Noisy neighbours – how to deal with the problem before it gets worse
If you’re reading this, you are likely having a bad time. No one wants to experience noisy neighbours but it is much more common than you might think.
You could also be a landlord with tenants who are experiencing problems with noisy neighbours. So, whether it's yourself who is having the trouble or you’re acting on behalf of someone else, what should you do to solve the trouble of noisy neighbours?
Before we look at your options I should first tell you to stay calm and don’t be rash! It can be very easy to see red and fly off the handle, especially if the problem has been going on for a long time but try to stay calm and think rationally about the best way to proceed. To help you with that I’ve outlined some tips to combating noisy neighbours below.
Talk with them
This is not something many people will want to do as it can understandably be very uncomfortable, and the British are famous for avoiding confrontation, however in the majority of cases simply talking to your neighbours will make a difference. Your neighbours might not realise that they are being too noisy and causing a disturbance and once you calmly explain it to them, they should be willing to make some changes to their behaviour.
Now, of course, there is always the possibility that your neighbours might not agree that they are being noisy and they might be confrontational. In cases like this, it is best to take a step back and remain calm and then contact your landlord if you rent.
Even if tempers are beginning to flare it is essential that you try to remain calm and if you really don’t want to talk to your neighbours alone or are worried about how they may react then you might want to try sending a letter or going to visit them with a friend or relative.
What should you do if talking doesn’t work?
Mediation
If talking it out doesn’t solve the problem and the situation is only getting worse, there are numerous ways you or your landlord can proceed with the situation. One of the most common ways will be with mediation.
An experienced mediator at a neutral location will carry out professional mediation. The mediator will work with both you and your neighbours and will help you both come to a solution that will appease both parties. Mediation doesn’t involve the law and is usually a free service but it does have a high degree of success.
However, mediation is voluntary so if your neighbour won’t attend then it’s not going to succeed. There is also the possibility that mediation won’t work or that problems could still continue after the session is over.
Contacting the police
This is a last resort measure and not something I would always advise. However, if you have tried other options without success then you should contact the police for further advice. Remember don’t call the emergency number, look for a local number instead as noisy neighbours aren’t classed as an emergency no matter how annoying it might be to you.
In the majority of circumstances calling the police won’t be necessary although in extreme cases usually where the problem has gone beyond just noise, and your neighbour is aggressive, it might be the best option. Thankfully once the police have become involved, issues will usually be dealt with.
Noisy neighbours are a pain but in the majority of circumstances, the problem will be easy to solve as long as both sides are open to talking to each other. Many noisy neighbours don’t even realise they are causing distribution and once it’s been pointed out they will usually make some changes to ensure it doesn’t happen again.