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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to asky neighbours to stop their power tool they are using outside?

69 replies

Rainbows41 · 30/06/2025 20:23

To ask my neighbours to stop using their DIY power tool in the back garden right next to ours?
It's been going on since I sat down at 6.20.
Yesterday (Sunday) it went on all day well into the evening.
We live in a small cul de sac and it's very quiet around here. Add to that the extreme heat we are having right now, where it is impossible to keep the doors closed.
This is selfish behaviour imo.

OP posts:
TheAutumnCrow · 01/07/2025 06:27

Rainbows41 · 30/06/2025 20:57

It sounds like a rotary blade cutter thing. I think they're cutting stone slabs.

New patio?

Probably a MNer.

ZippyStork · 30/06/2025 23:38

I have the same neighbour and the same murderous thoughts. Thank God we can escape to our caravan.

tipsyraven · 30/06/2025 23:28

EG94 · 30/06/2025 21:09

As annoying as it is, nothing you can really do. You can ask them to stop but they can tell you no and they’re not wrong. Maybe a more reasonable ask is to say you understand they might be doing home improvements but if it’s noisy work could they give you a heads up of when and for how long for

It’s not true there is nothing OP can do. She can contact the noise team at the council and they will come out and check and ask them to stop.

elprup · 30/06/2025 23:26

Ambergrasswashingbasket800 · 30/06/2025 21:06

It's hardly going to last forever if they are cutting slabs. Leave them be OP.

I’m afraid it might - I have a near neighbour who does this most days and has been doing it for years! I don’t know if he runs a business from his home or something. Luckily he’s far enough away that it’s a distant, minor irritation, but if I was living next door it would drive me crazy.

GCAcademic · 30/06/2025 23:22

NeilDiamondsBlowDry · 30/06/2025 21:15

@JohnTheRevelator
its why I prefer winter

its …..jetwashing the driveway
jetwashing the car
jetwashing the gutters / soffits / conservatory roof
strimmers
lawnmowers
hedge trimmers
vacuuming the cars
scraping weeds out of the block paving
general standing around making small talk with neighbours
radios on whilst doing above tasks
late night ‘revelling’ in the garden
and before anyone says move to the country that would be my dream but I’d need a lottery win in this county 😢

It’s even worse in the countryside! You get all of the above, plus farm machinery noises.

TheFairyCaravan · 30/06/2025 23:20

We have this with the people who live behind us. It seems like every fine day he finds something to do with a power tool. However, he also has to have his music on at the same time and the noise sets off his 3 yappy dogs. He tolerates it for so long then shouts at them to “fucking shut up!”

Meanwhile all I want is some peace and quiet to sit and read my book

JohnofWessex · 30/06/2025 23:11

I think that there is a lot to be said for German style restrictions on when you can use all power tools, possibly subject to some sort of overall time limit as well

Ethosuximibe · 30/06/2025 23:01

Do you live on my street?! There was an angle grinder going at 10pm ffs.

Hollyhobbi · 30/06/2025 22:55

Last night at 1.30am I finally gave up and closed my bedroom windows as one of the neighbours had left their dog outside in the back garden barking non stop from 10.45pm. And as it's a big dog his bark is very deep and loud. Thank god for triple glazing.

DisabledDemon · 30/06/2025 22:54

You have my complete sympathy. We, too, have noisy neighbours who have no consideration for others. I can't tell you the number of times I've ground my teeth and wished them all in Hell. Talking to them does nothing - their every conversation is shrieked and screamed, the teenage daughter throws foul-mouthed tantrums and we know precisely what they're watching on television.

Original poster
Rainbows41 · 30/06/2025 22:47

I actually like church bells lol

OP posts:
BIossomtoes · 30/06/2025 22:46

NeilDiamondsBlowDry · 30/06/2025 21:47

@BLOSSOMTOES I like church bells

Me too but you should hear the whinging about them.

Original poster
Rainbows41 · 30/06/2025 22:34

AloneMarried · 30/06/2025 22:29

I’m laid in bed with the windows open wide as it’s so hot. I can hear exactly what my across the road and three doors down neighbour has on tv! Some people are unreasonably loud and have zero consideration for others. I feel your pain. I’d ask her to tone it down but know I’d get a massive amount of abuse.

This is what I'm afraid of

OP posts:
Original poster
Rainbows41 · 30/06/2025 22:32

neverwakeasleepingbaby · 30/06/2025 21:57

No solutions but I empathise. I think after 2 years my neighbours have finally run out of walls they can panel or places for in built furniture. They really got their money out of that sodding circular saw. I used to leave my baby son napping in the garden and have to swiftly get him inside when it started up. It’s just so antisocial

Thank sbso inconsiderate of them. It really annoys me the way people who love nextdoor to others don't consider them.

OP posts:
Original poster
Rainbows41 · 30/06/2025 22:30

Well1mBack · 30/06/2025 21:52

All of my neighbours fell out with each other because one neighbour used circular saws, generators and industrial hoses to clean his vans constantly last summer. One neighbour finally had enough and confronted him a few months ago as they had been going on for about 5 hours that particular day.

Noisy neighbour kicked off, threatened my neighbours husband, basically went postal. So they all put a complaint in to the council about him. I didn't as we wanted to remain neutral and friendly with his wife. Regardless he's fallen out with us now too and blanks us and roars away, ignoring us on the roads and in the main courtyard area beside our garden. My anxiety has gone through the roof. My other neighbours were mad at us for not complaining but I didn't want to immediately jump to council without a conversation plus everyone is pretty volatile round here and we aren't. I thought remaining neutral would be the best thing to do but honestly it's not.

So if this continues, have a conversation with them, if they argue and shout like our neighbour did, just put in a complaint and start logging the noise and hours. Video it, the lot.

Thank you, that's very useful advice x

OP posts:
AloneMarried · 30/06/2025 22:29

I’m laid in bed with the windows open wide as it’s so hot. I can hear exactly what my across the road and three doors down neighbour has on tv! Some people are unreasonably loud and have zero consideration for others. I feel your pain. I’d ask her to tone it down but know I’d get a massive amount of abuse.

Original poster
Rainbows41 · 30/06/2025 22:29

NeilDiamondsBlowDry · 30/06/2025 21:15

@JohnTheRevelator
its why I prefer winter

its …..jetwashing the driveway
jetwashing the car
jetwashing the gutters / soffits / conservatory roof
strimmers
lawnmowers
hedge trimmers
vacuuming the cars
scraping weeds out of the block paving
general standing around making small talk with neighbours
radios on whilst doing above tasks
late night ‘revelling’ in the garden
and before anyone says move to the country that would be my dream but I’d need a lottery win in this county 😢

Omg the standing around talking for an hour right outside their front door grates on my last nerve, especially as my bedroom window is right above their entrance.
They're inconsiderate wankers there's nothing else for it.
Like, have a conversation inside or fuck off.

OP posts:
Original poster
Rainbows41 · 30/06/2025 22:26

JohnTheRevelator · 30/06/2025 21:07

What is it about hot weather that makes every wanker want to start using noisy power tools?!

Edited

Thank you lol ! I am dripping in sweat just walking to my back door and they're out there beavering away for literally hours! They've got stamina, I'll give them that.
The trouble is the heat. My living room opens out to a conservatory which is like a sauna. If I don't have all those doors and windows open, the living room is unbearable. But it's only like this when the weather is extremely hot, and of course it's extremely cold when it's cold weather.
So having the doors etc closed is very unfair simply because they want to keep doing their DIY until beyond 8.30pm.
It takes the piss to do it beyond 6 in my opinion, as that's when most families want to sit down to eat dinner. God forbid we want to eat out in the garden....as it is, we can't hear eachother talking in the living room. I want to allow them time to complete their task, but I feel they are being unreasonable expecting us to put up with it in this heat.

OP posts:
neverwakeasleepingbaby · 30/06/2025 21:57

No solutions but I empathise. I think after 2 years my neighbours have finally run out of walls they can panel or places for in built furniture. They really got their money out of that sodding circular saw. I used to leave my baby son napping in the garden and have to swiftly get him inside when it started up. It’s just so antisocial

Well1mBack · 30/06/2025 21:52

All of my neighbours fell out with each other because one neighbour used circular saws, generators and industrial hoses to clean his vans constantly last summer. One neighbour finally had enough and confronted him a few months ago as they had been going on for about 5 hours that particular day.

Noisy neighbour kicked off, threatened my neighbours husband, basically went postal. So they all put a complaint in to the council about him. I didn't as we wanted to remain neutral and friendly with his wife. Regardless he's fallen out with us now too and blanks us and roars away, ignoring us on the roads and in the main courtyard area beside our garden. My anxiety has gone through the roof. My other neighbours were mad at us for not complaining but I didn't want to immediately jump to council without a conversation plus everyone is pretty volatile round here and we aren't. I thought remaining neutral would be the best thing to do but honestly it's not.

So if this continues, have a conversation with them, if they argue and shout like our neighbour did, just put in a complaint and start logging the noise and hours. Video it, the lot.

Redpeach · 30/06/2025 21:50

BoredZelda · 30/06/2025 21:06

Only for Construction sites, and it’s generally 8-6.

There is no law against using a power tool after 6pm.

Show quote history

Ah i thought it was general diy and builders etc

NeilDiamondsBlowDry · 30/06/2025 21:47

@BLOSSOMTOES I like church bells

BIossomtoes · 30/06/2025 21:30

and before anyone says move to the country that would be my dream but I’d need a lottery win in this county

I live in a village. They complain about the church bells here. 🙄

NeilDiamondsBlowDry · 30/06/2025 21:29

@JohnTheRevelator it’s so……..noisy !