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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be fed up of my neighbours Sunday morning DIY?

25 replies

ASorcererIsAWizardSquared · 26/07/2015 11:12

This has been going on for years, we call him DIY Dan, almost every sodding sunday, the one day we have to get a lie-in, is the day HE decides to do his DIY, which normally involved hammering, banging, sawing, drilling...etc, from as early as 7am.

DS is autistic/adhd, he doesn't sleep, so sunday is the day DH will get up with him to let me catch up, which during the summer holidays is more important as i would normally go back to bed while the kids are at school which i can't, so my sunday sleep is needed to keep me going til next sunday (dh gets saturday afternoon to catch up on his)

I'm not sure how much more of this i can take, Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest, and instead all i can hear is hammering, banging and drilling, on top of the noise DS makes (he's loud, constant talking, vocalising, echolalia and vocal stimming) its driving me insane :(

OP posts:

TidyDancer · 26/07/2015 11:14

This might sound like an obvious question, but have you actually talked to him about this? Granted he might not give a shit, but he also may not realise what impact he is having.

Original poster

ASorcererIsAWizardSquared · 26/07/2015 11:15

Dh & him have had words about it before after a couple of pre 7am starts, and his compromise was to wait til 8am instead :(

OP posts:

woowoo22 · 26/07/2015 11:17

What a twat. Do you have ear plugs and a white noise app?

achieve6 · 26/07/2015 11:18

to be honest, your reasons for wanting a quiet Sunday are pretty irrelevant. The neighbour is being hideously unreasonable - several Sundays at 7am?

You need to talk to him. Also find out what the local Environmental Health rules are. It's just not on. If he feels the need to do sodding DIY every Sunday then he should have at least talked to you about what hours would be best.

I really think we need more legislation in this area, I'm amazed how inconsiderate some people can be.

Sorry this is happening. It may be best to talk to him on a different day. If you go round now you might lose your rag.

Original poster

ASorcererIsAWizardSquared · 26/07/2015 11:20

i tried it woowoo, i can't sleep with earplugs in, i do sometimes put the radio on instead, but it doesn't really mask the banging!

OP posts:

mysteryfairy · 26/07/2015 11:26

I can understand your frustration.

However if your DS is very loud this may be a similar irritation to the neighbour and one you have no hope of stopping. I think this might make any complaint quite tricky?

Me624 · 26/07/2015 11:31

YANBU. I was raging when I got woken up this morning by my neighbour vacuuming out her car at 7.30am. Warm weather = bedroom windows open = very grumpy me. IMO there shouldn't be any noise before 9am at the weekend.

achieve6 · 26/07/2015 11:34

OP - we cross posted. I don't think 8am is much of an improvement. Is he doing a massive house renovation or something?

You should definitely talk to EH about this.

mysteryfairy asks about your son - it sounds like your son is just loud in the verbal sense so doubtful your neighbour can hear?

QuiteLikely5 · 26/07/2015 11:42

Contact your council. Some of them have teams who work through the night so that they can experience situations like yours first hand.

MidniteScribbler · 27/07/2015 00:32

We have rules here, and noise like that is not permitted before 9am on a weekend or public holiday. Are there any similar regulations over there?

Could he be hearing your DS up and making noise, and assuming you are all up, so he thinks it is ok to start work?

AnyoneForTennis · 27/07/2015 00:36

So it's ok for your ds to be up and making noise. But not the neighbour?

DadfromUncle · 27/07/2015 00:39

I understand that DIY involving noise is illegal on Sundays in some parts of Germany (and the rules are observed).

textfan · 27/07/2015 00:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bettercallsaul1 · 27/07/2015 06:44

Definitely feel your pain, OP - continuous noise, especially when it spoils your sleep, completely destroys your quality of life. Especially the unrelenting sawing and hammering of building work, I find. We once (many moons ago) had a downstairs neighbour like this - obsessed with home improvements, and retired, so plenty of time to do them! Like your neighbour, the noise started early week days and weekends alike - I remember being furious when it began early one Christmas Day, wrecking my festive spirit! (I almost went down and strangled him with a hastily-emptied stocking!) Apart from this, he was a great bloke - kind, generous and friendly. There is something about DIY/home improvements that makes people feel entitled to impose it on others - as if it's good, honest labour so must be allowable!

Yarp · 27/07/2015 06:47

The rules in my LA are no noisy works on a Sunday at all. You can report this to the Noise Nuisance Team at your Council

Yarp · 27/07/2015 06:47

Anyone

Her child's noise is unavoidable.

atonofwashing · 27/07/2015 06:52

OP, I would def ring the council. It's worth a try. I am sure the law states 8am. That's still too early, in my book.

we have a builder neighbour who is always using his back yard as a prep area. It drives me nuts and he is known to the council. He's ruined more than one Wimbledon final on the telly as we couldn't hear the tennis over his work. And that was a Sunday. Oh yes, the council know abt him. thanks to me

It's very annoying, but do take it up with the council.

Good luck

WayneRooneysHair · 27/07/2015 07:19

Is the neighbour only doing DIY on Sunday?

Original poster

ASorcererIsAWizardSquared · 27/07/2015 10:31

he's a postie, so is an early riser, so no DS isn't waking them up/disturbing them, both he and his wife are usually up from about 5am.

and yes Wayne, only on a sunday!

OP posts:

Tuskerfull · 27/07/2015 10:40

What was his attitude like when you spoke to him? Did you get the impression that he thinks you're making a fuss about nothing, or do you think he understands this is annoying but just doesn't care?

LittleprincessinGOLDrocks · 27/07/2015 10:44

No useful advice, but I feel your pain!
Our neighbours have been renovating the whole house which has involved banging from 8am till 5pm every single day. I have been in hospital for the last week, but was allowed home for the weekend to catch up on sleep (as my room was next to a generator which made noise all day and night I didn't sleep well on that ward) and I was attempting a lie in on Sunday when the banging started at 8am. Grr!
I am sick of it, and there is no end in sight yet. I think the law should be no renovations before 9am weekdays, 10am on Sunday.

Original poster

ASorcererIsAWizardSquared · 27/07/2015 10:49

doesn't care... but then the 'words' he and DH had weren't very friendly as it was one of his pre-7am starts and he did it on a sunday after DH had just worked 13 early shifts in a row (4.30am start) without a day off and was trying to catch up on his sleep!

It did die down a little after that, but it still goes on.

I get on ok with the wife, she knows DS is disabled.

OP posts:

RosePetels · 27/07/2015 11:59

Understand completely how you feel. There is a house renovation going on across my road, has been for about 4 months.
I've changed to work shifts so the mornings are usually my night And all I can hear every morning even over my earplugs is hammering drilling ect
Yours has been going on for years it would piss me off especially on a Sunday

Sazzle41 · 27/07/2015 12:01

Under the Housing Act you have a right to 'quiet enjoyment' of your property.

I would be livid at 7 or 8am on a Sunday. Council dept re noise are useless IME. If he is disturbing you, you can log instance and take him to Small Claims Court. I told my noisy neighbour this, he laughed, carried on so I did the 2page court form in draft and put a copy under his door (he wouldnt answer) - he stopped totally and moved! (after writing me a pity party letter about how he felt he was treading on eggshells in his own house). I would prob have moved - the forms where my last resort, doubt I would have carried it thru.

mimishimmi · 27/07/2015 12:07

I do a flamenco dance practise down in our apartment block garage (we built a floor there) on Sundays. I never, ever start before 10am and usually after 12pm. Even then, a neighbour might be trying to nap so I do it on rugs.

7am is wrong.Ask him if he can start later. And my complete sympathy feeling overwhelmed with the noises from your son - my son was diagnosed PDD-NOS due to severe speech disorder and similar behaviour (echolalia, vocal stimming). Years of therapy have helped tremendously.

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