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How to deal with neighbours from hell

Jessica Bown
Jul 23rd 2010 at 12:00PM

Filed under: House and Home, Families

So you've found your dream home, unpacked your belongings and are just about to celebrate with a glass of something cold – and then the pounding rock music starts...

Wherever you live, and however perfect your house or flat, nightmare neighbours can spoil it all. The best thing is therefore to check out your neighbours before moving, but that is not always possible and they might arrive after you so we've come up with some top tips on how to cope.



The first step when dealing with neighbourhood problems such as noise pollution is to approach the neighbour causing the issue for a friendly chat.

It is crucial to try your best to keep things light at this stage, as there is no point making enemies for no reason and making friends with your neighbours can only generally be a good thing.

You may find that there is a situation you are unaware of, or that the people causing the problem are unaware their actions are causing you any distress.

And if this is the case, then going in all guns blazing could easily cause more problems than it solves.

However, while talking can help to avoid any misunderstandings and may well lead to a better relationship, it does not always work.

If you have tried to get your point across calmly and politely to no avail, then you may have no choice but to take further action.

And one of the best things to do in this situation is to start keeping a detailed diary of all the incidents, including times and dates.

It may seem petty, but a record of this kind could prove vital evidence should matters get worse and end up in the courts, for example.

It will also be of help should a situation escalate and result in the police being called.

However, the good news is that, in the huge majority of cases, there is no reason for it to go that far - if you take the necessary steps.

A good first port of call is your local Neighbour Conciliation and Mediation service, which you can find online, in the phonebook or by calling you Local Authority Housing department.

If you rent from a Local Authority then you can also contact the Environmental Health department of your Local Council. They should then look into matters on your behalf.

And if you rent from a private landlord, then you should also contact him or her about the problem, while if the neighbours causing the problem rent from a private landlord then it is worth finding out who it is as their contract may stipulate no excessive and un-reasonable noise between the hours of 11pm to 7am, for example..

For homeowners, meanwhile, it is a good idea to check your home insurance policy to see if it includes access to a legal helpline or legal cover that can be used to resolve disputes with your neighbours.

Another potential source of support is your local Councillor or MP.

And if all else fails you can always approach a solicitor, although it is best to treat this very much as a last resort as it can turn out to be an extremely expensive exercise.

You may even find it cheaper and less stressful to simply move to a new street.

So before embarking on a long legal battle, why not check out Zoopla to see what properties are available in your area.

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