Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

So the new neighbour has got a drum kit.

104 replies

AliceLittle · 31/10/2019 15:24

Moved in 2 weeks ago, has been playing the drums every single day for about 5 hours each time. Rather annoyingly they've actually got rhythm and aren't that bad but ffs, I'm 8 houses away and its so loud. I work from home and even my colleague on the skype call can hear it. I feel really sorry for whoever is directly next door to them.

Is there rules/laws against this sort of nuisance?

OP posts:
sunshinesupermum · 31/10/2019 17:59

Thedoctor73

The OP lives EIGHT houses away and is disturbed by FIVE hours drumming! Like many other people these days she works from home (you know, earning money for her family) in a 'rather deprived neighbourhood'.

So I think she's entitled to be annoyed at noisy, thoughtless drummers. Sure your patronising comment: 'So if u asked kindly to turn it down, then okay yeah we could compromise' is helpful. Not.

DulciUke · 31/10/2019 18:07

At 5 hours a day, the drummer is heading towards carpal tunnel. That may stop it altogether. Not that it helps you now...

SchrodingersKitty · 31/10/2019 18:16

I really sympathise, having been there myself. 20 years ago, when DS was a baby, we got new neighbours in the pair of our very tall 200-year- old house. The husband was a session drummer and the son had a band. They blithely informed us that they had moved there to have more space for practising. It was then that we discovered that our house acted like a giant amplifier (something about the chimneys/alcoves) . . . They practised day and night and constantly woke up the baby. I was insane with tiredness and phoned repeatedly to be complain, often having to shout because it was too loud to be heard. They did eventually realise that the situation was untenable and they sold the house after about a year and moved somewhere further from their neighbours. We have had about five neighbours since but have never had any other noise issues. It was hell.

Thedoctor73 · 31/10/2019 18:25

Yeah I thought that's the case. There not going against any laws.

Thedoctor73 · 31/10/2019 18:28

I'm being serious. Okay then how about you tell them exactly how you feel on the issue and say u are working at home. As long as your not aggressive then the drummer should be more quite and if he isn't then fair enough he is on the wrong side. But what do you mean it's not helpful to just tell them exactly how you feel on the matter? That's the only option you really have.

stucknoue · 31/10/2019 18:28

My dd is a semi pro musician, she practices at home. We are detached so noise is less of an issue and we restrict practice to 10am - 9pm (not continuously!) 5 hours may seem a lot but it's what is needed to be good.

Wimpeyspread · 31/10/2019 18:29

Thedoctor73 I used to work permanent nights - you may not be breaking any laws, but you would have made it impossible for me to work. It doesn’t have to be illegal to be antisocial

Thedoctor73 · 31/10/2019 18:31

And don't go thinking I'm being thoughtless because, I understand what you mean. But understand me now. If you go to his house and shouting telling to stop playing the drums, or the play quieter, it will not work. Anyway you'll feel the better person in the end knowing you did right if u go round there kindly! At least give him a chance. If not fair enough, shout at him and swear if it makes you feel any better.

CyberPixie · 31/10/2019 18:31

I moved a year ago to escape awful neighbours and years of harrassment. To my dismay in a garage 10ft from my windows at the end of their garden was a teenager with a full size drum kit! 1-4hrs a day. I kept 2wks of notes and submitted it to environmental health, they sent them a letter 2 days later and that was it. Not heard again. Doesn't matter if its during the day, excessive, regular noise that loud will get sorted.

AlexaAmbidextra · 31/10/2019 18:36

5 hours may seem a lot but it's what is needed to be good.

I don’t suppose OP gives a flying fuck whether her drumming neighbour will be a good drummer. Neither would I tbh. IMO it is decidedly anti-social and unreasonable to practice on a drum kit or any other noisy instrument in residential premises.

Thedoctor73 · 31/10/2019 18:38

Hate to say it but maybe it's just they quit the drums. I have never heard anyone stopping the drums because of a letter. That's not quite how it works.

Original poster
AliceLittle · 31/10/2019 18:38

So I went round after the drumming stopped. A man answered the front door which like a lot of the terrace housing round here, opens straight into the front room and I can just see the drum kit behind him. I can't tell if the kit itself is on a mat or a rug carpet but the room had wooden flooring. I get nothing more than a shrug and a "sorry love, I only do it in the day". I told him it's actually quite disturbing and could he make an effort to quieten the noise with sound proofing or make use of the music studio less than 10 Min walk away and just a grunt and a "whatever" and shut the door. Felt like I was talking to a 40 yr old version of Kevin the teenager.

OP posts:
RolytheRhino · 31/10/2019 18:44

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/money/2006/mar/02/yourrights.legal4

It is under a legal duty to investigate and deal with any noise that amounts to a statutory nuisance. There is no set level at which daytime noise becomes a statutory nuisance but it must be prejudicial to health or cause a substantial interference with the quiet enjoyment of your home.

HTH

Thedoctor73 · 31/10/2019 18:47

Oh that's good then. Not for the drummers that want to make a living out of it though. Guess they have to move house.

RolytheRhino · 31/10/2019 18:50

Oh that's good then. Not for the drummers that want to make a living out of it though. Guess they have to move house.

Well, yeah, actually...

Jayaywhynot · 31/10/2019 18:52

I sympathise as my ndn is a singer, sings all the time, he'll practice one song for days, if he makes a mistake he starts over, I'm going to strangle him, with my bare hands, with a smile on my face, it the only way to stop him Wink

Gingaaarghpussy · 31/10/2019 18:54

I feel your pain. I live opposite a music shop and they have various instrument lessons, also during the summer I have to listen to folk songs once a week, it aaalllwwwaaayyysss the same songs.

WeshMaGueule · 31/10/2019 18:59

My husband has been a professional drummer for thirty-five years. He uses an electronic kit and headphones.

MrsFezziwig · 31/10/2019 19:02

Thedoctor73 no, they shouldn’t move house, they should have never lived somewhere that is totally unsuitable for loud practising (though you haven’t said why you can’t wear headphones). Or why not go and practise in a studio - oh, because you’re too tight, you’d rather annoy your neighbours.
And the OP never said she was going to go round and “shout and swear” at them - I presume you’re taking that from your own experience.

bakesalesally · 31/10/2019 19:21

Go shove his drumsticks where the sun doesn't shine.

Thedoctor73 · 31/10/2019 19:43

In order to teach the drums mate me and my student need to hear the drums together. Not just me or him have a pair of headphones on haha. How will I teach!? People just don't think these days do they.

RolytheRhino · 31/10/2019 20:02

How will I teach!?

In a soundproofed room designed for the purpose? Or at your student's house using their drum kit? Or in a music studio?

RolytheRhino · 31/10/2019 20:02

People just don't think these days do they.

Doesn't look like it from here, no.

Thedoctor73 · 31/10/2019 20:06

Anyway look I'm sorry that we are in a disagreement. And I'm truely sorry if I upset anyone. I am just answering from my side of things. Sorry again.

RolytheRhino · 31/10/2019 20:11

Anyway look I'm sorry that we are in a disagreement. And I'm truely sorry if I upset anyone. I am just answering from my side of things. Sorry again.

Wel, I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm not upset in the slightest. It's an anonymous Internet forum- I simply enjoy the discussion.