The Housing Ombudsmans approach to investigating and determining complaints is to decide what is fair in all the circumstances of the case. Meaning of Hounslow. We are an independent directory of contact information that enables consumers to quickly and efficiently find appropriate contact information and discus their own complaint experiences with other internet users. How to complain about a neighbour to the council | The US Sun To complain all you need to do is contact your local council, many have a specialist team to deal with disputes of this nature. Please tell us more about why our advice didn't help. What does it mean to have power of attorney? Its also worth finding out if your council can check if the tree is safe - you can find your councils website on GOV.UK. Looking at Hounslow Council's Environmental Health Noise Nuisance web pages, they do have a weekend noise team but they also have a general team, and it states there, 'We aim to contact at least 90% of complainants within 3 working days by letter, telephone or by visiting your property': The police are not interested in noise nuisance, its your council who are responsible for dealing with it. In August 2020, the police and Fire Brigade attended the residents floor to investigate smoke in the communal corridor and it was identified that the source of the smoke was the neighbours flat. hours number to the resident. The complaint was not upheld as it said the investigation was still ongoing and was being carried out satisfactorily and in accordance with the landlords policy. This and the lack of detail and explanation given in its responses was unreasonable and evidence of poor complaint handling. Registered number 01436945 England Registered office: Citizens Advice, 3rd Floor North, 200 Aldersgate, London, EC1A 4HD, If you disagree with your neighbour about a tree or hedge. This is because the council have worked to settle your private dispute with a neighbour. Police say this cannabis factory discovered in Knowle contained 80 plants. It is a matter of judgement whether a hedge meets this test. 2020 and confirmed that it would escalate the complaint to stage one of its process. that there was a burning smell coming from his neighbours property two days earlier. If your neighbour is complaining about you, If you disagree with your neighbour about a wall or fence, Deal with flooding in a rented home - overview. Email Customer Services on customerservice@hounslow.gov.uk. agreed for it to bring the upstairs neighbour to his property to observe the noise generated by her television downstairs. They might, for example, make sure that your complaint is handled by someone who isnt responsible for maintaining the hedge. You can find your councils website on GOV.UK. It explained that the complaint process was not a means for punishing residents and it approached complaints impartially, based on the available evidence. Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. Let us know, Copyright 2023 Citizens Advice. Out of hours emergencies. At tim. Here is a summary of privacy when using this chat. We used to go to work shattered. It is evident that the landlord made 22 further visits after the conclusion of the residents complaint between 18 May and 19 November 2020. I unpacked my home pioneer home cinema unit just now and am blasting Def Leopard love bites so loud my ears are bleeding. Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web! Neither did it respond to the residents request for an update on 14 April 2020 or to his further report made on 14 May 2020 of loud music and banging early in the morning. So stick some Motorhead or Slayer on full blast and try and wake the bastard up Once again, thanks. . If you cant solve the problem, ask your council to help. He then resumed today at 1pm today and is still going strong. The key question is: There are no fixed rules on the size of gaps. Despite the resident expressing dissatisfaction with its service on further occasions, the landlord only logged a complaint in April 2021. Bloody disgrace. Both the resident and the landlord have submitted information to the Ombudsman and this has been carefully considered. 18 May and 19 November 2020, the landlord made 22 visits to the property to assess noise in response to 50 reports of noise made by the resident. It is clear that the resident started complaining to the landlord as early as March 2020. If you dont feel comfortable speaking to them, write a letter or ask someone to contact them for you. "Hounslow." for the installation of noise recording equipment in the residents property to confirm and identify the noise reported and take appropriate follow-on actions. Well send you a link to a feedback form. This guide explains the powers that local authorities have to deal with disputes between neighbours about high hedges, and how home owners and occupiers can complain to the local authority about such hedges. Check if you can get help with legal costs. I feel very unwell from the lack of sleep. He said that the neighbour was also verbally abusive which frightened his children. A West London man has been ordered to pay 6,000 after he illegally knocked down his own house. In its response of 29 May 2020, the landlord told the resident that: there were complex issues relating to GDPR so it was unable to discuss matters relating to the neighbour. Save time, and do it online . The resident replied later the same date asking for a permanent solution to the issues. It reiterated that he should continue to complete diary sheets and send them to his Housing Officer (HO). It said that it wanted to assure him that they were working with the neighbour. It is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Hounslow, and is identified in the London Plan as one of the 12 metropolitan centres in Greater London. Any reference to these events is for context only. If it is, then councils can order the owner of a high hedge to take action to put right the problem and stop it from happening again. This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-hedges-complaining-to-the-council/high-hedges-complaining-to-the-council. The conclusion by the ASB officer was that they would write to warn to the neighbour about the noise nuisance but that they were not convinced there was a case to investigate or keep open any longer. The Council's definition of a complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction about: failure to follow process failure to follow the Council's own policy significant or repeated failure to. Moreover, the landlords updates were invariably advice that its investigations were ongoing. For example, chapters 4 and 5 of this guide give detailed advice about what councils look at when they make decisions on complaints. Advice for people affected by child abuse. Hounslow Council Phone Number | Call Now & Shortcut to Rep - GetHuman When theyve got both sides of the story, a council officer will visit the site to look at the hedge and its surroundings. Hounslow Chief Exec apologises for comment in bad-tempered council While he agreed with mediation as a way forward, he contended that this should have been agreed in advance and not on the day of the visit. that it was meeting with other agencies that week. Before you cut a tree, check if its protected by a Tree Preservation Order. i think you only have to inform a purchaser if there is an actual dispute and its within the last 12 months. Heartbroken dad issues warning after son, 13, dies in TikTok challenge, Red flag after possible suspect in missing brothers case made eerie request, Two dead and four injured after 19-year-old 'opens fire at prom after party', $80k reward offered for shooting suspect Francisco Oropesa after five killed, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Noise is one of the most common neighbour complaints, just because you find a noise or habit irritating. , and in accordance with its ASB policy, above at point 2, for it to take this action to resolve the issue in the absence of evidence to support the noise reports. Do it online. Are you the owner or occupier of this domestic property? He said that he had been complaining for two years. The landlord noted that, on its visit to the property on 24 February 2020, the resident. You can contact the council if you think your neighbour isnt acting in accordance with this notice. Your feedback will help us give millions of people the information they need. This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. It might be a good idea to buy the documents for your neighbours house too - they might give information thats not covered in yours. Despite the resident making further reports to the landlord of the same issue in January and March 2021, there is. Please do not post any personal information relating to yourself, or employees of Hounslow Council as these comments will not be approved. There is no evidence of the landlord logging a complaint prior to April 2021. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. The resident made noise and ASB reports regarding his neighbour to the landlord between March and November 2018. The landlords internal file note dated 9 June 2020 show its ASB officer interviewed the residents neighbour about noise and ASB reports raised by the resident. We bought a house a few years ago, only to find as soon as we moved in, a single mother drug dealer lived next door. There was a further incident in August 2021 when the police had to gain entry into the neighbours property in the early hours. If they want you to cut your tree or hedge just because they dont like the way it looks, its up to you whether you do the work. The council here instructs the police to confiscate items. Check what to do if you think a hedge is too high on GOV.UK. We could take no more so we sold up and moved, it took us a year to sell. For example, give details of the position, type and height of the hedges trees or shrubs and, if you wish, include a plan. The most effective way to request a service or report something to the Council is through our standard customer contact channels. Having reviewed the actions taken it was satisfied that the case was managed satisfactorily. Report street problems / mySociety a town of Middlesex, 10 m. SW. of London; railways have done away with its importance as a posting town; in the vicinity are gunpowder mills, barracks, and the famous Hounslow Heath. The document detailed the reasons for the referral as due to allegations of anti-social behaviour from residents. Furthermore, the landlord spoke to the residents neighbour, September 2019 and January 2020, and it arranged mediation between the two parties on 24, February 2020. Search for 'trees' on your council's website to find which department to contact. Hounslow residents are being encouraged to come together with neighbours, friends, and family in celebration of the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla. . If you have tried and failed to resolve your neighbourly issue by talking to your neighbour you can approach your local council. This service has seen evidence that the ASB officer discussed the situation with his care worker. This means your noisy neighbour must stop making the noise or face legal action. Videos on managing unacceptable behaviour. https://www.definitions.net/definition/Hounslow. Visiting Hounslow House. In this instance the landlords ASB policy state. It acknowledged that the issues raised about the alleged nuisance from the neighbour were still ongoing however it had responded to the matters raised in accordance with its policies. If you do anything more than trim overhanging branches, your neighbour could take you to court for damaging their property. If you are unhappy with a service that we have provided to you, please . This is usually at the base of the trunk or main stem of the trees or shrubs in the hedge. The sub woofer is incredible on this system. neighbour should have been agreed in advance and advised that this feedback would be passed on. It is a suburban development situated 10.6 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. the landlords handling of the residents reports concerning antisocial behaviour from his neighbour. The hedge must be on land owned or occupied by someone else. Think carefully about the reasons for your complaint. Find out about the Energy Bills Support Scheme, nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3, Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, High hedges complaints: prevention and cure, trees protected by a Tree Preservation Order, appeal to the independent Planning Inspectorate. No. Claiming compensation for a personal injury, Help for victims of rape and sexual violence, Keeping your family in the UK after Brexit, Getting a visa for your spouse or partner, check if its protected by a Tree Preservation Order, Check what to do if you think a hedge is too high, Check if you can get help with legal costs. The complaint must be in writing, and many councils recommend using their form. The risk to other resident was raised as a concern. In her report she says the Council did not take a homelessness application from him as it should have done because it considered he was not 'in priority need'. It followed this up with an email to the resident on 14 August 2020 advising his report had been logged and requesting him to record the times/dates of the alleged noise nuisance and ASB in diary sheets. They might, for example, measure the size of your garden or how far the hedge is from windows in your home. Once theyre satisfied that your complaint meets the legal tests, the council will invite your neighbour to set out their case. There was a referral in October 2020 in respect of the neighbour to the appropriate agency, however there is a lack of evidence to demonstrate that. It kept happening and he was going around in circles. Chapter 9 of High hedges complaints: prevention and cure gives detailed guidance on enforcing remedial notices. The resident replied to the landlord later. It advised that there was an ongoing investigation about the issues he has raised. The Ombudsmans role is not to establish whether particular events occurred; for example, it is not our role to assess whether antisocial behaviour happened. He said the matter was urgent and he requested that the landlord take action or evict his neighbour. They must take into account any relevant concerns raised by you and your neighbour. The remedial notice issued by the council will say what must be done. Contacting Hounslow Council. If youve taken the steps listed in Over the garden hedge and can answer yes to all the points listed below, the local council is likely to be able to consider your complaint. If you think your neighbour's tree is dangerous, you can report it to the council - for example if you think it might fall over. The committee met in private at the end of last month to discuss a complaint about the behaviour of Mr Gill. The landlord subsequently returned to his flat with its fire officer and fitted a new smoke detector. Thank you, your feedback has been submitted. Hounslow Council criticised for delay in responding to homeless man Chapters 4 and 5 of High hedges complaints: prevention and cure include detailed guidance for councils on the sorts of hedge problems they can and cant deal with. On 4 May 2021, the resident asked the landlord to escalate his complaint to stage two. He complained about the risk to the whole block and said he could not keep calling the Fire Brigade. The landlord also failed to sufficiently communicate with the resident in response to his ASB reports and did not provide information on the progress of its investigation. an agenda or that he was making up this complaint. She added . The landlords advice to the resident on 20 March 2020 that his neighbour had been taken to hospital that morning for treatment indicates it had been in communication with his care worker at this time. I'm not knowledgeable when it comes to what can and can't be done by law, but it wouldn't hurt to. How to Dispute a Hounslow PCN [98% Success] - DoNotPay Talk to your neighbour face to face if you can - make a note of what you agreed. On 30 April 2021, the landlord visited the neighbour to deliver him a warning letter stating he was breaching. You can send your complaint to the council by post or email. In view of the reported burning smell implying a potential risk to the health and safety of the residents, it is reasonable to expect the landlord to have also undertaken a risk assessment at this time however there is no evidence to suggest it considered this. The landlords ASB policy makes clear that it must do everything possible to resolve the issue using alternative remedies before considering tenancy action. This can also cover artificial light or a build up of rubbish that could possibly cause harm. Hounslow is the principal town in the London Borough of Hounslow. As far as I know the women is still living at there doing her dealing, driving a BMW. Inquire About the Details of a Recent Complaint. You don't mention if this person rents the property or is a lease holder. This is evidence of the landlord failing to follow its complaints process. the steps youve taken to try to settle the dispute, the problems that you are having in your home and/or its garden or yard because the hedge is too tall, how you think the hedge is adversely affecting the reasonable enjoyment of this property, take any action that could result in the hedges death or destruction, trim the hedge to a height less than 2 metres above ground level. Complaining about your neighbour This advice applies to England If your neighbour is noisy or stops you feeling comfortable, try to discuss it with them if you can. Some dissatisfaction about the Councils action will be treated as a request for us to do something, for example, a service request. An action plan was agreed in August 2020 which included several actions both to address the ASB and mitigate the effects of his ASB, which was appropriate. Welcome back Edit Account-Sign Out. Further, that other neighbours said the noise was mainly in the evening and usually stopped at around 9 pm. 020 8583 2000. Hounslow London Borough Council elections - Hounslow Council in London, England is elected every four years. When councils are determining a complaint they must first decide whether the height of the high hedge is having an adverse effect on a neighbours enjoyment of their home and/or its garden or yard. Hounslow ( HOWNZ-loh) is a large suburban district of West London, 10+34 miles (17.5 kilometres) west-southwest of Charing Cross. The sub woofer is incredible on this system. We will deal with these as part of the Councils day to day business, rather than through our complaints process. London Borough of Hounslow (202128145) - Housing Ombudsman It is always better if neighbours can resolve their problems informally, and many noise (and other) problems can be resolved this way. Not usually. But the further away it is, the more difficult it will be to show that the hedges height is harming the reasonable enjoyment of all or part of your home and/or its garden or yard. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk. Live in London (or any major UK city) then expect noise. A statutory nuisance is a legal term and covers significant or unreasonable noise which stops you enjoying your property. Listen, and request some time to think about the problem and measures you intend to take. 1 Noise is one of the most common neighbour complaints Credit: Getty He asked the landlord to contact another neighbour who would confirm this. Further, despite the resident reporting further instances of loud music, hammering and banging over the subsequent two weeks, there is no evidence to show the landlord acted on these reports. Read what we're saying about a range of issues. One of the most common neighbourly issues is excessive or unreasonable noise levels. Whichever way you make the complaint this is your chance to set out your case, so its important that you give the right information. Call Out of hours emergency on 020 8583 2222. If the problem continues, youll need to get help from a solicitor who specialises in neighbour disputes - but this will be expensive. Theyll indicate where the boundary is and might say whos responsible for the tree or hedge. If you think your neighbours tree is dangerous, you can report it to the council - for example if you think it might fall over. The Local Government Ombudsman is the final stage for complaints about councils. The needs of residents are our top priority and we pride ourselves in delivering quality services in the most effective and efficient way possible. Ask them to keep their dog inside at night or to impose a curfew for their child's drum practice. The landlords policy refers to interviewing the reporter and providing incident diary sheets where relevant. We did make a few anonymous calls to the drug police. Housing Neighbour nuisance and anti-social behaviour Speak Neighbour nuisance and anti-social behaviour This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people having problems getting the council to deal with anti-social behaviour near their homes and who may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. You must tell your neighbour in advance if a tree surgeon needs to go on their land. On 22 March 2021, the resident reported that there was a burning smell coming from his neighbours flat and referred the landlord to his previous emails. The landlords policy also states it is important to establish if residents who report or are allegedly causing neighbourhood issues have care or support needs to ensure that appropriate measures are taken throughout the case. Inquire from the landlord or other neighbors about the details of a recent complaint about your behavior. We had a similar issue with students that went on for about 11 months. Sometimes things go wrong and we need to be aware so that we can fix and learn from them. Housing Messy/untidy neighbour rights | Resolver UK In its stage one complaint of 29 April 2021, the landlord acknowledged the resident had been making reports for more than 12 months however said that it logged the ASB complaint in August 2020. . subsequently interviewed the resident on 11 March 2020 however this service has not been provided with any notes of this meeting. Hounslow Council was the subject of more than 100 complaints and enquiries to the ombudsman about its actions last year, new figures show. The landlord made reasonable efforts to substantiate the residents reports of noise and acted appropriately by initiating mediation in accordance with its policy. The Ombudsman considers the evidence and looks to see if there has been any maladministration, for example whether the landlord has failed to keep to the law, followed proper procedure, followed good practice or behaved in a reasonable and competent manner. waiting for the lift. hounslow and richmond community healthcare nhs trust. What does Hounslow mean? The legislation also allows councils to set and charge fees for handling these complaints. The council can order your neighbour to take action to stop the problems with the hedge happening again. Contact your local council. Further he said that the warning signs were there, and action needed to be taken before something serious happened. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. Hounslow Council (202001964) - Housing Ombudsman The landlord concluded that it had investigated his reports of noise fully and had taken appropriate action. If your neighbour has broken the law Hounslow Council complaints contacts. DIGITAL SPY, PART OF THE HEARST UK ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK. It advised that, as there was no evidence of noise nuisance, it could not take any further action. Any disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 must also be taken into account before possession is pursued against a disabled person. This is comprised of: 450 for its failed to adequately deal with his ASB reports and communicate with the resident. If the council decide action is necessary, theyll issue a formal remedial notice to your neighbour and give you a copy. Following this incident, the landlord visited the neighbour to discuss his behaviour, which was appropriate. In accordance with paragraph 54 of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, there was maladministration by the landlord when handling the residents complaints. ABBREVIATIONS; ANAGRAMS; BIOGRAPHIES; CALCULATORS; CONVERSIONS; DEFINITIONS; GRAMMAR; LITERATURE; LYRICS; The council might also have to allow extra time to protect birds nesting in the hedge. Comply with above orders within four weeks. The councils website will have information on how you can contact them. Ombudsman receives more than 100 complaints and enquiries about Complain about noise to the council High hedges, trees and boundaries Call the police Take action through the courts Overview Follow these steps if you have a dispute with your neighbour. Please see Over the garden hedge for information on the steps you should think about taking before you complain to the council. Breaking the abatement order can result in fines up to 5,000 or up to 20,000 for a factory or business. In its final complaint response to the resident, the landlord advised that there was insufficient evidence to take steps to possess the neighbours property. On 16 March 2020, the resident reported there had been loud music and banging all night for the last three nights from his neighbour. The landlord. It was during the middle of my final year uni exams it got worse. This doesnt include those privet hedges that lose all their leaves in winter and beech or hornbeam hedges that keep dead leaves in winter. The Ombudsman considers the evidence and looks to see if there has been any maladministration, for example whether the landlord has failed to keep to the law, followed proper procedure, followed good practice or behaved in a reasonable and competent manner.