Noisy Neighbours

starbelgrade · 21-04-2008 10:40am #1

I've been renting the same house now for 3 odd years & have never had any problems with my neighbours... the house is a semi-detatched & I've only neighbours on one side.

Now a new group of people moved in next door about 8 months ago - I'm nearly sure they're renting too. 2 of them seem quite nice & always say "hello" when I see them... there's even a tasty blonde who knocked in a few times for a cup of sugar. Well, she used to until the 3rd tenant moved in with them.... I call her Countess Bitchula & here's why...

... since she moved in around 6 months ago, she's called to our door around 8 times to complain about me playing music "too loud". Now, I do like to play music of an evening & am often in my "studio" recording.. but in 3 years, I've never had one complaint from the neighbours. If the music WAS too loud, my missus would be the first person to say so!

We've only ever had 2 parties in the house & only one of them was an all nighter - well, an all weekender, but that was 2 years ago!

The final straw came on Friday night - I was getting ready to go out for a few beers, and had the new Radiohead album on the stereo as I pottered around. At around 10pm, the doorbell rang & I went down to answer the door only to find 2 Garda there & a Garda van parked outside.

They'd recieved a compliant from "one" of the neighbours about excessive noise. After a few minutes discussion, they left apologising as it was obvious the music wasn't being played loud - you could barely hear it at the front door and the stereo was in the box room over the hall, with the door open.

Now I know that you can complain to the Housing Dept of the Council and / or the Garda about neighbours being noisy / anti-social behaviour, but what do you do about a neighbour making ridiculous complaints & going to the extremes of getting the cops out for no good reason?

I would like to run her over & dump the corpse, but methinks that might be a tad extreme. :mad:

Big_Mac · 21-04-2008 10:51am

You were playing radiohead, what do you expect?:D:D:D:D:D

First thing I would do is get in touch with her Landlord if the house is privately owned, or get on to the council if its local authority housing. A landlord will no more want a tenant with antisocial behaviours than you would. Don't forget to mention that she has reported you to the shades on this, and they found it a bogus claim, it can help to further your claim regarding her

Good Luck with this, I have a Countess and her family next door too.:mad:

Xiney · 21-04-2008 11:02am

I think contacting the landlord is an excellent start - in theory.

How does one find out who is the landlord of the house next door if one does not know?

starbelgrade · 21-04-2008 11:06am

Xiney wrote: »

I think contacting the landlord is an excellent start - in theory.

How does one find out who is the landlord of the house next door if one does not know?

I rang the Council this morning & it's not one of their houses, so I'm presuming it's rented privately, so I now have the same question as you Xiney.

Xiney · 21-04-2008 11:21am

Perhaps your landlord knows, actually. You might want to bring him/her up to speed on what's going on anyway.

Gillie · 21-04-2008 11:27am

Is there any other houses being rented close by? Sometimes the same letting agent may be involved or may know who's house it is.

Was it OK Computer by any chance?

starbelgrade · 21-04-2008 11:39am

Xiney - we're actually in a dispute with our Landlord - he recently served us an invalid Notice of Termination with an invalid period of termination - he told us to move out in 4 weeks when we're legally entitled to 3 months notice, so getting in contact with him is not really an option. (He's selling the house - it's not that we've wrecked the place or anything like that!)

And no, Gillie, it was "In Rainbows" - a fairly mellow album by all accounts! The guy I spoke to from the Council said to contact the Garda & that he'd never heard of a situation like this before.

tuppence · 21-04-2008 1:16pm

Try info on the Private Residential tenancy board. they have a register of private landlords. Dont know how accessible it is. But in meantime may help re the other issues with your landlord.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/housing/renting-a-home/rents-and-tenancies/private_residential_tenancies_board

starbelgrade · 21-04-2008 1:29pm

tuppence wrote: »

Try info on the Private Residential tenancy board. they have a register of private landlords. Dont know how accessible it is. But in meantime may help re the other issues with your landlord.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/housing/renting-a-home/rents-and-tenancies/private_residential_tenancies_board

Just had a look at their 2005 register.. funnily enough, neither the neighbour's house, nor mine were regisitered then, even though both were being let out privately at the time... no wonder my landlord was totally confused when I told him I was reporting him to the PRTB for an invalid notice - he hadn't a clue what I was talking about.

I suspect that there are thousands of other landlords in the same situation - in 2005, there were less than 1000 landlords registered in Sligo with the PRTB. There's no way that there were less than 1000 properties being rented out in the whole county. Surely if there are laws like this, they should be enforced - I mean how hard would it be for one government body (the PRTB) to back check against another (ie., tax database of the tax office)?

GG66 · 21-04-2008 1:33pm

starbelgrade wrote: »

They'd recieved a compliant from "one" of the neighbours about excessive noise. After a few minutes discussion, they left apologising as it was obvious the music wasn't being played loud - you could barely hear it at the front door and the stereo was in the box room over the hall, with the door open.

Chances are that if she moved in last to a rented house she has the box room, if its the same as most semi-d layouts then it's right beside the room you play your stereo in. Depending on the thickness of the walls the music could be a lot louder in her room than it is at your front door.

If you're moving around the house listening to the stereo playing in the box room it may well be too loud for her....if she's in her room reading for instance.

I wouldn't rule out that she has a genuine complaint. Why not ask her can you check it out? by listening from her house... establish the facts first.

Get some soundproofing if needs be.

getting landlords, garda etc. involved could be a lot more hassle than its worth

starbelgrade · 21-04-2008 1:52pm

GG66 wrote: »

Chances are that if she moved in last to a rented house she has the box room, if its the same as most semi-d layouts then it's right beside the room you play your stereo in. Depending on the thickness of the walls the music could be a lot louder in her room than it is at your front door.

If you're moving around the house listening to the stereo playing in the box room it may well be too loud for her....if she's in her room reading for instance.

I wouldn't rule out that she has a genuine complaint. Why not ask her can you check it out? by listening from her house... establish the facts first.

Get some soundproofing if needs be.

getting landlords, garda etc. involved could be a lot more hassle than its worth

There's actually a room between our box room & the room she stays in. If I play music in the box room, and close the door in my own bedroom, it's barely audible - certainly not enough to warrant calling the cops for.

I would try & go about this in a reasonable manner, but the countess next door is a narky little unreasonable b*tch. The first time she called around she started screaming the odds at the missus. Not even a "hello, sorry I'm your new neighbour next door & if you wouldn't mind turning down the music a little bit".

2nd time she knocked, I answered & before she got the chance I gave out ****e to her for what she said to the missus. She explained that she worked early & didn't mind if we played music, once it wasn't too loud and not after 11pm.

Next time she called around, it was 9pm.

She's a complete wagon, so I'm not wasting my time being nice to her.

bennyc · 21-04-2008 2:01pm

If you want to know who owns the house ask the postman, as there will be a forwarding address. I recently moved form an estate to the country and the postman stopped me in Ballisodare and told me he would leave my mail with our childminder. I commented that he did well to know all that and he said they all do the same run and know everyone even when a house is bought in the area without a number the postman is usually looking for the new name to enter onto the round.
I would be suprised if he/she cannot help.

bennyc · 21-04-2008 2:02pm

by any chance have you a subwoffer and is it sitting on the ground , and is the groung wooden........

TequilaMockingBird · 21-04-2008 2:06pm

I wouldn't do anything. Let them call the Guards, if there is no noise problem the Guards won't be long telling them to stop ringing them.

I'm more inclined to go with the box room theory though (just 'cos its you!!), maybe her bedroom is along side your box room. It would explain why there was no problem before now.

starbelgrade · 21-04-2008 3:08pm

Sueme - no, there's another bedroom in my house between the box room I use & her room, which is against the dividing wall between the two houses. There WAS no problem before now, even though there were previous tenants in that room. She's obviously got super sonic hearing.

And yep, BennyC - I've a 100watt subwoofer, but it's on shelving & the floors are carpeted... if I whacked it up full volume, you'd hear it 10 doors down, but as it is, you'd be hard pushed to hear it in my sitting room.

Might be a good idea though - let her keep ringing the guards & they might do her for wasting police time.

takola · 21-04-2008 3:15pm

Isn't there a law that says you can't have loud music after 10pm?I would have thought before then you'd be grand.

Did the Gaurds tell you if they'd gotten a name as reference for the complaint that was made star? Surely something would have been said to her if they thought she was wasting police time?

starbelgrade · 21-04-2008 3:47pm

takola wrote: »

Isn't there a law that says you can't have loud music after 10pm?I would have thought before then you'd be grand.

Did the Gaurds tell you if they'd gotten a name as reference for the complaint that was made star? Surely something would have been said to her if they thought she was wasting police time?

There is a law alright - but it seems to make no difference to her what time the music's on at or how low or not it is.

If the Garda are called out, they're not allowed say who made the report (I know this from my student days!)... dunno if anything was said to her.

Big_Mac · 21-04-2008 4:37pm

sueme wrote: »

I wouldn't do anything. Let them call the Guards, if there is no noise problem the Guards won't be long telling them to stop ringing them.

I'm more inclined to go with the box room theory though (just 'cos its you!!), maybe her bedroom is along side your box room. It would explain why there was no problem before now.

This could be a good idea if you can't find out who the landlord is. If she continues with her bonkers complaints and the cops realise they are duff, they won't be long getting on to her about wasting snack box eating time:D.
As for the verbal she has given you and the missus. I would take a note of all of the things she is doing, time and date and report her for antisocial behaviour, or threatening and abusive behaviour. Might also be worth noting in this that you have tried to resolve it amicably with her before with no dice.

GG66 · 21-04-2008 5:28pm

starbelgrade wrote: »

And yep, BennyC - I've a 100watt subwoofer, but it's on shelving & the floors are carpeted... if I whacked it up full volume, you'd hear it 10 doors down, but as it is, you'd be hard pushed to hear it in my sitting room.

If its on the party wall with her house try moving it... it's not necessarily the volume of the subwoofer. Relatively low volumes can carry quite a distance through walls and floors...

What are her other neighbours like? Reason I ask is I was verbally attacked at my doorstep in an apartment block before for blaring my music. I was only returning to it at the time so it wasn't me but the neighbours... Turned out it was the bass from their speakers (subwoofer) more than the volume..

Good advice to record dates and times she visits.. If she is threatening and abusive then you have grounds to complain to the Gardai..

El Weirdo · 22-04-2008 12:00am

starbelgrade wrote: »

Just had a look at their 2005 register.. funnily enough, neither the neighbour's house, nor mine were regisitered then, even though both were being let out privately at the time... no wonder my landlord was totally confused when I told him I was reporting him to the PRTB for an invalid notice - he hadn't a clue what I was talking about.

Slightly off-topic, but if your tenancy wasn't registered with the PRTB in the first place, then I don't think that they can help you much. Although, your landlord may be in a bit of stick for not registering the tenancy himself...

I am open to correction on this though...

As for your unreasonable neighbour. I think you should just go about your business as usual and let her carry on making an arse out of herself with plod. That should do the trick.

donegalman1 · 22-04-2008 1:14am

All the above posts are pretty much correct. With regard to the Sub Bass, by its definition, it doesnt really matter where you place the speaker as the human ear cannot detects where its coming from but it does serve its purpose on the floor rather than a shelf. That being said it can travel better than other frequencies and sound will travel differently in different atmospheric pressures and depending on other sounds going on around it.

I would however think there would not be a reat emphasis on Bass in any radiohead album with exception of the Bass Guitar but cetrainly less emphasis than many dance tracks, that is unless you had cranked it up on the eq or Bass bin volume.

It is definately possible for the same volume to be heard differently at different times of the day or different days of the week due to other factors. You'll find say 3 on your volume louder in the evenings than during the day for example.

But all in all her behaviour seems unreasonable in any case and I'd imagine you would be able to tell if the volume was excessive.

Maybe she wasn't feeling well at the time!!!!

starbelgrade · 22-04-2008 9:39am

Cripes - Donegalman.. you know your stuff!! Next time she calls round, I'll explain all that to her - she won't be well after that!!!

As for the PRTB, El Weirdo.. all landlords are required to register with the PRTB, and even if they are not, they are still required by law to do so & to comply with the Private Residents Tenancies Act, 2004. The PRTB can enforce the terms of the Act on any landlord renting privately (except in a few specific conditions). The problem with the PRTB is, that at present, they have a 20 week waiting list to deal with complaints at the moment and that's after the date which they reply to your original complaint, which could be 4-6 weeks. As usual, we've laws, but no-one to enforce them.

I'm moving soon enough, so the problem will soon be resolved - no sucessfully though, but at least I won't have to see her narky mush again. I might just leave Radiohead on repeat for the next 2 months... I have to get revenge somehow!

mikelata · 22-04-2008 9:50am

YEP, i know what it is living the noise of the neighbours...:mad:

I bought a council house which has solid concrete walls to separate from the neighbours. Unfortunately, I can heard absolutely everything they do... They have a fan in the bathroom that drives me crazy each time they use it, I heard their alarm clock, the vacuum cleaner, last night I could heard them watching coronation street!!!

The problem is that I dont understand why that is happening with those thick concrete walls. Even though our chimney is blocked, we both have the chimney in the same place. Could that be the problem?

Does anybody have the same problem?
DOes anybody know how to measure the noise to identify the location by which the noise is getting into my house?

Thanks!!!

starbelgrade · 22-04-2008 10:01am

mikelata wrote: »

YEP, i know what it is living the noise of the neighbours...:mad:

I bought a council house which has solid concrete walls to separate from the neighbours. Unfortunately, I can heard absolutely everything they do... They have a fan in the bathroom that drives me crazy each time they use it, I heard their alarm clock, the vacuum cleaner, last night I could heard them watching coronation street!!!

The problem is that I dont understand why that is happening with those thick concrete walls. Even though our chimney is blocked, we both have the chimney in the same place. Could that be the problem?
Does anybody have the same problem?
DOes anybody know how to measure the noise to identify the location by which the noise is getting into my house?

Thanks!!!

I doubt it's a solid concrete wall between the houses - more than likely it's either solid concrete block, or hollow block. Either way the sound insulation provided by blocks is very poor. If the noise is that bad (& it sounds REALLY bad), I'd suggest inusulating the walls with soundproofing materials like sound resistant insulation & Soundbloc plasterboard. Noise transferal will still occur between floors that share a party wall, but it will definitely reduce the noise - especially if you can get your neighbours to do the same on their side of the wall.

(If they disagree, I can loan ya a subwoofer speaker & some Radiohead albums that apparantley would drive an innocent man to admit the most heinous of crimes!)

GG66 · 25-04-2008 8:49pm

You really don't have much luck with unwanted callers to your door do you?

Angry neighbours
Begging Sligo Rovers lottery people
And next up a GAA club who you have no time for either....

God help the jehovah's witness if they call, if he exists that is....

Big_Mac · 25-04-2008 8:58pm

GG66 wrote: »

Begging Sligo Rovers lottery people

Don't they usually sell their tickets in the pubs on the weekend? Normally its when you've had a few jars and more willing to part with your cash

haven't had the pleasure of them calling to my door before

il gatto · 25-04-2008 9:37pm

Turn up the music and let her keep caling the Gardai. If it's pre the 10p.m. curfew there's nothing she or the Guards can do. Obviously not at window shattering, ear bleeding levels but loud enought to really get her goat. Sometimes the best way to fight complete ignorance is with complete ignorance. She'll move out before you do. One caveat however. I would suggest Radiohead of O.K. Computer or earlier. I have gone out of my way to "not get" what the're doing now.

:D

Big_Mac · 25-04-2008 10:13pm

il gatto wrote: »

Sometimes the best way to fight complete ignorance is with complete ignorance.

Hmmm, I like your philosophy on this one i gatto. Now that you mention it, I would do well to follow this advice at work.... I like it:D

dewsbury · 25-04-2008 10:24pm

My view would be contrary to most of the ones above...

I am reminded of all those car drivers who have their stereos on loud and are oblivious the the annoyance that they are causing. Perhaps this is not a fair comparison but I have found that it is very easy to under-estimate the level of irritation caused by neighbouring noise.

Why not buy the best form of headphones that you can afford? You could have the music as loud as you want and never hear from your friend next door again.

I find some of the previous posts somewhat unhelpful.

Big_Mac · 25-04-2008 10:51pm

dewsbury wrote: »

Why not buy the best form of headphones that you can afford? You could have the music as loud as you want and never hear from your friend next door again.

I find some of the previous posts somewhat unhelpful.

Studio headphones will set you back about €150, but that's besides the point.
I disagree with what you are saying here dewsbury. Why should someone have buy headphones to listen to music on just to keep some batty woman happy when it seems obvious that she is the actual problem?
There was never a problem before, and the cops cannot see a problem, so this is not a solution, this is simply allowing someone to get their way because they have used bullyboy tactics by verbally abusing you and reported you to the authorities on occasion.

They should not be allowed to get their way

Gillie · 28-04-2008 11:42am

dewsbury wrote: »

My view would be contrary to most of the ones above...

I am reminded of all those car drivers who have their stereos on loud and are oblivious the the annoyance that they are causing. Perhaps this is not a fair comparison but I have found that it is very easy to under-estimate the level of irritation caused by neighbouring noise.

Why not buy the best form of headphones that you can afford? You could have the music as loud as you want and never hear from your friend next door again.

I find some of the previous posts somewhat unhelpful.

Unhelpful how?

What you suggest would work but why should he?
If he's playing the music at an acceptable level and not doing it during unsociable hours then what's the problem?

Noisy Neighbours

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