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Original poster

neighbours windchimes driving me mad

12 replies

mirry2 · 28/08/2010 21:27

my new neigbour has put windchimes in her garden and the noise is driving me crazy - they only tinkle in the wind but I like peace and quiet. Haven't even spoken to her since she moved in a few weeks ago so don't want to start off by complaining. What would you8 do? Am I being unreasonable in wanting the taken down? Will I get used to them in time. Am I being a wimp because I don't lie confrontations?

OP posts:

pompncircumstance · 28/08/2010 21:30

Gah! That would do my head in too. I have to have silence whilst sleeping. I don't think it's on if you can actually hear them in your house. Maybe you could invite her in for a cuppa sometime and see what she is like and you might get a better idea of how to approach her.

ThatDamnDog · 28/08/2010 21:31

This is my ultimate hell. Perpetual tinkling. Go round with a cake, introduce yourself, explain that you really don't want to get off on a bad footing but the chimes are bothering you. If they're still there a day later get the bitch slapped with an ASBO.

Barking · 28/08/2010 21:41

oh hell, I hate windchimes, had this at my old house living next door to a very alternative neigbour..

could you say you love listening to the birds singing and perhaps ask if she could move them further down the garden? Or that your children are finding it hard to sleep?

I hate confrontations too, though I am slowly learning you can say what you need to in a kind compassionate way.

Failing that you could always buy a bigger windchime and out tinkle her

pompncircumstance · 28/08/2010 21:47

Failing that you could always buy a bigger windchime and out tinkle her -

BelleDameSansMerci · 28/08/2010 21:49

I love windchimes and have lots of them BUT I have asked new neighbour if they bother her and if it's ok to leave them. She likes them too but if she didn't I would have taken them down/moved to other end of garden. Plus you can't hear mine in the house.

I don't think anyone reasonable is likely to have a problem with you asking for them to be moved. Hopefully she's a peace loving hippy type

thelunar66 · 28/08/2010 21:50

Tell her. She probably doesnt even realise you can hear them.

I hate the bloody things with a vengence.

UnePrune · 28/08/2010 21:52

Windchimes are noise pollution unless you live far from your nearest neighbours - like, 500m.

My friend's neighbour called in and said "I don't mind them but my husband says if he hears them one more time he is going to go postal" and my friend was happy to take them down. (Though why she had them there in the first place, when she is about 3ft away from her neighbour, is anyone's guess.)

thenamelesslady · 28/08/2010 21:54

tiptoe...tiptoe...snip...bin

Original poster

mirry2 · 28/08/2010 23:53

Yes I thought about snipping them because I can easily reach them but she would be bound to think it's us as they're next to our boundary fence (and below our bedroom window -eek) and she might put more up if she doesn't realise I don't like the sound. I think the best idea is to speak to her nicely as others have said - it's that or hope that we never have another breeze!

OP posts:

Solo2 · 29/08/2010 09:57

I feel for you! We've got the neighbours from hell who have windchimes....but also....hrs of shrieking children on their trampoline and the father does v loud DIY at strange hrs - like last night from midnight until 1.30am and then from 7am again, he was using noisy powertools, electric saw etc about 2 yards from my bedroom window...He was doing something similar on Xmas day last yr at 7.00am - buidling an illegal gate in the lane between our properties!

It's v v difficult to know what to do...but perhaps talking to her rightaway might prevent the situation we currently have: the neighbours have trepsassed in the field backing onto our garden and pulled down our fence and generally invaded with noise and staring - our privacy for yrs now. Things have come to a head (this is on another MN thread) but their response is to 'up the ante', despite being threatened by the field owners (not me) with legal action.

My mistake was probably NOT to have confronted them right at the start, as I also HATE confrontation. If I'd had the guts to speak to them yrs ago, maybe it'd be better now. Their windchimes pale into insignificance beside the other intrusions but you can see how first it might be windchimes and then something else and so on and so on until you can't go in your garden or open your windows at all....

So, if you can, do something NOW. I'm just too much of a wimp and the male scares me - as I'm a solo mum alone.

horatia · 29/08/2010 19:50

I hate windchimes too. Could you talk to her about it, apologetically, with an offer to do something in return (buy a nice quiet garden ornament?) if she takes them down?

ivykaty44 · 29/08/2010 19:52

Go and cut her windchimes and stop the tinkling now

no bake her a cake and whilst she has a big bit in her mouth tell her that she has to take them dwon as it is bothering the squirrels and they will not mate with the noise

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