Odd neighbour behaviour, or AIBU?

[lessonsintightropes]

Set up: we live in a Victorian maisonette - one below us is empty, we live in an upper one. Neighbours to the right - we speak to and are friendly, both flats. Neighbours to the left - downstairs were nice but have moved and property vacant, ones above with whom our bedroom and living room share a party wall have been consistently unfriendly for the 2 years we've lived here (think taking and signing for one Amazon parcel and denying all knowledge when asked for it later in the day). Odder still is when we had moved in after a couple of months asked us to stop turning on our kitchen light after midnight. It overlooks their kitchen which is completely protected by a frosted covering so we can't see in iyswim and from the layout of the flat it's unlikely if we turned a light on for half a minute once in the night it would be able to get into their bedroom.

A couple of months after we moved in we started getting to know people and just out of courtesy asked people if everything was ok as we keep late hours. Downstairs at the time neighbour said - actually it'd be great if you could smoke at the back of the house not the front as the couple of times a night you go out front, the door closing wakes me up. Everyone else fine - odd neighbours wouldn't speak to us.

Not to drip feed - our lights are on, but I watch TV on the laptop with headphones on and we don't listen to TV or music after 10pm because we want to not cause a problem!

I got an eyeful several times when getting a glass of water at 1 or 2 - I keep late hours - when you could tell through the protective screen that they were having marital relations in the kitchen with backlighting. I keep a bottle of squash in the bedroom now

Aaaaaannyway, tonight, DH was playing acoustic guitar in the bedroom - late, about 11 - I could barely hear him in the next room. Odd neighbours banged on the wall - he immediately shut up and went to bed, I carried on listening to music on headphones.

For the last hour they appear to have been moving furniture around and screaming at each other. Haven't knocked on. I doubt it's someone moving in but noise levels are unbelieveable.

Should I ignore this or worry that something is going on?

Sorry for length.

Make some noise yourself so they know you can hear them. Cough, sneeze, laugh, put music on.

Why are you creeping and sneaking around your own home, not getting water etc. when you want when they clearly don't give a fuck if they are making noise. Oh and bang on their wall they have no issues doing it to you.

I would inform them tomorrow that you will be using your home, how and when you like in future. As they so obviously do.

I've worked out what's happening - went for a tactical 'out front' cigarette. Vacant flat underneath us - landlord is taking out fridges etc and has had some hassle from upstairs (tbh probably fair enough now as it's after midnight) - but is due to finish up in the next 15 mins so no worries, and DH happily sleeping through. And also had a nice chat with LL.

Want we were just trying to be accommodating neighbours and worried about making noise after 9 - 10pm in case we disturb anyone. It shouldn't've been a massive problem in any case as none of our direct neighbours on either side have DCs.

Umm this could be a silly suggestion as I'm not too sure I understand the layout of the flat, but can't you put a blind up on the kitchen window so you wouldn't have to witness their midnight hanky panky? I know I would through fear of vomiting in to my sink each time I went to get water haha

Thankfully Boudicca we've sold and are about to exchange with our buyers so for us at least there's an end date to the visual torture of backlit shenanigans up against the frosted windowpane. It's entirely coincidental that I've come across it because I'm frequently awake at 2am.. as in tonight!.. so don't think it'll be a problem for the incoming buyers.

I did think it was weird the people before us had installed a roll down blind over that window which we've never used, until I realised why Roll on moving to somewhere slightly less overlooked.

I see (no pun intended) at least your moving on though, they sound like awful neighbours.

I'd be half tempted to bang on the window when I saw them now just to startle them knowing i was moving out

If I ever catch them mid coitus again I will indeed switch on the kitchen lights and try and make a lot of noise . They are lucky they had us as neighbours I think. Our buyers seem to also have a reasonable sense of humour and reasonable grip so I think they might be more assertive than we have been!

Turn on the lights and hold up a score card every time you see them. You can choose the score based on their performance.