How to solve anti-social behaviour?

How to solve anti-social behaviour?

9:36 AM, 18th January 2023, About A year ago 14

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Hello, Not sure if anyone can advise, but I have a long standing good tenant who has complained about the new neighbour in the flat upstairs (shouting/fighting/baby crying at all sorts of hours including midnight and beyond).

This has been going on for a few months, my tenant and her husband are shift workers so its affecting their sleep.

Freeholder’s agent says that its against the lease to have a nuisance neighbour and have informed the above flat leaseholder (their landlady) but she’s not doing anything about it. My tenant in fact called the police last week, they did come round but also didn’t do much.

Now my tenant is threatening to leave and I don’t want that.

Called the NRLA helpline but someone absolutely useless, didn’t sound interested, said I’m on my own and can’t do anything about it!

Is this right? I cannot do anything about it??

Thank you,

Steve


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Comments

Bemused

11:10 AM, 21st January 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by KH at 18/01/2023 - 13:04
I have this problem. Twice I have called social services because it seems the neighbour is struggling and needs help.

I’m not sure that children crying counts as anti social behaviour in our council. And I’m sure that the child’s parents aren’t too happy with the child crying - it could have colic and they may be having a really hard time. (Colic lasts around 3 months and would have a natural end). The parents shouting - which is what happens in my difficult case - may be anti social behaviour and it isn’t going to help the baby sleep.

In my case we suspect that the child has autism including outbursts and I feel incredible sympathy for the parents but I lose tenants,so I need them to get the help they need to reduce the noise. My neighbours are council tenants. Ideally they could be rehoused somewhere with less neighbours.

Good luck, this is one of the most difficult landlord problems I’ve had

Jessie Jones

0:17 AM, 22nd January 2023, About A year ago

As a landlord it is up to you to keep your property in good repair, but it is not up to you to sort out issues between your tenants and their neighbours. There is nothing that you can do that your tenants cannot do for themselves. They can complain to the other tenants, the other landlord, the police and the council more effectively than you can as they are victims themselves, whereas you will remain a third party. In fact, your involvement probably reduces the likelihood of any resolution as these other services are less likely to engage with the landlord than the tenant.
If your tenants include crying babies as a reason to leave a property, it sounds like there might be something else going on, like they are building up to seeking a reduction in their rent, or to terminate early.
Landlords are not social workers. We are not friends of the tenants. Our relationship needs to be commercial and professional. Any more and we risk our own sleep and mental health.

Kizzie

16:00 PM, 22nd January 2023, About A year ago

In response to Jessie Jones: if the titleholder of the property is proprietor of a long residential lease (over 7 years) they are landlord to the individuals to whom they sublet the property. In turn the leaseholder is bound by the lease which allows them to occupy providing they fulfill their obligations in the lease and that includes not upsetting other leaseholders who may occupy or who may also have sublet their property. Leaseholders as landlords have a legal obligation when subletting to ensure their tenants comply with the lease.

Kizzie

16:02 PM, 22nd January 2023, About A year ago

In response to Jessie Jones: if the titleholder of the property is proprietor of a long residential lease (over 7 years) they are landlord to the individuals to whom they sublet the property. In turn the leaseholder is bound by the lease which allows them to occupy providing they fulfill their obligations in the lease and that includes not upsetting other leaseholders who may occupy or who may also have sublet their property. Leaseholders as landlords have a legal obligation when subletting to ensure their tenants comply with the lease.
The police and other agencies only become involved if there is a risk to life and limb.

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