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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be really shitting myself? Think we may have a guest.

180 replies

beatrixkitto · 28/09/2011 17:38

To cut a long story short........ Moved to our lovely detached (this is relevant) house at the start of the year and everything has been fine and dandy, we have plenty of space, 3 large bedrooms, family bathroom, downstairs w.c. conservatory etc.... The house is 30s style with bay windows etc

Anyhoo, a couple of months ago dh were in bed on a sunday morning a lovely bright morning, birds singing outside etc and started to hear banging noises coming from the attic it was coming from both the outside wall where the bay window is and the wall opposite (next to dd1 bedroom) as soon as I sat up in bed it stopped immediatley. Then the following weekend it happened again, this time I kept myself laid down with my eyes closed and it carried on for a good 5/6 mins untill there was a loud bang that shocked me and I sat up, again it stopped and DH and I had the "what the fuck was that?" conversation.

We haven't really thought about it or spoken about it until now, we have been upstairs with DD I have been in the shower etc, DH waiting to get out of work overalls and jump in etc and started to play with DD and is jumping around, doing a silly little dance etc to make her laugh and the banging started again only this time really loud and was echoing DH's banging. This happened around half an hour ago, it went on for around 10 mins.

If this is not a ghost what the hell else could it be? I am at home during the day with DD and am now bricking it for tomorow and being home alone.

OP posts:
ilovesprouts · 28/09/2011 19:30

ring dereck acora and co

garlicnutty · 28/09/2011 19:34

I know it's the plumbing. But I do want OP to spin this out for pages & pages, get all the ghost-addicts on here after a few bevvies, and make it a really spooky read Grin

GentleOtter · 28/09/2011 19:36

carrie - I did not wan't to say 'ghost' as OP is really scared but there is usually an earthly thing making the noise. Or plumbingly thing.

Badtasteflump · 28/09/2011 19:38

I wish I hadn't seen The People Under The Stairs.

I also wish I hadn't seen a horrible film years ago about this house with a big long winding staircase - at some point someone goes up the stairs in the dark and a ghost nun appears at the top and pushes them back down again. For some reason I can't fathom, I partly chose the house we live in now because it has a big grand winding staircase. It was only after we moved it I realised it reminded me of that horrible film and now I always have the hallway lit up 'like Blackpool illuminations' (to quote Mr Badtaste) Blush

Badtasteflump · 28/09/2011 19:39

By the way OP I wouldn't be worried about being at home during the day tomorrow - they lose all their power in daylight don't they?

Does your H get home before dark?

Badtasteflump · 28/09/2011 19:40

Sorry Grin

WhereTheWildThingsWere · 28/09/2011 19:40

Someone watch my it's gooooooooodGrin

zingzillachinchilla · 28/09/2011 19:43

We had a similar experience recently. Scared the wits out of me, but I had to go and have a look (in daylight, of course Grin) and there was nothing to be seen. I was worried it might be rodents, given the damage they can do to electrical wiring, etc. so I did some research online and discovered that if it's rodents, you will see rodent poo everywhere. You can't miss it.

If it's bats (which it is in my case) then it's actually pretty difficult to spot them even if there are quite a few. They don't leave poo everywhere, only around their roost, so check under the eaves at the end of your loft as that's a typical place to find them. Bat poo is like dust, not round pellets like rodent poo, and it looks a bit like cigarette ash.

If you still can't find any evidence of any life, call the Bat Conservation Trust - they will send a volunteer out to see if you have bats and confirm if you don't! Don't be alarmed if you have bats - our bats are very friendly neighbours and aside from the occasional loud noises (which I am much more tolerant of now that I know what it is!), they aren't causing us any problems. The BCT will tell you how to live with them, as they are endangered, but it's really no trouble. I now love our bats, since learning a little bit about them.

So if there is no poo in your attic, it's not rodents. If there is no sign of bats, it could still be bats, but the BCT will confirm, and if it's your pipes, happy plumbing! If it's the ghost of Great Auntie Vera, leave a bottle of sherry up there and she'll quieten down no end...

carriedababi · 28/09/2011 19:46

well could be a friendly ghost/spirit.

sausagesandmarmelade · 28/09/2011 19:54

ARGHHHHHHH I'm spooked meself! Shock

You have to let us know what this is when you do find out!

valiumredhead · 28/09/2011 20:00

Water hammer is REALLY loud!

MiseryBusiness · 28/09/2011 20:00

When I was 5 my older brother made me watch Gremlins. I thought (dont know why) that they were in the toilet and would come out and get me!

Maybe you have Gremlins in your pipes?

Seriously though, I used to live in an old detached property and we used to have banging come from the loft, my brother took great pleasure in stamping his feet in the landing when we had visitors and the banging would start in the loft.
Eventually my mum called a plumber and he said it was the pipes and the vibration from my brother stamping would set it off.

garlicnutty · 28/09/2011 20:05

You're right, WildThings, that IS good Shock

WhereTheWildThingsWere · 28/09/2011 20:07

Yay, I thank youGrin

See, now everyone else watch it and see who's living in the op's attic.

Debac2009 · 28/09/2011 20:07

s

garlicnutty · 28/09/2011 20:11

Debac's keyboard is spooked ...

BeerTricksPotter · 28/09/2011 20:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Debac2009 · 28/09/2011 20:14

It's that bloke off the Chainsaw Massacre waiting to kill you with his chainsaw.

Debac2009 · 28/09/2011 20:15

sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss Grin

TastyMuffins · 28/09/2011 20:39

I have banging noises in my house but they are Usually downstairs, usually happen once I have gone to bed, DS is fast asleep in the next room. To avoid shitting myself, I usually decide it's the cat. Bloody hate it when cat crawls out from under my bed in the morning and the door has been closed all night!

Any noises from my loft I blame on adjoining neighbours with loft conversion although can't work out why they sound like they are directly over head. No pipes in my loft and no sign of animals either.

Earthdog · 28/09/2011 20:41

I have had mice and birds in the attic and they make an unbelievable amount of noise, it can sound like someone stomping around up there. Put a mouse trap up there in case its mice as they can chew wires and cause a fire.

rogersmellyonthetelly · 28/09/2011 20:50

I had this when I was at uni, very loud knocking in the attic above where I slept, I was fookin terrified for days, ended up sleeping in a friends room for a week, finally managed to get uni bloke out to check it, it was a sodding squirrel cracking his nuts on the attic floor. If I'd caught the little bugger I would have cracked his nuts good and proper I can tell you, very embarrassed I was!

Iwouldifihadthetime · 28/09/2011 20:52

I've had both mice and birds in the loft and both were incredibly noisy! Pipes sound likely too Wink

SierraMadre · 28/09/2011 20:55

Do you think the Ghost has got the OP?

Grin