Nuisance neighbours: what you can do to address the issue

A family has moved in to the house next door and is being a nuisance, yelling late at night over a loud television and leaving bin bags strewn over the front of the house. I don't want to antagonise them in case they become threatening. What can I do?
Photo by Pixabay.Photo by Pixabay.
Photo by Pixabay.

It’s best to try to resolve problems by speaking with your neighbour. Only do this if it is safe to do so. Explain the effect their behaviour is having and ask them to stop. If the problem continues, keep a record of incidents, which will come in handy if you decide to take the matter further.

A mediator may help you and your neighbour find a solution. If you’re a council or housing association tenant, they may have their own mediator you can use. If not, you’ll need to find one yourself and pay a fee.

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Ask your neighbour’s landlord to speak to them on your behalf. If your neighbour lives in social housing, their landlord should have a policy for dealing with antisocial behaviour.

If the landlord can’t help, or you don’t know who it is, your council might be able to. Visit its website for information on the types of complaint it deals with.

If you’ve tried everything but the problem persists, ask for a Community Trigger. The council might work with the police and others to create an action plan. As a last resort, you can go to an ombudsman if you’re unhappy with how your council or social landlord has handled it.

If your neighbour becomes threatening or violent, you should tell the police and if you need further help or advice on this give Citizens Advice a call or go and see one of their experts.

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Citizens Advice Derbyshire Districts offers free, confidential and independent advice on any subject. You can call in to the office or contact the staff by phone.

The office is at Town Hall, Bank Road, Matlock, and is open from Monday to Thursday, from 10am to 4pm and Fridays from 10am to 2pm. Phone for advice on 0300 4568390 weekdays from 9am to 4pm.