[MB London]

We recently had some new neighbours move in to the house next door to us. On the surface they appeared to be ideal people – Youngish couple with a small child, same deal as my wife and I. Fast forward 4 months, and they have turned out to be a total nightmare. Noise, threatening behaviour all the things you associate with troublesome neighbours. Last night topped the lot, the police were called out as they were threatening the neighbour the other side of them (50 year old single woman). The were hurling every name under the sun at her and threatened physical violence, all because she asked them to keep the noise down.

Anyone had any experience with a situation like this? How did you handle it?

[Pioneer]

It's a tricky one as my sister is in the same situation. She doesn't want to speak directly to the neighbours about the problem incase they start on her. Police don't want to know about it. We're struggling to find a solution so any advice that pops up will help me also.

[MB London]

I would have no problems dealing with it in the good ol’ fashioned way, but as my other half points out – I could end up with a knife in my side and my son not having a dad or I get banged up myself.

[jjbirch]

Originally Posted by Pioneer

It's a tricky one as my sister is in the same situation. She doesn't want to speak directly to the neighbours about the problem incase they start on her. Police don't want to know about it. We're struggling to find a solution so any advice that pops up will help me also.

i know its bad, best best thing to is log it and video any noise and swearing, after you have lots of proof that it keeps happening the council could step in and the police, i used to own a semi and it pissed me right off after i spent lots on the place then next door they moved out and 2 lads moved in raving all night, so i moved out and rented the place, never buy a semi again,

[Delta0311]

I don't and people who live around me know this. I'm a pretty well build dude and so are my friends so people tend to be on their best behavior around me. Plus everyone in my development is very nice and polite. I'm a very kind and easy going guy but I don't tolerate BS.

[Pioneer]

Originally Posted by MB London

I would have no problems dealing with it in the good ol’ fashioned way, but as my other half points out – I could end up with a knife in my side and my son not having a dad or I get banged up myself.

This would have been my option also but only for the same reasons as you point out, so it's not worth it. They just don't have any bit of respect for the people around them.

As for the other advise about recording the noise, this sounds like a good option. But a slight downfall to this is that your own name will be to the evidence and the neighbours might take action what ever way they see fit.

[NFS]

Originally Posted by MB London

We recently had some new neighbours move in to the house next door to us. On the surface they appeared to be ideal people – Youngish couple with a small child, same deal as my wife and I. Fast forward 4 months, and they have turned out to be a total nightmare. Noise, threatening behaviour all the things you associate with troublesome neighbours. Last night topped the lot, the police were called out as they were threatening the neighbour the other side of them (50 year old single woman). The were hurling every name under the sun at her and threatened physical violence, all because she asked them to keep the noise down.

Anyone had any experience with a situation like this? How did you handle it?

Are the police doing anything about the threats of violence?

Never been in your shoes thankfully, but I'd have a chat with the police about what happened and ask them for advice.

Do you understand what the issues are? What kind of noise is it and why are they making it?

Seems a bit odd for a couple with a little nipper.

[Steve A]

Its a shit situation, but i think its either put up or shut up.

The police will do nothing and if you call them they will see it as a sign of weakness

These kind of people only know/respect one kind of behaviour. Wait for the bloke to come home as soon as he gets out of his car go nose to nose and tell him if he keeps it up you'll fucking hammer him, make him think you're a looney, then when he says ok shake him by the hand and be nicey nicey, as if you're his best mate he wont know what the fuck is going on.

ill bet 100 quid he shits it.

[willhollin]

Originally Posted by Steve A

These kind of people only know/respect one kind of behaviour. Wait for the bloke to come home as soon as he gets out of his car go nose to nose and tell him if he keeps it up you'll fucking hammer him, make him think you're a looney, then when he says ok shake him by the hand and be nicey nicey, as if you're his best mate he wont know what the fuck is going on.

ill bet 100 quid he shits it.

+1

I find doing this in crotchless pants and a peephole bra also hammers home the point.

[MIKEYBMW1]

Big risk imo

[SoYank]

Give 'em the Teddy Roosevelt treatment. Speak softly, carry a big stick, and if they continue build a canal through their back garden.

[PeteJ]

Do a big man style conversation...

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or....

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[Speedtrap]

Best bet is to get the neighbours together and pile on the pressure on your neighbours. Work better if there is some sort of neighbourhood association.

[MB London]

For those who are interested – a quick update. The 50 year old woman who was subject to this recent verbal attack has decided to take this as far as she can. She has been in touch with the police and gone in to detail about the events that took place the other night. The police are now dealing with this as a racist issue as the two men in question called the woman ‘a fu*king racist cu*t’ and said that she is going to get a slap (all this at 11.00 at night, and because she asked them to keep the noise down). The local Sergeant is now taking this very very seriously. Lets hope for once the Police do something good and look after the innocent

[Neil McRae]

Folks,
The reason these people get away with this stuff is because people are too scared to challenge them on it.

Obviously any threatening behaviour should be reported to the police at once

You MUST MUST challenge them directly. Not initally in confrontational way but friendly as in some cases they don't know that they are causing a problem.

If it continues then its +vital+ that you record what happened and if you see any behaviour then record it if possible. The more detail you have the stronger your case will be. For noise your local council are required by law to respond and investigate any claims of noise nuisance. Quite a few council are very good at this, Brent and Harrow amazingly in my view take this issue very seriously.

Contact the Noise or Environmental health people during the day and speak to them in a friendly way asking them for advice. They will write to the neighbours and remind them of their legal obligations.

If this doesn't help then most councils run an emergency helpline where they will turn up and assess the noise levels. They can then issue a noise abatement notice and if the noise continues then they can confiscate hifi equipment etc.

2 years ago our neighbour went to work in HK on business and rented his place out to a bunch of young polish guys. They were a nice bunch but they liked to party hard. I went through the full process of having them issued a noise abatement notice primiarly because one weekend they had a party starting Friday that finished Monday morning. Going to work on the M4 I dozed off at the wheel and nearly killed myself. That was the final straw for me.

A few months after this they were successfully issued with a noise abatement notice. They moved out 2 days after they recieved it. When the new tenants moved in I explained what had happened to the old tenants and they have been very good. Unfortunately across the road [!] a new tenant has moved in and has wild parties on Sunday afternoons with a really loud soundsystem that plays on til late into Monday morning. He was issued with his second warning before noise abatement notice and I think they've got the message now. Don't get me wrong I don't mind people having a party every now and again but every weekend is too much for me.

A friend of mine had an issue with neighbours urinating in their garden, got it on camera and the guy was arrested and fined £150. Its never happened again but you only make progress if you act.

It is important to build relationships with your neighbours as it helps in these situations, but please, don't put up with other peoples ignorant behaviour as your are effectively giving them the all clear.

Regards,
Neil.

[Em135eye]

I use thinly veiled threats of extreme violence to sort this sort of thing out.

Sometimes the Medieval way is best.