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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

With my neighbour?

114 replies

Katinkka · 04/02/2015 15:52

Just had a row with my neighbour who was asking my ex to fit an electric windchime in his garden. I said I didn't like the sound of it and asked if they will be noisy. He said 'yes. Really noisy'. I can't bear windchimes and have asked another neighbour previously to take some down as listening to them on a night was sending me into a homicidal rage.

He went off on one saying he can't stand my cats who crap in his garden. They're not all my cats round here! I feel like the bad guy but am I?

OP posts:
CheeseandPickledOnion · 04/02/2015 15:58

You can't dictate what other people put in their own gardens.

DustyBedhead · 04/02/2015 16:05

Embrace the wind chimes , seriously there are far worse things your neighbour could be doing. Yabu

SorchaN · 04/02/2015 16:06

Ask him to fit the wind chime in his house!

holeinmyheart · 04/02/2015 16:06

YANBU as cats poo silently. Chimes chime. I hate wind chimes as well. Sneak out into his garden at night and cut them down ( too windy)

JennieR60 · 04/02/2015 16:07

Yabu you can't tell people what to have in there own gardens.

maz210 · 04/02/2015 16:12

An electric windchime? Does it chime all the time whether it's windy or not? How bizarre!

HappyAgainOneDay · 04/02/2015 16:16

Would you complain when birds sing, or the church clock chimes or a dog a few doors down barks or someone's lawnmower is running or a car in the road beeps its horn or the dustmen bang around with dustbins?

chockbic · 04/02/2015 16:18

Can your ex have a tinker with it?

So it works for say, two days, then explodes.

geekymommy · 04/02/2015 16:46

Did he ask you for your opinion about putting up the windchime? If he didn't, you were out of line for volunteering it.

You can't solve your problem of going into a homicidal rage about windchimes by dictating that none of your neighbors put up windchimes. If you could do that, your neighbor could dictate that nobody have cats, because he doesn't like them crapping in his garden.

Oh, and don't live next door to my MIL. She loves windchimes.

TheFecklessFairy · 04/02/2015 16:46

Embrace the wind chimes , seriously there are far worse things your neighbour could be doing.

No, there really aren't. It is 24/7 absolute fucking torture which you've obviously never endured Dusty.

DustyBedhead · 04/02/2015 17:40

Absolute fucking torture you say feckless over some wind chimes? Let's see how that works out for you, alienating your neighbour seeing as he's got the audacity to put something in his own garden that you don't approve of. You're still BU

PtolemysNeedle · 04/02/2015 17:44

Wind chimes would irritate me too, but you you are in no position to ask for your neighbours not to have them when you're an outdoor cat owner. YABU and hypocritical.

DurpDurp · 04/02/2015 17:47

Wind chimes are horrible if inflicted on you by unthinking and selfish neighbours.

YANBU about the wind chimes

However, cat crap is horrible too...

payuktaxrichardbranson · 04/02/2015 22:39

My NDN had wind chimes which kept us awake at night, they were really loud. After weeks of faffing we asked them to take them down which they did and we can sleep at night again, and be awake without constant ringing in our ears. we were lucky as our neighbours were very obliging.
Wind chimes are the work of the devil.

MidniteScribbler · 04/02/2015 22:51

Cat crap in a garden is bloody annoying too. You can't expect your cat to be able to roam around making a mess, then complain when your neighbour decides to do something completely legal in his own backyard just because it doesn't suit you. You own your property, not the neighbours.

BreconBeBuggered · 04/02/2015 22:57

One of my neighbours complained to the council about another neighbour's new, perfectly bog-standard, wind-chimes. They're not particularly compliant types, but when the council intervened they did take them down. Bitched about the complainants to everyone who'd listen, but hey.

I hadn't even noticed them, but maybe my ears lay in the wrong direction.

Perfectlypurple · 04/02/2015 23:02

Perhaps the neighbours is getting wind chimes to scare your cats away from his garden so he doesn't have to clear up their shit.

pictish · 04/02/2015 23:05

What are electric wind chimes? I have googled but am none the wiser.

We once had a tiny set of wind chimes in the back garden years ago (different house) and our neighbour tied a piece of string around them to stop them tinkling. They must have been annoying him, but they weren't loud...I'm not taken with the noisy ones myself. He was very noise sensitive though and banged on the floor and complained often. He didn't like any noise at all...he banged at the baby crying at 4 in the afternoon and all sorts. Pain in the arse.

Anyway...I need to know what electric wind chimes are about - they seem to be an indoor thing from what little I can see.

avocadotoast · 04/02/2015 23:09

YANBU. I fucking hate windchimes. Why would you need an electric one? Aren't they chimey and annoying enough without electricity?!

Original poster
Katinkka · 04/02/2015 23:22

They got them from 'Europe'. I like having my windows open for fresh air. The other neighbours who had some years ago were very nice about taking them down but I'd been going mental for months and I was pregnant. I just think it's so selfish to have something that affects all the neighbours.

OP posts:
Bifauxnen · 04/02/2015 23:32

I was hoping the electric part would be explained. Could you ask him to take them down at night as a compromise?
Or could he be in cahoots with your ex to drive you insane?

LeonardWentToTheOffice · 05/02/2015 00:00

Some wind chimes really hurt Sad My mum bought me some bless her and I had them up but they really tinkled at the wrong pitch. I eventually had to savagely rip them down in an awful jangly hangover carefully take them down.

Sorry mum xx Sad

MidniteScribbler · 05/02/2015 03:10

I just think it's so selfish to have something that affects all the neighbours.

You mean like a roaming cat that shits in other people's properties?

Thumbwitch · 05/02/2015 03:15

If your ex is a friendly sort, could he accidentally leave the electrics part open to the environment, then maybe the rain or atmospheric moisture or a cat peeing could sort the problem for you?

YAB both U and NU - U because yes, you can't dictate what people have in their gardens; but NU because if it is noisy enough to keep you awake then it = noise pollution and you can call the Environmental Health Dept in your local Council and they'll sort it out (with a bit of luck). Noise pollution isn't allowed.

toastyarmadillo · 05/02/2015 03:22

Think midnight just summed up what I was about to say!

Sorry OP YABU if other people's noise actually causes you to experience such levels of rage, may I suggest you invest in some ear plugs and see your GP about the rage issues.

You really cannot dictate what others are or are not allowed to do in their homes/gardens. Otherwise I suspect your neighbour would demand a cork fitted to your cats arse and everyone living near by to have their children's mouths duct taped shut?