Letter: The misery of anti-social neighbours
Wednesday 29th September 2010, 6:00AM BST.
Letter: With all the news about anti-social behaviour and the police making all the headlines, I felt compelled to write and suggest all the furore about the police not caring and failing to deal with the problem is in fact correct.
As a victim of this behaviour from our wonderful neighbour who regularly plays loud, thumping music and holds all-night parties until all hours of the night and day, I would have to agree and say that police do not care and don’t want to deal with the problems these louts cause.
I have had police sit in my living room at 3am and listen to the racket only to be told it is a council/environmental health issue and they left without even speaking to my neighbour.
Even after contacting the relevant departments all we got was unhelpful comments and a direct attempt to fob us off.
Clearly this type of behaviour is against the terms of the tenancy agreement and should be dealt with by way of two strikes and your out policy and the property given to somebody more deserving.
Name and address supplied
Most Commented
- Clampdown on Shrewsbury chuggers
- Bishop's gay marriage views do nothing to support bible teachings
- Planners ordered to stay on Newport visit bus
- Letter: Angered by close encounter of the furred kind
- Letter: Alcohol price plans annoy me
- Shrewsbury’s broadband speed one of slowest in UK
- Letter: No sense in overseas job adverts
Shropshire Star on Twitter
Keep updated with the latest breaking news and content on our Twitter feed.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Shropshire Star and Express & Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
Entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases.
OUR NEW APP
Get the new Shropshire Star app
Download the Shropshire Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
shropshirestar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
You should contact their landlord as a matter of urgency. Also keep a diary of the noise nuisance with dates and times. Recordings are good as well. You need evidence before action can be taken, but things can and will be done if they rent through a housing association. Private landlords are a different matter though!
Report abuse
Hear Hear!
there are a whole range of public order offences that could be used, (by police, council and housing associations), thanks to our last “make a law for every concievable possibility” governemnt.
My advice? Say you are a minority and report agrravated nuisance and you shall find how many police are really in the town when they turn up mob handed for a hate crime.
Report abuse
What public order offences are these Andy??
Report abuse
i think just about all of the Criminal Justice and Public Order act of 1994 is applicable at some point to anti social behaviour… especially when loud music is the key driver of the complaint.
It does give power to a commanding police officer, (inspector level I think), to sieze the equipment causing the nuisance for the sake of the public peace.
Was a long time ago they brought it in, but given the last government’s record on legislating they would only have tightened their grip…
Report abuse
I believe that this act applies to raves on open land and not powers to enter a property and remove said equipment.
Report abuse
Good advise in part from the first reply, however the removal of the tenant is no more easier if they are HA tenant than it is for a private tenant both have to adhere to the law both have to have the relevant proof in order to get an eviction and then it is a very very long process, however even with proof granted the private land lord need not evict how ever it would be rare for them not to as if they the tenant are this anti social the care of the building would also be in question.
Report abuse
You’re right, it’s no easier if you are a HA tenant. I’ve been both HA and private when I have been subjected to such behaviour and could get no assistance from anyone. It got to the point whereby I had to sleep in my car at a nearby garage on worknights due to the all night parties. And you are expected to put up with the torment for 6-9 months gathering evidence. 3 months were enough to drive me insane. I’d sit there in tears some nights just wanting some sleep and peace. Weekends were worst, it would start friday night and go right through to monday morning non stop.
Report abuse
The only real answer is to move, which is a lot easier as a tenant than it is if you are an owner/mortgage payer.
Report abuse
I felt compelled to reply to this letter due to the misinformed view of the writer. They start by clearly criticising the police for lack of action and then contradict themselves by stating it is a breach of their neighbours tenancy agreement.
Are the police supposed to monitor and enforce tenancy agreemenst now? I suggest that the writer should speak with their landlord/housing association and get them to deal, as it is their responsibility. If they ‘fob them off’ then perhaps making an official complaint would get a response.
The police will investigate criminal offences and I have every faith in their ability, but I find it farsical to blame them for not taking action when they do not have the power to do so!
Report abuse
We had horrible neighbours from hell. They were owner occupiers, so there were no landlords to help. We had to leave that area.
Report abuse
Having also experienced this, during university. I can sympathize with anyone.
The sleepless nights, the tears where you just wanted them to act human and let you get some sleep.
The only way to deal with them is beat them at their own game. Speakers/guitar amp/anything loud against the wall during the day (when they are usually asleep) and go out for a few hours.
They need to be rounded up and put into a complex together where they can just be anti social neighbours to each other.
Report abuse
This is how it should be done.
No1 Ring the Police about the noise.
No2 Police come and tell them to stop.
No3 Police say If it starts again ring them.
No4 Soon as police go It starts up again.
No5 Ring Police.
No6 Police come, break down door and arrest the occupiers of the house and throw the rest of them out on the road.
Problem solved.
Report abuse
Yes that happens in LA LA LAND.
Report abuse
I’m always intrigued when folk attack the police as if they were some alien beings. The police live in the same community as the rest of us. They do what they can do. My experience of police comes from a number of perspectives, most of which cause me to leap to their defence. To attack with no risk of retaliation is cheap and cowardly.
Report abuse
Who has attacked the police?? simon, I am sure the police chief inspector will take issue with anything and anyone he who makes offensive remarks etc but I am sure he knows the difference between criticism and offensive, and does I am sure not need you to jump to their defence and I am sure the police officer is capable of rising above it.
The word cowardly is a word being misused in this instant simon especially from an individual who fails to give his name don’t you think .
Report abuse
I do play loud music where I live………… However, I had a “new” neighbour come and complain and he actually accused me of being on job seakers!!! However I shoved my work badge in his face and said read that. Turns out he was a student!!! Even then I left my music on as it was 3pm and not 3am. Im hardly in anyway and it is only for about an hour when I do. So I do understand if its at a stupid time of the morning/evening and I do agree it should be dealt with! Why do we pay our taxes?????
Report abuse
You actually sound like the ignorant neighbour. Why do you need to play your music so loudly that other people can hear?.
If I had a concern about your music and you ‘shoved’ anything in my face I’d take you to A&E to get the speaker removed.
Report abuse
Well thats your opinion. Im so ignorant I decorated the halls of the small block of flats I live in, and dont ask for a penny from any neighbours?? Or maintain the back garden for them to dry the clothes on and use in the summer?? I do lots for my neighbours and never get nothing back. I have spend hundreds of pound which I dont mind spending to help keep the cost of my flat up. All I do is play an hours music about 12 before going to work and im hardly ever in anyway!
Report abuse
You showed him….showed him good. Nobody with a job deserves to be accused of being on jobseekers. Students are no better than them Jobseeker scum anyway and theres you, with a job and all. You’re better than them, all of them, and you deserve to be able to play your music loud if you want to. Yeah! What’s the point of earning money if I can’t shove it in someone else’s face ? Sure some poxy hand-wringers will tell you that it’s rude to play music loudly – but the whole of civilisation, evolution even, has led to the pinnacle that is you, you with a work badge to prove it and them who haven’t got a job or are just jobseekers in waiting at Uni, they’re not your equal, they’re hardly even the same species – what do they deserve basic manners for ? It’s not like people show plankton manners is it? What have these people ever done for you – nothing but swallow up your taxes ? And then they have the gall to complain when all you ask for a little payback and be allowed to cause a little fun neighbourhood disturbance. Pathetic.
/sarcasm
Report abuse
Ah I see what your saying. The problem is not the loud music as I do play it while I am getting ready for work. The issue is that someone knocked at my door accusing me of being a “bum” etc. when I was actually wearing my suit! I dont have issue’s with student’s etc. It was the fact that I have been there for 6 years. The neighbour above and around do not mind and I have checked. My Neighbour above being a student was fine with it. Also never had a complaint over the last 6 years. I have decorated the halls and staircase’s etc and not asked for one penny off anyone! If I play my music loud for a hour while getting ready for work occasionally then its through the day at about 12. As for manners “NISTAGMUS” then I may have listened if he had been polite in first place. Working in the public sector I have realized how to complain and you get nothing out of being rude
Report abuse
I suspect that some people who have stuck up for the police here actually have no experience of having to call the police when neighbours are disturbing the peace.
I have such experience and the situation is exactly as the writer of the letter stated. The police now state that the matter must be handled by the local Environmental Health Officer. When you get in touch with the EHO he/she tells you that firstly you must start keeping records. They are as frightened of going to the perpetrator’s door as you are! The EHO does everything to fob you off, even telling me that even if they install special equipment in your home to record the level of sound and that then leads to them having the power to go into the perpetrator’s house to seize their equipment, the perpetrator can then easily then simply go and buy a new stereo system! Back to Square One.
The best thing that happened in our street was that one person managed to rouse everyone else up and we all went round to the perpetrator’s door at 3am, banged on it until he came to the door, and then when he saw 15 angry people standing there in their dressing gowns he got the message. I think he got frightened that the next thing would be a lynching!
Report abuse
i wouldn’t call it fobbing off but laying down the facts as they stand and not giving you false hope that they can sort your problem out.
Report abuse
Well I can see your problem straight off.
the police will not enforce this. contact the local authority Environment Health Officer. they can help collect evidence, but they do have to witness it themselves. they can also get powers to seize equipment if it does not abate.
Report abuse
You say that the police did nothing is this in fact not right. Did they not advise you what to do? Have you done this? I think if you have spent this time writing this letter you could have contacted the environmental Dept. Problem Solved.
Report abuse
If this “nuisance” amounts to noise alone without being accompanied by any other issues amounting to a criminal offence – which, on the facts outlined in the letter is the case, then the sole responsibility for dealing with this matter is, as already explained, that of the Local Authority. The Police will only become involved when the nuisance progresses to the commission of criminal offences.
The letter writer has already been told to “log” the occasions when troublesome noise is heard. That should go without saying.
There, allegedly has been no acceptable response from the Local Authority, NOW, send by Recorded Delivery a “copy” of the log of events to the Local Authority outlining the complaint and dissatisfaction with their previous response, notify the LA that unless all reasonable steps are taken to deal with the complaint by them, a formal complaint will be made to the Local Government Ombudsman. If the Local Authority fail to respond satisfactorily to that, send copies of all correspondence etc to the LA Ombudsman. There is a formalised way to do this and he will not deal with any complaint until the Local Authority has been given the opportunity of dealing with the complaint first.
I am very critical of Police on occasions, in this case however, on the facts as given, they have acted entirely properly.
Report abuse
Well said Nistagmus.
If you get people like this next-door you need to keep at it. If they are renting definitely try the landlord. If they look dodgy phone anyone you can think of to tell them about your suspicions about child neglect, drugs, pet mistreatment, benefit fraud, tax evasion. Try get a constant stream of people to their door, if they are scum they will probably be guilty of something.
The problem with contacting environmental health is that it’s documented and if you later sell your house the details may have to go on a property information sheet. That’s not too bad if the scum have moved but if they are still there….
Report abuse