An UpMyStreet survey found that noise was the number one gripe people had with their neighbours. 15% of you complained about late night noise, while 13% complained of loud music. Having a problem with a neighbour can be awkward so it is important to ensure that the right steps are taken when trying to tackle a problem.
1. Talk to your neighbour
Although you may feel awkward about approaching the party concerned, it is important to discuss the issue with them first. You may find that they are unaware of their actions and will now be more understanding. If this does not work, talk to other neighbours and see if they have the same problem. This may help convince the culprit that they need to be more considerate to people living nearby.
2. Contact Citizens Advice Bureau
You may want to contact CAB to get some advice on how to deal with your problem. They may be able to give you advice on how to approach the issue with your neighbour and come to a agreeable solution.
3. Arrange a mediation
Contact your local council to find out if there is a mediation scheme in your area. An independent third party will listen to both sides of the issue and help you reach an agreement. This has to be a voluntary process and so your neighbour would have to agree to meet on the issue.
4. Make a formal complaint
If informal contact does not help you resolve the problem you may want to make a formal complaint. The action you should take will depend on whether the neighbour is a homeowner, tenant or in council housing.
- Homeowner: Unfortunately, the council can do very little if the complaint is against someone who owns the property. You may want to contact the police to deal with the dispute.
- Tenant: Contact the landlord with your complaint.
- Council housing: Contact your local council
5. Contacting the council
It is a good idea to present the council with a diary of events as evidence. The council will then decide whether the complaint is justified and act upon it accordingly. If you do not believe the council has treated your complaint seriously, you can take it further by discussing the issue with your councillor.
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Love thy neighbour survey facts
- People in Yorkshire & Humberside are either very considerate, or don’t like confrontation, being the least likely to have a dispute with a neighbour, or call the police regarding noise
- You don’t mess around in Scotland – 12% of those who answered the survey admitted to calling the police regarding noise, with the North East next but a good deal behind at 8% and London at 7.5%
- It seems we all feel the same way about nightmare neighbours – between 69 and 72% of people, regardless where they lived, said they would sell their home in this situation
- It doesn’t matter where you live when it comes to having neighbours from hell – an even spread of approximately 12% said their neighbours made their lives hell
- 12% of Scots have called the police about a neighbour, as opposed to 5% of Londoners
UpMyStreet survey results
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