Noise Complaint - What to do

[A Winner Is You]

Hazuki said:

8IKERDAVE said:

The next day I put the music on at the same volume, opened the windows and walked out the house. You couldn't hear anything past our drive which leads me to think it's someone quite bitter trying to make a point.

Was this at 1am or during the day? Ambient noise during the night is far (far) lower, so any other sounds would be much louder.

Sound waves can also travel further at night, depending on the music the bass can be noticeable even if the track isn't.

[hyphen]

8IKERDAVE said:

Maybe you are misunderstanding me here. Music was on INSIDE the detached house on a Saturday night. We were going outside occasionally for a smoke, but I didn’t take my stereo with me. No louder than watching a film! ...

Windows open or closed? As in this weather could be open. And neighbours also may have theirs open.

And were you drinking more than a couple? As that could affect the volume level you perceived.

Also your own young kids were in bed and you were playing music at 1am? A bit strange.

Edited by hyphen on Wednesday 21st July 06:30

[wwpaddler]

Do nothing - if the police turned up and weren't interested then forget about it. Noise complaints aren't usually high priority and police attendance can be several hours after the report was made - so they can record "nothing ongoing" and close the job down. They're often not attended as police powers are quite limited regarding them as it's a council responsibility and may be used as punishment jobs for officers who've pissed off their sergeant or controller.

[Vickers_VC10]

Dromedary66 said:

You could have posted this in the Council thread.

This.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Vickers_VC10 said:

Dromedary66 said:

You could have posted this in the Council thread.

This.

+2

[Teebs]

Drunk people can't whisper.

We had similar issues with a neighbour recently, contacted the Council who issued a letter / warning - that worked a treat.

What is ok and tolerable for you doesn't make it right for other people, especially at 1am.

[Baldchap]

If people are going outside to smoke at regular intervals, there's probably associated door slamming at either end of each cigarette.

[steveo3002]

theres also a difference on what the police say is doing nothing wrong /against the law and your behaviour upsetting people

for example me strimming the lawn at 8:01am every day isnt against the law , but most likley upset people sooner or later

so while you may not be breaking any laws you can still become that family that everyone hates easily

those curtain twitchers might also call the police when theres some caravan enthusiasts breaking into your shed ?

Edited by steveo3002 on Wednesday 21st July 08:45

Edited by steveo3002 on Wednesday 21st July 08:47

[rlw]

I've been very lucky in where I've lived and my neighbours - only a shared house being a problem many years ago - but I have always held the view that if I can hear someone else's music, it's too loud. And vice-versa.

[MattyD803]

8IKERDAVE said:

I find it hard to believe that at 10pm on a Saturday night everyone switches all their electrical devices off and doesn’t go outside anymore. I must have been to some strange houses over the years because I’ve never witnessed this.

I think Fridays and Saturdays tend to be fair cop for noise carrying on a bit later (as an exception though, not a rule)....but Sunday to Thursday I would say a 10pm noise curfew outside where it may disturb other people's peace is only fair and respectful.

At that sort of time, people are settling down, and simply don't want to have listen to other people's music, chat, kids shouting, chairs scraping along the patio, glasses clinking etc. In fact, the same rule applies to being out front - i.e. engines idling, noisy car radios, slamming car doors, chatting shouting in the street etc etc

Its all a matter of personal opinion at the end of the day, but if nothing else, at least you've got a pretty good feel for what other people do/expect in their localities.....

[Prizam]

8IKERDAVE said:

Maybe you are misunderstanding me here. Music was on INSIDE the detached house on a Saturday night. We were going outside occasionally for a smoke, but I didn’t take my stereo with me. No louder than watching a film!

I find it hard to believe that at 10pm on a Saturday night everyone switches all their electrical devices off and doesn’t go outside anymore. I must have been to some strange houses over the years because I’ve never witnessed this.

11pm... yes. ANY day of the night for me. Not that I feel the need to play music when I have friends over for a whisper.

You said you had the music going until 1 am, not 10 pm. which is it ?

[8IKERDAVE]

Thank you for the responses, albeit mixed with the usual condescending PH responses which I will address below:

1) We are not nightmare neighbours. 99% of the time we are indoors during the evenings watching TV like everyone else. We both work full time and on the occasion we have guests over this is at a weekend and typically no more than 2!

2) Stating that having music on at 1am with kids in the house is a very tttish comment to make. There is a difference between background music and the reinactment of a Chase and Status concert. My children sleep soundly and wouldn't do so if we had music played at high volumes. We were both up and fresh faced with them at 8am so again, remove the idea of a student party from your head.

3) We are both friendly with the majority of people on our street who often stop to chat while I am out washing the car / bike etc. We act extremely reasonably as do our neighbours.

4) We have NEVER had any form of noise complaint in the past 13 years of living together. Before children, living in a semi detached property we had nothing but good relations with all neighbours.

On that basis, I know it's hard to understand this concept but it is likely there is someone on the estate with some sort of issue. I have contacted our local council to advise of the situation for their advice. If the person complaining doesn't approach either of us directly and discuss like adults then it's very hard to find a resolve. My next step is to go and hand out my number to all close neighbours and have a 5 minute open chat with each of them. Will see what happens from there!

Thank you to all that have offered genuine advice!

[zedx19]

You're looking at it as if everyone else is the problem and you are entirely blame free, you've even said that it must be a certain someone on the estate that has issue. The facts here are, you had music on past 10/11pm which you classed as quiet. Someone else has clearly heard the music and it has disturbed them. Rather then said someone coming round and discussing the issue, being unaware of the reaction they would receive, they've contacted the plod. Doesn't matter if you think you're friendly, considerate and the music wasn't loud, someone else thought different. You then come on a forum asking for advise as you don't want to upset the neighbours again. The majority of people tell you to keep it down past 10/11, you tell everyone they are wrong.

If you want to remain friendly with the neighbours, keep the noise down past 10, which in summer months may mean music off. If you want to have your music on, at any volume, past 10 then keep the windows shut or open the windows and annoy the neighbours.

[KAgantua]

TELL THEM 2 JOG ON M8

[hotchy]

Weekend... any type of music until 1am. I'd consider complaining. Thats the problem. 1am. Iv not seen 1am in years. At 1am thats only 3 hours until my alarm goes off, yet your out having a big student type music festival next door. Yes I'm taking the P, but I can hear a passer by talk on his phone all the way up the street in summer with windows open. How about you pop inside around 10/11? Then do as you please.

[Teebs]

You mentioned in the opening post you had music on and it was circa 1am.

[StuTheGrouch]

I think the 'no noise after 11pm' is a good code to work to, but don't think what the OP has described is unreasonable. Is it reasonable for the neighbour to be so intolerant that they call the police in the first instance? I would feel like a right tt if I did that to a neighbour at 1am. If I could hear them then I doubt I'd be pleased, but I would most likely put it down as a one off and move on. In the OP's case, yes, it clearly bothered a neighbour but that neighbour should give a bit of leeway here too if this is a rare event. Whilst it's inconsiderate to be noisy after a certain time it's not reasonable to expect absolute silence either.

COVID rules regarding 6 indoors or 30 outdoors has resulted in a couple of my neighbours having marquees in their gardens, live music etc all afternoon and into the night. I don't recall what time it stopped but it didn't really bother me. They are allowed to enjoy their gardens and it's not a frequent event.

I had several friends over watching the Euros. We were in the garden (specifically a log cabin at the end of my garden) watching it along with the usual cheers/boos, chatter etc. I don't believe we were that noisy (I have young children too) and everyone cleared off before 11pm. No one has mentioned anything to me and, quite frankly, if they have an issue with that then they will have to make peace with it themselves. My immediate neighbours are very noisy though, so my response to a noise complaint from them would not be met politely.

[StuTheGrouch]

hotchy said:

Weekend... any type of music until 1am. I'd consider complaining. Thats the problem. 1am. Iv not seen 1am in years. At 1am thats only 3 hours until my alarm goes off, yet your out having a big student type music festival next door. Yes I'm taking the P, but I can hear a passer by talk on his phone all the way up the street in summer with windows open. How about you pop inside around 10/11? Then do as you please.

OP did though. The music was inside and they only went outside to smoke.

[RB Will]

We have this "problem" with a neighbour a few times a year. They have the occasional social do, nothing much just 4-8 friends. But they will be out in the garden chatting until 1-3am.
They are 2 reasonably sized gardens away from us but even though they are not shouting or playing music their talking and going in and out of the house is enough to stop me sleeping if we have the windows open. As others have said it is amazing how much sound carries in the dead of night. If I'm just nodding off I can hear the foxes creeping around on our decking.
Since they only do it a few times a year and are not taking the piss with music on or similar I just say fair enough, If it was every weekend I'd have an issue.

We stayed in an Air BnB in Cardiff for a mates stag a couple of years ago and the house rules were very strict in that nobody was to be outside in the back garden after 11 or 12 cant remember which and they had CCTV set up there to catch you if you did and fine you because they had received loads of complaints from neighbours, though to be fair being a big Air Bnb it probably was mostly noisy pissed up wkers staying there.

[Short Grain]

zedx19 said:

You may not have realised how loud your music was, bass will travel some distance. If you're worried about upsetting anyone, turn the volume knob down past 11!!

There's your problem op!