WAILING BANSHEE NOISE FROM NEXT DOOR ... HELP

[BlowingBubbles]

I have a nightmare Mr Nasty builder doing up a small property next door. He is well known to relevant depts of local council and other builders who seem to follow him round putting right what he does wrong ....

I'm pretty easy going but he has been at it for two years ! Burning rubbish every day from dawn to dusk, constant wizzing of tiles and bricks and it is starting to look worse than when he started. He does everything himself - badly. He is completely unapproachable and has now fitted pipes and two gas bottles as a permanent feature I think to run a kitchen water heater. He doesn't seem to know what he's doing and there is now a weird noise intermittently and often during the night and right by my bedroom window which wakes me. It is a sort of loud haunting hunting horn one tone long note lasting about 8 seconds. He has put a round vent into a hole in the wall. I thought maybe it was wind blowing into this, but it happens even when there is no wind. Any ideas from my mad description so I can maybe approach his son with a suggestion ? and as I type, there it goes again !

 

[gazdaz36]

Does it sound like a high pitched trumpet playing. If so it could be that he has put a new condensing boiler with a stainless steel heat exchanger in. If these are put onto a dirty system or as you say he has gas bottles and not been converted properly to LPG both can cause this noise. If it hasn't been converted to run on LPG very dangerous the fumes coming out of the flue will be ludicrously high in carbon monoxide.

 

[BlowingBubbles]

thanks gaz xx At the risk of sounding nuts .... it is not so much a high pitched trumpet noise more a mid pitched hunting horn sort of foghorn. This guy tinkers with and claims to be a qualified spark, he tinkers with gas, I have heard him say, "cover it up, they'll never know", I have seen him fill a hole with what looked like a disposable nappy and render over it. Building control are a bit of a toothless tiger as they know him well but seem only able to advise rather than enforce standards.

It is unlikely he will sell, it looks such a mess, so he will proabably rent. Which ever way, people are at risk. I am honestly not a busy body, but an elderly lady living along, but this guy has stolen from me, puts his building rubbish in my wheelie bin, has damaged my fence, hedge and gate, my shed is sinking due to his excavation along a pary wall and he has tried to get me in trouble with benefits and tax, because I challenged his constant burning through last Spring and Summer. Not a problem, just an intrusion, as I have nothing to hide and claim nothing but my pension.

But the safety aspect is a worry. Do you think it could be dangerous ? I just want him gone. 2 years is enough, I want to enjoy my garden, the birds and the coming good weather.

 

[Burnerman]

Good evening B B, I hope you are well and looking forward to the coming Spring.
I am very distressed to hear about this plight - I can't comment about this curious trumpet noise, but even such a moron as he is not above the law - for example, the siting of gas bottles is strictly regulated and there is no way he is entitled to access or interfere with your property without your express permission. Often a letter from your solicitor expressing your safety concerns could be enough to make him mend his ways, maybe?
However, its so easy to appear wise behind the cover of a computer, smugly miles away
Can you call upon anyone to be on your side? Preferably about 16 stone and ugly?
John

 

[gazdaz36]

Is there a cloud of steam coming out of the round vent he has put in. If there is then he will of certainly put in a condensing boiler. If you do have any concerns and it is a boiler your best bet might be to speak to GAS SAFE 0800 408 5500

 

[BlowingBubbles]

Hello boilerman, thanks for good wishes, all well apart from Squeaky next door. My builders nicknamed him that and he somehow became marginally less intimidating It's a bad situation as I may have to sell quickly at some point due to failing health and if I have a declarable neighbourly dispute it could cost me a sale in an already dodgy market.

Hello again gaz, definitely clouds of steam when it fires up. Thanks for gas safe number. Do they have any powers over him doing the work for himself as a houseowner ? Although scarily he is in Yellow Pages as a builder. Bungalow is empty as he bought it to do up and sell on and I presume building control will have to sign off and see certification at some point for gas and electrics. The two bottles are sited against his back wall and a few feet from my property. They are balanced on a flagstone and had loads of pipework and a big gauge at the top which is now in bits and has been for weeks, although boiler is still running.