kittymoo
01-02-2010, 10:28 AM
Hi this is my first post so hoping someone can assist.
I've been in my flat since August, I signed a 12 month agreement. I live in an Edwardian conversion raised 1st floor flat and there is a basement flat below me. I have two house cats which I asked permission to keep in the property and had this added to my lease agreement. My next door neighbour also had cats.
Firstly there are some problems with my property that haven't been dealt with since I moved in, there is a serious damp problem especially in the bedroom where plaster is coming away from the wall.(it's a flat roof property), the curtain rail in the lounge has come away from the wall, the lighting in the kitchen is faulty and there's a leaking tap in the bathroom. I was also promised the property would be painted and even had the landlords' son ask me to choose paint.
Around October time my downstairs neighbour started to bang agressively on the ceiling (my floor). I noticed it was when my cats were awake and playing I live alone and pride myself on being a quiet tenant. I spoke to the landlord's son (who I was informed was the contact for any issues)who also lives downstairs. He said not to worry as there is soundproofing in the building and although noises could be heard (he cited my next door neighbour and her cat who lived above his basement flat) he said he didn't deem it a disturbance due to the nature of the building and suggested I just make sure the cats weren't allowed in the bedroom at night. I started to curfew my cats at 10pm every night banning them from the bedroom.
In December I got an email from my letting agent to say that the neighbour had made a complaint. Not once had she discussed with me the issue. Both the letting agent and landlord didn't think it was a problem and asked me to talk to the the neighbour about it. I invited her round for a cup of tea and we had a civilised conversation, she mentioned she knew when I had visitors, could hear what room I was in and that my boyfriend had a cough! I said I'd look at buying a rug or putting some sort of padding on my lounge floor and she agreed that there would be a couple of times a day when my cats were likely to be active, if this didn't work we would both approach the landlord with a view to improving the carpetting or underlay.
I assumed this was fine and had rectified the issue. Shortly after new year I received an abusive text from the nieghbour saying I hadn't done anything and how did I expect her to live this way, this was late at night (I'd given her my number in good faith to discuss the issue further should we need to). I had put a king size duvet on the floor as I couldn't find (nor afford) a large enough rug straight away and had told both landlord and letting agent this. When I spoke to the landlord he mentioned he had been in the neighbours flat fitting a kitchen for about a 6 - 7 hour period just before the christmas period and hadn't heard any noises he would deem disturbing and seemed happy with what I had put in place.
I'd advised the neighbour something had been put in place and asked her if there was any improvement, she ignored my messages and continued to bang (even when there was no noise) and shout obscenities at me, making the issue very personal.
I spoke to the letting agent who advised me that I was doing all I could and he'd speak to the landlord and neighbour again particularly as the neighbour was seemingly un-cooperative. He said he couldn't imagine that my pets were making that much of a disturbance and was happy with what I was doing to alleviate the situation.
I have since received a call from the landlord who asked me a number of questions, such as whether I would get rid of my cats. I said no (obviously) and I asked him whether he'd improve the sound proofing, he replied that there was already sound proofing. He asked if I thought my cats were noisy and I gave as honest a description of their behaviour as possible. He said he was reluctant to ask neighbour to move as he was concerned if he got a new tenant they might complain too. I told him I was financially unable to move (as I'd have to save a new deposit). He also said pets weren't allowed, but I pointed out that he'd allowed mine and my previous neighbours. (I think he was looking for an easy solution). I asked him if he had he been into neighbours flat to fully investigate the noise and sound proofing - he said he hadn't other than the day he fitted the kitchen but was still adament that the sound proofing was sufficient and that he didn't think the cats were making that much noise and found it difficult to think it would be so bad.
I'm not sure what else I can do, I make sure they don't disturb her sleep and they play twice a day for about 10 minutes each time. The banging from the neighbour is scaring them and it's also making for a stressful atmosphere because I honestly don't know what more I can do. It seems the landlord is leaving it to me to try and sort it out but it's at a stalemate situation. He seems reluctant to improve the carpeting or underlay and I can't improve the soundproofing myself.
I wanted some advice about what I should do next. I've lived in flats for the past 10 years and always had my cats, I've had really good relationships with my neighbours too.
Because the landlord seems reluctant to do anything I was considering discussing with the letting agent making an offer to move, asking for my deposit back and a month's rent for inconvenience. I'd help with locating a new tenant but the property is in an area where it would re-let very quickly (greater london). But I didn't want to do this if it made me vulnerable legally. I just want to resolve the situation.
I've been in my flat since August, I signed a 12 month agreement. I live in an Edwardian conversion raised 1st floor flat and there is a basement flat below me. I have two house cats which I asked permission to keep in the property and had this added to my lease agreement. My next door neighbour also had cats.
Firstly there are some problems with my property that haven't been dealt with since I moved in, there is a serious damp problem especially in the bedroom where plaster is coming away from the wall.(it's a flat roof property), the curtain rail in the lounge has come away from the wall, the lighting in the kitchen is faulty and there's a leaking tap in the bathroom. I was also promised the property would be painted and even had the landlords' son ask me to choose paint.
Around October time my downstairs neighbour started to bang agressively on the ceiling (my floor). I noticed it was when my cats were awake and playing I live alone and pride myself on being a quiet tenant. I spoke to the landlord's son (who I was informed was the contact for any issues)who also lives downstairs. He said not to worry as there is soundproofing in the building and although noises could be heard (he cited my next door neighbour and her cat who lived above his basement flat) he said he didn't deem it a disturbance due to the nature of the building and suggested I just make sure the cats weren't allowed in the bedroom at night. I started to curfew my cats at 10pm every night banning them from the bedroom.
In December I got an email from my letting agent to say that the neighbour had made a complaint. Not once had she discussed with me the issue. Both the letting agent and landlord didn't think it was a problem and asked me to talk to the the neighbour about it. I invited her round for a cup of tea and we had a civilised conversation, she mentioned she knew when I had visitors, could hear what room I was in and that my boyfriend had a cough! I said I'd look at buying a rug or putting some sort of padding on my lounge floor and she agreed that there would be a couple of times a day when my cats were likely to be active, if this didn't work we would both approach the landlord with a view to improving the carpetting or underlay.
I assumed this was fine and had rectified the issue. Shortly after new year I received an abusive text from the nieghbour saying I hadn't done anything and how did I expect her to live this way, this was late at night (I'd given her my number in good faith to discuss the issue further should we need to). I had put a king size duvet on the floor as I couldn't find (nor afford) a large enough rug straight away and had told both landlord and letting agent this. When I spoke to the landlord he mentioned he had been in the neighbours flat fitting a kitchen for about a 6 - 7 hour period just before the christmas period and hadn't heard any noises he would deem disturbing and seemed happy with what I had put in place.
I'd advised the neighbour something had been put in place and asked her if there was any improvement, she ignored my messages and continued to bang (even when there was no noise) and shout obscenities at me, making the issue very personal.
I spoke to the letting agent who advised me that I was doing all I could and he'd speak to the landlord and neighbour again particularly as the neighbour was seemingly un-cooperative. He said he couldn't imagine that my pets were making that much of a disturbance and was happy with what I was doing to alleviate the situation.
I have since received a call from the landlord who asked me a number of questions, such as whether I would get rid of my cats. I said no (obviously) and I asked him whether he'd improve the sound proofing, he replied that there was already sound proofing. He asked if I thought my cats were noisy and I gave as honest a description of their behaviour as possible. He said he was reluctant to ask neighbour to move as he was concerned if he got a new tenant they might complain too. I told him I was financially unable to move (as I'd have to save a new deposit). He also said pets weren't allowed, but I pointed out that he'd allowed mine and my previous neighbours. (I think he was looking for an easy solution). I asked him if he had he been into neighbours flat to fully investigate the noise and sound proofing - he said he hadn't other than the day he fitted the kitchen but was still adament that the sound proofing was sufficient and that he didn't think the cats were making that much noise and found it difficult to think it would be so bad.
I'm not sure what else I can do, I make sure they don't disturb her sleep and they play twice a day for about 10 minutes each time. The banging from the neighbour is scaring them and it's also making for a stressful atmosphere because I honestly don't know what more I can do. It seems the landlord is leaving it to me to try and sort it out but it's at a stalemate situation. He seems reluctant to improve the carpeting or underlay and I can't improve the soundproofing myself.
I wanted some advice about what I should do next. I've lived in flats for the past 10 years and always had my cats, I've had really good relationships with my neighbours too.
Because the landlord seems reluctant to do anything I was considering discussing with the letting agent making an offer to move, asking for my deposit back and a month's rent for inconvenience. I'd help with locating a new tenant but the property is in an area where it would re-let very quickly (greater london). But I didn't want to do this if it made me vulnerable legally. I just want to resolve the situation.