Dear LPG,

There is no doubt about it we have all ad to learn to be more tolerant over the past two years or so.  Covid-19 all but confined so many households to our own personal barracks where, if we all took notice of the government suggestions about how to use our time, would have found us sorting, mending and repairing al those little things that so et neglected over the years.

I think that like me many started out with the best of intentions, but momentum waned as the days, weeks, months and the whole year went by.  I know that being at home demanded music to help me drown my loneliness sorrows and they say that our moods reflect those of our pets.  I know that there were times when I just wanted to scream with frustration and perhaps many of our neighbours’ dogs came out in sympathy, and where was there for children to play between bouts of home schooling but the garden?

I recently read that Complaints about noisy neighbours have risen by more than a quarter over the past year or so.  It probably doesn't help that there have been multiple lockdowns which have forced people to stay at home. About 1000 noise complaints a day were received by Councils, during March 2021 alone, according to Churchill Home Insurance.

Freedom of Information requests were sent to all councils in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and received usable data was returned from 70% of authorities.  More than 360,000 noise complaints were made over the 12-month period which constituted a 28% rise on the year before. Of the 10 councils recording the largest number of complaints, six were in London. The worst type of disturbance was neighbours playing music (34%).

I then found an online top ten of the sounds that upset us the most General domestic noise comes in a number two (I wonder if that includes the sound of the DIY drill and those frustrated children in the back garden on a good day; with mum or dad being forced to shout directives at the top of their voices, just to keep the peace)

It appears that lockdown has not made us any more tolerant of those people next door.

Gloria Brown

Gloria shares her findings…

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