About my neighbours letting their children run around the house?

[krystellie]

We live in a terraced house. Our neighbours on one side have three younger children (two primary school aged girls, one boy at nursery).

Whilst we are fine with the kids playing in the street and in their garden, over the past few weeks we have heard a lot of banging about in the house, every single day as soon as they get up for school until they leave, and then once they get in until they go to bed. We suspect it's the boy and whilst we've been putting up with it, it's really affecting our evenings as we can hear it over the TV, music, whilst having food, etc.

I know 'kids will be kids' and as said, we have no problems with them running about or playing in their garden or in the street, but I was brought up not to run around in the house and as we live in a terrace, the noise does travel between the walls (which we have even soundproofed!). We don't hear any other noises at all apart from them.

They are a perfectly nice couple but I don't know how I can bring up the subject. Is it reasonable to politely ask next time I'm speaking with them anyway?

It doesn't seem reasonable to say anything to be honest. They are kids playing in their family home. I think you just have to get used to, and accept, some noise in a terraced house.

Vegas is spot on, I think.

We live in a terrace and although I try not to let my DC run riot, they have to be allowed to play. I am lucky I have understanding neighbours and they have noisy dogs!

Its not like it occurs all day either. Its just at certain points. Getting three children ready in the morning is bound to be noisy.

Thanks, that's what I feared people might say!

The girls are pretty quiet, so hopefully the boy will be too once he starts school (wishful thinking!). It's just a shame that it currently sounds as though people are crashing around the house...

I agree with the others, I don't think you can say anything, especially if you want to continue getting on with them. I have 3 DC of a similar age, and it does get noisy. I'm in a detached house so the sound is not too much of an issue when indoors, but I get very stressed in the garden because they are so loud when they are playing together.

It would be shit if the mum couldn't relax in her own home for worrying about the noise.

I sympathise but I think it's just something you will have to suck up for now. Might be worse because it's summer and kids tend to be awake till later too.

I think it sounds pretty normal, I'm afraid. You shouldn't try to stop kids playing in their own home.

Annoying as it is, I also agree you can't do anything about it. He is playing in his house.

sorry but YABU. Its their home. If they were screeching, screaming, yelling etc then maybe but not for running about. Mine (4 and 3) are up and down the stairs and jumping around all the time, but then we can hear next doors 20 somethings also running up and down the stairs. If its only for an hour or two at each end of the day then I really don't think you can complain.

Move house. I don't think a terrace suits you. You absolutely cannot say to a family 'don't let your child play in his home'. i'm kind of surprised you'd even contemplate that tbh.

You should totally bring it up with them and then come back to tell us how they laughed in your face.

YABU they can probably hear certain things you do as well its just all part of living in a terrace. We can hear next doors tv in her bedroom every night but I wouldnt dream of going and moaning about it - its not on extremely loud its just that the walls are thing and she has every right to watch tv in bed just as that little boy has every right to move about his home.

I think as a nation we are far less tolerant of children than we used to be.
I can remember one old grump in the whole of my childhood, and kids were noisy then as they are now.
Let them play, school is confining and one day work will be confining too.
You just have to put up with it I'm afraid or save up for a detached house one day.

If you get on with them, you could mention it politely, as they may be unaware that they're being that noisy. Especially if it's recent. I have lived in flats/ terraces and made adjustments to avoid upsetting neighbours- it may not have occurred to the parents that their son's current insistence on (say) jumping down the stairs and slamming doors is affecting anyone else. (says the woman whose lovely neighbour asked if if I planned to buy carpet anytime soon and whether I could move the big box of bricks further from the wall his bed was against ....) A minor adjustment like getting their son to take his shoes off indoors might make all the difference

Can you get a refund on the soundproofing?

OP we lived in a terraced house, we congratulated ourselves on our our excellent soundproofing; never heard a peep from our neighbours. Consequently our three littlies ran riot.

Then our neighbours had a baby. We heard every squeak from that little...angel. Turns out we didn't have good soundproofing after all, just quiet neighbours.

Obviously we quietened our three down once we realised, but what I'm saying is, if you are really quiet, they may not realise how much their noise carries. It might be worth having a word.

Its par for the course. We are ground floor terraced flat owners. We hear three other households daily. Its a vague annoyance but what we signed up for. Does mean I feel no guilt at newborn crying in the night or dd shouting "mammy can I get up now??" At half six.

Thanks everyone, seems like I will just need to wear my earplugs a lot more!

PS Moving isn't really an option at present and we live in an area where most houses are terraces or flats (none of which are cheap!).

absoutely disgusting comments from people who obviously are not going through what this lady is having to go through or cause the nouse themselved (how dare peiple complain ) mum should be able to relax in her home whilst her kids run crazy and scream outside ??? what about all the people having to listen to it are they not allowed to relax ???
get of your phones and take you kids out where they can release their energy why should other people have to live with your bratty kids?? this lady isnt doing anything wrong isnt causing any nuisance and you are telling her to move?