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Housing matters

Hetty74
Hetty74 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
Hello my problem is I became disabled due to bad mobility ,My walking got worse and i had to move into ground floor accommodation ,Now supposedly the flats which comprise of 2 semi detached houses made into four flats .
The upstairs veranda type ,I have lived here 11 yrs and sadly when me moved here the upstairs neighbour passed away .Since then we had an elderly lady who liked to roam about at night and liked her basey music and could not sleep without the radio .
She had family visiting from 11 until 2 am chatting and telly on loud we did ask but sometimes they listened sometimes it made it worse ,The buzzer going maybe 5 times a night stair lift been used to carry shopping and telly and music and loud talking till early hours of morning .
We had to suffer 5 yrs on and off with her until she moved and then they advertised the flat as suitable for a young family with children .
The lad aged 35 seemed fine but he lies a lot and his girlfriend who is mother to his daughter is a nasty piece of work ,She is or seems like a drug user and is drunk all the time .
Apparently she was evicted from her previous property ,Now he got this flat on the basis he needed it for his daughter ie 2 bedrooms but it seems that it for him and her and the child stays with his parents whilst she receives child allowance etc .
The lad as even said he cannot cope with her at the beginning and did not want her here and on numerous times we have been woken up by their lack of consideration and shame ,It seems like he has lied to get the 2 bedroomed flat because he,s daughter as not stopped once in over a yr and 3 months now and maybe been to flat 4 times .
Apparently she has her own place too ,he works supposedly late ,Starts from mainly between 10-12 morning to late at night ,the major problem is he needs to be moving around at late hours sometimes early into the morning and these flats are so poorly soundproofed .
We have involved the council and noise nuisance team and we have had slight recordings with proof of disturbance and neighbours proof of her screaming and shouting and slamming doors but it,s not enough they say it has to be witnessed by their noise team coming out .
The problem been when they come out it as either stopped or they may have seen the van which looks like a police van ,We have spoken to neighbours a few times and somtimes he,s ok and sometimes he mentions section this and section that of the council guidebook .
On first moving here she would take things without asking like garden pots and he has said if we don,t like it get a bungalow ,He has not touched the garden or swept the path in over a yr and he is tight in what he says at times about talking but who wants to listen to someone chatting directly above you in the bedroom till 2 to 7 in the morning and listen to floor boards creaking and heavy foot steps loud love making ,drawers been opened and shut .
At times through the evening you can see him carrying big wide heavy filled cardboard boxes and it seems like they are working slight banging clattering and dragging noises till early hours of morning at times .
It as been like mental cruelty now for 6 yrs plus with 2 neighbours that like to be awake till early hours of morning creating noise causing ill health and friction ,We have told the council these need updating and spoke to people who live in similar throughout Leeds and everyone as the same problem with the noise issue .
Now the council keep saying we have no money to do them ,But they must have been saying this for over 30 to 40 yrs ,The issue is times have changed and the Council have not updated these flats ,They are sub standard and I would say no sound proofing whatsoever it is basically like living with someone upstairs in a house ,Floorboards above and plasterboard ceiling the only divide .
It seems like they are not willing to deal with the sound proofing issue and treating everyone in these types of property as guinea pigs to find the perfect match of considerate tenants ,I am at my wits end and do not know where to turn and would like some feedback on finding a solicitor or help on the matter please as this problem must have been going on for yrs and it needs to be addressed by Leeds City Council .
They will only keep doing the same and causing their voters misery ,The ones who have put them into power in Leeds and then they are not willing to help it,s the same with anything you ask them for ,I,m sorry for this long message but hopefully someone can advise me on the matter .

Comments

  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
    best bet is to get f2f advice from CAB or similar

    CR
    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Hetty74

    Conversions of housing into seperate flats are notorious for noise problems and can be difficult and expensive to sound proof. Most social landlords have rules in place which are meant to reduce the noise, ie having carpets on the floor. The problems are often exacerbated by having tenants with very different life styles. 

    The estate I live on the 1 bedroom flats were designated older people dwellings, with people moving in 30 odd years ago when they were 50 plus, many in their 80's plus. A few years ago the council changed their designation making them general needs. Suddenly we were having young single people in with the some of the results you might expect. So I do understand your frustrations.

    Have you been asked to keep a diary of when these things happen? It can be frustrating especially when nothing is happening but eviction is not easy and gathering evidence is important. The diary would also help them to see a pattern in behaviour. For example the noise may be a lot worse at weekends, or vary if a tenant is on shift work. This could be used to identify when putting in recording instruments to measure the level of noise and time. 

    If you haven't been asked it is worth starting one. It is not difficult to sort out, but if  you have a word with your housing officer / neighbourhood manager or whatever term they  use they should be able to provide you one - often loose sheets.

    @Debbie_Scope any other suggestions?

    Debbie is one of Scope's online advisors and has a lot of knowledge regarding housing issues.

    As an individual I stood alone.
    As a member of a group I did things.
    As part of a community I helped to create change!

  • Hetty74
    Hetty74 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    Yes we have filled numerous sheets for the diary and had 2 sound recordings in the first one picked up evidence but nowhere nr as bad as it had been ,The second one raised voices during day and then he went away for 5 days lol.
    It really is frustrating because they say they have to witness it and on occasions we have rang them for them to turn up 40 mins later when the arguing as settled 
    It is scandalous how they say they can hoover at anytime they want even 2 in morning and chat away in bedroom above till all hours ,Once waken by them it is constant in and out of room sand chatting from low to high also arguing and what seems to be like working .
    But it really is a matter of timing and it is so frustrating with her been evicted previously then they will know the ins and outs most likely .
    I have put in to move and love this area and eventually it will be ruined by the likes of these ,i do understand people do need to live somewhere in this day and age but to be treat like social guinea pigs to find the happy medium between tenants when sound proofing could resolve is a major let down from the council .
    Thank you for your replies Cockney rebel and Geoark .
  • MITCH1949
    MITCH1949 Community member Posts: 13 Connected
    try places for people  they have a Web site.places for old buggers like us ground floor mostly bungalows scarce.I was offered st annes recently one bed house...has a section "i am retired and receive pension" that gives you all available propetys suitable for old crip like me ...
  • Misscleo
    Misscleo Community member Posts: 647 Pioneering
    Its time the govenment made council's evict thesr problem familes. I thinlk they could them into high rise then they could all be sodding pest to each other

  • MITCH1949
    MITCH1949 Community member Posts: 13 Connected
    go into politics you got my vote
  • Misscleo
    Misscleo Community member Posts: 647 Pioneering
    Thank you..
    Shame we cant find a decent MP to do their job.
    I look for our MP richard burden on tv. 
    He should be there but he never is. How can represnt us if hes not there to know whats being said
  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    @Misscleo

    If you are actually interested in what your MP has done you can try checking out https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10076/richard_burden/birmingham,_northfield

    Some highlights:

    Public bill committees (Sittings attended)

    • Has spoken in 38 debates in the last year — average amongst MPs. See all Richard Burden’s speeches
    • Has received answers to 152 written questions in the last year — well above average amongst MPs.
    • Replied within 2 or 3 weeks to a medium number of messages sent via WriteToThem.com during 2015, according to constituents.
    • Has voted in 83.87% of votes in this Parliament with this affiliation — below average amongst MPs.
    Quite an achievement for someone who is never there.


    As an individual I stood alone.
    As a member of a group I did things.
    As part of a community I helped to create change!

  • Hetty74
    Hetty74 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    It does seem like the Politicians do not care anymore I made 2 appointments to see mine on one occasion i travelled to see him and he could not make it on the other he agreed to come to the house and never turned up not even a phone call to let us know whether they were not coming or reason why .
    Not just one party but all parties only seem interested in trying to further themselves as far away from the chaos they have created past and present and live their fantastic lifestyle .
    There is not many decent Politicians left now it needs a major overhaul the whole system and a party creating with people that have the knowledge and do care ,The other main parties only dangle carrots when it,s election time which makes you think why could they not have done that now or yrs ago .
  • Misscleo
    Misscleo Community member Posts: 647 Pioneering
    So where is he hiding when yhe cameras go along the benches?
    Why wont he answer letters. Phone messages. 
    The lazt time he was seen was 2005 when our longbridge cars wefe shut down. Leaving thousands with no money. No pensions. My whole family worked thete. They was left with nothing. We used to go to his meeting but afger being left standing thete for ages we all gzve up
  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    @Misscleo I don't know your local MP so cannot answer most of your questions.

    Regards not being seen on TV he regularly speaks in Parliament so I don't understand why you don't see him. 

    You complain first that you never see him on tv in parliament so he is not doing his job,then complain that you never see him in the constituency so not doing his job. These are just two aspect of the work of MPs.

    All I did was point out what he has been doing in parliament. 

    If you are not happy with your local MP then you have the option of voting in someone else when there are elections.

    As an individual I stood alone.
    As a member of a group I did things.
    As part of a community I helped to create change!

Brightness