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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Passive aggressive neighbour?

209 replies

beanbeery · 20/09/2026 11:31

Basically most Saturdays nights when the kids are with their nan I like to put music on etc.

Lasr night one of my NDN was blasting music on my bedroom wall side as well as playing playing some kind of bagpipe.

She also moved manure on the side of her driveway where I walk past with my DC.

We used to get on have a chat about out DC etc but over time she just blanks me.

If the music was bothering her surely she could have just approached me?

Of course I will be more considerate moving forward but is their behaviour passive aggressive?
They have never played music loud enough for me to hear and when I heard it I turned mine off.

Aibu

OP posts:
Thepeopleversuswork · 20/09/2026 12:35

Yeah this is on you.

Loud music past 11pm in a terraced street is really selfish. If it was occasional and you provided advance notice people would probably cut you a bit of slack but it sounds like you do it a lot.

She probably feels she can’t approach you and is sick of it, wants you to learn to read the room a bit. I would be deeply pissed off if a neighbour was doing this most weekends.

Grow up and start thinking about others apart from yourself.

8misskitty8 · 20/09/2026 12:38

YABU, i would hate to live next door to you. Loud music until 11.30pm on multiple occasions, im not suprised your neighbour is blanking you and now doing the same to you with the music.

How many times on here do people post about neighbours being loud or playing loud music until late at night ! The consensus is always the same, the neighbour is being unreasonable. Which in this case is you !

Friendlygingercat · 20/09/2026 12:39

I used to live in a flat where two kitchens adjoined. Please note - kitchens - not bedrooms or lounges. So no one was trying to sleep or watch TV. I was washing some dishes and singing when my neighbour knocked on the adjoining wall. Now maybe I had a terrible singing voice (I didn't) but I was pretty annoyed. I put opera on the radio and left it on against the adjoining wall for the next 3 hours until the 11 o'clock curfew stated in the lease.

Next day I sang in the kitchen again. No more knocking.

SonK · 20/09/2026 12:39

Music past 11pm? She should not have to approach you for that, you should know it's rude

Girlking · 20/09/2026 12:40

IDrinkTeaAllTheTime · 20/09/2026 11:44

Yeah, you’re being unreasonable in this case. There’s nothing wrong with listening to music, but don’t subject others to your choice. Having the music at a reasonable volume doesn’t change the lyrics or the enjoyment of the song, so I never understand the need for people to blast their music so loud that others have to hear it as well - it’s arrogant and entitled.

Living in close proximity to others mean that there needs to be respect and consideration on both sides. Your neighbour has clearly reached her limit and is trying to make a point. Not the best way to go about it, but I can see why she did it.

Great post ☝🏻I agree with everything you’ve said.
I can never understand the need for people to play music really loud.
it really grinds my gears and it is so inconsiderate to not care or even have the wit to realise how it affects other people.

user1471538283 · 20/09/2026 12:41

I had horrible experience neighbours like you. I tried and tried talking to them about their loud music and screaming. Nothing stopped them.

Yet both sides exactly like you were very sensitive when I was loud back.

You need to stop upsetting your neighbour.

watchingthishtread · 20/09/2026 12:45

beanbeery · 20/09/2026 12:34

She had put horse manure near my side of the drive before and I could smell it when I opened my windows so I asked them nicely to move it which they did so its defo to annoy me.

She moved it when you asked her to. That would suggest that it's not to annoy you.

There is a strong possibility that you are the difficult neighbour here. Get headphones if you like your music loud.

Smallpoxy · 20/09/2026 12:45

beanbeery · 20/09/2026 12:34

She had put horse manure near my side of the drive before and I could smell it when I opened my windows so I asked them nicely to move it which they did so its defo to annoy me.

Two wrongs don't make a right.

watchingthishtread · 20/09/2026 12:46

Friendlygingercat · 20/09/2026 12:39

I used to live in a flat where two kitchens adjoined. Please note - kitchens - not bedrooms or lounges. So no one was trying to sleep or watch TV. I was washing some dishes and singing when my neighbour knocked on the adjoining wall. Now maybe I had a terrible singing voice (I didn't) but I was pretty annoyed. I put opera on the radio and left it on against the adjoining wall for the next 3 hours until the 11 o'clock curfew stated in the lease.

Next day I sang in the kitchen again. No more knocking.

That's a horrible thing to do.

Malasana · 20/09/2026 12:47

beanbeery · 20/09/2026 12:34

She had put horse manure near my side of the drive before and I could smell it when I opened my windows so I asked them nicely to move it which they did so its defo to annoy me.

You’re lucky she hasn’t put some through your letterbox at this stage. Maybe she’s trying to hint to you that you’re behaviour is shit😂

Ellie1015 · 20/09/2026 12:48

7 times in a month is a lot, 6.30 til 11.30 is a long time and late. You know the walls are thin. You have been awful.

You should have known, if you didn't now you realise you should be mortified not annoyed/surprised the neighbour is pissed off.

Stop playing the music loudly get some ear phones and it will blow over, ideally apologise and smooth it over.

Oxo01 · 20/09/2026 12:51

beanbeery · 20/09/2026 11:46

But surely she could have just approached me about it?

There is also horse manure by her side of the drive where I walk with my DC.
Not very nice.

Edited

Can you put some sort of fence / trellis up along the boarder to block out the sight of the manure ?

ThatCyanJoker · 20/09/2026 12:52

You sound an awful neighbour. How can you possibly think your behaviour is ok? Turn the music off/down, and stop being so selfish!

ColdAsAWitches · 20/09/2026 12:55

beanbeery · 20/09/2026 11:41

Last month I would say the music has been on about 7 times and last Saturday it was from 6pm - 11:30pm.

I have only been playing music since the summer.
The walls are very thin. Its a terraced house.

You're definitely going to reveal that this is a reverse, because quite clearly, with this post you're admitting that you're being unreasonable.

LostNFoundSV · 20/09/2026 12:59

beanbeery · 20/09/2026 11:41

Last month I would say the music has been on about 7 times and last Saturday it was from 6pm - 11:30pm.

I have only been playing music since the summer.
The walls are very thin. Its a terraced house.

I’d hate to live next door to you. Have you never considered that your behaviour is totally unreasonable? Loud music, thin walls is bad but to play it after 10pm is disgraceful and disrespectful. How old are you?

IDrinkTeaAllTheTime · 20/09/2026 12:59

beanbeery · 20/09/2026 12:34

She had put horse manure near my side of the drive before and I could smell it when I opened my windows so I asked them nicely to move it which they did so its defo to annoy me.

These are in no way the same thing, though. How can you not see that? Also, it’s quite “main character”’of you to assume that everything this woman does is to annoy you 🙄.

PrayForPlagues · 20/09/2026 13:00

beanbeery · 20/09/2026 11:41

Last month I would say the music has been on about 7 times and last Saturday it was from 6pm - 11:30pm.

I have only been playing music since the summer.
The walls are very thin. Its a terraced house.

You are the nightmare neighbour here, not her.

LostNFoundSV · 20/09/2026 13:00

Friendlygingercat · 20/09/2026 12:39

I used to live in a flat where two kitchens adjoined. Please note - kitchens - not bedrooms or lounges. So no one was trying to sleep or watch TV. I was washing some dishes and singing when my neighbour knocked on the adjoining wall. Now maybe I had a terrible singing voice (I didn't) but I was pretty annoyed. I put opera on the radio and left it on against the adjoining wall for the next 3 hours until the 11 o'clock curfew stated in the lease.

Next day I sang in the kitchen again. No more knocking.

Another nightmare neighbour.

BlueFahrenheit · 20/09/2026 13:00

beanbeery · 20/09/2026 11:37

I will be honest but sometimes it does go past 11pm and it must be loud if she can hear it.
The music is quite loud as if you were singing loudly.

Her music was loud and could here word by word.

You're an awful neighbour.

The problem is YOU.

YourCoralCritic · 20/09/2026 13:04

Christ!

Have you heard of Headphones?
Please buy some ASAP! 😬💐

Blushingm · 20/09/2026 13:05

beanbeery · 20/09/2026 11:46

But surely she could have just approached me about it?

There is also horse manure by her side of the drive where I walk with my DC.
Not very nice.

Edited

If it’s on her drive why are you walking there? She’s likely out it there to keep you off her drive

BusyExpert · 20/09/2026 13:07

I don’t understand people who go out of their way to upset their neighbours and that includes playing loud music until late at night. It only makes your own life more difficult. However your neighbour is clearly bat shit crazy, she could have spoken to you about it.
in situations like this always go for the high moral ground. Do not feel or act in any way diminished by her rude behaviour. Instead smile at her brightly say good morning and chirpingly go on your way. She will eventually be the one who gets embarrassed and even if she doesn’t, your other neighbours will see you as the reasonable and polite one and act accordingly.

Oh and keep your music low.

Annoyedbyhusband · 20/09/2026 13:09

So you are fully aware that you have played loud music every weekend for months on end in a thin walled and terraced house, to the point you know how loud it is and that it would have been heard… carried on even though you yourself have said you are fully aware how loud it is… and you wonder why your neighbour had gone a bit crazy and bought some bagpipes and is loading manure on their drive to piss you off.
You knew categorically that you were being antisocial and carried it on for weeks on end, it’s not a case of she may or may not have been affected, you knew she would be. You expected her to come and tell you when you knew this already.
you are an arsehole neighbour and I am not surprised by her reaction after weeks of enduring this.
it’s the same as if your neighbour kept dumping their rubbish in your bin, they know this is wrong, and out of order. It’s not a case of they may not realise it’s your bin, they are just doing it to be an arsehole. Like you with your music, you know this is wrong and out of order but you are just being an antisocial arsehole about it.

CatkinToadflax · 20/09/2026 13:10

Sorry OP but the use of bagpipes must be a clue (and made me chuckle!).

I have a friend who used to live in a terrace. One night “Hallelujah” came on on the radio and she turned the volume up and really, really went for it, booming along. She came to the end, turned the music down, and heard her neighbour next door shout “hallelujah that that’s over!” She took the point that the walls were thinner than she’d thought.

SquidgyPudge · 20/09/2026 13:10

beanbeery · 20/09/2026 11:41

Last month I would say the music has been on about 7 times and last Saturday it was from 6pm - 11:30pm.

I have only been playing music since the summer.
The walls are very thin. Its a terraced house.

I also think this is a reverse, but just in case it isn't... You said you only put the music on on a Saturday night when your kids are at their nan's. So how can it have been 7 times in a month?

Which summer? It was still summer a month ago, so how long has it been going on if you've only been playing it since the summer but you've played it 7 times in a month. None of it adds up.

You sound like an inconsiderate nightmare and I would like to hear the neighbour's side of things.

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