Grumpy neighbours? I don't think so...

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

This news item has just been released.

 

Do you think that it's just grumpy neighbours who complain?

 

My view is that barking dogs, loud music, antisocial behaviour like motor bikes and revving cars are just not on.

I also think that the available mechanisms to deal with problem neighbours are totally insufficient....

 

Feel free to agree or disagree....

 

Noisy neighbours: More Adelaide households complaining

 

• ANDREW HOUGH
  
• THE ADVERTISER
  
• JUNE 08, 2015 7:52PM
  

 

 

 

More Adelaide people are complaining over their noisy neighbours.

 

 

• Police charge SA couple over noisy sex
  
• Burnside swimming pool filter so loud it’s keeping residents inside
  
• UK woman jailed for breaching order over loud sex noises
  

MORE grumpy residents are complaining about their noisy neighbour’s barking dogs, loud parties and backyard fountains.

Government data obtained by The Advertiser shows the number of people seeking legal advice over noise disputes has risen by more than a fifth in a year.The Legal Services Commission has received inquiries about barking dogs, power tools, music, backyard businesses involving loud machinery, air conditioners and garden features.Higher-density housing is being blamed for the rising problem. Experts say most complaints are settled through a neighbourly chat, because seeking legal advice is seen as a drastic measure.

 

TELL US: Do you have noisy neighbours? How do you handle it? Let us know in the comments

 

Commission access services manager Chris Boundy said neighbourhood noise was a growing legal issue “as more homeowners build ever closer to their property boundaries”.“Our legal advisers are receiving more and more calls on this subject. No home is totally soundproof (so) everyone can expect some noise from neighbours,” he said.In the 12 months to June 1, the LSC received 99 calls “seeking assistance with a neighbourhood noise problem”, a 21 per cent increase on the 82 inquiries the previous year.At least half the complaints came from southern areas, including the inner and outer suburbs, while calls from Adelaide Hills residents rose 233 per cent to 10.Those living in Adelaide’s east made 22 complaints, up from 14 the previous year, while there were 12 calls from households in the western suburbs compared to seven the previous year.Data on specific noise sources was unavailable, as were figures from other years.Under state laws, residential noise may be considered an “environmental nuisance” if it “unreasonably interferes with the enjoyment of the area”.Police have the power to issue an emergency order for 72 hours to shut down loud parties and officers can also confiscate a noise source, such as a stereo.Under the terms of South Australian residential tenancy agreements, tenants must not interfere with their suburbs “reasonable peace and comfort” and a breach can result in a tribunal terminating their lease.Noisy machines, such as lawnmowers and power tools, may not be used before 8am and after 8pm on weekdays and Saturdays and before 9am on Sundays and public holidays, while domestic air conditioners that measure more than 45 Db — the same as a human voice — can be on between 7am and 10pm.The commission has warned neighbour disputes is prevalent on long weekends from late night parties, power tool use and dogs being left alone in backyards while owners go away.Experts say noise complaints regarding parties, loud music and revving cars should be reported to police while barking dogs and other animals should be reported to councils.Mr Boundy urged neighbours to discuss concerns but, if this failed meditation, was possible before seeking legal advice, as court action was “last resort”.

[Adaobijoy]

hmmh..!!!! I doubt if there exists any objective and practical method of dealing with grumpy or annoying neighbors, I guess if you are renting break lease early or suck it up until the end of lease and move elsewhere.

If you are lucky not to have purchased a house near these " lovely persons" try and do as much research as possible, maybe try knocking on doors or asking around prior to buying.If you can afford it try and purchase a house with some distance to the boundary.

GOOD LUCK!!!!

[Toni]

I think noisy neighbours are not on and if laws exist to not allow it then we should use our voice to express it - to the authorities. I own my home and I ain't moving. Our neighbours are pretty good, there is the occasional late, noisy party but we don't mind if it is an occasional one. We do have some noisy dogs in the area too but we don't like to complain about that because pets are so much of our families that I would hate to cause people grief over that.

 

I heard of someone complaining about a noisy airconditioner (heating) which was new and I think that there should be some "standard" (if there isn't one already) that manufacturers have to abide by some standard as that wouldn't be fair to unsuspecting purchasers.

[chrisda]

We had total scumbags move in across the road and they made our life hell for a whole year. Sometimes you just have to sit it out and wait for them to move or be arrested! Not a lot you can do with barking dogs. I dont think that everyone knows just how annoying the dogs are during the day when they are away at work. First contact would be the agents with noisy neighbours. I had an issue with the kid next door who cranked up the music when his parents went out. A "friendly" chat solved that problem but bogan renters are another issue entirely.

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

Does anyone think that the older that you get the more intolerant you get??? Don't you think that noise affects different people and different age groups in different ways?

I remember when I was younger...probably annoyed the neighbours a bit ourselves!

[snifter]

It can be really difficult.

 

We stayed with my MIL when we first arrived and her neighbours were renting the house. Nice guys, really friendly, helpful but loud was an understatement. Real thrash metal music blasting out in the afternoons/evenings, public holiday weekends were noisy, loads of guys coming and going, endless slabs of beer accompanying them. Of course, not helped as they didn't have much of a backyard and so would hang out along the side where the car port ran as they had a home gym set up there. I was very happy to move out as being woken at 5am with the bench pressing a heap of weights was annoying as anything (we were in the rumpus room so out back and heard everything).

 

Saying that, the noise of the big planes taking off from the airport at 5am was also a minor bug bear. We were not close to the runway or anything but given the flight path and the noise the big birds make when taking off, at that quiet point of the day, sound carries. OK it wouldn't wake me if I was deep asleep but if I was in a light sleep it could.

 

Where we are now is peaceful. No noise from a main road or through traffic as we are not close to anything like that. We are lucky as we are in a quiet area. Everyone around us has recently bought, well, in the past few years and all are families with young kids. Sure those kids as they grow will make a bit of noise but all the people are lovely and friendly and some have become good friends. The only gripe I have is an older couple bought a house that has street frontage with a footpath going past and their dogs live outside and are of course out there all day while they work. They can and do bark quite a bit at people and dogs walking past. Thankfully for us we are far enough away we don't really notice it too much but I feel for the direct neighbours as they must here it all the time being so close. I try to tiptoe past with our dog but they always seem to know. Thankfully ours is not a barker nor is he left living outside or left out when we are out.

[victoriasquare]

I used to have neighbours in SA who kept quails, and for some time they drove me crazy at night with their noise. I couldn't sleep, and thought of all sorts of things I could do to them, but in the end I mentioned it to the neighbour. I had been loathe to do this because of previous problems with the family, but I was surprised when the mother told me the birds were annoying her as well at night! The birds disappeared not long after this.

 

And with another neighbour who rented the house opposite, lots of metallic banging started, and it looked as if they were renovating an old car. It disappeared after a while, but I was shocked when a flat bed truck arrived with two more old cars, and the banging continued until about two in the morning with floodlights set up. Lots of metallic "things" also began to line the drive. I phoned the council who sent an inspector, and I was later told that an illegal breaking business had been set up, and the people had been told to stop it immediately and move their activities to a commercial area. However they moved out completely, so hopefully no one else suffered the same.

 

Without wishing to upset anyone, I've found that renters have the least respect for their neighbours.

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

I used to have neighbours in SA who kept quails, and for some time they drove me crazy at night with their noise. I couldn't sleep, and thought of all sorts of things I could do to them, but in the end I mentioned it to the neighbour. I had been loathe to do this because of previous problems with the family, but I was surprised when the mother told me the birds were annoying her as well at night! The birds disappeared not long after this.

 

And with another neighbour who rented the house opposite, lots of metallic banging started, and it looked as if they were renovating an old car. It disappeared after a while, but I was shocked when a flat bed truck arrived with two more old cars, and the banging continued until about two in the morning with floodlights set up. Lots of metallic "things" also began to line the drive. I phoned the council who sent an inspector, and I was later told that an illegal breaking business had been set up, and the people had been told to stop it immediately and move their activities to a commercial area. However they moved out completely, so hopefully no one else suffered the same.

 

Without wishing to upset anyone, I've found that renters have the least respect for their neighbours.

 

Without wishing to upset anyone I do agree! When we moved here our neighbours where all elderly people who had lived in the road for above 30 years. Wonderful considerate friendly...and quiet people. Once they were replaced with renters there has been issues with music and noise (recently solved when they moved!). I got hold oft he owner and complained and he sorted it out.

The other side of the coin is that owners may be more immune to complaints.