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AIBU?

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Hell is a terraced house with a hot tub, bar and outdoor tv.

337 replies

SorbetSarnie · 20/06/2025 23:59

Or more accurately, hell is what I'm going through living next door to this abominable set up.

Family from hell moved in not that long ago. Drunken pot smoking father who attended a house party in the mid 90's and apparently never left, a wife who to be fair seems like she's lost the will to live or smile, and an assortment of teenagers who like to invite all their mates round and shout about dildos and cumming in people's eyes.

The garden has slowly morphed into something resembling a butlins, which is fairly impressive as we all only have narrow postage stamp gardens. It started with a hot tub, progressed to an outdoor bar, and has culminated this weekend in some sort of wooden shack thing made of fences with a tin roof, housing an outdoor television.

The second the sun comes out it is thumping tunes ALL day, which to be fair sometimes gets turned down a little at 11 pm. Unfortunately tonight it has now been replaced by some shitty action movie being loudly played in the garden, as the family members converse in their usual dulcet yells. Must have affected their hearing with all that drum and bass.

Yes, we have tried talking to them. The father seemed to indicate through grunts that he had understood my attempt at communication with a primitive life form, however we were then treated to angle grinding in the street regularly for a few nights, as he loudly complained about the 'stuck up bitch next door' and proclaimed that I'd be 'having that'.

No, I currently can't move. I'm working on it but realistically not going to be any time soon. I'd imagine the house would be a hard sell at the moment too, most prospective owners would run a mile.

I guess I just wanted to rant, I'm so tired. I've actually found myself on the brink of tears a few times tonight, mainly from frustration. They went away last week and it was wonderful. The entire estate was practically silent, just the usual buzz of every day life going on made me really appreciate just what loud obnoxious bastards they are.

OP posts:
rosemarble · 21/06/2025 08:32

Pizza4Tea · 21/06/2025 08:15

Me too. The minute it goes quiet put a really annoying CD on at full volume on repeat and go for a long walk or drive or check yourself into Bed and Breakfast for the night.

Would you actually do this or is this just one of those classic MN comments?

Freud2 · 21/06/2025 08:30

ScouserInExile · 21/06/2025 07:07

I'm sorry you are going through this.

The flippant comments about making your own noise are really not helpful. Nobody knows what this is like unless they experience it themselves. It destroys your life.

After our lovely elderly neighbours died, we were subjected to 3 years of the hell you describe.
Hot tub against the shared wall, buzzing away, 24/7, right next to our conservatory. Music and flashing lights until all hours. Constant, drinking, smoking (and growing) weed. Footballs kicked against the fence for 9 hours a day, shrieking yelling, screaming inside and out. Rats swarming everywhere because they were nesting under the decking that the hot tub sat on.
We were subjected to abuse and they fatally poisoned our dog with rat bait.
I had a breakdown and we almost divorced after 25 years.
The council were not interested.

Eventually, the people moved on, and we now have quiet neighbours again. I appreciate every single day, because I know how easily it could change.

I hope the same will be true for you, that they won't be around for long, and that your home will again become your safe space. But right now, my heart goes out to you, because I know exactly how you feel and how emotionally draining it is to live alongside people like this.

So pleased you have quiet neighbours now. Your home should be your safe haven. We have had lovely elderly neighbours and when they died we now have a noisy family and it's really hard getting used to it.

rainbowstardrops · 21/06/2025 08:29

Do they own the house, or are they privately renting or social housing. Basically, is there a landlord/council that you can complain to?

Functioningdisaster · 21/06/2025 08:28

Plant some fast growing conifers along the fence line. It will in time help to block the noise and the view.
We have had to do this as we also have a loud neighbour. Helped a bit.

We are actually thinking of moving in a couple of years. I am sick of the noise.
I feel for you x

GnomeDePlume · 21/06/2025 08:27

LillyPJ · 21/06/2025 06:34

Unfortunately, I think that would just start a war you couldn't win and the neighbours would probably enjoy the battle.

Never wrestle a pig, you both end up covered in shit and the pig enjoys it

Theseventhmagpie · 21/06/2025 08:23

I haven’t read the entire thread yet OP so this may already have been mentioned but there’s a device you can buy, think it’s called a mosquito, that emits a sound that only teens can hear and that they find repellent. Could be worth a try.

LittleRobins · 21/06/2025 08:23

Same situation for me here. We used to live on a busy estate surrounded by neighbours all around and had no problem. Then we moved to a lovely detached house in the country. All was well to begin with but then the neighbours moved out and in moved the family from hell. Previous years has been thumping music, screaming, happy dogs, screaming kids kicking balls against the fence until midnight, drunken screeching until 5am and then this year they have gone one step further and installed the outdoor TV. We have two toddlers and our lives are hell, all because of them. It can happen anywhere unfortunately. I’m dying to move but I’m so scared it’ll happen again.

spotddog · 21/06/2025 08:21

BBC TV morning programme covered this issue yesterday. Advice was to download The Advice app if your council is signed up. This automatically records and logs noise straight to noise dept.

NotVanHelsing · 21/06/2025 08:21

We've been house hunting and DH didn't understand why am I immediately discounting so many houses no matter what they look like inside when gardens are tiny and or and back to back so your chair squeeks and all estate knows it. And god forbid I see bar like set up. Can't click away fast enough. Your neighbours are exactl example. The amount of people nowadays having absolutely no regard for neigbour is ridiculous.

Hell is other people.

I feel for you

Enrichetta · 21/06/2025 08:19

terracelane23 · 21/06/2025 06:31

How well do you get on with your other neighbours? Could you approach them, all keep a log/recordings and all complain?

This

TiredCatLady · 21/06/2025 08:18

OP, I feel for you. They sound bloody awful.

I agree with others about logging their behaviour and making complaints.

If you can see what brand of garden TV they have I’d also be aiming to buy a universal remote… take great pleasure in randomly muting or turning it off.

NetZeroZealot · 21/06/2025 08:17

I moved to the countryside because I was fed up of hearing my civilised neighbours chatting in the garden on hot nights.
The OPs situation is about 50!times worse.

Freud2 · 21/06/2025 08:17

SorbetSarnie · 20/06/2025 23:59

Or more accurately, hell is what I'm going through living next door to this abominable set up.

Family from hell moved in not that long ago. Drunken pot smoking father who attended a house party in the mid 90's and apparently never left, a wife who to be fair seems like she's lost the will to live or smile, and an assortment of teenagers who like to invite all their mates round and shout about dildos and cumming in people's eyes.

The garden has slowly morphed into something resembling a butlins, which is fairly impressive as we all only have narrow postage stamp gardens. It started with a hot tub, progressed to an outdoor bar, and has culminated this weekend in some sort of wooden shack thing made of fences with a tin roof, housing an outdoor television.

The second the sun comes out it is thumping tunes ALL day, which to be fair sometimes gets turned down a little at 11 pm. Unfortunately tonight it has now been replaced by some shitty action movie being loudly played in the garden, as the family members converse in their usual dulcet yells. Must have affected their hearing with all that drum and bass.

Yes, we have tried talking to them. The father seemed to indicate through grunts that he had understood my attempt at communication with a primitive life form, however we were then treated to angle grinding in the street regularly for a few nights, as he loudly complained about the 'stuck up bitch next door' and proclaimed that I'd be 'having that'.

No, I currently can't move. I'm working on it but realistically not going to be any time soon. I'd imagine the house would be a hard sell at the moment too, most prospective owners would run a mile.

I guess I just wanted to rant, I'm so tired. I've actually found myself on the brink of tears a few times tonight, mainly from frustration. They went away last week and it was wonderful. The entire estate was practically silent, just the usual buzz of every day life going on made me really appreciate just what loud obnoxious bastards they are.

So sorry you're going through this. I've had awful neighbours too in the past and it's beyond stressful. Hopefully they'll default on the mortgage or rent and get chucked out. I hope so for your sake.

Pizza4Tea · 21/06/2025 08:15

ThePoshUns · 21/06/2025 06:16

I’d make sure to be super noisy in the early morning

Me too. The minute it goes quiet put a really annoying CD on at full volume on repeat and go for a long walk or drive or check yourself into Bed and Breakfast for the night.

Figgygal · 21/06/2025 08:12

Jesus christ some of these stories are awful.
How can some people have such low standards for themselves and their kids

JustPinkFinch · 21/06/2025 08:10

Hey OP. No real advice from me. I understand the not wanting to escalate and really you need to get away at whatever cost. Someone will buy, it just may not be at the price you want. However, I just wanted to reassure you that this too will pass. These people are a blip, they are not forever. At some point they will move or you will. It's hard to see it when you're going through hell but it will happen - you will have happiness and peace again in this home or another.

Pizza4Tea · 21/06/2025 08:09

Sounds like helll. Why do people have to behave like that?! Is there a local Facebook page? If so film them and upload it. What else can you do except keep reporting it to the council until they do something. Trouble is if you report it and want to sell your house, you will have to declare any neighbour disputes. No-one will buy your house with nightmare neighbours like that.

1976a · 21/06/2025 08:07

Are the in rented or do you own? Do they own or rent?
I had similar on a brand new estate once in the 2000s and spent 250k on a huge house next to affordable housing. I was told, and stupidly listened, that it would house working teachers and nurses as a step k to the property ladder !? It housed the people who could not live on council estates, had come out of prison, you get the picture.
to protect my mental health, I planned what I would do. I planned a move within a year (I sold at a great loss), I sold in winter and I never complained as I didn’t want to admit on the paperwork about any disputes. There were never any dispute tbh just a different way of life which affected me greatly and had me living on the edge of my nerves. Can you plan your actions so you know this is not forever?

Voyager54 · 21/06/2025 08:02

OP. You have my full sympathy there can be nothing worse than more than noisy neighbours especially if you try to move as strictly speaking you have to make this clear on the legal moving documents!

I think the only hope that you have is their circumstances change and they have to move. There must be other neighbours in the area that must be suffering.

Good luck.

Lazery · 21/06/2025 07:51

@SorbetSarnie you have my deepest sympathies and it sounds like hell. However, be wary of reporting them if you own your own house as when you come to sell it you have to declare any disputes with the neighbours and your buyer may well pull out.

its a tough one 💐

Muststopeating · 21/06/2025 07:46

I agree, you are living in hell.

The only thing I can suggest, which hasn't been suggested already is to make comfrey tea right next to their fence, preferably near hot tub location... Stinks to high heaven (so won't be much fun for you but needs must) and is great for plants.

Ask neighbour on the other side to do the same.

Perhaps the smell will send them back inside.

Paperweight7 · 21/06/2025 07:44

I would try to see if they rent or it is council owned and keep a log of their behaviour to report. The council/ landlord might not do anything at first but if things escalate, you will have evidence that it has been a serious ongoing issue. If you are threatened at all, always report to the police and always try to communicate to them in writing so there is evidence you have done so.

Apparently you can also take legal action through the courts if it does escalate

https://www.gov.uk/how-to-resolve-neighbour-disputes

Resolving neighbour disputes

Disputes with neighbours - noisy neighbours, barking dogs, statutory nuisances, high hedges, mediation and when your council can step in

https://www.gov.uk/how-to-resolve-neighbour-disputes

sowild · 21/06/2025 07:43

I’m so sorry, it really takes its toll on you. The feeling when you finally get away will be magic. We had awful neighbours behind us in our old house. Ok in winter but in summer their bi fold doors were open and they were always in the garden screaming at each other, smacking their kids, playing loud music. Really scary people. When we moved into a place with quiet neighbours and that stress went away it was amazing!

LavenderBlue19 · 21/06/2025 07:42

Report, report, and report again. You won't be the only one, and the more you do it the quicker the file against them builds up.

Hopefully they're renting and can be evicted?

We lived next to neighbours like this for a while (6am weed smoke through the windows was particularly delightful) but thankfully we were renting and knew it was only temporary.

Our neighbour now is an elderly woman who we often wonder if she's still alive as we never hear a peep. It's bliss.

Thisday3 · 21/06/2025 07:42

Op I feel for you. I had similar with constant weed smoking which stank and outdoor stereo, pool and bar. One day the guy shouted/swearing at me as my dog dared to bark and he was ill apparently. I lost my shit in a fairly polite way. Told him his dog was constantly barking (mine had been indoors all day until that moment) told him I’d had enough of his weed smoking and it stank and he was probably not able to comprehend the situation due to his weed smoking paranoia. The situation at first got worse but then the weed smoking and music stopped. No idea why. But I did report it to the police because he was threatening etc, not that they did anything. In your position I would try and move I guess it will be quieter once the sun goes in.