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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 Unfortunately tonight it has now been replaced by some shitty action movie being loudly played in the garden, as the family members converse in their usual dulcet yells.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:
user1476613140 · 21/06/2025 12:19

EscapeToSuffolk · 21/06/2025 10:59

These stories are the reason I bought a detached bungalow on a road with other bungalows.

Hopefully your neighbours don't cause a noise nuisance outdoors though, detached has nothing to do with that aspect of noise nuisance.

MercurialMouse · 21/06/2025 12:18

I'm petty so would be committing myself to a few sleepless nights by giving them a taste of their own medicine. AKA, large speakers right up against their wall blasting something they'd hate (maybe country music?) ALL NIGHT and hold it over their heads like blackmail until they get the message. I'd warn 'nice' neighbours on my other side though. Maybe the neighbours on their other side would happily join in with you and make a noise sandwich 😂

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 21/06/2025 12:14

NaeRolls · 21/06/2025 09:30

Hi OP, I don't have any advice, just solidarity. I also can't stand noise, and this sounds like obnoxious noise.

My country, South Africa, is a very noisy place. I love the people here; we are a warm, happy and friendly bunch, despite our problems. But 'inside voices' don't exist. Ordinary conversations are shouted at the top of one's lungs. There is always renovating and construction going on everywhere. In the suburbs, nearly every house has at least one barking dog. Taxi drivers lean on their car hooters in order to attract passengers, the traffic noise is unreal.

I play rain sounds, fans and white noise in ever room to stay sane.

Noise pollution and constant exposure to high noise levels is known to cause physical and psychological stress and even illness. And some of us are especially sensitive to noise and it affects us even more.

Apparently there is a town in Switzerland where noise is seen in this way, as an environmental hazard, so it is strictly regulated, and it's the quietest town in the world. I often dream of moving there.

I’m Swiss and I’ve never heard of this. Fascinating!!

but we (as a nation)bare pretty strict with noise / noise levels in general. No noisiness over lunch, after 10 pm or on Sundays and public holidays…

SorbetSarnie · 21/06/2025 12:13

Bepo77 · 21/06/2025 11:18

Any other classist digs you'd like to add into your post? Butlins, primitive life form, there must be more. Maybe something about universal credit?

It doesn't really have anything to do with class, the rest of the estate are a mix of all sorts and this hasn't been a problem before.

We both worked hard from a rough start to be able to get onto the property ladder. This was the only house I could afford at the time, and I got lucky in that the owners really wanted to sell quickly.

But then DH became disabled through an accident and we suddenly lost 3/4 of our income. We had to rely on state benefits temporarily until I could raise my income, but I couldn't do that quickly enough to avoid debt. I'm still working on clearing this and improving my credit score enough to move.

So I'm not miserable because I perceive my neighbours as lower class. I'm miserable because of their constant scummy behaviour.

Luckily going out soon for a few hours,so will have a slight reprieve this evening.

OP posts:
Theseventhmagpie · 21/06/2025 12:07

Enrichetta · 21/06/2025 10:59

Landlords are not responsible for the behaviour of their tenants.

It’s the Council’s Environmental or Noise Control the OP needs.

Yes they are if they are aware that the tenants are causing a nuisance (in the legal sense of the word) and they fail to take action.

lifeonmars100 · 21/06/2025 12:07

I am so sorry, it is hell on earth and now we have this heatwave which acts like a summoning spell for some of the worst anti-social behaviour that many people seem to revel in.

I have posted on here quite a few times about my neighbours who have turned a two up two down into an official HMO, filled the yard up with scrap and rubbish, have the doors and windows open in year round apart ftom when the weather is really bad. This heat plus their noise and the fact that I have to keep my doors and windows shut to try and lessen the worst of their racket is breaking me so I have a good idea of what you are going through. They are Roma and have "no English" so any interactions I have with them has to be done via Google Translate and my pleas for them to keep the noise down is met with laughter and shoulder shrugging and needless to say the noise and the mess carry on. The council are useless, they do have and should be using powers to hold the landlord to account, to enforce repairs and stop the overcrowding but drag their feet and say that there is no money to actively pursue the landlord. They can take landlords to court and in the past they did and some got massive fines but the council here is broke. They can't even afford to sweep the streets these days. I tend to stay in the front of my (tiny) home to aviod the worst ot the noise and use earplugs or my wireless headphones and a soothing play list. It really pisses me off that this is my third summer of this and while I would likd to offer you hope that there are processes to sort it, sadly this has not been my experience.

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 21/06/2025 12:07

TesChique · 21/06/2025 12:02

I find them uncomfortable

If you did that once a year?

I wouldn’t mind, no. (If I was your neighbour.)

but on a regular basis? Not okay. at all

I wear over-ear headphones because I dislike the feeling of in-ear ones.

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 21/06/2025 12:05

suburburban · 21/06/2025 11:49

There does seem to be a link though in many of the posts I have read over the years.

so sorry OP

Edited

Edit: responded to the wrong comment.

TesChique · 21/06/2025 12:02

XjustagirlX · 21/06/2025 11:54

Why didn’t you wear headphones? Genuine question.

I find them uncomfortable

PiggyPigalle · 21/06/2025 12:00

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 21/06/2025 11:58

Mozart? I would have thought Bartok or Ligeti to be much more successful. Something with unusual rhythms and dissonant features.

Maria Callas would be my choice. Or who was the woman who couldn't sing in tune, a film was made about her.

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 21/06/2025 11:58

tinytorch · 21/06/2025 02:16

Play Mozart loudly. It really upsets them. Several councils near where I live have used this to effectively break up gangs of youths gathering in car parks, etc.

Mozart? I would have thought Bartok or Ligeti to be much more successful. Something with unusual rhythms and dissonant features.

Danni2224 · 21/06/2025 11:56

Bepo77 · 21/06/2025 11:18

Any other classist digs you'd like to add into your post? Butlins, primitive life form, there must be more. Maybe something about universal credit?

I live in a council
property myself due to split from ex partner i have lovely neighbours but I had to exchange to get away from utter pondlife on
one side and a cave man lunatic on the other so yeah it takes all
sorts there’s some real scum

XjustagirlX · 21/06/2025 11:54

TesChique · 21/06/2025 11:51

I watched a show on my phone linked up to a Bluetooth speaker in tge garden last night? Is this not OK? Oops

Why didn’t you wear headphones? Genuine question.

Pleaseshutthefuckup · 21/06/2025 11:54

I became quite accustomed to very loud white noise on Alexa. Also rainforest sounds - playing continually.
I don't have this horror show but loud people living below me.

This is the worst thing to deal with. I just hope they move soon.

suburburban · 21/06/2025 11:53

EscapeToSuffolk · 21/06/2025 10:59

These stories are the reason I bought a detached bungalow on a road with other bungalows.

Yes I’d love a detached but the jump is to expensive at the moment in burbs of London

TesChique · 21/06/2025 11:51

I watched a show on my phone linked up to a Bluetooth speaker in tge garden last night? Is this not OK? Oops

suburburban · 21/06/2025 11:49

Bepo77 · 21/06/2025 11:18

Any other classist digs you'd like to add into your post? Butlins, primitive life form, there must be more. Maybe something about universal credit?

There does seem to be a link though in many of the posts I have read over the years.

so sorry OP

EasternStandard · 21/06/2025 11:48

ScouserInExile · 21/06/2025 10:49

I really feel for you. This was us 4/5/6 years ago. I'm so sorry for anybody going through this.

Some of the flippant posts on here are completely tactless. All the "I'd do this..." because no, actually if you were in this situation, you wouldn't.

For us, even a polite comment about the hot tub noise resulted in them killing our dog. It's honestly not worth trying to reason with people like this.

I hope you won't have to put up with them for long.

I agree it’s much harder irl as they clearly don’t care and can escalate too

user1471538283 · 21/06/2025 11:46

I lived in terraced houses all my life including some subdivided into flats and we were never noisy. We went out to socialise and we were quiet coming home because we and our neighbours were respectful and understood no one wants to hear it. Particularly on Sundays.

My DF would have gone spare if the neighbours had to complain about me.

We still managed to live our lives.

smettings · 21/06/2025 11:44

For us, even a polite comment about the hot tub noise resulted in them killing our dog. It's honestly not worth trying to reason with people like this

No, but I'd contemplate the hitman suggestion if they killed my dog! (Just joking...or am I?) 🤔

PeckyGoose · 21/06/2025 11:43

OuterSpaceCadet · 21/06/2025 11:29

Is that similar to fox deterrents? Younger ears can hear them and they're apparently extremely annoying. (Used to live near a house with a fox deterrent in my 20s and my partner could hear it and I (slightly older) couldn't).

They use similar at the town centre supermarkets here to stop teenagers congregating outside

PeckyGoose · 21/06/2025 11:42

If they're relatively new neighbours and you put the address in Google, it may come up with the original letting agent ad?

Serpentstooth · 21/06/2025 11:40

I take it they're not early risers? Do the return gift of unbearably loud music from 8am. Warn your decent neighbours beforehand. Never know, they might join in.

SweetnsourNZ · 21/06/2025 11:35

They may be worried about the state of their property though. These people sound like animals and are likely to be doing damage.

Parsley1234 · 21/06/2025 11:32

@ScouserInExile im so sorry about your dog and you’re right escalating is not going to help the situation these people are peasants and won’t care. Under Rayners reforms it’s going g to be impossible to get tenants out for a landlord months and months of cost and stress with no guarantee of eviction