Dealing with disruptive neighbours.

[24lemons]

We live in a small new build development. A short way along the road is a patch of public open space which a number of surrounding households have recently taken to using as extensions of their gardens.

I’ve returned home from work today to find, for the third time in recent weeks, several families spread out enjoying a bbq with music thumping and shouting coming from not just the children but the dads as well.

Maybe it’s because of lockdown that they think it’s ok to take over the open space but leaving aside the lack of social distancing, I’m more concerned that we are going to have to put up with loud music and late night drinking sessions, which is what it turned into recently.

Even though we are a small way down the road, I can hear “Girls just wanna have fun” quite clearly despite all the windows and doors being closed. I feel sorry for those who live closer.

I don’t want to cause a conflict and I don’t want to risk getting a reputation as a kill joy but This is taking the piss.

Any suggestions of how I can address this issue without coming across as an interfering neighbour?

[trickywoo]

Move.

The writing is on the wall, metaphorically, for now at least.

[Robotron-2084]

Social housing, not much you can do realistically.

[10126 Torino]

Call the Fuzz.

[fastraxx]

You have to move

[24lemons]

Aside from moving or calling the police, how might a reasonable person go about raising the issue or do I just have to be British about it and moan to strangers on Internet forums?

[dudleybloke]

Get a hockey mask and chainsaw and invite yourself to the party once it's dark.

[Trevor555]

My Dad always told me "don't fall out with anyone who knows where you live"

You could open a right can of worms.

Especially if you've got nice cars sat on your drive.

[24lemons]

Trevor555 said:

My Dad always told me "don't fall out with anyone who knows where you live"

You could open a right can of worms.

Especially if you've got nice cars sat on your drive.

That’s precisely my dilemma. It’s a nice area and we want to stay here. It’s not worth starting a feud over but equally if this is going to be how summers are from now on, it’ll be quite unpleasant.

[bristolbaron]

24lemons said:

Aside from moving or calling the police, how might a reasonable person go about raising the issue or do I just have to be British about it and moan to strangers on Internet forums?

“It’s hard to win an argument with a smart person, but it’s damn near impossible to win an argument with a stupid person.“

It’s not even worth starting a conversation about. If they’re ignorant enough to act this way despite current government guidelines, they’re not going to act differently because you’ve spoken with them. I’d call 111 and see if they’ll drive past.

[_Rich_]

https://www.gov.uk/report-noise-pollution-to-counc...

[Trevor555]

24lemons said:

Trevor555 said:

My Dad always told me "don't fall out with anyone who knows where you live"

You could open a right can of worms.

Especially if you've got nice cars sat on your drive.

That’s precisely my dilemma. It’s a nice area and we want to stay here. It’s not worth starting a feud over but equally if this is going to be how summers are from now on, it’ll be quite unpleasant.

I can't stress how much I'd advise you not to take them on in any way.

The type of people who do this sort of thing with no regard to others will never back down, and will probably react badly.

I've filled in far too many crime reports for criminal damage to cars where the victim knows who it was but has zero proof.

Neighbourly disputes should be avoided at all costs.

[anonymous-user]

If it's open amenity land, it sometimes gets put up for sale or is available- for a few grand.

Obviously, that's an expensive solution that then opens another lot of hassle, but you could then use the phrase "Oi, get orf my land!".

[alorotom]

Who owns the land
Who manages the land
What does it say in any covenants about the land

[Getragdogleg]

I know it's easy for us to to say but you need to move house.

Once this starts it breaks the taboo of noise and behaviour and it rarely goes back to like it was.

It might improve when the weather goes rubbish.

[bristolbaron]

[fastraxx]

24lemons said:

Aside from moving or calling the police, how might a reasonable person go about raising the issue or do I just have to be British about it and moan to strangers on Internet forums?

If you are a tough nut and dont mind confrontation, then go that route. If you're a pussy then a little "please turn it down" is going to achieve nothing.

[fastraxx]

Trevor555 said:

I can't stress how much I'd advise you not to take them on in any way.

The type of people who do this sort of thing with no regard to others will never back down, and will probably react badly.

I've filled in far too many crime reports for criminal damage to cars where the victim knows who it was but has zero proof.

Neighbourly disputes should be avoided at all costs.

This. You can't reason with stupid unless you are a big time gangster (in which case you're not going to have neighbours) and are able to intimidate them.

[Big-Bo-Beep]

Unless you complain en masse with other, equally pisssed off neighbours not much can be done, in some respects you are hardly the
most inconvenienced being halfway down the road.
As you admit, others must be getting it worse.

What we have the British dilemma, one half not wanting to cause a fuss it being a free country and all, the other
half quietly seething in their parker-knolls recliners harbouring murderous thoughts involving an AK47.

[Austin_Metro]

The standard PH answer, to move, may be true if they’d be doing this in their own gardens. Would be noisy still.