An Aberdeen mathematician has claimed noisy neighbours in the Airbnb next door is “driving him to drink” – and is vowing to keep fighting after the council licensed the property.
Benedict Mellor complains the sound of doors slamming as guests come and go from the adjacent upstairs flat at 52 Union Grove is keeping him from cracking his advanced calculus.
The 72-year-old former teacher and statistician took his concerns to the Aberdeen licensing committee.
But they ruled his troubles with banging doors were “perhaps somewhat historic” and gave owners Elate Property Solutions their blessing to keep renting the Airbnb out.
Martin Snape and Jason Brown contested Mr Mellor’s complaints, having fitted closers to their doors after noise complaints.
Fears over retaliatory ‘spate of door banging’
But so bitter has the row between the neighbours been, the number cruncher told councillors: “Because they have misled me I’m not confident that door closer will actually stay in place.
“I don’t know whether there will be a renewed spate of door banging.
“But what I have gathered about the two gentlemen concerned is they are somewhat vindictive.”
It added to his written objection, where he listed all the work he had carried out on the shared communal areas of the flat block.
“The owners of Second Floor Right have a lot to be grateful for but have shown no grace whatsoever in return,” he wrote.
But Mr Snape reassured councillors he “absolutely did not” have any plans to uninstall the door closer, as licensing convener Gill Al-Samarai chastised objector Mr Mellor over his choice of words.
Mr Mellor even claimed it has had an impact on his mental health, and provided the committee with a letter from his GP.
What’s the row about?
Mr Mellor complains he has spent “lots of time and money” setting up a small room in his flat as a study.
There he planned to while away his evenings working on maths.
But, he claims, the sanctuary has been “spoiled” by doors slamming, leaving him unable to focus.
“My mind is distracted,” he told us. “The noise makes me jump out of my skin.
“It’s very difficult to get back into concentration.
“It’s driving me to drink as the evenings are particularly difficult.”
What did the Airbnb hosts say?
But Mssrs Snape and Brown argue it’s their lives being made difficult, as Mr Mellor attempts to work around the impasse by speaking to their Airbnb guests or “forcing his way into their apartment”.
Addressing councillors, Mr Snape surmised: “We have had difficulty ascertaining exactly what grounds Mr Mellor is objecting on, other than the fact he really doesn’t like us.
“We have tried to appease Mr Mellor as best we can.”
‘We can’t be held responsible for people not knowing left and right’
The pair boast “excellent” ratings on Airbnb, where the flat appears to hold a 4.82-star rating out of five.
Their modern two-bedroom city centre apartment looks fully booked for the remainder of the year, costing upwards of £90 a night.
As well as installing the door closers, they say they acted once Mr Mellor complained about confused visitors trying his door instead of theirs.
They hung a sign on the door and made clearer instructions on it being the brown door on the right that guests should access.
Mr Snape added: “Unfortunately we can’t be held responsible for people mixing up their black and brown, left and right or missing the sign.
“I would say, it’s a tenement flat and there will be noise from the other flats.
“That would be the same whether a tenant or an Airbnb guest.”
Council backs Union Grove Airbnb
Councillors were convinced by the Airbnb owners, granting officers permission to grant them a licence once their property had been inspected.
Vice licensing convener Steve Delaney said Mr Mellor could not prove the noise was all coming from his immediate neighbour due to there being other flats in the block.
“Also the matter has been assisted significantly by the fitting of the door closer,” he added.
“I feel the representations are perhaps somewhat historic.”
Speaking outside the Town House soon afterwards, Mr Mellor said: “They kept saying it is resolved. It isn’t resolved.
“This won’t be the last they hear of it. I am not living the rest of my life with this punishment.”
Conversation