Noise near Tyrell Road

[cmck83]

One of my neighbours just off Tyrell road listens to music really loud most evenings. He tends to turn it off around 10, but it means me and my housemates cannot relax in the evening.

The thing is, he is on his own, and screams and shouts at no one in particular. He sounds quite scary, so we are not sure what to do. Should we ring the council or will this make things worse? I don't want a wierd neighbour being p1ssed off with us, as there is only girls living in the house.

It's like the episode of Father Ted, when Father Jack gets shipped off to "Jurassic Park" and Father Fintan Stack moves in. You known the bit where he is listening to Drum and Bass and then just randomly starts screaming and bellowing? That's what next door sounds like. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSlEgrM9UdU

What should we do? Have any of you ever had to ring the council about noisy neighbours? How did it turn out?

(PS. We rang the doorbell to ask him politely to turn it down, but funnily enough, he couldn't hear the bell and didn't come down.)

[Domitianus]

I had a similar experience many years ago that used to go on into the small hours of the morning with a neighbour two floors below me slamming doors, screaming at non-existent people and smashing pans on walls and work surfaces. It went on for months and drove everyone else in the block to distraction. She was seriously mentally ill and had discontinued her medication and was suffering herself.

Best thing to do perhps is speak to local mental health agency and see if this person is known to them. It may be that some sort of intervention is needed by them if this person is disturbed.

[cmck83]

I think he may be on something "funny" rather than ill, but that is still a worry as well. We put a note through his door earlier when he didn't answer the door. It was polite, but still worried that it might make him angry and worse...

"God Ted I've never met anyone like him anyway. Who would he be like? Hitler or one of those mad fellas?"

"Oh worse than Hitler. You wouldn't find Hitler playing jungle music at 3 o'clock in the morning."

[mazza7103]

cmck83 speak to southwark council noise abatement officers. they will already be aware of him i'm sure. probably someone who has a mental health issue.

if however you hear anything a bit more disturbing and are concern, let the local police know.

also, with the council i would call them everytime it happens to get anywhere. once you stop calling they think the problem has finished.

[Sue]

Yes you definitely need to call them every time, however much of a pain it is.

You also need to keep your own record of when you called and who you spoke to.

In my experience (admittedly some years back) they will only record your call if they manage to come out within their target time, and if they can't, or don't come out at all, your call will be quietly "lost".

[ayresc]

which part of tyrrell road, is it the flats opp Hindmans Road, if so I've noticed also, proper scrotes.

Like the Omid Djali sketch try to do it back to him?

[Sue]

Should have added, in my case, it took a very persistent campaign by four sets of neighbours (including me) to both the council noise people and the housing association the guy was a tenant of before anything was done, and in the case of the housing association everybody we spoke to or emailed kept passing the buck, but eventually we succeeded.

That was also a mental health issue and we were all also scared to approach him because in addition he appeared potentially violent.

Also, the one time (Christmas Eve, four in the morning) it all got too much for me and I went to complain in person, he couldn't hear the doorbell because of the noise.

[SteveT]

He might be partially deaf, hence the loudness and the inability to hear you when you ring the bell or knock the door.

[Sue]

The screaming and shouting may be a bit of a giveaway, though, no?

In our case as well as music you could hear from the end of the street, the guy also shouted, including many choice swear words, and kept his windows open all year round including in the bitter cold.

[SteveT]

Sounds as if he might be a care in the community character.

[ontheedge]

and what does that mean, mental illness does not equate to antisocial behaviour

[Sue]

No, if you're addressing that to me you misunderstand me, I meant that the problem was unlikely to be due to the person being deaf as that would just result in the music being loud, not in the swearing and shouting as well.

Edited to add: But in the case of my noisy neighbour, he was/is mentally ill - which doesn't mean to say that the person in Tyrell Road is,

[SteveT]

ontheedge wrote:- and what does that mean, mental illness does not equate to antisocial behaviour

If that is addressed to me it means greater care and leniency is essential in such a case.

[cmck83]

The letter seems to have worked, no noise since, and no odd screaming. Phew!

[shoshntosh]

where on tyrrell road?

[cmck83]

Just off it, on Ferris Road.

[cmck83]

Urgh, he is at it again in terms of noise. From what I can hear (I don't have a choice in the matter), he is angry because he wants another kid and she doesn't, and he is sensitive about his father. Jesus Christ, shut up, I have jet lag! *Puts pillow over own head and cries quietly*

[Sue]

Maybe he doesn't realise how far his voice is carrying?

Could you put a polite note through the door perhaps (not now!) You don't have to put your name on it.

[cmck83]

I might do that tomorrow. Although they are shouting their heads off, but maybe I can write the note in such a way that I am letting them know that their extremely personal business can be heard word for word next door.

[cmck83]

I knocked around and asked politely (through gritted teeth admittedly) if they could keep it down last night. They had been debating the bible for quite some time, and it had gotten to 10.15 with no sign of stopping. I'm a teacher, and I have to get up v early, so that's pretty much my bedtime!

Did it work?

No.

They got louder, mostly shouting about me, from what I could hear through the wall. I had to sleep in the spare room, and get my boyfriend over, as one in particular sounded so angry I thought he was going to kick my door in. I was bloody terrified.

*Sighs*

*Goes on Gumtree*

[legalbeagle]

If you're renting, and is isn't too much of a pain, then move. In my experience that will be quicker than waiting for them to behave!

[cmck83]

Yeah, I think I might move if it continues, but I paid an ?800 deposit, and I doubt I'd get anybody else to fork out that much. But I guess I might have to write off a couple of hundred quid to get some peace...

[legalbeagle]

I know - it's happened to me before and it is a total pain. I'm not meaning to sound flippant when I tell you to move, it's just that i can remember dreading coming home, yet another night of broken sleep and trouble, and in the end it just wasn't worth it. Life's too short. They aren't going to change, so rack it up to a character building experience and move on!

[SteveT]

Southwark have a noise team for this type of individual, and if that doesn't work what about contacting the 'local police type' guys whose correct title escapes me.

They will call round and speak to him, at least it will show that someone is on his case.

[cmck83]

They are in tonight, can hear them, but much much much quieter. Maybe despite the tantrum they have calmed down a bit? *crosses fingers, toes and eyes*