Neighbours Banging

raging_bull

I have never heard as much banging coming from people in my life. I know this sounds a little petty to start with but think how this might wear you down over time. Our neighbours bang everything, they are loud. The front door the back door, their internal doors. They bang them so loud that our babies wake and the radiator on our front wall shakes. This is difficult to put up with with because it's random and has become a real nuisance.

The real problem is, I feel unreasonable having issue with this, I have discussed it with them and I think they think I am a bit mad. There attitude is they don't hear anything from us so how can we hear them. My answer is of course that we actually use our door handles and don't slam them.

We had an issue with them before playing music really loud and they were quite good about this and keep it down. The problem, I think, is that they are extremely loud people and we are very quiet.

But why can't I live the way I want, is there anything I can do?

Has anyone the same type of problem?

johnnyrotten

Bang back, only louder

Red Fan X5

In my last house, we had very loud neighbours. Over Xmas one year, we could hear their conversation over their music which was on full blast. I knocked on their door and found ONLY 4 people there including themselves !!
As they were late risers (usually about 3 in the afternoon), a friend suggested inprovised DIY. Lots of hammering and so fourth early in the mornings. :rolleyes:
Alternatively, a steel empty bucket and a drill place inside while permanently turned on, then you go to the shops for a while. The racket this creates usually clears up loud neighbours who need their afternoon sleep.

Lex Luthor

My neighbour thinks he's Tommy Walsh and is constantly drilling and banging his hammer.

I actually picture him in his kitchen just hitting the hammer off the floor just to annoy me.

He always does the work on weekend mornings and evenings. Never during the week when he's at home early from work cos I know as I work from home a few days a week and its dead quiet.

So come the summer when I have the chance of a house every weekend for breaks, my alarm clock will be set for 4am up full blast.

Fight fire with fire I say when they don't get the polite message.

The_Conductor

Its annoying the modern building seem to have such poor sound insulation- the heating insulation in mine is wonderful but the noise insulation is appalling (I have measured over 90 decibels from inside a *closed* window......)

Re: your neighbours, unfortunately I have to agree with the above posters- a dose of their own medicine may be the only thing that they recognise........ Drilling and doing a bit of DIY in early morning is something that got a response for me......... (after complaining to the Management Company and directly to their landlord failed). Of course- if they are creating a nusiance during unsociable hours, you could simply give the Gardai a call.

mel123

I feel your pain....
To be honest besides complaining and then playing them at their own game i think there is little that can be done.
Alternatively, if your house is new, you could complain to your builder. In my estate the management company has refused to get in an independent 'noise tester' (sorry not sure of the proper name), after they promised at an AGM that they would, so i think we, as residents, are going to get our own. Realistically i think tho that they will have them sound proofed to the very minimum which they have to by law!!!

Victor

I feel your pain. The next door neighbour is replacing windows at the moment, so the first thing the guy does in the morning is break out the window he's doing that day. Its a painful awakening.

Theres a few ways of dealing with it. One is realising your neighbours may have hearing problems.

Fix the rattle in the radiator. Put the babies in a room away from their house. Keep your internal doors closed.

You can insulate the wall between the two houses. There are specific designs available for this

You can get them to fit door closers and or seals to their doors to prevent them slaming.

fintan

Sound insulating the dividing wall is the only realy long-term solution.

raging_bull

Believe it or not I have insulated the party wall. This has worked a treat for their loud music and tv. The banging, though, is a different issue, this is called flanking sound which will vibrate through the structure and even be amplified in certain circumstances, a real bitch to get rid of. You would really need to insulate every wall which would of course reduce the area.

Thanks for all the replies, I am not sure I will play them at their game as the babies probably won't appreciate it. I do think this is an area that people in my situation should have some forum for dispute?

Victor

raging_bull wrote:

I do think this is an area that people in my situation should have some forum for dispute?

You could try your local council under the Building Regulations or anti-social behavior.