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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU about the fishpond pump down the road?

42 replies

Stratter5 · 29/06/2014 15:02

MrBodgit down the road has a koi sort of fishpond in his front garden, it's pretty big, about 6x3', and he has installed a fiddled with pump. Basically it's like a waterfall coming out of a white plumbing pipe, and it is LOUD. So loud that I can hear it all night, and have to put on a sleep app to drown the noise out. It's not a continuous noise, it stop starts, and I either have to shut the window (which I don't want to do with a bedroom full of dogs and me, plus its bloody hot in my bedroom), or have the sleep app on full blast. I can still hear it above the sleep app, but it makes it less intrusive.

WIBU to contact the noise nuisance department at the local council?

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 29/06/2014 15:06

YANBU at all. Next door have a pond with a fountain and it does my head in when I'm just sitting in the garden for a few hours.

Could you start by speaking to him first though?

Original poster
Stratter5 · 29/06/2014 15:20

I've tried, my neighbour next door, who is their NDN has tried, the people over the road have tried. My main problem with speaking to the council is that he will probably guess it's me. And he's not a particularly nice person.

Drives me fucking nuts at night, and it makes me want to pee all the time too.

OP posts:
Original poster
Stratter5 · 29/06/2014 15:22

Also, I'm a bit deaf, and conversations in the front garden are usually interrupted by me going 'Eh, what, huh?', because I can't distinguish the voice clearly enough from the bloody waterfall down the road.

OP posts:
Original poster
Stratter5 · 29/06/2014 15:23

I wouldn't, but OMG the temptation

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 29/06/2014 15:31

Well if you're a bit deaf and he accuses you of calling the council, just say "Ehh? Huh? What pond pump?" Grin

Original poster
Stratter5 · 29/06/2014 15:35
Grin

I'm rather liking that plan.

OP posts:
Icelollycraving · 29/06/2014 15:35

If you're a bit deaf & it's still troubling you,it must be really loud Shock

Original poster
Stratter5 · 29/06/2014 15:38

It IS really loud. Loud enough for me to think it might actually exceed noise level limits. Seriously, you can't imagine how loud it can be until you've experienced it, think of a 3" overflow pipe pouring out full rate and dropping 2 feet down into a pond.

You can hear it at night in the back bedrooms on the second floor. And I don't live right next to him.

OP posts:
KrevlornswathoftheDeathwokClan · 29/06/2014 16:22

can you plug it up in the dead of night?

Original poster
Stratter5 · 29/06/2014 18:53

Not without ninja-ing my way through a big locked gate :(

OP posts:
Yama · 29/06/2014 18:57

Oh, this would be my idea of hell. YANBU at all in whatever you do to shut this awful noise up.

hoobypickypicky · 29/06/2014 19:08

OK, so salt would harm the fish so that's a no-no. What about a revolting mix of food colouring? Grin

SureFootedWhispher · 29/06/2014 19:12

Is it fenced off?

fluffyraggies · 29/06/2014 19:14

He might not guess it's you if 2 other folk have had a word too.

BomberManIsAGirl · 29/06/2014 19:15

Can you give him a timer plug and just ask nicely for him to only run the pump in the day?

The noise would definitely bug me. I would be really irritated by it.

StairsInTheNight · 29/06/2014 19:20

Call the council. They will come and measure the noise from your house. Then they'll write him a letter.

If he asks you about it just look confused.

Original poster
Stratter5 · 29/06/2014 20:19

Will they be discrete if they come and measure? It's going to be a bit fucking obvious if they roll up in a van with 'Noise Abatement Team' emblazoned on the side.

I'll ring in the morning, the noise is driving me potty, and I don't see why I should have to keep my window shut in the middle of summer, just because some half witted ape has a botch job fish pump running 24/7. :(

OP posts:
Dinnaeknowshitfromclay · 29/06/2014 20:20

This would drive me utterly doo lall. I used to have a NDN who had a relatively small water feature (thanks Charlie Dymmock!) and I found the sound really stressful actually. Council is the next move for you OP.

GormlessNormTheGardenGnome · 29/06/2014 20:26

First of all, "rescue" the fish. Then fill the pond up with washing powder. Lots of washing powder, and perhaps some food colouring too.

Disclaimer: Not really. Fun to plan it though.

CocktailQueen · 29/06/2014 20:29

Sounds like the pump is excessive for the size of the pond tbh. We have a pond and pump but the pump is quiet -everyone who stays in our spare bedroom says how nice the running water noise is (and it doesn't want them want to wee, and it's not intrusive).

Suggest ringing the noise team from the council too. Good luck.

StairsInTheNight · 29/06/2014 21:22

No, they are just two people in a car that turn up. Totally discreet. You need to call at the time so they can come in and measure the noise.

Honestly, it's the only way to get it sorted. Just call the noise team. Ours were great and the letter they sent stopped our neighbour.

Original poster
Stratter5 · 29/06/2014 21:32

I'm kind of tempted by the rescue/soap powder scenario. Imagine what washing up liquid would do...

OP posts:
IwishIwasmoreorganised · 29/06/2014 22:13

Do you live near me OP?

If so the VOG council have already been told about this!

Original poster
Stratter5 · 29/06/2014 23:47

I've PM'd you Iwish :)

OP posts:
HighwayDragon · 30/06/2014 09:00

Have you tried calling 101 Grin