Where do I Stand Please

[nannamoon1]

We live in a detached bungalow the next property which is another bungalow is after a private drive,

so we are not on top of each other.

 

The person that owns this bungalow seems a constant complainer,

we keep ourselves to ourselves,

 

 

have the occasional bonfire haste to say probably 3 times a year

last year admittedly it was quite warm and

 

 

he shouted out from his garden (to be honest I didnt know who was shouting or where it was coming from

as we are not that close and both have 6ft garden fences and as I said there is a long private drive in between our properties.

 

My hubby has a chain saw as we collect wood for our log burner

he goes out in the garden about twice a week for a couple of hours

and uses his chain saw to cut up the wood.

 

My husband went out today at around 11am to use the chain saw

we got a knock on the door from this neighbour to ask my husband to stop the noise its too loud,

 

 

I said he has been out there less than an hour,

he said I want him to stop we want to sit in our conservatory and watch the TV with piece and quite,

 

 

I said last year when you were using your electric saw to cut your wood we did not complain,

he said you couldn't hear me,

 

 

I said how do I know you were using an electric saw if I did not hear you.

My hubby stopped chain sawing after an hour and n half today and will not be out there again

until probably middle of next week.

 

He has told me he is going to complain we have a parish council.

Not sure if he is going to complain to them or the council.

 

Where do we stand and are we allowed to use the chain saw a couple of times a week for a couple of hours.

[Conniff]

You need to be careful here or this could escalate into something neither of you want.

 

I must say that having to hear a chainsaw this often would have me complaining. You say he is a constant complainer, but you must be giving him reason to complain.

 

It's hard for someone who is causing a nuisance to realise how much it can affect others and, indeed, to even realise they are causing a nuisance.

Time that might seem short to you could be a lifetime to others.

 

Can you not take the chainsaw with you when you collect this wood and use it there instead of at home.

Edited March 26, 2016 by Conniff

[nannamoon1]

You need to be careful here or this could escalate into something neither of you want.

 

I must say that having to hear a chainsaw this often would have me complaining. You say he is a constant complainer, but you must be giving him reason to complain.

 

It's hard for someone who is causing a nuisance to realise how much it can affect others and, indeed, to even realise they are causing a nuisance.

Time that might seem short to you could be a lifetime to others.

 

Can you not take the chainsaw with you when you collect this wood and use it there instead of at home.

 

We do take the chainsaw when we collect the wood, and yes we do use it to cut the wood at the site, however it needs to be cut smaller to be able to fit into the log burner.

 

Is using the chainsaw twice a week maximum for maximum for an hour n half excessive? our neighbour whom also collects wood and was chain sawing for virtually two days constant last week and this must of been heard by the neighbour that was complaining about us today, we never complained about our neighbour and neither did he as they are friends.

 

We always keep ourselves to ourselves and are reasonable and I do understand chainsaws are noisy we have quite a powerful one admittedly, but its not as if my hubby uses it every day of the week and at unreasonable times.

 

He is elderly, but it appears he just likes to moan, he moaned tot he guy who lives opposite to him, he has a very long private drive and runs a garage at the bottom so has lorries coming up and down and he moaned about that apparently too, and it did not affect him in the slightest. I personally think he is being unfair and unreasonable. but where do we stand legally.

 

We are not the type of family to aggravate or use the chainsaw more to annoy.

 

He did start to shouting at me, but I just asked him to stop shouting and asked him what he wanted me to do, he said stop the noise. So you think an hour and half twice a week is unreasonable to chainsaw?

 

This is the only time he has complained to us and when we had a bonfire last summer, to burn our personal data, he shouted from his garden, when I say he complains, he seems to complain about anything for example two doors away a house is being built and he did everything he could to stop the build and the same to a guy opposite who again lives down a long drive he wanted to to extend in fact this time he did manage to get the planning declined.

[Sidewinder]

Can you not approach him before cutting the wood or having bonfires and arrange a mutually convenient time to do so? Put the ball in his court and ask 'when would it be least disruptive to you for us to cut our logs?'

 

Certainly with a bonfire I would always ask the neighbours either side if they plan to have windows open or washing out, and although using a chainsaw might not seem overly intrusive during daytime hours, it might be better to have a conversation rather than just go ahead if you know there have been problems.

[nannamoon1]

Can you not approach him before cutting the wood or having bonfires and arrange a mutually convenient time to do so? Put the ball in his court and ask 'when would it be least disruptive to you for us to cut our logs?'

 

Certainly with a bonfire I would always ask the neighbours either side if they plan to have windows open or washing out, and although using a chainsaw might not seem overly intrusive during daytime hours, it might be better to have a conversation rather than just go ahead if you know there have been problems.

 

I do understand it is noisy, (hence I only let hubby do it for about an hour to hour n half max

once or twice a week max) but its for a limited period, and to be honest,

he wanted my hubby to stop chainsawing immediately and at the time he had only been out in the garden chainsawing fro 20 minutes,

 

 

when I mentioned the bonfire today he said when the wind is blowing away from his house!!

as said our neighbour used his chainsaw for two days this week admittedly his chainsaw is not as powerful as or and the man complaining about ours must of heard him but yet did not say boo to a goose.

 

 

If we had children in the garden playing and screaming he would no doubt complain about them,

(thank goodness my kids are grown up).

 

When he used his electric chainsaw last year we never once complained and yes we did hear him,

I think he is being unreasonable.

[Conniff]

I would say that if it is as you say, then keep a diary of what you do, when and for how long and if it is reasonable, then you could make a complaint of harassment against him.

[nannamoon1]

I am going to be keeping a log from now on, days and times we use the chainsaw, and I will log my neighbours for comparison, as he must be able to hear theirs too, also the bungalow that sits back and their drive is in between ours and the property that is complaining, uses a sit on ride mower and takes two over two hours to mow their garden as its huge, he never complains about that and his garden backs on to theirs.

 

As for the bonfire I will post a note through his door 24 hours prior to having a bonfire, but to be honest its an incinerator so not exactly a bonfire we use it to burn our personal data for safety reasons. And besides its not that often we use it.

 

I guess if we have BBQ's this ear he wll be complaining about those and the smoke!! I am being totally honest with my above posts on how he complains and writes letters all the time, the poor man that lives opposite that has a garage at the bottom of his long drive and he keeps complaining its ridiculous.

[i hate bailiffs]

As for the bonfire I will post a note through his door 24 hours prior to having a bonfire, but to be honest its an incinerator so not exactly a bonfire we use it to burn our personal data for safety reasons. And besides its not that often we use it.

 

s.

 

I would not be doing that!

If this chap contacted the council things could take a turn

I believe that fines issued if several complaints be proven

 

Can you not put that paperwork in the log burner?

That's what I do and have done so for longer than I can remember

[nannamoon1]

I would not be doing that!

If this chap contacted the council things could take a turn

I believe that fines issued if several complaints be proven

 

Can you not put that paperwork in the log burner?

That's what I do and have done so for longer than I can remember

 

So, because I am putting a polite note through the gentleman's door just to say we are having our incinerator on at XYZ time that would be deemed as a complaint? I would think its being polite and courteous. You do not have to ask neighbours if you can use your incinerator Im being polite to keep the piece.

[i hate bailiffs]

So, because I am putting a polite note through the gentleman's door just to say we are having our incinerator on at XYZ time that would be deemed as a complaint? I would think its being polite and courteous. You do not have to ask neighbours if you can use your incinerator Im being polite to keep the piece.

 

 

The council have a duty to investigate complaints

So if he complains he may have several polite notes through his door

 

You are right you do not need to ask your neighbours

Carry on as you are once the council get involved it will change

 

To keep the peace you would not have bonfires that add to his frustration

And look at other methods to deal with deposal

[nannamoon1]

The council have a duty to investigate complaints

So if he complains he may have several polite notes through his door

 

You are right you do not need to ask your neighbours

Carry on as you are once the council get involved it will change

 

To keep the peace you would not have bonfires that add to his frustration

And look at other methods to deal with deposal

 

In what way will it change once the council get Involved? I am curious that's all

 

I use my incinerator once a month, my hubby uses the chainsaw max twice a week for an hour n half each time

 

My immediate neighbour uses his not so powerful chainsaw for best part of two days this week

The property behind us and the complaining property who's garden backs on to theirs uses a sit on ride lawn mower for two hours a week during starting now

We have always kept ourselves to ourselves we are detached and so are all the other properties however our neighbour to the left we speak to over the garden fence but other than that we do not speak to anyone other than good morning. Yet we are the ones this neighbour has decided to man about. Surely its not right and I would be willing to speak to any council employee!!

[unclebulgaria67]

Just check local council guidelines on bonfires and noise e.g building works. If you are following what is seen as reasonable behaviour the council will not be interested. Most councils publish information to householders on these issues.

 

If people don't like noise during the day when neighbours are doing normal things, then they should move to an isolated house in the country.

 

Running a chainsaw for 90 minutes does seem to be excessive, as they are very noisey. But it would not break any local rules, if done during the day. If it is taking you that long to cut logs, invest in a better chainsaw. My Brother in Spain cuts through a load of thick logs in about 15 minutes, enough to run a log burner for a few days.

[nannamoon1]

Thanks,

 

The chainsaw, we have is top of the range however we have an excessive e amount of logs to. cut up at the moment.

 

We always try and be reasonable and think of our neighbours and I personally do not think an hour and a half max twice a week is excessive and sometimes it's only once a week.

 

The incinerator is on probably 4 times a year we do live in the country and have CCTV so we can prove times and days to anyone.

 

We could of chose to chainsaw tomorrow or Monday but we thought today,would be the best day this week.

 

I have no reason not other be truthful on here, no point in not posting lies ,you only get false replies in that case. The chainsaw was used from 11.30am until 13.05 just check ked the CCTV

[reallymadwoman]

I think you have two options here, and in writing this I'm just giving my opinion and not making any judgement as to whether or not what you are doing is reasonable.

 

1. Carry on as you are. You know this neighbour will complain, so the situation could easily escalate and cause all sorts of grief, at which point it becomes irrelevant who is being reasonable. It could also have serious repercussions in future including if/when you want to sell.

 

2. Humour the guy. As suggested above, put the ball in his court and ask him when it would be least inconvenient for your husband to use the chainsaw etc. I'm not suggesting you should ask permission, just ask when it would be least intrusive, i.e. Dear Mr xxx, we need to burn some papers (or whatever). We don't want to cause you any inconvenience, so perhaps you could let us know when in the next 3 days would be the best time. If nothing else, should things escalate, and they may do regardless of how accommodating you are, you have proof that you've tried to minimise his problem.

[unclebulgaria67]

So the chainsaw was used for an hour and a half right over the lunchtime period, just as your neighbours were trying to have lunch in their conservatory. I can imagine this was very annoying to even the most easy going person.

 

You have to live side by side. I think you should agree a regular time, where they can expect the chainsaw to be in use. They can also agree times when they might be using their chainsaw. With bonfires it depends on the weather conditions, so you should advise each other when you are going to have these.

[mikeymack2002]

One question that could be asked is where are you getting your logs from?

 

If from the local woods do you have permission to remove them? If this is public/common you need permission to collect on this type of land, you could see where this could end up!

 

Another option is to cut the logs at the site you collect. This would stop the issue straight away... more hard work for you but less noise from the chain saw.

 

Then you have the issue of if the la places a noise meter at the property and is found to cause a nuisance. You could have a noise abatement order issued against you.

[Old Cogger]

good god what ever next, we had a chap always cutting wood for logs for hours on end, shut the window, very reduced noise, remember not to do DIY with a drill due to noise, forget the hammering, oh! and when a tree looks to be falling down on his conservatory just watch it as if you offered help = too much noise, never heard such rubbish from some old git (I am one as well) , oh! yes I did years ago and ex old Councillor complained to the Police my kids were making too much noise playing in the garden, an Inspector visited him, as I came home from work I went over the road to confront the idiot, he would not answer the door, the Inspector stood inside and shouted that he is dealing with it and continue to leave the premises, I pointed out if any more problems with him and I would get an injunction against him, and left,. The ex Councillors wife next day came over (she was a different character to him) and left food and sweets for the children and an apology for the repeated incidents, he has been told officialy to desist.

[scousebird]

As a person who lives next doot to someone who has at least 3 dogs living outside and numerous inside who bark and howl daily.... plus use a chain saw regularly for wood cutting ! Noise can become an issue when you feel nothing can be done.

 

therefore if i had a neighbour who only made noise like you do twice a week i would be grateful!

That said. You referred to a 'parish' council? First off they have limited powers as such and probably wont get involved. At most would refer the neighbour to city/county council.

 

Even if noise was then found to be above level you would be requested to refrain between certain time frames (assuming it got that far. Especially as you appear to be sensible when doing it and your own records will show that plus other properties noise activity!)

 

Bonfires do havw different rules but again you use an incinerator (again sensibly and recorded!)and if you are in an area where logs fires are allowed how can it be objected too.

 

i think the issue here is purely an elderly neighbours expectation and it may never be resolved.

i wouldnt be writing notes as it would probably be used against you at some point.... i would call personally to advise that you dont want to fall out and as you need to cut logs regularly is there a preferable time? And maybe 1hr max? (Being elderly they may sleep in afternoon for example) he may go with this but if he is as you describe then nothing will appease him.

 

You may have to just do as you do. Keep records. And wait for any official route he may take. Then if its a noise query you can respond with your own records which will show your consideration and his own unreasonableness.

Edited March 27, 2016 by honeybee13
Paras.

[nannamoon1]

Thanks for all your replies, our logs are from a friend whom is having some very large trees cut down for her parents in their garden, ( so nothing illegal here) I would be more than happy to take any council member to our friends house where they can see for themselves where we are getting the logs from but thats irrelevant question to be honest.

 

Our neighbour to the left is friends with the gentleman complaining and funnily he used his chain saw twice last week for 4 hours each time, yet the person complaining to us never butted an eyelid.

 

We have a house being built two doors away the builders are there from 7am today and most weekends using their cement mixer and having deliveries and working until after 6pm yet he does not but an eyelid.

 

As for the incinerator, I looked at the CCTV apart from last year in July when he shouted from his fence we have used it twice.

 

I am not asking him when I can use the chainsaw, not because we are being difficult, but we should not have to ask our neighbour whom is friends with him gets no hassle.

 

But if he wants to complain, that is fine because our CCTV picks up next door whom we get on very well with but the neighbour who is complaining about us is good friends with him but has decided not to say anything to him.

 

Myself and my husband have agreed to use the chainsaw once a week for and hour at a time. If he complains so be it, we have the CCTV as proof and once a week is not unreasonable.

 

Jeeze what would he do if we lived near a housing estate being built he would be suicidal!!

 

We are very reasonable neighbours and I actually asked our neighbour if he thought we used the chainsaw too much, his exact answer was "Simon did not cut wood for long yesterday" when I explained his friend had complained he said what about me I used my chainsaw twice this week for a whole morning one day and a whole afternoon. I just said "you tell me"

 

He will be lng gone before we sell he has had 4 heart attacks in the last 3 months so I am told by my neighbour and is in his very late 70's so no problem with selling plus we are here till death us do part!!