To say I wish I had no immediate neighbours?

[solitarybliss]

[Throwaway due to the off chance of being recognised] Both sets of my neighbours are away this holiday weekend. We live in very small terraced houses and, especially since I WFH, I really notice their noise. Dogs, door slamming, shouting at each other, power tools/DIY, car engine revving, shouted phone calls on the phone on speaker for hours. You would think "children, too", but actually I scarcely notice their children or maybe their noise just doesn't grate on me.

Anyway, I'm sitting here and thinking how heavenly it is to just hear nothing for once. I just desperately wish it could be like this all the time, like maybe I could win the lottery and buy them out or something? 😭

I don't know why I feel like this, perhaps something is wrong with me? I somehow feel oppressed by the presence and noise of other people but why? They're not that bad, despite what I've said about them.

And it couldn't be argued I should "move to the countryside"- this is the countryside! 😆

I’m looking to move soon and no neighbours is highest on my list. I’ll pretty much compromise on anything to get that.

Im divorcing and don’t know yet how much money I’ll have or where I’m moving to, so I really don’t know if I’ll actually have a choice.

Im older and have got more bothered by sound as I age. I used to listen to the radio as I worked, ironed etc, now I don’t even like to do that.

Im rural already, and like you it’s just the regular everyday sounds that bother me. I’m putting it down to age, but it’s like misphonia is creeping up on me.

#me too.

In fact, I was thinking of writing a post in a similar vein - except my issue is urban social housing and sulky anti-social neighbours who don’t give a s*.

My dream home is somewhere quiet in the middle of nowhere 🙏.

@Isheabastard Thanks, I just needed someone to understand where I am coming from with this. I daren't tell people really except by making a joke about it ("oh God, the neighbours are on their phones in the garden again hahaha") because I know it won't sound reasonable. I can honestly say that it's ruining my life. Today, with no neighbour noise, is the first time I can say I have hand on heart felt at ease for months (the last time was Christmas when they were all away, too). It is hard for me to even exist with them there, making noise.

Thank God you will be able to buy somewhere away from noise. Make sure you are not near a farm track/a route they use a lot as my friend did this when she "downsized", and now the place she lives in is noisier than it was in London because tractors go past all day from the crack of dawn!

@solitarybliss if you are a home owner count your lucky stars. At least you can always move somewhere with your peace and quiet a higher priority surely?

I moved from mid terrace to detached and it is lovely, I still appreciate 10 years later. It’s also really nice to be able to vacuum, use the washing machine, kids to make noise at any time.
The biggest downside is not getting heat from the neighbours- the house is so cold!

I totally understand . In my life I have lived on the 18th floor of a high rise , in a block of maisonettes and in a terraced house . I now live in a secluded bungalow without neighbours - bliss .

My sympathies, OP. My neighbours are very quiet (yes, there is the occasional party but this isn't a problem) and I appreciate this. It must be very difficult to have to put up with constant noise.

Totally understand where you're coming from. I used to live on a farm. No immediate neighbours and lovely and quiet. Left 20 years ago and although we moved to a rural village it was a shock having neighbours right next door. I've never got used to it and hate all the noise especially this time of year when people are making loads of noise in their gardens with lawn mowers, trimmers, hedge clippers etc.... Grrrr!

I think it’s the fact of the houses being attached which really gets to me (semi-detached). I can tolerate a certain amount of noise coming in from outside, it’s the intrusive diy/dog howling/shouting at the kids/loud tv or music coming through the walls, which drives me to distraction. Our attached neighbours aren’t horrible people, but they are self-centred fuckers, sometimes.

Just popping to the shops, think I'll pick up a lottery ticket while I'm there 😅

We can all dream!

I feel your pain. I always look forward to summer in the garden and forget everyone else will be out too. There’s too many people. I feel like there’s nowhere private in the world anymore. Even if I find an empty spot in a park or library some fucker will sit near me.

Why are houses connected to each other at all anyway? It's a crap idea, just put a metre gap between them and everyone could live in peace. Whoever came up with it was probably one of those people who parks right next to you in an empty car park! 😆

We moved to a detached house last summer and have no neighbours. It's AMAZING!! We moved from a built up, major city to a coastal town less than 10 miles away. We still benefit from the amenities of the city whilst also enjoying peace, quiet and views. This is definitley our forever home, I couldn't imagine living anywhere else now.

Yep, the whole semi detached thing is a weird invention. I wonder if it’s just in the uk.

@OriginalUsername2 I hear ya.

TOTALLY understand, that is my dream too.

Oooh YANBU @solitarybliss ! My neighbours are OK actually. But it would be nice to not have them so close.

Woman next door that we are joined on to, has 2 kids and a dog. Noise levels are pretty reasonable and not bad. 1970s 3 bed semis, good quality, good sound proofing etc. Her 2 kids are in the 2 bedrooms on the other side of the house, the kitchen-diner is on the other side of the house, the stairs are on the other side of the house, and we have big gardens etc.

But when they're away, the silence is bliss.

I would LOVE to be detached. However my friend is detached, and her neighbour (whose house is 10 feet away from her house,) plays loud music and you can still hear it, and her kids knock footballs about and she hears them banging against the party fence IYSWIM. Also, the wind really whips around all the walls, and the house is colder than her semi was. Swings and roundabouts. But I think I would prefer a detached house.

Oh also, the family over the road (50-something couple, 20 y.o. son,) keep parking their cars opposite our driveway, and not on their 4 car driveway!!! Even though the road is quite wide, it's still awkward and annoying to get in and out of our driveway, with 2 or 3 cars parked there half the time. As I say they have a driveway, but park on the road to make their lives 'easier'.. as they don't have to keep going in and out of the driveway, and can just take off. No matter that it's making other people lives more difficult as they struggle to get in and out of their driveway! Weirdos! Not sure why they think their right to take off somewhere in the car a bit easier, trumps our right to be able to get in and out of our driveway easier.

Oh, and not having to hear a dog barking next door would be nice!

So yes, being like 300 yards or more from your closest neighbour would be great.

I notice in the USA you often see a poor run down area, yet the houses are still detached. Like in American 'Shameless'. You would never get that in the UK.

Oh well, they have more land I suppose. And they also have people living in trailers!

Yes @pemba I notice that too. They have land and garden and can sit out front. It’s amazing.

Yip feel your pain. I don't go near my garden when the sun is out as the people next door to me go nowhere, they spend all day lounging in their tiny patio area and the guy is a neanderthal..bare chest/football top/cheap beer..uses our bin, is always growling, sings sectarian songs when he has his neanderthal pal over..can't stand any of them, hope to be away from here when youngest DS starts high school..unfortunately will be unlikely to afford a detached house unless I win the lottery!

Detached doesn’t solve the problem outdoors, just indoors. My enjoyment of my back garden is often spoiled by the neighbours in the next detached house opening wide their bifold doors and blasting shit music out while they are outside.
Further, for six weeks around Christmas/New Year, their entire house and garden are covered in hideous neon bright randomly flashing chaser lights, which shine through my skylights and flash round the edges of every bedroom curtain, making sleep impossible.
As an autistic, who suffers sensory overload, it’s excruciating. I moved here 40 years ago as it was a peaceful rural Scottish village with wonderful dark skies. Now it’s more like a London council estate!

@Goonergirl14 One of mine goes about with no top on, too 🤮 That's the least of it but I can't say more as too outing.

@Babdoc Oh dear, so sorry to hear that 😔

Sorry to hear this. This guy next to me goes about with no top on in all sorts of weather I find it repulsive too though I suppose it's his garden..they stick put like a sore thumb round here..just wish I wasn't stuck next to them, they moved in when the mother passed away, she was a great wee neighbour..hope you win the lottery and can get away!

Stick out even..