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Apr 24, 2020 19:01:37 GMT
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Hi all,
To keep me sane during lockdown, and to learn a new skill (and a job that needs doing) I'm rebuilding the rhs sill and arch on my mx5 NA. Have been doing it in drips and drabs on my drive way since about beginning of April, learning what I'm doing, ordering panels and tools as I go.
All in I reckon I've worked on it for about 12 or 13 days tops, perhaps a few hours per day. Never started before 12 and only finished after 6 twice (latest being 7.30,time ran away with me).
Checked with a few neighbours directly around me to say if I was being too loud etc, none have said its bothering them.
Today a lump of a woman storms over about 2pm while I'm grinding some welds down and demands to know when I'll be done. Says she'll call the police and environmental agency if I don't stop, said I've been doing it every day for 30 days and she's marking it on a calendar. (Didn't seem to matter that I was still at work from 27th and didn't think about doing this project until the 30th.) First time I've ever seen her and was generally very aggressive and rude. I apologised but said I had to finish it at some point, and that she was wrong with when I'd been doing work.
3 other immediate neighbours heard her and told me to ignore her, she was out of line etc. I've since moved the car into my single garage to try and reduce noise, near impossible to work in there given the space though.
Just wondering if anyone been in this situation, and what your resolve is? This project is keeping me sane during lockdown, yes it's taking longer than expected because I'm learning to fabricate panels, weld, grind etc. And legally what rights do I have, info online seems vague!
Thanks for reading!
TL;DR: Neighbour threatened legal action for noise while I'm fixing my car on the drive, despite never asking me to be quiet beforehand.
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Last Edit: Apr 24, 2020 19:03:41 GMT by arsonist
1979 Mk1 Passat Estate 1.6 LS 1996 Mk3.5 Fiesta 1.3 Classic 1997 Mk1 MX5 1.8i 2005 Mazda 3 TS
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,812
Club RR Member Number: 174
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Noise complaint from neighbour stealthstylz
@stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member 174
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Apr 24, 2020 19:14:24 GMT
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I've had it a few times at previous addresses. I give them one fair explanation of why I'm well within my rights to do what I'm doing then any further encounters are met with the F(go away) Off treatment.
Might get police or council round but they can do curse word all.
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Apr 24, 2020 19:59:29 GMT
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As above you're doing nothing wrong, my neighbour is driving me mad hammering things in his garden making a raised border from 10am till 7PM constantly thudding, not said owt as hes within his rights, even of the 6 month old is getting curse word all sleep in the day. Chalk it up and get it finished
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Apr 24, 2020 20:03:59 GMT
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there is a lad up the road from us, he is into boxing, other night he was out playing with his brother in the front garden, smacking the pad things for a hour and with every smash he was SHOUTING "egg!" why egg i don't know, and there is nothing you can do.
My advice would be to buy her a pie.
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Midas
Part of things
Posts: 505
Club RR Member Number: 14
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Noise complaint from neighbour Midas
@midas
Club Retro Rides Member 14
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Apr 24, 2020 20:12:09 GMT
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Obviously constabularies will be different, but I’m on daily conference calls with ours and the number of nuisance complaints has gone through the roof with too many people having far too much time on their hands at the moment.
I think their current way of dealing with them is nodding politely and getting on with nicking the drug dealers who are fighting on a daily basis over limited stock.
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Noise complaint from neighbour fr€$h&m1nt¥
@freshandminty
Club Retro Rides Member 99
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Apr 24, 2020 20:19:37 GMT
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Best thing you can do is grit your teeth and ignore her unless you get a letter from the council.
It might be worth keeping a log of the times you do make noise though so if they do keep a noise diary and take it to the council you can provide your own evidence to contradict this.
Providing you’re not making extreme noises at unsociable hours there’s no real laws you’re breaking no matter how inconvenient it is for people.
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retrotoe
Posted a lot
anything rusty
Posts: 1,361
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Apr 24, 2020 20:19:58 GMT
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she wont have life,her life will be being a fun extrater,upset that someing makeing something,tell her go back to her day time tv leave you alone,next time she comes film her,as she sounds like a drama queen needs drama,remeber years ago was haveing few beers in back garden bit music getting bit livey,my old 70 year old nieghbour climbed over the fence grabed a can and had a drink with us,legend miss him,bit off card,had another neighbour asked me to help her son learn how to fix cars,mybe i been lucky,live let live.
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Apr 24, 2020 20:51:29 GMT
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Cool thanks for the replies guys. Fairly sure I was within my right doing what I was doing - hopefully by trying to work in the garage I can show I've at least tried to consider my noise levels, if anything escalates. I'll crack on as usual then!
Cheers again!
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1979 Mk1 Passat Estate 1.6 LS 1996 Mk3.5 Fiesta 1.3 Classic 1997 Mk1 MX5 1.8i 2005 Mazda 3 TS
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Apr 24, 2020 22:08:38 GMT
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I think that you are being very reasonable when you explain your working hours particularly. Not many of us can manage to be as restricted as you (assuming non coronavirus time).
Its not illegal to fix your car at home, its not illegal to make noise, if it was nobody could do building or other DIY projects, and nobody could cut the grass. Your noise being from a different activity is your choice, too many people these days think that everyone else should live the same life as they choose to just because they live in the same area.
I'm no expert but I guess that the law is not on her side if you are keeping it to reasonable hours.
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Keep a log and make sure the council can't call it a business.
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It will come in handy even if you never use it
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Keep a log and make sure the council can't call it a business. This If you can prove what and when you’re doing things it’ll take the wind out of her sails, and I’d get the other neighbours on side as much as possible At my parents when I worked on cars on the drive, including turning one upside down to get the axle off ( it was scrap) the neighbours opposite used to sit in their front room and use me as entertainment! We did have one miserable old git up the road ( too far away to hear anything) who complained to the council apparently, one man in a van came round, I sold him a cortina GT carb for his TVR and never heard anything more You’re quite within your rights
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,872
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First off I generally agree with everything everyone has said, I don’t think what you’re describing is unreasonable. Certainly coming over and ranting at you isn’t the right way for this woman to put her point across. As you’ve mentioned speaking to your nearest neighbours, again it sounds like you’ve been considerate about it all.
Just to play devils advocate a little though, it’s fair to say that angle grinding noise isn’t much fun to listen to. Depending on your location, it can be mighty loud, I helped a friend weld up his Mr2 a couple of years back, his driveway was between his house and the neighbours, and the grinding noises echoed off the sides of the two buildings, it seemed twice as loud as any other grinding I’d heard!
The suns out, kids wanna play in the gardens, people want their windows open, etc. So they’re gonna be hearing that noise more than normal. I doubt it will be such a problem next week when the forecast is cooler more overcast and wet.
If you can bring some of the heavy grinding work inside the garage, it will cut down on the noise a lot. Welding itself isn’t especially noisy, so you could always bring that back out onto the drive in the sun to do, and to offer up the panels, etc
Sadly at the moment we are all stuck at home. So doing what you can to keep neighbours sweet, no matter how unreasonable they are being, will only make your life less stressful.
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tofufi
South West
Posts: 1,449
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As above, you're within your rights. A few points I've noticed, however: More expensive angle grinders seem to run more quietly. I used to buy cheapy ones, but the (I think Makita) better quality ones I buy now are easier on the ear. I only use 1mm slitting discs and the grinder flap wheels. Grinding down welds with flap wheels is a load quieter than with a solid grinding disc. Just little changes like that could make a difference to how much noise you actually make!
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I could write a book on the subject from very first hand experience (including police attendance / local authority intervention / legal challenges) - I reside opposite the most unreasonable & selfish neighbour that you are ever likely to come across - Most of the points have already been stated by others but to clarify
Keep a note of the dates & times worked - personally I would not start before 09:00 hours and I would ensure that you are completed by 18:00 hours
Police will not be interested - they will just refer her to the local authority
There is no such body has 'The Environmental Agency' - there is 'The Environment Agency' However you are not operating a business that requires a environmental licencing nor are you polluting the area to an extent that they need be involved - so they are not interested either
It's the local authorities 'Environmental Health Department' that is where the complaint would become valid - if they can prove (through a complainants diary log) that you are producing a 'Statuary Nuisance' then they can act upon it - Initially its normally a form of written correspondence setting out the complaint and how they can act upon it
Complainants quite often exaggerate the facts / stretch the truth / fabricate & invent
Stay clam & reasonable at all times - don't raise your voice but politely point out the longer that they waste your time the longer it will take - the boot would be very much on the other foot if the said neighbour was having building works undertaken her property and you are well within your rights to advise her so
I'm going to assume that given the current situation that we all find ourselves in that our local authorities are stretched beyond all capacity with department staff redeployed to front line roles in order to deal with far more important matters & implications - not that you need to hide behind this - but again I would assume that by the time anyone got round to dealing with a complaint against you at the local authority that you would be all wrapped up with the work on your car
My situation is quite different from yours in the fact that I turned the restoration work upon my own vehicles into a business - but working from home - I have planning permission for my workshop & business and my neighbour (100 metres away) would dearly love to close me down at the first chance - I will never give them that pleasure - its does not mean that I can not please myself - I work to strictly curfewed hours along side many mitigation factors - I have the support from the rest of my neighbours & community for which I am always grateful
Just keep your head down & crack on - good luck - Chris
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Last Edit: Apr 25, 2020 9:07:44 GMT by Deleted
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I could write a book on the subject from very first hand experience (including police attendance / local authority intervention / legal challenges) - I reside opposite the most unreasonable & selfish neighbour that you are ever likely to come across - Most of the points have already been stated by others but to clarify Keep a note of the dates & times worked - personally I would not start before 09:00 hours and I would ensure that you are completed by 18:00 hours Police will not be interested - they will just refer her to the local authority There is no such body has 'The Environmental Agency' - there is 'The Environment Agency' However you are not operating a business that requires a environmental licencing nor are you polluting the area to an extent that they need be involved - so they are not interested either It's the local authorities 'Environmental Health Department' that is where the complaint would become valid - if they can prove (through a complainants diary log) that you are producing a 'Statuary Nuisance' then they can act upon it - Initially its normally a form of written correspondence setting out the complaint and how they can act upon it Complainants quite often exaggerate the facts / stretch the truth / fabricate & invent Stay clam & reasonable at all times - don't raise your voice but politely point out the longer that they waste your time the longer it will take - the boot would be very much on the other foot if the said neighbour was having building works undertaken her property and you are well within your rights to advise her so I'm going to assume that given the current situation that we all find ourselves in that our local authorities are stretched beyond all capacity with department staff redeployed to front line roles in order to deal with far more important matters & implications - not that you need to hide behind this - but again I would assume that by the time anyone got round to dealing with a complaint against you at the local authority that you would be all wrapped up with the work on your car My situation is quite different from yours in the fact that I turned the restoration work upon my own vehicles into a business - but working from home - I have planning permission for my workshop & business and my neighbour (100 metres away) would dearly love to close me down at the first chance - I will never give them that pleasure - its does not mean that I can not please myself - I work to strictly curfewed hours along side many mitigation factors - I have the support from the rest of my neighbours & community for which I am always grateful Just keep your head down & crack on - good luck - Chris Excellent advise
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It will come in handy even if you never use it
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Apr 25, 2020 12:02:00 GMT
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I could write a book on the subject from very first hand experience (including police attendance / local authority intervention / legal challenges) - I reside opposite the most unreasonable & selfish neighbour that you are ever likely to come across - Most of the points have already been stated by others but to clarify Keep a note of the dates & times worked - personally I would not start before 09:00 hours and I would ensure that you are completed by 18:00 hours Police will not be interested - they will just refer her to the local authority There is no such body has 'The Environmental Agency' - there is 'The Environment Agency' However you are not operating a business that requires a environmental licencing nor are you polluting the area to an extent that they need be involved - so they are not interested either It's the local authorities 'Environmental Health Department' that is where the complaint would become valid - if they can prove (through a complainants diary log) that you are producing a 'Statuary Nuisance' then they can act upon it - Initially its normally a form of written correspondence setting out the complaint and how they can act upon it Complainants quite often exaggerate the facts / stretch the truth / fabricate & invent Stay clam & reasonable at all times - don't raise your voice but politely point out the longer that they waste your time the longer it will take - the boot would be very much on the other foot if the said neighbour was having building works undertaken her property and you are well within your rights to advise her so I'm going to assume that given the current situation that we all find ourselves in that our local authorities are stretched beyond all capacity with department staff redeployed to front line roles in order to deal with far more important matters & implications - not that you need to hide behind this - but again I would assume that by the time anyone got round to dealing with a complaint against you at the local authority that you would be all wrapped up with the work on your car My situation is quite different from yours in the fact that I turned the restoration work upon my own vehicles into a business - but working from home - I have planning permission for my workshop & business and my neighbour (100 metres away) would dearly love to close me down at the first chance - I will never give them that pleasure - its does not mean that I can not please myself - I work to strictly curfewed hours along side many mitigation factors - I have the support from the rest of my neighbours & community for which I am always grateful Just keep your head down & crack on - good luck - Chris Absolutly spot on advice, I had a lot of problems with the next door neighbour when I lived at my mum and dads. It was quite amazing that when I moved to my present place no one was bothered about what I was doing after having had 15 years of complaints including the Enviromental Health Officer visiting once.
The same neighbour used to constantly complain about people parking on the grass verge (council owned) outside my mum and dads house, however, when he was at work he used to park his works van there all the time. There is no reasoning with some people so telling them to politely go away is often the best response. If you show some people any sign of weakness they will simply continue to hound you (like our old neighbour).
Just be reasonable about the hours you work and when its really nice weather and everyone is in the garden try and do something quiet, its all about being considerate to others but remembering that you have a right to do things that you want to in your own home.
Very often the people making the complaints would think nothing of it if the boot were on the other foot and they were having a late night party, working on their car, house, garden etc.
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Apr 25, 2020 12:13:30 GMT
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Just to add , i think consideration is the order . Many people might be getting annoyed with the noise but do not do anything about it due to either then being a pariah or even getting a mouthful back or worse . I have had to put up with a lot of noise before but did just that , due to me making a good assumption that the persons would then wage some sort of war .
Like said above , try to keep it to a minimum and not grinding etc everyday for days on end and if you are , get it all done at once because if its annoying people it will seem even worse if you do 10 minutes every hour rather than just 30 minutes straight.
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Apr 25, 2020 12:18:45 GMT
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Treat others as you would like to be treated is a reasonable rule of thumb. Personally I have a no noise Sunday rule myself as it is generally the quietest day of the week, so unless there is an urgent need I avoid the industrial stuff that day. But that's just me.
As has been said the neighbour disputes and complaints have gone thru the roof in lockdown so I wouldnt worry about it too much.
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Apr 25, 2020 12:27:42 GMT
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Years ago dad had some complaints from a neighbour. To be fair he was making some rather smelly noise. To keep the peace he took a brake for a couple of weeks, but as soon as he made any slight noise at all the complaints started again. This time it was totally unreasonable. He suggested they get a silencer for their hedge trimmer, lawn mower, hifi, etc etc and if its really that bad, either go and make the complaint official or leave him to it. I don't think we had any problems after that.
From where I'm sitting right now I can hear a hedge trimmer, I can her someones radio blasting out at high volume, a grinder in the distance, and what sounds like a circular saw. Its exactly what you'd expect. At some point I might turn my radio up, I might make some noise in the garage, it is what it is, life isn't silent. I have reasonably active/noisy neighbours, so when I make noise, nobody cares. I'm either very lucky, or thats just how it should be, but either way that's how it is.
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Last Edit: Apr 25, 2020 12:28:45 GMT by bmcnut
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Norman
Part of things
Posts: 441
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Apr 25, 2020 14:28:03 GMT
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I used to get smart mouth comments from one particular neighbour about noise, funnily enough he didn’t think it funny when we phoned the police a number of times during the night when he and his partner were screaming at each other. I ended up renting unit a few miles from home and it then was used for storage as i couldn’t be bothered going there to do any work. It was always a sore point with my wife paying for a unit long term. I now do my work at home and nobody says anything about the noise. I usually don’t start till lunch time and finish by six. The grinding is noisy and get on my nerves and it’s me that’s doing it. Funnily enough when I start making noises my neighbours start banging nails and someone close by is using a grinder. One neighbour asked me when I intended stopping grinding, I replied when I am finished.. Some folk just want something to moan about. All the best and stay safe. Norman
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