My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

AIBU?

New neighbour, terraced house, seems to expect silence

779 replies

Bahhhhhumbug · 19/05/2021 01:34

New neighbour to my empty (atm) terraced property. As soon as moved in started sending me texts (got my number by asking previous neighbour she bought house off but that's a whole other thread) informing me there seems be a tv left on in the property.
She said l hope l didn't mind her texting me and she askedfor my number.
I texted prev. neighbours and queried whether their buyer knew my house was empty and she said yes as she had told her.
I have always got on very well with former neighbour so didn't 'pull her up' on giving out my number as was very out of character and just figured she got caught on the hop in what was a very stressful house move for unconnected reasons to this tale.
So l text back to new neighbour that yes l was aware and it was a radio left on a talking channel as the house was empty but thanks for letting me know.
Next day l get a phone call from her and she's all 'Hi (insert very shortened version of my name, which even the old neighbour never called me) and she tells me again the radio has been on all night (it hasn't its on a timer goes off about 11pm and a lamp comes on) because she ' can hear it ' l was l admit a little frosty with her as l was annoyed at these chummy texts and calls from someone who shouldn't even have my number and shouldn't have even asked for it imo though l accept old neighbour partly to blame.
I had to read between the lines at this point that she found it too loud so l said (without being asked) l would call next day, (which l did) and turn it down and move it to the far wall in the kitchen (no neighbours that side).
I've had another long text off her today after ld done all that saying can l please answer and confirm that l am going to turn it down (she wasnt in when l went round and obliged so obviously at this point didn't know l had already done so
) Whilst there l also checked upstairs l couldn't hear it wafting up the stairs which l couldn't whatsoever and l have good hearing. It is quieter than a normal volume speaking voice and you can only hear it after you've gone two doors into the house, it's about a volume 3 on Alexa equivalent.
Old neighbour when asked said couldn't hear it when l was in there and neither could l.
Shes rang me twice again now and l just ignored her in the hope she will text me and tell me what the fucks wrong now. She did then text saying she wants it switching off as she can still hear it.
She keeps bringing up that she works from home and l get impression she seems to think that means should be almost silence from neighbouring properties. Or maybe because the vendors told her my house was empty she had an expectation of it being completely silent.
If people moved in they would be entitled to watch tv, talk, have radio on etc and all at a higher wolume than one quiet radio. WWYD as she is really getting on my nerves now.
If l was a rude person l might suggest she should've bought a detached house maybe, but lm not.

Subject:
New neighbour, terraced house, seems to expect silence

Message:
New neighbour to my empty (atm) terraced property. As soon as moved in started sending me texts (got my number by asking previous neighbour she bought house off but that's a whole other thread) informing me there seems be a tv left on in the property.
She said l hope l didn't mind her texting me and she askedfor my number.
I texted prev. neighbours and queried whether their buyer knew my house was empty and she said yes as she had told her.
I have always got on very well with former neighbour so didn't 'pull her up' on giving out my number as was very out of character and just figured she got caught on the hop in what was a very stressful house move for unconnected reasons to this tale.
So l text back to new neighbour that yes l was aware and it was a radio left on a talking channel as the house was empty but thanks for letting me know.
Next day l get a phone call from her and she's all 'Hi (insert very shortened version of my name, which even the old neighbour never called me) and she tells me again the radio has been on all night (it hasn't its on a timer goes off about 11pm and a lamp comes on) because she ' can hear it ' l was l admit a little frosty with her as l was annoyed at these chummy texts and calls from someone who shouldn't even have my number and shouldn't have even asked for it imo though l accept old neighbour partly to blame.
I had to read between the lines at this point that she found it too loud so l said (without being asked) l would call next day, (which l did) and turn it down and move it to the far wall in the kitchen (no neighbours that side).
I've had another long text off her today after ld done all that saying can l please answer and confirm that l am going to turn it down (she wasnt in when l went round and obliged so obviously at this point didn't know l had already done so
) Whilst there l also checked upstairs l couldn't hear it wafting up the stairs which l couldn't whatsoever and l have good hearing. It is quieter than a normal volume speaking voice and you can only hear it after you've gone two doors into the house, it's about a volume 3 on Alexa equivalent.
Old neighbour when asked said couldn't hear it when l was in there and neither could l.
Shes rang me twice again now and l just ignored her in the hope she will text me and tell me what the fucks wrong now. She did then text saying she wants it switching off as she can still hear it.
She keeps bringing up that she works from home and l get impression she seems to think that means should be almost silence from neighbouring properties. Or maybe because the vendors told her my house was empty she had an expectation of it being completely silent.
If people moved in they would be entitled to watch tv, talk, have radio on etc and all at a higher wolume than one quiet radio. WWYD as she is really getting on my nerves now.
If l was a rude person l might suggest she should've bought a detached house maybe, but lm not.











Back to top

OP posts:
Report

Am I being unreasonable?

2377 votes. Final results.

POLL
You are being unreasonable
54%
You are NOT being unreasonable
46%
LadyWhistledownsQuill · 19/05/2021 01:40

YANBU

What are your plans for this house - move back in, rent out or sell? That would affect how blunt I was about it.

Report
2ndtimemum2 · 19/05/2021 01:42

How would the neighbour know its on if she can't hear it? And would it not be better to have an alarm on the house rather than a radio on? Personally noise never bothered me its to be expected with neighbours but to be honest if I heard a radio on for 12 hours solid when there's noone in the actual.house that would really annoy me. Maybe you could ask the neighbour to keep an eye on the house rather than relying on a radio to prevent a break in.

Report
Askingforfriend · 19/05/2021 01:53

This would piss me off, she is being completely unrealistic. Although 11pm is kind of late. It is nice if neighbors can help each other out during this time when many people are working from home. But total silence or even somewhat close to it is not ok to expect.

If it were at all convenient to me I think I would spend time at the house doing some normal activities at a normal volume... e.g. kids playing in garden, listening to music, eating lunch, watching TV etc. But then people being cheeky buggers tend to make me dig my feet in.

Report
BlankTimes · 19/05/2021 01:56

Why don't you absolutely not touch the volume controls on the radio, arrange to meet the new NDN at a time when she hears it the loudest and go into her house with her and hear it for yourself in all the rooms she says it's intrusive and unreasonable.

That way you can know how loud it sounds in her property and decide if you could live happily listening to that for over 12 hours a day every day.

Report
Ostara212 · 19/05/2021 01:58

If the radio can't be heard outside, how is it helping to give the impression the property is occupied?

You need to hear it from her house but ideally, switch it off.

She might be confusing noise from other properties and if yours is silent, that will confirm it.

Report
Loocheeyar · 19/05/2021 01:59

Just turn it off
Completely unnecessary

Report
Bahhhhhumbug · 19/05/2021 02:00

friend havi ng refurb done but then marketing it.
Radio isn't on 12 hours, it's on a timer, intermittent 2 hr periods, goes off before 11 pm comes back on at 9am, on for 8 hrs in total, same with lights but only at night obv.. Have an alarm as well, it really is a belt and braces area unfortunately.

OP posts:
Report
Bahhhhhumbug · 19/05/2021 02:05

Friends staying in about a month whilst refurb done then selling later in year.

OP posts:
Report
Providora · 19/05/2021 02:08

Just turn the bloody thing off, it serves no purpose and it's annoying her.

She can obviously hear it or she wouldn't have said anything. Of course, if you go there and you're moving around it's understandable you can't hear it. Sometimes, ears don't tune into background noise until you've been sitting quietly for a bit. I imagine it's at its worst when she's lying in bed at 10pm and knows it has another hour to go.

Yes it's unreasonable to expect total silence but it's not unreasonable to expect neighbours to curb unnecessary noise, and a radio in an unoccupied house is completely unnecessary!

Report
k1233 · 19/05/2021 02:09

Why don't you turn it off for a day or two (without telling her) and see if she still complains. There's nothing worse than a radio at just audible level - you can hear it but not quite make out the words.

Report
viques · 19/05/2021 02:11

Is the house empty of people or furniture? Sounds get absorbed by furnishings etc, but echo off walls which might affect the quality of the sound passing through to next door.

Report
Divineswirls · 19/05/2021 02:14

As per PP turn the bloody thing off.

Report
Oysterbabe · 19/05/2021 02:19

There is literally zero reason to leave it on.

Report
derektohansel · 19/05/2021 02:22

Turn it off. The lights might serve a purpose but a radio serves none.

Report
derektohansel · 19/05/2021 02:22

And 11pm is quite unreasonable.

Report
baaaaal · 19/05/2021 02:28

Yes it's unreasonable to expect total silence but it's not unreasonable to expect neighbours to curb unnecessary noise, and a radio in an unoccupied house is completely unnecessary!

Exactly.

I think this is the first time I have ever taken this side on a neighbour noise thread.

But honestly I would have turned it off the first time she said it was bothering her. If I was in the house then no. But nobody except her can hear it. You are literally playing a radio all day to someone who doesn't want to hear it and asking if YABU. Sink that in.

Report
Bahhhhhumbug · 19/05/2021 02:28

I have been in her house and listened for myself when previous owners in, whom lm friendly with and l couldn't hear it and l checked with them it wasn't a problem and they said couldn't hear it. They aren't sort who don't like to complain either as reported my last tenants constantly yapping dogs to them and then to me when they got nowhere..
Whoever said what's the point is that it's a high crime area and if someone broke a window at the back (the favourite) or broke in the back door they would hear voices. It's fooled me a couple of times when lve gone in preoccupied and thought who's in my kitchen, then lve remembered.
It's in a fitted kitchen so not affected by furniture or lack off as kitchen has all cupboards fitted to walls obviously as you'd expect and anyone moving in wouldn't put freestanding extra furniture in a fitted kitchen obv. It is now near the far wall furthest from the adjoining wall.

OP posts:
Report
Redglitter · 19/05/2021 02:30

Since the radio being on is totally pointless and it's upsetting her I'd switch it off.

Report
Providora · 19/05/2021 02:34

It doesn't matter if you can hear it or the previous neighbours can hear it. She can hear it.

And I bet you weren't round there and lying with your eyes closed at 10.30pm when all the other regular neighbourhood noise has stopped.

Report
Bahhhhhumbug · 19/05/2021 02:46

Previous neighbours were lying in bed next door though every night and weren't backward in coming forwards if there was a problem as lve said

OP posts:
Report
Soubriquet · 19/05/2021 02:50

For heavens sake just turn the damn radio off

Leave the lights as it is, but turn the radio off

If she doesn’t complain, you know it bothered her. If she does, you know she is making it up

Report
subbysammiexoxo · 19/05/2021 02:57

As an autistic individual I can hear everything generic noise is fine but random undeterminable at all hours would drive me crazy turn it off.

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

DragonDoor · 19/05/2021 03:08

Just because previous neighbours couldn’t hear it, doesn’t mean that she can’t.

Report
Definately · 19/05/2021 03:15

Having to listen to someone else's radio all day every day for no reason would drive me fucking insane. Imagine the monotonous radio noise always in the background ...never ever getting a break from it. Even if it is quiet clearly she can hear it, why would she lie? YABVU OP, and she sounds really nice, I'm sure she would keep an eye on your property for you if you asked her (and turned the radio off)

Report
Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 19/05/2021 03:23

Why are you so determined to keep a radio that serves no security purpose on?

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.