A COUPLE are being forced to sleep in their conservatory or in a caravan parked on friends’ driveways because of neighbours from hell.
Tracy Wilkinson claims she and partner Nick Fisher are being driven from the semi-detached house which she has spent 18 years turning into her dream home since a family of eight moved in next door in February.
In just a couple of months, the 41-year-old, of Pennygate, Spalding, has lost half a stone and has undergone a number of invasive tests to get to the bottom of symptoms which she believes have been caused by her stressful home life.
She said: “There are two adults and six children ranging from toddlers to teenagers and they are running around and banging about all hours of the night.
“The noise just doesn’t stop. We haven’t had a moment’s peace since they moved in.”
Tracy says she now spends all of her time at home in the conservatory, which is the only room in the house where she can escape the noise, and she and Nick have even moved their mattress onto the floor in there so they can get some sleep.
She said: “We either sleep in there or park our touring caravan up on friends’ driveways to get away from the house altogether.
“In fact we spend as much time away now as we can. The house has become like a prison. We are being driven out.
“I can’t bear to spend time here. I’m always on edge and I don’t even go outside in the garden, which is my pride and joy, because I’m worried about seeing them and getting loads of abuse.
“Nick often comes home from work to find me in tears.
“It is making both of us ill. We don’t even invite friends round any more because we are too embarrassed.
“I’m not against kids but the parents need to be made to control them. They are running riot.”
The next door property is rented from a private landlord and Tracy says she has made numerous complaints to him, as well as taking the problem up with South Holland District Council, but claims both are dragging their heels over solving the problem.
She said: “Someone needs to do something. I have written dozens of letters and made hundreds of phone calls. I’m at the end of my tether.”
A spokesman for South Holland District Council said: “We have thoroughly investigated the complaint and found no evidence of a statutory noise nuisance.
“However, we will continue to liaise with the landlord to look at ways to reduce sound transmission between the properties to achieve improvements for the complainant.”