I NEED A LAWYER - Essex, UK

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I have a council flat, and a private landlord above me lets out to noisy obnoxious neighbours.

My ears were ringing one night (and they kept ringing the day after) because the new neighbour upstairs was so loud.

She is continuing to be loud - stomping around, slamming doors, cupboard doors, all constantly. She is VERY heavy footed and stomps around very loudly. She is much louder than the two neighbours above me before.

And she leaves ciggarette ends on my garden, but it's the noise that's killing me.

The first time I asked her to tone it down, it was because I had a friend over. The neighbour responded that she was moving stuff in, I thought fair enough. The second time a couple of days later: Cupboards and doors were being *slammed* and lots of heavy-footed walking/stomping was happening all through to 3.30am by which time I walked out my flat in the dark in order to get away from the noise. I decided to stay at a family friend's house for a week just so she could "settle in" as she was moving in. When I got back, it was just as noisy. I had another sleepless night and so the next morning I asked her to tone it down a bit. She got a bit huffy and didn't say sorry, and she said she had had a visitor there that week so that was why it was noisy. After that it toned down a bit at night, but it still happened.

Three weeks later: I just went upstairs for the third time to ask whoever was with her to tone it down a bit. I was polite and she shouted at me, saying she had nobody there with her. I saw that there was a guy standing right behind her, and I said, "There's someone behind you" and she shouted, "YEAH, WELL HE'S ONLY JUST ARRIVED". And she continued shouting saying that she was tired of me complaining and that she just wanted to live without me having a go at her. I was furious, so I just walked away. As I walked into mine I heard her complaining LOUDLY about me to her visitors in order to get to me. Then I hear even more stomping around and doors being slammed one after the other for a good while after. I think it is deliberate. It's still going on at this minute. Someone is constantly stomping on the floor. I am about to go out to sleep at my Nan's in order to get away from this Hell.

I NEED LEGAL ADVICE. The landlord above me does not care. I need advice - my LIFE is being RUINED. The latest neighbour above me is a horrible woman. I need to LIVE, I don't want another night or day of torture. It is destroying my life. I need help. Please can someone recommend to me a decent legal firm that can help me?

I can't help with an legal advice, but your situation sounds abhorrent! I wouldn't press the issue any more with her as she sounds volatile and could become threatening. I think she is deliberately making noise to bother you. This is coming out of left field, but you and she got off to a bad start, do you think there's still an opening for a convivial gesture. Maybe a bottle of wine or something.

https://www.gov.uk/report-noise-pollution-to-council

You've tried to reason with her. The above link is your next step.

As I said - the flat above is privately owned. So the council says they can't do a thing.

Therefore, taking it up higher is the next step now.

Sounds like the council are fobbing you off... https://www.gov.uk/how-to-resolve-neigh ... he-council

I suggest contacting Citizen's Advice, as well as chasing up the council.

This is one of the worst situations to end up in. I have had the same problem in my life before. There is nothing to be helped by arguing and complaining to this woman, she is likely to make all the more noise if you do.

The best you can do is try to calm yourself and not let the noise bother you. If she is only making noises by opening and closing doors then if I were you I would put olive oil and cotton wool in my ears to muffle the sounds. Believe me, you are on a downward spiral of stress and aggravation in this situation, and unless one of you moves you will end up a wreck.

Also - If someone is "stomping up and down on the floors constantly" then I would call the police. She could have someone there against their will.

That's the thing, I never raised my voice or argued or complained with her. She was shouting at me, and after trying to reason with her I just walked away. I agree though that I don't think this woman can be reasoned with. She's an absolute cow.

What I have in mind currently (if I can't get the council to do something) is a solicitor's letter, to the tenant and the landlady. I'm going to see if I can get the council to do their bit first. Those links are handy people - cheers.

I'm not putting up with the noise. Trying with the police might bring up more tension...I'll have a think about it.

Thank you all *very* much for your input, I'm noting all of it.

I think one of the links posted also had a page about mediation? Hiring someone to help you come to an agreement will be cheaper than going through solicitors.

I had a look at that - I really don't believe this woman can be reasoned with.

Quite correct. Noise complaints used to fall under the jurisdiction of the local police force, it is now the responsibility of the council. Follow The-Walrus' advice and make an appointment with Citizen's Advice. Explain that you have an ASD and request that they talk to the council on your behalf.

In a block of flats in which some units have been sold off to private buyers, the Council is often still the freeholder for all the residences, and for the block as a whole. It is therefore still the "owner", whereas the private buyers simply own the leasehold, ie the right to live there for a certain number of years.

I may be behind the times here, or have simply got this wrong, but if the Council are still the freeholders of the problematic flat, that may mean they are still responsible for enforcing the terms of the leasehold, which probably has provisions about nuisance behaviour. Worth looking into?

adifferentname, thank you, that will certainly help back me up if the council does try to fob me off.

DeepHour: (Cool nickname. Where did you get it from?) Very good point there. I will bear that in mind also, should the council try to fob me off.

So far though, I received a call from them saying they'll have a word with the neighbour and that a noise recording device will be installed if I get further trouble. So we'll see where this goes.

You guys really don't know how grateful I am for all this information! I didn't think I would even get any responses, but you lot seem to know your stuff.

maybe wear some full can ear protectors to seize control of your personal space and have some peace and quiet

no overall solution but it may preserve your sanity

I had a similar experience about 5 years ago. I was living in a private one bed room flat above some selfish prick who kept playing his huge speakers until 4 or 5 o'clock every morning. Getting drunk, shouting and generally being an obnoxious ass. Knocking on his door to confront him acheived nothing because he either ignored me altogether or was too intoxicated to take me seriously. I ended up calling the police on several occasions which made him switch his stereo off pretty damn quickly, so that was a temporary solution. All this was all premeditated to be spiteful, because one morning my wife and i woke up to obsene grafitti scrawled all over the wall of the stairwell leading up to our floor of the building.

I totally empathise with your situation, as moving away isn't always practical with the recession and fighting a new landlord charging reasonable rates.

I would advise going for the ear protection solution first because once you go down the legal route there's no turning back. If you end up in legal wedlock with the woman and you lose she'll only resume her behaviour with even more enthusiasm. Try using blue tac cotton wool ear defenders or headphones and double up if you need to. If that works leave it at that. Some people are vindictive petty and spiteful and the best way to deal with them is to do everything you can to avoid them.

You may make headway with her by inviting her over for some wine/shots. I offer this advice hesitantly though for obvious reasons.

Finally the type of woman you might be dealing with is likely to see you reporting her as "snitching": "Btch grassed me up". This will give her all the vindication she needs to make your life hell. Only go the legal route if you're sure that it will work or if you're willing to take the gamble.

Dealing with this successfully will give you the skills and knowledge for the next time it happens.