Forum Topic

Noise nuisance...questions

So, I am a leaseholder in Putney in a very nice, peaceful and beautiful area, which is Council owned and I think the ratio is pretty half and half, private and council.Anyway, over the years I have made many friends with local neighbours, and we're a pretty friendly, law abiding lot. We look out for each other and help out where necessary.  Our community is all colours, races and religions.Recently the Council have moved some people into a flat that is "temporary accommodation".  This is a young woman and her child.Since they moved in, 2 weeks ago, they've had several parties with unbelievable volume of music.  They had one last night which went on from 8pm Saturday, until 6pm Sunday (I which point I did actually fall asleep). The lady involved had already told neighbours that she "liked her music" and that she had been moved on six times (???)I have written to the Council and phoned the on-call Emergency WBC number last night.  They told me that they had heard cannabis was involved, so they refused to attend, for their safety and to ring the Police as drugs were involved which are illegal, so therefore in the Police juristriction.The Police said that they had had other complaints and would add mine to them.  They did not attend.This has happened several times and now these people are starting to accuse their neighbours of being racist, which nobody is at all.  If we could all have had a chat and been friendly, none of this would have happened.  I am going to attempt to speak reasonalbly to the girl soon.... in the daytime and try to explain.Anybody got any comments/advice?  Thanks.

Bunny Payne ● 2039d10 Comments

Hi Bunny.  You come across as a very tolerant and laid back kind of person so if this woman is pi$$ing you off to the extent that you have posted, the situation must be pretty bad.  If she's been moved on so many times it sounds like she knows how to play the system and I don't think sitting down for a cuppa and a friendly chat will achieve anything.  She has several cards to play;  the kid, single mother (probably on benefits) and last but not least, the race card.  A powerful combination of levers.  I hope things improve but I suspect you and your neighbours are in it for the long haul.  Good luck.

Sue Hammond ● 2038d

Bunny, Andy and others are offering good advice and I certainly agree that involving your councillors is important - they can make the council move more quickly.  After all the council has inflicted this problem on you and your neighbours.It might be worth arranging a deputation with your neighbours to sit down with a local councillor and run through all the problems is as much detail as you can muster.  Make it the councillor's problem - that is what they are there for!

Jonathan Callaway ● 2038d

BunnyYou must keep reporting also if its noisy call the 24 hour estates team they should attend to verify the noise . They will probably also ask for it to be turned down but that depends on how many people are in attendance. If she has been moved on b4 she is probably only on a probationary tenancy so theoretically it should be easier for the Council to take action. Call your estate manager every time it happens ( or the following day) and keep a diary as has been suggested earlier.The big difficulty in getting her moved is the child in that the courts will not look to make a child homeless and she knows that.It can be a long process but worth it in the end. Involve local Councillors at all stages.You have to become a bigger nuisance than this tenant. 

Andy Pike ● 2038d

Michael , Bunny had said drugs are involved so they couldn't do anything.

Barbara Stevens ● 2038d

But Bunny hasn't said she is worried about the child. Unless she really is, and has not in her quite full description, mentioned it, such a course of action would be lying. Also devious and malevolent. To claim a child is at risk when you don't actually think so creates a "boy who cried wolf" effect for any children who really are at risk. It's a s***ty thing to do. Bunny doesn't sound like that kind of person.Bunny: keep a log of the disturbances - times and descriptions. This will help support any future complaint. Ultimately, noise complaints have to be based on decibels being over a certain level, which requires measurement with meters and is quite hard to get the council to do.The person has been moved several times and doesn't seem to care about it, so you may be in for the long haul.

Michael Winstanley ● 2039d

I had something similar where I live which is also council ownedI’m really sorry to tell you but it’s a long drawn out processFirst, the police who did not attend are not doing what they are meant to do, they need to attend in order to build a caseYou need to report every time you hear noise both to emergency response and police, and get a reference number. ER will someone’s say you don’t need one but you doEverytime you report you then need to ring your estate manager with the reference numbersNeighbours tooThey don’t takes measures until they have a proper case Unfortunately they will need to house her somewhere and so they actually can’t do that much apart from move her on if you are lucky, she knows that which is why she carries onPoor kid x

Emma Blackwell ● 2039d

Bunny you might find the Environmental services are not doing their job properly since the virus. I told the police an alarm had being going on in a house in my road for nearly a week. Every time I went to the shops I heard it. I thought something might have happened to somebody in the house. The police asked if I could see any broken windows I said no, but I couldn't obviously see at the back of the house. I thought they were going to do something about it. The alarm continued so I rang them again, the most rudest girl imaginable on the police switchboard answered and told me to ring Environmental Services, so I rang them and was told, what do you want me to do get a court order to break in. I said somebody might be dead in there, the reply was well  they would be by now. Anyway I spoke to a neighbour who lived next door to the house and he said he had had a similar response. so he rang the gas board who had the ladies phone number and rang her. She was with a relation and came back to find out what it was as she didn't have an alarm.

Barbara Stevens ● 2039d

One of the problems with sound issues is not knowing when they are going to end.At least if you have good communication you may get some advanced notice and be able to plan accordingly.Good luck in finding a solution Bunny.

Ed Robinson ● 2039d

Bunny where is her child with all this noise going on. Another avenue perhaps to go down tell the Police your worried about her child.

Barbara Stevens ● 2039d

I would have thought that talking to the girl as you plan is a very good idea - good luck

Jane Carter ● 2039d