F-Prop Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 Hi all, Just wanted to pick your brains on this one. I've tried searching for a definitive answer but to no avail... Can anyone tell me if I legally need to get involved if a neighbour complains to me about noise from my tenant? Is this just a neighbour dispute and they should sort it out themselves? I've had a few in the past where the neighbours have complained to me that my tenants are playing loud music etc. Most just sort themselves out. The last one did raise a complaint with the council and I've spoken to a very nice lady at the council who is handling the case but she did seem surprised I was even taking an interest! Of course most neighbours demand that I throw the tenants out on the street there and then So where do I stand as landlord (and owner of the property) should I get involved or not and to what extent? Thanks, Trevor. P.S. I don't use a letting agent, I manage them myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 You should in the first instance politely inform the tenant that you have personally received complaints from neighbours about the excessive music noise and that they must turn the volume down otherwise the neighbour's complaints will lead to the noise Council officer getting involved and this more direct process may lead to the confiscation of their music machine. By doing this it may just make them think about what they are doing and if not let the Council do their job...... and they do these days as well. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prolandlord Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 I agree with Mel. You should first inform your tenants that their are complains regarding their doings in your house. This might help them realize that they are just too much. The explain to your neighbors that you are still informing your tenants about their concerns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richlist Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Can anyone tell me if I legally need to get involved if a neighbour complains to me about noise from my tenant? Is this just a neighbour dispute and they should sort it out themselves? Well, lets not beat around the bush here...................... The answers you have recieved so far are somewhat inaccurate. Its totally WRONG to advise anyone that they SHOULD get involved. There is NO legal requirement for you to get involved in neighbour disputes of any kind. Any involvement is purely optional, an approach needs to be handled with extreme caution and is best avoided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Having been in this situation a few years back of noise disturbance by loud music being played and a complaint by the next door neighbour to me about the loud music which I have to say, thinly constructed party walls didn't help either, it was amicably settled by a few polite words to my tenant without any resources to legal or council noise abatement officer proceedings. It wasn't a question of being involved or not it was a question of amicably settling a growing situation before the noise issue got out of hand by the neighbour who raised the complaint. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richlist Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Melboy, Thats all very well but, the question was not about you or your experiences, it was asked if the landlord is legally required to get involved. I'm sure many landlords have used their common sense and had a quiet word in a tenants ear about complaints and resolved misunderstandings amicably but there is still no legal requirement to do so. The danger that I have heard of many times is novice landlords getting involved, not knowing when to back away and just ending up digging a big hole into which they often fall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 No I agree never get involved legally with anything as you are just funding a Solicitor's retirement fund. Incidently and an aside from the OP posts I would normally ignore any solicitor type letter anyway as there are just too many solicitors around these days scratching a living from anything they can dig up and with the over supply of trainee and newly qualified solictors in the compensation business as well it is all getting a bit too much. I did once receive a letter from a solicitor about a trivial matter and I just ignored it and never heard another thing so it couldn't have been that important. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLAW96 Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 The reality is you are under no obligation to intervene, there are sufficient powers available to the local council to enforce in relation to the noise if need be. There are also remedies available to your neighbour. oh by the way Melboy solicitors need to retire too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-Prop Posted February 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Interesting answers, thanks guys! It sounds like I'm doing the right thing. I don't want to get myself too involved, but I do let my tenants know if I have got any complaints by letter and leave it at that. I don't get solicitors involved though! I have to say though, I think that the root cause of some of the complaints by my neighbours is not noise from my tenants, but jealousy that I own the property. Take the last complaint I received. My neighbour tells me in late November my tenant is very quiet no problems at all. Then 6 weeks later he asks if I'll sell my flat to him (for the umpteenth time!) I say no, and suddenly he's complaining I've got the tenant from hell making noise "every weekend". He stops paying me his maintenance charges and calls the police and the council making sure to give them my details as landlord! Council ask him to keep log and provide evidence and low-and-behold he withdraws the complaint... my conclusion, he's jealous I own the property and won't sell it to him (it would make a rather nice duplex apartment for him if I did though!) Trevor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 oh by the way Melboy solicitors need to retire too. They are probably dead by now LAW. But I do believe you are under no obligation to reply to a Solicitor's letter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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