We've had a noise pollution letter from the council!!!

[Stillmonday]

We aren't big DIYers but February my husband fitted us a new kitchen, it took a whole month inbetween work and he always stopped any noise at 6pm.
Now we are doing some decking in the garden whilst on lockdown. Some sawing, sanding & banging again stops at 6pm.
A letter has just arrived warning us of noise pollution and excessive hammering, banging & use of power tools.

Our neighbour was really annoyed when we had our kitchen, they even recorded the noise it made one day but I tried to explain it was a one off and that's what happens when a new kitchen is being fitted.

Now we are quite shocked to receive the letter but don't know where we stand. Are we allowed to finish the decking or shall we not bother?!

They'd have complained if you waited until after lockdown seeing as the kitchen was done before and they complained! You sound considerate letting them know and stopping at 6pm. You may as well get it done with having extra free time and have the whole of the summer to enjoy it!
Kill it with kindness, ask them if they need any shopping or ask if they drink wine so you can get them a bottle to thank them for their "patience". It's cowardly to go straight to council instead of having a conversation with you. The council have enough on their plate at the moment!

Well the weathers crap now so they will be in the house, and if they have decent double glazing won’t hear a thing

Its probably already been asked..but what time do you start? 2 or 3 hours is acceptable but 9 or 10am till 6pm is a bit much, especially when the noise cant be escaped due to the lockdown.

My next door neighbours, whom I like, have played loud music nearly every evening during lockdown. It's really upsetting because I can't get away and because it feels as if they don't care at all about my peace. So I think though doing DIY in lockdown is helping you get through, your neighbours distress is completely understandable. We've all got enough stress to deal with in this mad scary weird situation. So.... I believe you should stop. And buy them a bottle of wine, buy yourself one and drink to one another's continuing good health from a safe distance in your gardens.

We all need to help each other get through.

I think you’re both being unreasonable.
You think the neighbors are being unreasonable, they think you’re being unreasonable.
Perhaps you could meet in the middle? Have you apologised? Yes, I know - you think there’s nothing to apologise for. Your neighbors think you’re making too much unnecessary noise.
An apology might go a long way to soothing over their irritation and an explanation that the noise will end each day by “such & such” o’clock and entirely by “such & such” day. Try negotiating.
The one thing you don’t want is for the council to come out & stop your work entirely. And the one thing the neighbors don’t want is for the noise to go on forever.
Suck it up, apologise, and meet your neighbors half-way. Show them some grace, and hopefully they’ll show you some.
Everyone needs to cooperate - not just them & not just you.

Yanbu. Getting a new kitchen and doing your decking is standard work and you’re doing that work at reasonable hours. You can’t be expected to not make improvements in your own house due to a bit of noise. I appreciate in lock down it’s trickier but they’re retired so don’t have the typical working day out that others do anyway. If I had the money I would also be doing improvements to my house at this time, not much else to do!
Plus I think a few people have understood - the op is improving her own decking for her own enjoyment because she wants to, not asking others their opinion on whether she should have it or not.

for your neighbours

poster PleaseStopCrying Fri 17-Apr-20 11:35:33
I appreciate you clearly dont like ypur neighbours but if tour kitchen took a month then you've literally only just finished one big project and now you're moving straight on to another. In their eyes you are likely to keep doing this and once this projects finished you will start another.

Plus I do think it's pretty unreasonable to be understanding work involving power tools and going on until 6pm every evening when the neighbours have no option to go out and avoid the noise.

This!

I have been living next to buikding works during lock down and it is intolerable . I can’t get away.

The LA wont take any action because what you are doing is reasonable

I'm glad I don't live next to you

What if your neighbours start doing work on their house at a time when your baby is trying to sleep- what would you do then, would you complain?

I bet they’re off work, bored and not used to having anyone at home at the same time as them. They sound like great neighbours 🙄

A month of drilling is obviously unacceptable- it’s not fair that your neighbours pay the price because you can’t afford to get it done more quickly. You’re in the wrong. You need limited times when you’re going to do loud work.

They had to endure noise for an entire month while you were installing a new kitchen. You have to sympathise how irritating and repetitive that would have been for them and you've know moved on to creating more noise in the garden. I'd apologise to your neighbours and agree on a time frame to finish the decking and try to stick to it!

So you are saying people can’t update there house?. I really don’t think what they are doing is excessive just sounds like jealousy to me.

It course you can work on your house. Some unreasonable arseholes on here! And in the world

Genuine question - who on here who keeps criticising the OP for having work done to her house has never had any renovations or extensions done to their house.

TBH I'd be peed off with such inconsiderate neighbours. They are quite probably wfh and trying to keep their mental health together and the last thing anyone needs right now is constant noise from next door. Maybe you should try and be a little more thoughtful and leave it until.a time when they have the opportunity to escape the noise...

Yup, I’m sure the neighbours are purely motivated by jealousy. Stuck in their house, unable to go out and get away from the whine and rasp of power tools virtually in their garden, sitting with their heads under a cushion and pleading “Make it stop, for the love of God”. Bet they’re really jealous. There are some idiots on here.

Genuine question - who on here who keeps criticising the OP for having work done to her house has never had any renovations or extensions done to their house

In the middle of lockdown? Never.

that's what happens when a new kitchen is being fitted.

Kitchens really don't take a whole month to fit usually.
Every evening and weekend? I'd be annoyed too OP.

Also, if my neighbours were stupid enough to think that banging and sawing all day during lockdown is ok, I'd complain about that too.

You really are being inconsiderate.

Kitchens really don't take a whole month to fit usually.
Every evening and weekend? I'd be annoyed too OP.

2 hours a day. That is all. Anyone would think it was all day every day for a month.