Renting - Noisy neighbours. Our landlord's obligations?

Bit of background. Renting with GF in large development of apartments, first 6 weeks of a 1 year lease. We were unfortunate enough to pick an apartment beside the most anti-social and obnoxious people we've ever encountered.

Landlord has directed us towards Management Agent with complaints, which we're following up with. However, after speaking to other residents it seems the Agent isn't much use (surprise surprise), so I'm not conviced that this route will solve the problem.

After a particularly bad episode last night, the thoughts of just moving out came to mind.


So, what are our landlord's obligations? Does he have to try and sort this out on our behalf, or is it up to us? Is persistant anti-social behaviour of neighbours grounds for breaking a lease?

Anything useful about tenants' rights and landlords' obligations on www.threshold.ie, www.prtb.ie or www.consumerconnect.ie?

I had a long read of the Threshold website re: rights and obligations. It mentions that a tenant should let the landlord know about the noise but nothing else. I've contacted Threshold by email and I'm awaiting a response.

The NCA wesbite mentions the Tenant's right to quiet and exclusive enjoyment of their home, but I think this only relates to the Landlord calling to the home.

Going to have a look at the PRTB tribunal reports now and see if I can see any similar cases. Thanks.

It's in your landlord's own interest to try to ensure that stuff like this that inconveniences his tenants and maybe drives them out (assuming that he'd not be happy with such an outcome!?!). I'm surprised that he's not more interested in contacting the management company (of which he is presumably a member/shareholder) to sort stuff like this out. Especially if the management agent is not doing much about it.

I agree.

Threshold were very helpful, to the point of offering to speak to the Landlord on our behalf.

They suggest firstly to put all correpsondance in writing with Landlord (in case of any future dispute at PRTB), and to inform him that if there is not ultimately a resolution of the problem that we intend to terminate the contract.
They think that in such a situation we would have the right to terminate the lease, but are realistic enough about our chances of getting the deposit back without disagreement.


Hopefully a detailed letter to the Landlord will encourage a more proactive approach.

shanegl said:

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Hopefully a detailed letter to the Landlord will encourage a more proactive approach.

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Too late - anything done now will be reactive.

New legislation on noise nuisance was/is about to be introduced as this is becoming such a feature of urban life. You could enquire of your local council.

Be careful with the PRTB, I say this from personal experience. They are there to save on costs and to keep solicitors out of the equation but this can leave certain people open to being taken for a ride by the adjudicator (which I was). If you are going through the PRTB Pm me and I will give you a few tips on what to expect and how to protect yourself from Bias adjudicators.

Firstly, approach the tenants and explain your situation.

Secondly send them a letter outlining your concerns.

Thirdly send a letter to the Management agents/Landlord outling your concerns

Fourthly apply to the PRTB with copies of letters sent and what you have done to rectify the situation.

Send all letters registered post.

Have these noisy neighbours got children? If not you already have a chance with the PRTB (who will favour families with children).

Secondly are they foreign? Reason Im asking this is that I got called Racist simply because I approached them about anti social behaviour. I threatened to sue them for defamation and they retracted the remark, that said it was too late for the PRTB meeting.

Thirdly if you are not up for the fight get out. I know how it can seriously effect your life if you cant sleep or relax when you get home from work, its simply not worth staying around. I know myself that even on the off nights that my neighbours were quiet I found myself waiting for them to make noise!!

How is a landlord responsible for people that have nothing to do with him? How would I have any means to stop someone who is not my tenant making noise? The tenant has just as much power as the landlord over the neighbours or am I missing something?

Bronte said:

How is a landlord responsible for people that have nothing to do with him? How would I have any means to stop someone who is not my tenant making noise? The tenant has just as much power as the landlord over the neighbours or am I missing something?

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The tenant has no direct connection with the management company. The landlord does.

Complainer said:

The tenant has no direct connection with the management company. The landlord does.

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Not sure how that changes things, from the first post the OP said the agent was 'useless' so how can the landlord get a better result? OP you should try contracting the landlord of the difficult neighbours. I know as a landlord that if I have difficult tenant's its my responsibility for other neighbours to make sure they behave or get them out. I don't have experience of management companies and their obligations though.

I think going to their landlord might be a good option. In the house which I rent, the girls were having a party one night. Neighbours downstairs contacted our landlord as they were not happy about the noise. Our landlord called around, two minutes later, problem solved.