AIBU to be furious about this??

[Kirsten567]

I currently live in a student accommodation (I'm a masters' student)

My course is quite challenging and I'm also applying for jobs right now so I need loads of peace and quiet.

Unfortunately, my landlords are extremely careless about noisy tenants and there is loud, banging music playing in my building at odd hours of the day and night.

I've complained numerous times and I've even had to change my room TWICE due to noisy neighbours. Unfortunately, they always tell me that there is nothing they can do about the noise. They insist that people have a right to listen to music in their rooms and if it bothers me I should study in a library or get earplugs. They are especially unhelpful when it happens during the day, saying that unless it is after midnight they won't tell anyone to turn down the music. :( :(
I'm sick of arguing with them.

AIBU to think that in a student accommodation priority should be given to studying??? If someone wants to listen to music then they can, but can't it also be done at a lower volume and bass?? Isn't it more important for me to study than for them to have wild parties?

What's worse is that the official guidelines clearly state loud music is not allowed in the building and yet the management of this accommodation doesn't take that seriously.

AIBU to think that they should be more supportive of students who are studying and more firm with those who are disturbing others???

Without having heard the music myself I can't comment on whether you are being unreasonable or not. When I was at university there were some people who would be ridiculously noisy at inappropriate times and some people who would kick up a ridiculous fuss about perfectly reasonable noise.

I have no idea which this is. It sounds more like the first than the second but you are telling the story so it would!

However, that is not the point. I am a pragmatist. You need to find solutions. The first thing is that on any day when you are going into Uni anyway (presumably you have lectures / seminars some days) you plan to spend the day there. Ie treat it as a normal job and turn up at the library at 9am with a full days work in your bag, a lunch packed and find yourself a space.

On days when you don't have lectures / seminars then you need to see if there is anywhere closer you can hang out. Most cities have a main library in the centre and then smaller "satellite" ones dotted around. Find your closest and see if their opening hours match your lecture free days.

Start thinking about when your halls are noisiest. Mornings are often fairly quiet in student accommodation (as half the students are still in bed) so you should be able to work then.

Finally start grading your work "red", "yellow" and "green" depending on the level of concentration needed and depending on the level of quiet work accordingly. (Spot the girl doing a highly technical mathematical job with a child who sometimes didn't sleep.)

What I'm trying to say is stop wasting time with the "principle" of this. You are probably right but I don't think you can win. Figure out instead how you can have e problem affect you the least.

Unami: I do remember acting like an idiot when I was 17. But I don't recall being a pest and playing loud music all day and all night under the pretext of "freedom".

Having lived in student halls for a long time now I didn't have unrealistic expectations.

I will think about getting EH involved although a lot of people have told me that in my area they are usually rubbish.

MummyToKatie: Thank you! Those are all very helpful suggestions. You are right, I won't get anywhere by whining, I suppose I need to do something about it. I'll try and sort out a schedule like you've suggested.

Glad it helped.

I only know these things through experience - in my younger years I would fight like mad against things like this. But the general result was that I'd waste a load of precious time, even more previous energy, get myself really annoyed and end up hours / days / weeks / months back where I started from. And then I'd find the practical solution and actually get something done.

Excellent post by MummytoKatie

Play the theme from the Monkees loudly over and over at 7am on weekend mornings.

kiwimumof2boys: Now that is exactly what I'm going to do.

You're paying 800ish per month for a room?! You're a mug! Flatmate and I pay 300 per month each for a quiet 2 bedroom flat and we live in the centre of the 2nd most expensive UK city. Why on earth did you take stuedent accommodation at that price?! Actually why on earth did you take student accomodation at all if you wanted somewhere quiet to live? Serious question

YANBU. I too stayed in student accommodation where noise was controlled around exam time, and all of the university owned residences at my university were the same. It's not an unrealistic expectation to expect music not to be played too loud in a situation where people are studying.

Seriously, speak to the Environmental Health people, that is what they are FOR. Ring them every single time there's a problem, and keep a diary of the events. But RING THEM.

Stop whining, and DO something instead.