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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Piano playing in a terraced house!

89 replies

FuckingPiano · 25/03/2015 13:49

Have put up with the neighbours fucking piano playing for the last couple of years! We live in a terrace housed, 2 up, 2 down. Theirs end-terraced with 2 reception rooms, the fucking piano could go in the reception room not attached to our house. But no, they've decided the reception room that shares the wall with our house is their music room!
It has actually got better. The playing was anytime from morning through to 10pm at night whenever they fancied a 'quick tinkle'. I haven't asked nicely if they'd move the fucking thing to their other room away from our house as if they respond with no (which I imagine they will) I'd combust! Banging on the wall stops the fucking thing.
It is now a half-hour piano lesson a week for the kid but is on the day I work from home and dread having to listen to the fucking thing whilst trying to concentrate on work. There's been no progress with the playing in these couple of years and don't get why they don't give the fucking thing up!
However, they do still occasionally like to have a 'quick tinkle' on the thing at random times -usually late at night. (We have small children and none of us can get away from the fucking playing it can be heard in every room).
The kid is now also learning the fucking trumpet!
All this time I've considered contacting environmental health and providing a record of the times it's played. However, we don't plan to stay in this house forever (all uncertain, dependant on finances) and don't want to have to declare a dispute if we do (as per plan) move in the next 5 years.
What would you do?

OP posts:
londonrach · 25/03/2015 14:26

Yabu.

ilovesooty · 25/03/2015 14:30

So your sole attempt to find a solution has been to bang on the wall? No attempt at civilised discussion and negotiation? While you're behaving like that you're not going to move forward are you?

kittycatz · 25/03/2015 14:33

YABU.
Calm down and then go round and speak to them politely and agree on a compromise with them. ie. No playing after X o'clock because it is very loud and disturbs the children.
Who is playing it? The parents or the children? I can imagine it being annoying if a child is just plonk plonk plonking on it randomly. I can't imagine however, that they are playing on it for really long period of times. I am a piano teacher and know how long my students practise on average.
You need to talk to them calmly and explain that it does disturb you and if they could please not play late at night. You could also suggest, nicely, that it is moved away from a party wall.

DidoTheDodo · 25/03/2015 14:34

YABU.
You do sound a bit lot over the top on this.
It's a piano. it's a terraced house. It's 30 minutes a day.
It could be a LOT worse.

merrymouse · 25/03/2015 14:40

Go round and talk. It isn't unreasonable for them to practice the piano for half an hour, but if there are particular times when it is really inconvenient they may be able to avoid those times.

They can't do this by esp though.

PunkrockerGirl · 25/03/2015 14:41

Yabu. It's a piano.
If you banged on my wall without first having the courtesy to come and speak to me, I'd dig out my heavy metal collection and put Cradle of Filth on so loudly you'd really have something to complain about Grin

CrapBag · 25/03/2015 14:42

They probably don't realise how much of an issue it is for you so they can't hear what you hear.

My old neighbours played the fucking trombone in a teeny terraced house, plus a sort of trumpet and cello. Sometimes 9pm and usually started at 7pm when we had just put the kids to bed. Always the same repetitive crap. Oh how happy I was when they moved. Grin

DidoTheDodo · 25/03/2015 14:42

And you might have to be prepared for them to ask you to keep your small children quiet at all times in a spirit of mutual cooperation!

HoraceCope · 25/03/2015 14:43

a friend is a piano teacher and has to live in a detached house, she told me, due to neighbours.
you are in the right i believe

LaurieFairyCake · 25/03/2015 14:44

This is such a reverse Hmm

HesterShaw · 25/03/2015 14:46

What would I do?

Lighten up I hope.

itosh · 25/03/2015 14:49

You can't do anything. People are allowed to play instruments between the hours of 8am-10pm I believe. Be grateful you don't live next door to an instrumental teacher who teaches all day

afussyphase · 25/03/2015 14:49

I play the piano most evenings. We only have one room it could be in, and both possible walls are shared in a terrace.
When we got it, we played for a bit and asked the neighbours if they could hear it -- luckily the walls are thick and they said it hadn't bothered them. We said that they should tell us at any time if it is too loud. They haven't mentioned it yet.
However -- we took the few simple steps that can help: we have a styrofoam sheet behind it, which absorbs some of the sound, preventing it from going directly into their wall. We also have it on a small carpet, which reduces the transfer of sound through the wooden floor. And if I am playing something particularly annoying and repetitive, I use the practice pedal, which lowers a strip of felt between the hammers and the keys and very much dampens the sound (wouldn't be OK for lessons but for repetitive practice it is useful).
Talk to them. The styrofoam was cheap and there are special sound-absorbing ones that are a bit more. Perhaps they can avoid certain times when you're trying to work. Maybe they have a practice pedal.

KumquatMay · 25/03/2015 14:51

a list of possible solutions for you, OP;

  • speak to your neighbours
  • buy some earplugs (you will still be able to hear your phone etc but it will reduce the sound)
  • put some headphones in
  • change your lunch break to the scheduled piano time and go out for a walk
  • start work 30m earlier so you can take those 30m off
  • move to another room to work, for 30m
  • hang some kind of textile (like a rug) on the wall to muffle the sound

HTH

ilovesooty · 25/03/2015 14:54

I'm wondering if the OP has combusted.

MrsAidanTurner · 25/03/2015 14:57

We bought an electric piano as there is no way to muffle a real piano

Yes we would also buy electric if necessary as we too couldn't inflict real on neighbours, you can also buy ear phones, win win!

MrsAidanTurner · 25/03/2015 14:58

kumquat why on earth should she had to totally changes how SHE lives to accommodate this piano? This is not how things work, the whole point of EH is impact on your life, noise, anti social behaviour, we all have THE RIGHT to peace in OUR OWN HOME!

Clobbered · 25/03/2015 14:59

What a nasty post, OP.

I wonder if you will consider speaking to your neighbours about it as and when your children take up noisy hobbies?

reni1 · 25/03/2015 15:04

ilovesooty Grin. I think she did right after posting. 8 "fuckings" to say a child plays the piano, but not very well yet Grin

MissM · 25/03/2015 15:04

My kids are learning the piano and we live in a terraced house. I won't let them play after 7pm or before 8.30am. I've also spoken to the neighbours and asked them to let us know if it's a problem. Next steps (if they carry on and when we can afford it) will be to get an electric piano that they can use with headphones.

So what I'm saying is that your neighbours ABU to play late at night. On the other hand, your post is completely unreasonable. First get a bit of perspective, and then go and talk calmly to them.

Beloved72 · 25/03/2015 15:05

Oh gosh, are you my neighbour?

We have a piano and a trumpet playing child.... Confused

DrankSangriaInThePark · 25/03/2015 15:06

Perhaps the musician neighbours see it as a bit if respite from all the effing and blinding coming through the walls from the classy neighbours......

leedy · 25/03/2015 15:07

"She's swearing and banging again! Quick, play louder!"

reni1 · 25/03/2015 15:09

Go and play a few repetitions of "Fur Elise", beloved72, if there are bangs on the wall, ring the doorbell, find an apoplectic neighbour reading AIBU.

bigTillyMint · 25/03/2015 15:12

LOL!
DD did piano and DS did trumpet. Our NDN was really disappointed when DS gave up the trumpet and said he missed hearing him practiseGrin

Could you ask them to agree on a time when it is OK for them to practise and then make sure you are out/have earplugs in?

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