The landlords policy refers to interviewing the reporter and providing incident diary sheets where relevant. This could include keeping the hedge within its new height for as long as its there. The Ombudsman recommends that the landlord provide regular updates to res, Videos on managing unacceptable behaviour. Email Customer Services on customerservice@hounslow.gov.uk. Visit Homepage. 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. Definition of Hounslow in the Definitions.net dictionary. They must also think about effects on the neighbourhood. The landlord visited the neighbour who confirmed that he was burning paper to which the landlord warned him about the dangers of doing this. Both the resident and the landlord have submitted information to the Ombudsman and this has been carefully considered. We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly. Generally if the noise is loud and occurs often - especially at night - it can be considered unreasonable. This had not highlighted any noise concerns. When councils are determining a complaint they must first decide whether the height of the high hedge is having an adverse effect on a neighbour's enjoyment of their home and/or its garden or. There is no evidence to show the landlord acted on this report. If it is, youll have to ask the council for permission to cut the tree even if its yours. The neighbour making all the noise is sleeping now so I have some rest at least. This shows the landlord considered legal action to evict the neighbour however as its ASB policy sets out legal obligations the landlord has to vulnerable residents including when pursuing possession, it is reasonable to expect the landlord to have contacted its Legal team for advice on this issue to ensure it was fully aware of all options. It also says it will contact/interview the alleged perpetrator notifying the reporter of the outcome. I gave up with the authorities. It is understandable that due to the ongoing issues experienced and the safety risk posed by some of the neighbours ASB, the resident seeks a permanent solution to the situation. This is set out in the Housing Act 1996 and the Housing Ombudsman Scheme (the Scheme). It was during the middle of my final year uni exams it got worse. On 18 March 2020, the landlord advised that the matter will be investigated as soon as possible and asked that the resident to be sure to record incidents in diary sheets in the meantime. The risk to other resident was raised as a concern. The resident made noise and ASB reports regarding his neighbour to the landlord between March and November 2018. By the landlord. Call Out of hours emergency on 020 8583 2222. They might ask the owner to make it safe or deal with it themselves. Postal Address. Are you the owner or occupier of this domestic property? 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. Theyll indicate where the boundary is and might say whos responsible for the tree or hedge. It reiterated that he should continue to complete diary sheets and send them to his Housing Officer (HO). We have 5,219 pages of rights advice for you covering 10,545 companies and organisations across 16 public & private sectors. Think carefully about the reasons for your complaint. If the council decide action is necessary, theyll issue a formal remedial notice to your neighbour and give you a copy. He said that the neighbour was also verbally abusive which frightened his children. Some dissatisfaction about the Councils action will be treated as a request for us to do something, for example, a service request. None of these visits recorded any evidence to prompt enforcement action. Whichever way you make the complaint this is your chance to set out your case, so its important that you give the right information. Its often best to find a compromise, for example sharing the cost of pruning a hedge even though you think your neighbour owns it. Search for 'trees' on your council's website to find which department to contact. On 14 May 2020, the resident contacted the landlord to report further instances of loud music and banging early in the morning. Subsidence can be caused by a hedges roots taking moisture from soils that shrink. Please tell us more about why our advice didn't help. Well send you a link to a feedback form. What does it mean to have power of attorney? He said he was concerned about calling the Councils Enforcement team as he did not want to jeopardise his or his familys safety. The resident is a tenant of the landlord and occupies a. ground-floor studio flat located in a block of flats. the landlords handling of the residents reports concerning antisocial behaviour from his neighbour. After the tumultuous technical events throughout the meeting, Councillor . The Housing Ombudsmans approach to investigating and determining complaints is to decide what is fair in all the circumstances of the case. the landlord took the other steps identified in its action plan at the time. For extreme cases the nuisance neighbours can be evicted or rehoused. This guide and the related spreadsheet can help you work out whether an evergreen hedge is blocking too much daylight and sunlight to your home or garden. After the resident made further reports of noise on 18 and 19 May 2020, the landlord enquired about installation of noise recording equipment but was informed that, due to the ongoing corona virus pandemic, the noise team were not entering properties. The landlord stated that it had checked its own records and spoken to other residents to ascertain if any corroborating noise reports could be found. The council must be realistic about how long it will take your neighbour to cut the hedge or arrange for someone else to do it. Ask them to keep their dog inside at night or to impose a curfew for their child's drum practice. It will take time for them to get a statement from your neighbour and arrange to visit the site. However, not all of the actions were progressed in a timely manner and there is no evidence to show the landlord followed through with some of the actions in its plan. Check if you can get help with legal costs. Register. The legislation doesnt set a specific height. From ground level. There is also no evidence of the landlord following up on a further report from the resident of a burning smell from the neighbours flat on 6 November 2020. The outcome of the investigation was that there was insufficient evidence of noise nuisance for it to take enforcement action. It is bounded by Isleworth to the east, Twickenham to its south, Feltham to its west and Southall to its north. 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. It might be worth reading Hedge height and light loss. The most effective way to request a service or report something to the Council is through our standard customer contact channels. hounslow and richmond community healthcare nhs trust. Hounslow London Borough Council elections - Hounslow Council in London, England is elected every four years. They might be able to deal with the disagreement on your behalf. This procedure also states that, f the noise levels are likely to constitute statutory nuisance, s policy provides for a two-stage complaints process, with timescales for a response of 15 working days at stage one and, working days at the final stage. It is evident that the landlord made 22 further visits after the conclusion of the residents complaint between 18 May and 19 November 2020. The council cant get involved in helping you get back the fee that youve paid and certainly cant force your neighbour to repay you. hours number to the resident. The landlord noted the residents dissatisfaction in its email to him on 24. 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. Where a tenant at risk has a support network the HO/HAO should always seek to involve the support agency or advocate in order to assist the tenant in the process. It arranged a joint visit with its Fire Officer to inspect the neighbours flat the following week and requested a meeting with the neighbours care coordinator to discuss the incident. London Borough of Hounslow delayed in assisting a homeless man with mental health issues finds Local Government Ombudsman, Dr Jane Martin. 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. The request was for the neighbour to be transferred to alternative accommodation which might work better for the neighbour. 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. Hounslow. 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. If your neighbour wont cut branches hanging over your garden, youre allowed to chop them off - but only the bits on your side of the boundary. I honestly don't know where they found the time to sleep. The ASB officer said he had contacted police to see if they had any concerns about the neighbour and they await their response. This report is not an exhaustive description of all the events that have occurred in relation to this case, but an outline of the key issues as a background to the investigations findings. Any disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 must also be taken into account before possession is pursued against a disabled person. They simply send you a. The key question is: There are no fixed rules on the size of gaps. He then resumed today at 1pm today and is still going strong. , 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. Its actions were appropriate with no delays or service failures. Nonetheless, the landlord failed to provide the resident with any update following this despite telling the resident that it would. From disruptive planning permission to noise complaints, you can tackle the issue of nuisance neighbours though your local council. I could not sleep all last night and now have the same again now. Check the councils website or complaint form, or contact the council, to find out how much the right fee is and how you should pay it. The lease started on 10 July 2017. The landlords file notes confirm it had a joint meeting with the relevant support teams on 24 March 2021 to discuss this case and what action to take going forward. Despite the resident making further reports to the landlord of the same issue in January and March 2021, there is. This service has not seen any evidence to show the landlord wrote to the neighbour to warn him about the noise nuisance at this time. The council will let the neighbour know that youve complained, so bear this in mind when youre writing the complaint. the landlord advised the resident that it was working with other departments, and it had a meeting booked next week. You can make a complaint, like I did before and nothing happens. However, there is no evidence of the landlord opening an ASB case, of it referring the case to its ASB team or interviewing the neighbour or his care worker to discuss the allegations. No. As the landlord found no actionable evidence of noise issues, it stated that mediation was the best option to resolve matter. 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. On 14 April 2020, the resident requested an update from the landlord. Their accounts of what has happened are summarised below. You don't mention if this person rents the property or is a lease holder. Having reviewed the landlords actions from the date of the residents initial reports of ASB made in March 2020 until the final response on 4 June 2021, whilst the neighbours ASB was not resolved during this timeframe, the landlord took some steps to address the issues being reported, as well as support the neighbour to maintain his tenancy as per its policy. It said if issues continued and legal action was required, it would require such evidence to support the legal case. The landlord discussed the allegations with the neighbour which he denied. Hounslow schools and libraries have announced plans to celebrate the Coronation through a series of free events and activities across the borough. Registered in England. I feel very unwell from the lack of sleep. For example, 2 metres will only be the right height in some cases. Search for trees to find which department to contact. The landlords internal record dated 19 August 2020 confirms it visited the neighbours flat with its fire officer and that a smoke detector was fitted. More information on the cookies we set can be found in our cookie policy. He is owns the property. Please do not post any personal information relating to yourself, or employees of Hounslow Council as these comments will not be approved. We use cookies to ensure that we provide you with the best possible experience on our website. Is the hedge (or the part of it thats causing problems) a high hedge? However, because the landlord also has to balance the needs of the neighbour who is vulnerable, the lack of a permanent solution provided would not. Is there anything wrong with this page? It also advised him of the importance of it witnessing the reported noise to be able to take further action. Contacting Hounslow Council. The landlord issued its stage one complaint response to the resident on 16, August 2019 and 12 March 2020 to observe the noise level. This is set out in the Housing Act 1996 and the Housing Ombudsman Scheme. The council may use the governments guidance to help them decide what could be the best height for the hedge. He asked for an update as he believed that landlord had been working with the neighbour for almost four years. The council have to weigh up all relevant information before reaching a fair and balanced decision. The landlord noted that, on its visit to the property on 24 February 2020, the resident. The landlord acknowledged his report and. The Local Government Ombudsman is the final stage for complaints about councils. It asserted that it had appropriately arranged for the resident to meet with his neighbour to discuss the issue. If you think your neighbours tree is dangerous, you can report it to the council - for example if you think it might fall over. It also said it would keep him updated on the progress. 020 8583 2000. Police refused to do anything, and environmental health were even more useless. Therefore, from August 2020, the landlord engaged with other parties whereby an action plan was agreed to address the issues. Here is a summary of privacy when using this chat. The neighbour whom the ASB reports concern, lives next door to the resident and is a tenant of the landlord. 150 for its service failures when handling his complaints. There is no evidence of the landlord logging a complaint prior to April 2021. . To help you test the strength of your case, it also might be worth reading High hedges complaints: prevention and cure. 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. 60 councillors are elected from 20 wards, with by-elections held to fill any vacancies between elections. 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. The council can reject your complaint if they think you havent taken all reasonable steps to try to settle your dispute without involving them. Both the resident and the landlord have submitted information to the Ombudsman and this has been carefully considered. As such, there was no maladministration in the way the landlord responded to the residents reports of noise nuisance. The legislation specifically says that councils cant deal with problems caused by roots. The resident replied later the same date asking for a permanent solution to the issues. This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-hedges-complaining-to-the-council/high-hedges-complaining-to-the-council. One that keeps some live or green leaves all year round. In most cases you should first approach your neighbour directly about the matter. The council should assess the case in the same way as an application to carry out work on trees protected by a Tree Preservation Order or a notice of work on trees in a conservation area. Once theyve got all this information, the council will weigh it all up. Happy to be corrected! Email Customer Services on customerservice@hounslow.gov.uk, Call Out of hours emergency on 020 8583 2222. At tim. This is comprised of: 450 for its failed to adequately deal with his ASB reports and communicate with the resident. If the hedge includes protected trees, you might need to get separate permission from the council for trimming overhanging branches. If you have tried and failed to resolve your neighbourly issue by talking to your neighbour you can approach your local council. You can also send a copy to your neighbour so that they know what youve done. The STANDS4 Network. That may include the date and time of the incident and how it affected them. Get specialist help from a tree surgeon if the roots of your neighbours tree are affecting your home and garden. Your local council can step in if the dispute involves any activity that is a nuisance or could damage your health. Use FixMyStreet.com to Contact your local council. He said that he wanted reassurance that the case was high priority. The complaints responses did not sufficien, detail its investigation into the handling of the issues raised. All Rights Reserved. The council can order your neighbour to take action to stop the problems with the hedge happening again. Heathrow Airport and parts of Hatton comprise the TW6 postcode. The landlords antisocial behaviour (ASB) procedure, states that reports of noise should be investigated by the landlord if it cannot be resolved informally by the resident. Read what we're saying about a range of issues. Meaning of Hounslow. The resident asserted that the noise persisted, and the landlord had not offered a solution to the issue; therefore, he requested that it escalate the complaint. You can send your complaint to the council by post or email. Pets that bark or squawk loudly and constantly can fall under this but a new-born baby crying is unlikely to be classed as a statutory nuisance. On 13 April 2021, the neighbour made a self-referral for support. It stated that it would provide an update by 24 March 2020. Having reviewed the actions taken it was satisfied that the case was managed satisfactorily. To complain all you need to do is contact your local council, many have a specialist team to deal . To what extent does the hedge block light or views, even if there are gaps in the greenery or between the trees or shrubs? 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. The committee met in private at the end of last month to discuss a complaint about the behaviour of Mr Gill. It forms a post town in the TW postcode area. If they were to smell the cannabis themselves, they might knock on the door and broach the subject that way. Even when I asked them about the noisy neighbour they were very defensive. It said if the resident felt in danger, then he should call the Councils Enforcement team and leave a message and insist that they visit the flat. 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. Advice can vary depending on where you live. Around the same time, its HO carried out an Equality Impact Assessment to determine if it was appropriate to take further steps regarding the neighbours tenancy. He said that he had been complaining for two years. The landlord assured the resident that a great deal of effort was involved in resolving the issues and the case was overseen at a senior level. Login . The landlord made reasonable efforts to substantiate the residents reports of noise and acted appropriately by initiating mediation in accordance with its policy. subsequently interviewed the resident on 11 March 2020 however this service has not been provided with any notes of this meeting. Videos on managing unacceptable behaviour. The resident emailed the landlord later on 16 April 2020 to convey his dissatisfaction with its response, highlighting that the wording implied he had. He expressed frustration with the landlords response and felt that, 13 March 2020 to advise that it had not raised, complaint at stage one of its complaints procedure, referred the matter to a staff member to attempt to resolve. This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. 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. While it acknowledged in its response on 21 April 2020 that it should have given him notice of the mediation meeting, it was. This also states that if. If you rent your home, talk to your landlord about the problem. 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. The landlord also reiterated to the resident at this time that there was an ongoing investigation. The resident contacted the landlord again on 20 March 2020 complaining about the length of time taken to act on his reports. But a hedge with gaps at more than 2 metres above ground level that significantly affect its overall effect as a barrier to light or access is not a high hedge and, therefore, you cannot complain to the council about such hedges under this procedure. On 16 March 2020, the resident reported there had been loud music and banging all night for the last three nights from his neighbour. They might ask the owner to make it safe or deal with it themselves. If their behaviour crosses into verbal abuse and intimidation that can be classed as antisocial behaviour. The resident contacted the landlord on 6 March 2020 complaining that he and his family were having sleepless nights and he had been signed off sick from work because of loud noise and banging from his neighbour. We couldn't complain to the council as we owned the house and if we sold we would have to inform the new owners. As far as I know the women is still living at there doing her dealing, driving a BMW. In its final complaint response to the resident, the landlord advised that there was insufficient evidence to take steps to possess the neighbours property. Whilst the landlord has to take steps to address ASB in line with its ASB policy, it has a responsibility to balance this with the needs of its vulnerable residents including those who may be the perpetrators of ASB. It was literally 24/7. If you cant solve the problem, ask your council to help. Definitions.net. It advised that, as there was no evidence of noise nuisance, it could not take any further action. agreed for it to bring the upstairs neighbour to his property to observe the noise generated by her television downstairs. Comply with above orders within four weeks. The police came round a couple of times (he posted a note through our door making threats), we kept the diary. Hounslow Council was the subject of more than 100 complaints and enquiries to the ombudsman about its actions last year, new figures show. Should you be. You can contact the council if you think your neighbour isnt acting in accordance with this notice. Hounslow Council was the subject of more than 100 complaints and enquiries to the ombudsman about its actions last year, new figures show. Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 allows local councils to deal with complaints about high hedges whose area contains the land on which the hedge is situated. The council cannot order your neighbour to: It could be weeks or months. We could take no more so we sold up and moved, it took us a year to sell. They might, for example, measure the size of your garden or how far the hedge is from windows in your home. It said it appreciated that the issues were reported over 12 months previously, but they had not yet been resolved. This report is not an exhaustive description of all the events that have occurred in relation to this case, but an outline of the key issues as a background to the investigations findings. The council might also have to allow extra time to protect birds nesting in the hedge. London Borough of Hounslow. The council should decide whether the hedge is adversely affecting your reasonable enjoyment of your property and, if so, what action (if any) should be taken to put right the situation or stop it happening again. Therefore, from March to June 2020, apart from contacting the resident to discuss the issues and asking him to complete diary sheets, there is a lack of evidence to demonstrate the landlord properly assessed or investigated the residents reports despite agreeing that it would. You have accepted additional cookies. As no significant noise was heard, they agreed to exchange telephone numbers to communicate about any future noise concerns. On 29 April 2021, the landlord provided a stage one response. When theyve got both sides of the story, a council officer will visit the site to look at the hedge and its surroundings. This means your noisy neighbour must stop making the noise or face legal action. In accordance with paragraph 54 of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, there was maladministration by the landlord when handling the residents complaints. 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.

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