To think it’s antisocial to power wash the patio today

AirborneElephant · 2026-02-25T15:36:40+00:00

Where I am today is a beautiful sunny day. It’s warm enough to sit out with a jumper. The first sunny day ALL YEAR, and tomorrow and for the rest of the week it’s going back to being wet and dreary. So I made my lunch, sat outside, and revelled in the sun and birdsong. Until about an hour later when my neighbour started pressure washing his patio, and he’s still at it now. Yes, I know it’s the middle of the day. I know it needs doing, I will do mine at some point. I know I am privileged to have a nice garden to sit in. But TODAY? The only sun we’ve had for months? AIBU to think that’s fucking selfish?

TalkToTheHand123 · 06/03/2026 13:22

Ah may have misread. If that's the worst by OP, I'll swap for my utter twart neighbour. 10x worse.

ThiagoJones · 05/03/2026 14:58

TalkToTheHand123 · 05/03/2026 12:48

She's only asking for a little neighbourly consideration, not the world.

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And all he was asking was to jet wash his patio in the middle of the day, on a weekday when it’s assumed most people are at work, in February. Not the world.

TalkToTheHand123 · 05/03/2026 12:48

Usernamenotav · 04/03/2026 19:13

I hate to break this to you.. but the world doesn't revolve around what you want.

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She's only asking for a little neighbourly consideration, not the world.

Theyreeatingthedogs · 04/03/2026 19:15

AirborneElephant · 25/02/2026 15:40

And bonfires should never be lit in urban areas, wet or dry. Take it to the tip.

Bah, humbug. I’m clearly a grinch.

Spot on!!!!

Littlemisscapable · 04/03/2026 19:15

Usernamenotav · 04/03/2026 18:47

You're unbelievabley entitled.

All this. Plus it isnt sitting out weather . Its March!!!

Usernamenotav · 04/03/2026 19:13

AirborneElephant · 25/02/2026 15:39

I’d much rather Sunday 8am. I’m not wanting to sit outside then.

I hate to break this to you.. but the world doesn't revolve around what you want.

Usernamenotav · 04/03/2026 19:12

AChickenNamedDoris · 26/02/2026 17:50

I'm 100% with you on this one. Assholes with loud machinery on lovely sunny days are the most selfish pricks imaginable. If it were up to me I'd have them all strung up. Of course you should have been able to enjoy the lovely sunny day in peace. No one is saying he has to wash his patio on a rainy day, but he could have at least done it on an overcast day. Why spoil the peace for everyone else when we get a rare nice day? I'm completely with you, it's exactly the sort of thing that would piss me right off as well.

Maybe today was his only day off? How you can think anyone but the woman who wants to spend all day lounging in the garden doing sod all on a Wednesday is selfish is beyond me

ThatPearlkitty · 04/03/2026 18:48

AirborneElephant · 25/02/2026 15:38

But it isn’t a job that needs to be done in the sun. You get wet and dirty regardless.

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but its no good during the rain.

Usernamenotav · 04/03/2026 18:47

You're unbelievabley entitled.

usedtobeaylis · 01/03/2026 12:37

Neighbours being accused of stealing the sun. Mumsnet never fails.

TheDaysAreGettingLongerAtLast · 01/03/2026 12:35

AirborneElephant · 25/02/2026 15:44

It’s the fact that we have had no sun for months. I don’t care in the summer, he does his garden when he wants and I do mine when I want, no big deal. It just feels like the only possible chance for any sun for what feels like forever has been stolen.

Book a cheap holiday in the sun.

hcee19 · 01/03/2026 11:43

Should your neighbour have asked for your permission??? He did it on a sunny day and the forecast the next day was for rain. Thats perfect as the rain will get rid of any remnants.

DangerousAlchemy · 28/02/2026 19:06

WhatATimeToBeAlive · 25/02/2026 16:01

You'd hate us. Just been cutting the grass and using hedgecutters. Been waiting bloody months to get in the garden. YABU,

me too. i was tempted outside by the glorious weather so I swept and weeded the patio then used the hedge trimmer to trim the dead honeysuckle back. then did a bit of digging and pottering about.

MrsCarmelaSoprano · 27/02/2026 08:37

AirborneElephant · 25/02/2026 15:44

It’s the fact that we have had no sun for months. I don’t care in the summer, he does his garden when he wants and I do mine when I want, no big deal. It just feels like the only possible chance for any sun for what feels like forever has been stolen.

The drama! 😂

Ear plugs or noise cancelling headphones are your friends.

DangerousAlchemy · 27/02/2026 08:29

AChickenNamedDoris · 26/02/2026 17:50

I'm 100% with you on this one. Assholes with loud machinery on lovely sunny days are the most selfish pricks imaginable. If it were up to me I'd have them all strung up. Of course you should have been able to enjoy the lovely sunny day in peace. No one is saying he has to wash his patio on a rainy day, but he could have at least done it on an overcast day. Why spoil the peace for everyone else when we get a rare nice day? I'm completely with you, it's exactly the sort of thing that would piss me right off as well.

It was a Wednesday lunchtime 🤣 do you want the poor guy to knock on all the neighbours doors and ask if it's OK to use his garden? My neighbours are having a new driveway. it's pretty noisy with all the drilling. They started at 8 am today. Shall I go and knock and ask them to stop being anti social too? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Cob81 · 27/02/2026 00:52

AChickenNamedDoris · 26/02/2026 17:50

I'm 100% with you on this one. Assholes with loud machinery on lovely sunny days are the most selfish pricks imaginable. If it were up to me I'd have them all strung up. Of course you should have been able to enjoy the lovely sunny day in peace. No one is saying he has to wash his patio on a rainy day, but he could have at least done it on an overcast day. Why spoil the peace for everyone else when we get a rare nice day? I'm completely with you, it's exactly the sort of thing that would piss me right off as well.

I was going to ask who the equally dramatic, absolute stuck up, self absorbed, entitled twats were who were in the 8% agreeing with OP because I’m struggling to believe people are that pathetic they’d agree and write something as ridiculously stupid as OP did…..and then I read this utter tripe you wrote and realised there is, in fact, a very good chance this whole post is real!!! 😳

Cob81 · 27/02/2026 00:45

AirborneElephant · 25/02/2026 19:08

No, I wasn’t sprayed. But obviously I had to go inside. I really don’t believe that any of you would stay sitting a few meters away from a pressure washer, or have headphones in with the music loud enough to even be heard over the noise let alone drown in out. Either would give me a migraine within five minutes! Maybe you all live in mansions with huge separation between the gardens?

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Is this a rage bait post? I think you’re taking the piss? You're seriously complaining after sitting in the sun for an hour that your neighbour, who isn’t close enough to backsplash you, started cleaning their patio with a power washer on a sunny day, why would you even do it on a rainy day? It makes more sense to take the opportunity of the sunny day. Are you on the spectrum? Genuine question due to how dramatic you’re making everything and complaining about sound of music or power washers giving you migraines? I’m still not convinced this is a genuine post though.

Mamabearandcubs · 26/02/2026 21:59

You are very unreasonable here OP

ScreentimeInTheMeantime · 26/02/2026 21:45

The guy would have to be a mind reader to figure out when in your view is an “acceptable” time to do it. YABU I’m afraid.

It’s actually quite lovely that you are so appreciative of a sunny day, though! Didn’t occur to me for a moment to go and sit outside

jazzybelle · 26/02/2026 21:44

It's for your neighbours to decide when they wash their patio. It's not for you to decide that it's sunny, so there must be no patio washing.

Londonrach1 · 26/02/2026 21:10

Yabu. I'm waiting for a good day to do mine. It's literally a mud bath at the moment so unusable without slipping. Can't wait for a sunny day. Totally understandable your neighbours doing there's. Jobs need doing

Mandemikc · 26/02/2026 21:08

It's like you are asking people to tell you this is a stupid thread. If you are bored and need attention, get a fucking dog.

ThiagoJones · 26/02/2026 20:15

Whatinthedoopla · 26/02/2026 20:08

They are probably thinking you would be at work....and therefore not a bother to neighbors

Exactly! It was the middle of the day, on a weekday, in February. It would never even occur to me that someone was sitting in their garden ‘enjoying the sun’ in those circumstances.

Whatinthedoopla · 26/02/2026 20:08

They are probably thinking you would be at work....and therefore not a bother to neighbors

BooBooDoodle · 26/02/2026 19:24

I did my garden the other weekend. It was a sunny day and a few days previous, my son slipped on the green slime which was covering the path. It’s been raining non stop and the state of it and my son slipping was the final straw. I didn’t start it until 11am but my neighbour made a remark
about the noise then started drilling off his pebble dashing. Make it make sense! I spent the remainder of the afternoon pruning and weeding with my headphones on. It felt great!!