it down. If its away, were not normally at home, so knock yourself out. A text to tell her to turn it down does the trick now too, and she seems to be a decent enough type.

 

My advice would be to talk to them face to face. Having the neighbours on side is helpful in the longer terms

[Era Macaroons]

Just moved into a flat in gorgie and the people next door are a nightmare. They have written 2 letters complaining about the noise when I had friends round on Saturday nights, no music, just chatting and left before midnight. Last week they banged through when I was playing music as 20.55 at under quarter the volume level and yesterday they dropped to new depths banging through when I was in a conversation on the phone at 4 in the afternoon. People keep saying that I should confront them and try to find a solution but I really can't bring myself to speak to people who are clearly so unreasonable.

 

Anyone else have similar experiences? and if so how did you handle them?

 

How were their letters worded? rude ? pleading? concerned? anyway,..

 

I would knock on their door, say you come to check out their concerns about the noise.

 

Take them through to your flat, put on a normal CD at your normal volume so they can hear the noise level in your flat.(to show what its like in yours)

 

Then, all go through to their flat and listen to the effect of it in theirs....(to see what THEY are experiencing)if you can hear it pure banging then it clearly IS too loud, and turn it down u annoying git.

 

If you can barely hear it (cant expect zero noise to travel in flats) and you consider it acceptable then tell them so, and carry on your merry way.

 

I had this in my flat now and again....its part n parcel of living in one, you have to expect the odd noisy day, its only a problem when its persistant.

 

By simply turning on your own telly /music should be enough to drown out any noise from surrounding flats, maybe your neighbours sit without any noise in their own flat exasperating the situation.

 

OR

 

tell em to GTF

[Brian Whittaker's Tache]

I think asbo's should be able to work the other way round

 

My mate has it in his flat in Viewforth

 

Its a bad conversion from a house to flats right enough but the woman down stairs would put tits on a sideboard, he only has to fart and she complains

 

Personally I'd keep a log of the complaints and the noise levels and put the boot on the other foot of diplomacy didnt work

[Boris]

My neighbours above me are both singers in musicals. They practice their routines at insane times (last week they started up at 4.30am) and the warm up routine is horrendous. Like a pair of distressed squirrels.

 

Then the flat above them has had the toilet cistern running for 2 and a half months, which pours about 5 or 6 litres of water into our bathroom every day. Walls now collasping with damp and mould everywhere.

 

Good times!

 

Glasgow's miles better!

 

Hope you are well.

[maroonlegions]

if talking to them fails and they continue to complain then tell them that ones noise is actually not your fault because the flat you are in has ghosts and they care not a jot for anyone:rolleyes:, should keep them out of your way and freaked out for a bit eh.

[Nelly Terraces]

I had a prob with some studes who moved in upstairs from me a while back, parties on Monday night anyone?

 

Nah, no chance, no c ** t puts me off my sleep. Put it this way, I went up and had a 'little word' with them and since then they've not made another peep.

 

Cheers. I'm available to sort out these domestic disputes if you so wish.

[Norm]

Advise them that the reason the music is so loud is to drown out the screams from chainsawed hobos.

 

Maybe they'll ask to join in....

[Nelly Terraces]

A large snarlling dog on loan from someone and a baseball bat when you go to see them should maybe 'correct' their view of the noise levels eminating from your flat.

[CAT]

I have an awful neighbour who lives downstairs from me. She is a Tennant who clearly has no care or respect for the rest of the building. There are only 6 flats in our stair and we're all fairly normally people with the exception of her.

 

She is about 20, has a small baby and an obsession for playing loud, horrible dance versions of well know songs. I think "sweet child of mine" may be her favourite. She leaves her rubbish in the stair, along with her lawn mower, buggy, and whatever happens to fall out the buggy after she's dragged it up the stairs.

 

She has no control over her voice levels, it's particularly nice to hear her swearing at her child or arguing with whoever her current boyfriend is. The baby cries for hours on end, usually just left to get on with it.

 

A year down the line, the thing that bugs me the most is the fact I didn't go to her when it first started. I'd feel a right plonk now complaining about what she's been doing for the past year. So my advice would be nip it in the bud now, speak to them and try and sort it out. If that doesn't work you can contact the council who arrange meetings with an impartial person who speaks to both parties and works out a solution.

[Swanny17]

Just have a word with one of the prison guards, or the Warden. They'll sort them out.

 

[Boris]

I felt less than well after spending an hour and a half washing the rot off the bathroom walls on Saturday - but otherwise I'm smashing bud.

 

Glasgow - biles better.

 

You and your fancy Capital City ways. The locals will think you're a toff!

 

Take it easy mate.

[Springer]

You could phone your council and ask to speak to the community mediation team if they have one-they deal with situations like this all the time and should be able to give you help and advice. Good luck