Complaints about neighbours from hell in Aberdeen are soaring according to new statistics, with loud music and video games the most common points of conflict.
The city’s antisocial behaviour investigation team is being called to properties an average of 12 times per day – up almost 40% on the number of complaints being lodged in 2014-15.
Residents are regularly seeking advice about loud footsteps, arguments and even video games interrupting their peace and quiet.
The most common grievance is, however, about blaring music, which has been responsible for more than one-third of the 18,700 complaints logged by council officers since April 2014.
The figures also show that the noisiest month in recent years was July 2017, when 450 complaints were received.
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One Aberdeen man, who did not want to be named for fear of retaliation, said his ex-neighbour subjected him to “18 months of hell” while he lived in the city centre.
The man complained that the pensioner who lived above him would switch his washing machine on in the middle of the night – with the vibrations shaking his whole flat – and that he would “stomp about” and leave doors open to bang and let in cold air.
“It was a really horrible atmosphere for the year-and-a-half I lived below him,” he said.
“When I challenged the man he just said it was what he had always done and that I had to accept that.”
After attempting to deal with the problem himself, he sought assistance from the council’s antisocial behaviour team in an effort to resolve the situation.
He added: “I’m not surprised that the number of noise complaints has risen. I think people are a bit more open to the idea of speaking out when they have problems with this.
“The more people who go to the council about issues like this, the more they’ll be able to do something about them.”
After receiving an antisocial behaviour noise complaint, Aberdeen City Council said it will look to send out an investigator.
They will contact both the complainer and any witnesses to establish the facts of what has happened.
Often those involved are recommended to go to mediation, which the local authority says is often “very effective” at solving the problem.
But if not, the investigator is able to hand out an on-the-spot warning.
If this is ignored, the noise-maker can be hit with a £100 fine or even have their loud equipment seized by the council.
In the most serious cases, the perpetrators can be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
