Noisy neighbours what can I do?

Mikeop

Hi, so as the title suggests I'm having some issues with my neighbours, to give some context they live in a flat at the back of the house I'm renting.

So over the last year maybe more, things have gotten worse, noise, slamming doors, shouting etc. I have told my landlord this but again nothing is done. I've noticed when I do tell, things get worse so now I'm in the position that I'm afraid to say anymore. This is causing me stress, I have lived here for a few years and was happy. I also suffer with anxiety which doesn't help.

I've also heard them talking crap about me on the phone and in general in the home, that's how bad the sound proofing is. I've done nothing to them only complain that one time ages ago but it seems I'm now hated.

I honestly don't know what to do as there's nowhere else to go with the housing crisis as it is. I just feel at a loss.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Atlantic Dawn

Is the noise out of hours like say after 11pm and before 7am?

Xterminator

From what you are saying, there isn't lot you can do to remedy the situation.

they are no doing anything egregious, based on your post.

As life is short and you are being adversely affected, you should look for another place to live.

connected1

Hi Mikeop, Xterminator's advice is unhelpful, you should ignore him completely.

As you already pointed out, the housing market at the moment is so difficult, that it would be awful to have to move.

From reading your post, they are slamming doors and shouting, and you can hear them talking about you.

The fact you can hear what they're saying is an indication of bad soundproofing. It may be possible for you to look at ways to improve that cheaply - for example, you can put bookshelves on the wall and fill them with books.

Do you both have the same landlord? Was your landlord sympathetic when you spoke to them? If so, they might consider improving the sound proofing between the two properties.

So it may be that they are not making a really excessive amount of noise. I can hear my neighbour shouting occasionally, but because there is a good wall between us, it's really muffled. They may have felt you were complaining unnecessarily as in their mind, the noise level was acceptable. If its happening at night, that's a different matter. ,

So, it could be that the noise they're making is unacceptable, but if it's as you describe, it might help you to reframe it by thinking to yourself "they're shouting, they sound really stressed" and feel sympathy for them rather than being made anxious by it.

Hope that helps!

Caranica

Your post is probably more suited to Accommodation and Property rather than personal issues.

You can make a third party complaint to the RTB, but you'll get info on all that over on A&P

Xander10

Probably the only solution is a move.

Xterminator

sorry to say but in Ireland we don't have enforcement.

We dont enforce good soundproofing in new builds, nor is there a minimum standard obligation on landlords. (and thats probably the main issue here). We dont have anything like enforceable noise regulation, and your neighbors would have to be engaged in very deliberate antisocial patterns of behavior before you could get authorities to take action. I didn't that in OPs post it would reach that level.

threshold have a section on antisocial behavior and noise & its worth a read - i wont link threshold, i assume that not needed.

But practically OP will have to do one of the actions below.

put up with & document noise issues, or complain further to landlord some more or approach neighbors directly to resolve issue (and i assume that boat sailed when op complained to landlord) or move. If op is suffering from stress, i recommend he do the only direct action open to him/her, and that is move.

Its all very well saying it shouldn't be that way, but that doesn't help OP.

B.A._Baracus

Hey op, since it's a flat out the back are you sharing the electricity bill or is it separate? Do you also split cost of bins etc? I mention these things as if you do, it would make things more messy indeed.

In an ideal world the landlord would say to them stop with the noise and they would. But landlord doesn't care as you say. So realistically you only have 3 choices.

1, Say something to them and to be told to get lost. Probably stop talking to you (no loss) but noise would continue and becomes messy if you're sharing bills.

2, Move, of course easier said than done.

3, Say nothing. Which I don't recommend. Better to let someone have a piece of your mind than take it.

Haven't got a lot of options on this one.