What can I do about my neighbours?
Citizens Advice Devon and Cornwall focuses on key issues and answers some of the most commonly asked questions their offices are being contacted about:
Q: I live in a rented property and a family has moved into 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?
A: It’s best to try to resolve problems by speaking with your neighbours, if it’s 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 neighbours find a solution. If you are 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.
Ask your neighbours’ landlord to speak to them on your behalf. If your neighbours live 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 help. 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.
For more information and advice, go to www.citizensadvice.org.uk
The information contained in these articles does not constitute advice. Citizens Advice Devon, Citizens Advice Cornwall and the Western Morning News accept no liability for the information published. Citizens Advice Devon is unable to respond to individual requests for advice through these columns. Copyright Citizens Advice. For the most up-to-date information, please visit www. citizensadvice.org.uk