We've got a bit of a knotty problem chez 'Making Good Use' at the moment and we really don't know what to do for the best. I'd love to know what your take on the issue is - any ideas would be very gratefully received.
Right next to our house is a large garage which looks like it should belong to our house but it doesn't, it belongs to the lady in the last bungalow of another road. She's in her 70s and is a very nice person who I often stop and chat with and whom we've both got on with very well over the time we've lived here (five years.) Just before Christmas her son-in-law took over the garage and started doing it up in order to run a motorcycle training business from there. We had no problem with this and were quite happy to let builders and roofers in to our garden in order to make the garage watertight. A large security light, a phone line and, of course, half a dozen or so motorbikes were subsequently installed. We still had no problem with the activity at all.
However, recently - especially since the advent of the better weather - we have been woken up tres early on numerous occasions (one weekend it was 8.00 am both Saturday and Sunday) by frantic revving of motorbike engines, and loud talking and laughing practically outside the bedroom window. After yet another rude awakening on Friday morning (7.00 am or thereabouts) P had a polite word with the chap and told him that we were finding the noise and general commotion very intrusive. The chap was most apologetic and very polite about it all. Saturday morning he was much quieter but by Sunday it was back to square one - albeit not quite so early.
Our problem is what should we do next. Do we have another word with him (and he doesn't even live in the bungalow that owns the garage by the way - he doesn't even live in our town,) and give him another chance to tone it down a bit, do we have a word with his mother-in-law who owns the garage, or do we go straight for the jugular and report him to the local council for running a business from a residential address.
One of the main benefits of living in this house is that it has always been incredibly peaceful around and about and both P and I are now finding the noise and intrusion of this happening practically in our own garden very very stressful.
I would add that the chap involved seems to be a really pleasant bloke and I know he was made redundant last year and that he set up this business to try and get himself back on his feet. I don't really want to cause him a load of aggro but he is breaking the law and he is really intrusive and noisy in a very quiet residential road. Even our next-door neighbours have said that they're not too happy about what he is doing - although not to him - and I suspect other neighbours are also finding it all rather trying, although none are as directly affected as we are.
Being an uber coward myself, I would just move (there are other issues with the house that I would be glad to leave behind as well) and let someone else deal with the problem. But that's just me - a typical Cancerian - who never faces a problem head on and who likes to avoid confrontation at any cost.
What would you do to try and resolve the problem?
This happens every so often with the valeting company next door - the son comes round with his motorbike and revs it until about 7pm in the evening... very very annoying but at least it doesn't start early morning. I would have another word explaining that it's actually not an acceptable noise level for you as the neighbours. Then I would call the council just to register your complaint. I'd call noise pollution again when it happened again - they come out at all hours. He should understand the implications of running a small business without a licence/paying business rates etc... that's not your concern that he's put himself in that position. They should be able to nip this in the bud for you. I know how it feels. Sometimes I want to shout at the valeting guy in the mornings when he starts work at 6.30am (not for motorbikes - just for being loud and obnoxious - but he doesn't seem like the negotiating type and I am a wuss)
Best of luck
Amy
Posted by: Amy | 03/29/2010 at 05:00 PM
Oh what a pickle, it's always hard when neighbours become annoying like this, I'd have thought he should really be more considerate in his daily activities. However, it's always a slippery slope when you complain about someone, usually ends up very stressful and could ruin a good friendship u have with them both. Very tough. I would trya nd have a quiet but stern word again with him, say you are finding the noise unnecessary in a residential area and that you are not the only ones, make it more of a friendly but firm warning, he should be able to see the consequences here (i.e.e if he doesn't calm it down then he will end up being investigated) hopefully he'll see the sensible option. I however think if you are continually disturbed by the noise you have every right to complain to the council and leave it in their hands, they are very good usually about noise pollution in residential areas, and more than likely they will end up finding out his business site isn't properly licensed anyway i suppose.
Posted by: Ms B. Thrift | 03/29/2010 at 06:47 PM
I rang the council and complained about a man two doors down who kept a scruffy mobile fish and chip trailer on his front garden, and cut his potatoes up in a noisy machine on his back garden. I think other neighbours complained as well. He moved out and went back to the Midlands, he told someone that people round here are not friendly. I would ring the council, it sounds as if he shouldn't be running a business from a residential garage.
Posted by: ilona | 03/29/2010 at 09:13 PM
You need to ring the council and let them sort it out. That is what I would do!
Posted by: lindsey | 03/30/2010 at 12:24 AM
It's a difficult one, isn't it? I know you've mentioned moving before, Elizabeth, so maybe this could be viewed as a catalyst to bring that move about sooner rather than later.
If, however, you don't want to move yet, I think possibly that another polite and friendly word with the chap, also dropping in the fact that you're "surprised he managed to get planning permission for change of use to run a business, in such a quiet residential area" (obviously you know they haven't, I assume) might concentrate the chap's mind on lowering the noise levels.
Alternatively, you can go straight to the Council, who I'm sure will sort it. But as you say, this option might make neighbourly relations very difficult.
Let us know how you get on
Caroline x
Posted by: Caroline | 03/30/2010 at 08:01 AM
I would be tempted to try a little more self-help (hard as that may be - I'm a Cancerian too!) before going to the Council. All that reporting the disturbance will serve to do at the moment is create ructions, which would be a shame if he is a nice guy, and also if you get on well with his mother-in-law. You might find some good advice here - http://www.noisyneighbours.net/
Good luck!
Posted by: Bexando | 03/30/2010 at 09:53 AM
I'd have a word with his mother in law. Say the noise has been upseting you and you 'heard from another neighbour' that they were planning on going to the council to complain....
That way you aren't the villain and maybe he'll sort out his act.
If she asks which neighbour it was say you don't like to say - you can understand where they are coming from but since he is a nice pleasant man and only trying to make a living you thought you'd have a quiet word so that it could be sorted before it got to that stage....?
Posted by: sharie | 03/30/2010 at 03:23 PM