Unique Noisy Neighbour Thread

Johnny Derpp

We just moved into a great new (rented)house two months ago but after moving in we realised that the walls are paper thin and the neighbours are as noisey as hell.
When it's not their four a.m. screaming matches they are having parties every weekend that in some instances go on all night.

I have approached them to try and be reasonable and adult but when they promise to turn the noise down, it naturally escalates and at the end of the day they don't care.

I have read almost all the noise threads on here and the thing that makes my problem unique is that we don't have a management company to complain to, and it turns out the neighbours are the owners of their house while we, are not the owners of ours.

Does anybody know what the best course of action here is?
Should I just go straight to the district court?

Ciarrai76

are they renting? You will need to get onto their landlord if they are and complain. You won't be able to go straight to getting a court order without keeping note of times, dates etc of the noise and any correspondence you have with complaints between either them or the landlord.
I have a problem with our neighbour for over 3 years now, and its at the point where the landlord doesn't seem to have any interest in getting her out of the property. She makes noise every single night, is obsessed with slamming doors & we are constantly woken up by her. We own (mortgage) our house, but its got to the point that I want to move out as I can't take much more.
I am at the stage now of reporting to the PRTB as I can't put up with it anymore. I have plenty of emails to the landlord and a letter sent to her. I just hope its enough!

TheDriver

wouldn't calling the gardai help? I had partying every Sat night and called the cops at 4am each time and in fairness they called and stopped the noise and the owner stopped having parties. If she didn't, at least there was a record of calls about the house to take it further.

Barracuda1

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/environment/environmental_protection/noise_regulations.html#la82be

I think there is a market for dB meters to be installed in houses and similar to house alarm when a specified target of noise is met it goes off. There is alot of work needed to be done by local authorities in this area. The day of neighbors is long gone in some areas so unfortunately the local authorities and law enforcement has to step in.

Victor

TheDriver wrote: »

wouldn't calling the gardai help? I had partying every Sat night and called the cops at 4am each time and in fairness they called and stopped the noise and the owner stopped having parties. If she didn't, at least there was a record of calls about the house to take it further.

The Garda will not normally intervene if the problem is only noise within a premise - they may be more proactive if it spills into public areas or if there is other behaviours.

Ciarrai76

unfortunately I think the biggest problem is how badly houses have been built in the last 15 years or so. They all went up so quick, that many areas were overlooked and things like sound insulation weren't done properly. Its pretty gross to be able to hear someone peeing in their toilet! I regret buying this house so much, but what's worse is I feel like the renter next door is getting more rights than I have. The landlord is so relaxed about her making so much noise.
I am seriously going to look into getting a court order, don't know how much it costs, so it will really depend on that. I don't know anyone who has gone down that route, so no idea what it involves or how successful we will be.

senordingdong

If you are not the owner of the property, I'm not sure you can bring the case to the DC. I could be wrong but I'm nearly certain that it has to be the home owner.

Have you spoken to your landlord about any of htis?

Johnny Derpp

Yeah we spoke to the landlord but suffice to say he does not particularly care.

I thought the district court was the last resort but that's not even an option.

I guess we'll start looking for a new place.
God, I never thought I would miss the overbearing management company of our last place.

Barracuda1

Johnny Derpp wrote: »

We just moved into a great new (rented)house two months ago but after moving in we realised that the walls are paper thin and the neighbours are as noisey as hell.
When it's not their four a.m. screaming matches they are having parties every weekend that in some instances go on all night.

I have approached them to try and be reasonable and adult but when they promise to turn the noise down, it naturally escalates and at the end of the day they don't care.

I have read almost all the noise threads on here and the thing that makes my problem unique is that we don't have a management company to complain to, and it turns out the neighbours are the owners of their house while we, are not the owners of ours.

Does anybody know what the best course of action here is?
Should I just go straight to the district court?

I would you are paying rent on a property and you are putting up with issues beyond your control.

ethical

Is there a residents association? We find that our residents association assists owner and tenant.Usually the landlord dosent live in the estate and some of them do not care! This is how we sorted out the problem we rang the landlord anytime we had problems whither it be 4.oo in the afternoon or 4.00 am in the morning.....he soon got fed up of this and the tenants were moved on.Owner occupier must also obey and respect others living in their area.The gardaí will intervene if ,as an earlier poster said the noise spills onto the streets or is heard around the local area.Do not put up with it for any longer. NOTE EVERYTHING DOWN.Good luck!

Procrastastudy

senordingdong wrote: »

If you are not the owner of the property, I'm not sure you can bring the case to the DC. I could be wrong but I'm nearly certain that it has to be the home owner.

Have you spoken to your landlord about any of htis?

This is indeed the position in England and was the position in Ireland. However to bring a nuisance action now one only needs be in occupation. OP go forth and sue.

Barracuda1

I purchases a noise meter from Maplins for 65 eur and along with the camcorder I recorded the issues I had with noise. Have a look at maplins or http://www.noisemeters.ie/.

Ciarrai76

Johnny Derpp wrote: »

Yeah we spoke to the landlord but suffice to say he does not particularly care.

I thought the district court was the last resort but that's not even an option.

I guess we'll start looking for a new place.
God, I never thought I would miss the overbearing management company of our last place.

we own our house, so we don't have the option of moving unfortunately (that little thing of negative equity!). We have complained to the landlord next door countless times now. He's now not answering my emails, so we are seriously considering the district court option. I would like to find out others experiences of this route & how it went for them.

Procrastastudy

Ciarrai76 wrote: »

we own our house, so we don't have the option of moving unfortunately (that little thing of negative equity!). We have complained to the landlord next door countless times now. He's now not answering my emails, so we are seriously considering the district court option. I would like to find out others experiences of this route & how it went for them.

You're the other way around to the OP so a bit of a hijack in all honesty. However, if the people causing the issue are renting your first port of call should be the PRTB.

Ciarrai76

Procrastastudy wrote: »

You're the other way around to the OP so a bit of a hijack in all honesty. However, if the people causing the issue are renting your first port of call should be the PRTB.

not hijacking, just getting involved in the conversation!

Procrastastudy

Ciarrai76 wrote: »

not hijacking, just getting involved in the conversation!

Well it's not really my place to say. The thing is the OP can't make use of the PRTB you can. I would suggest doing that before you go to the DC.

senordingdong

Ciarrai76 wrote: »

we own our house, so we don't have the option of moving unfortunately (that little thing of negative equity!). We have complained to the landlord next door countless times now. He's now not answering my emails, so we are seriously considering the district court option. I would like to find out others experiences of this route & how it went for them.

I know somebody that was pursued through the district court, and I couldn't comment on costs but it took a few months to resolve.

Ciarrai76

Procrastastudy wrote: »

Well it's not really my place to say. The thing is the OP can't make use of the PRTB you can. I would suggest doing that before you go to the DC.

I think the OP can go through the PRTB, they can report as a third party can't they? I don't think it matters if they are an owner or just renting.

Procrastastudy

Ciarrai76 wrote: »

I think the OP can go through the PRTB, they can report as a third party can't they? I don't think it matters if they are an owner or just renting.

I don't think so, however I'm happy to be corrected. They would be reporting their own LL and for an issue outwith his control. (Owner occupiers next door)

Johnny Derpp

Ciarrai76 wrote: »

not hijacking, just getting involved in the conversation!

Ah I don't mind, the more the merrier!

AFAIK I can't use the PRTB because the noisey people are the owners of their house.

But.....

Procrasastudy wrote:

This is indeed the position in England and was the position in Ireland. However to bring a nuisance action now one only needs be in occupation. OP go forth and sue.

...this does look interesting.
Not happy that I'll have to go through this route, but happy to have a route so now I shall go forth tomorrow and buy my noise meter, and a logbook.

Barracuda1

http://blogs.myhome.ie/2013/02/22/new-plans-to-be-introduced-to-crack-down-on-troublesome-neighbours/

Johnny Derpp

TBH, that seems like little more tan political parroting.

I mean, who the hell will police these things in an area where there is no management company?

Also, it doesn't offer any provision for what to do in a situation like mine, where the offending house is owner occupied.

reeta

Hi OP, up to last summer I was on here weekly asking for advice on severe anti social neighbours living near us. I live in what would be described as a part of affluent part of dublin but the scenes of fighting etc is like something you would see on "neighbours from hell".Believe me to long to go into detail. To our extreme relief (I cant describe it) the main culprit moved out last august. Myself and my neighbours enjoyed the most peaceful 4 - 5 months we have ever known in the 25+ years we are living here. This family have affected the whole estate ! Well he is back and as a result we are now going down the district court route. The guards have been great, they want to get him also ! We have all made hours of statements over the last couple of weeks and the family will be brought to the garda station next week to give their side of things and inform them we are bringing them to court!! We started logging incidents etc over 3 years ago and were in regular contact with the local guards who are supporting us great. Anyway is there anyone out there who went down this route so we know what to expect. We know everything will go to the DPP in April with a decision whether there is a case around july, anda potential court case could take two years. Any help/advice would be great.

Mousewar

If you're renting and living beside noisey a-holes who own their house, just move - it's not worth the hassle. I don't know a lot about renting but surely you'd have entitlement to break your lease early if your living environment is inhospitable.

For those who own and are living beside noisy renters, you have my sympathy. Hard to move in this climate and impossible for those in negative equity. I'd recommend never letting it lie. Hound the landlord/letting agent. Anyway, I've been there and done that. Hounding eventually worked.

AfterHrsProp

AFAIK the PRTB has little to no legal powers so going to be them would be a pointless exercise imo.

You would need to purchase a noise meter & measure the level of noise with a member of the council or a garda present to see if you actually have a case or not.

After this you would have to go down the legal route, incurring the costs of a solicitor & waiting for your case to be heard in the district courts. This could be a costly & lengthy process.

The best route to take (in relation to renters) as some have suggested already would be to go after the landlord. He/she would have a range of measures open to him to remove tenants from the property should they be troublesome.

If the problem is the owner of the property you are best moving elsewhere

Johnny Derpp

AfterHrsProp wrote: »

If the problem is the owner of the property you are best moving elsewhere

Thanks for that.
I think you're right, I guess we'll just move.