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AIBU?

Is our neighbour being unreasonable?

82 replies

busyboysmum · 01/04/2016 14:57

Dh is a landscape gardener and yesterday came home with a load of trees for our log burner.

He needs to chainsaw them up. He did some yesterday between 4pm - 6pm and came home early today to try to get the rest done so started around 2pm.

Our neighbour has just been round to tell him to stop as the noise is driving her and her son who is 17 mad. So he said no problem and stopped.

But now we are unsure how to chop them up so there's a massive pile of trees on our front drive.

I think she's being unreasonable. If there was any time she was out he could do it then but she doesn't seem to work and only leaves the house to take their dog out for a wee in the back garden.

Thing is the noise didn't bother me and dh was sawing it right next to the kitchen down the side of our house. She is on the other side so I can't see how she's got so wound up about it.

Is she being unreasonable or are we? And how can we chop up the rest of the wood? Are electric saws quieter as we could buy one of those if so?

OP posts:

Report

Collaborate · 02/04/2016 09:50

What - so they've used a chainsaw to chop up trees in the past and not checked with you it's OK?

I give up.

StillStayingClassySanDiego · 02/04/2016 09:50

It's good that he is a considerate neighbour.

However it is well within your rights to chainsaw logs in your garden during reasonable daytime hours.

I'm miffed at your dh for being a bit of a walkover but each to their own and all that.

busyboysmum · 02/04/2016 09:45

Ha ha. No idea. He just hates conflict and upsetting people.

OP posts:

PuppyMonkey · 02/04/2016 09:35

Your DH is BU.

Why on earth did he say that, the twit.

busyboysmum · 02/04/2016 09:31

I suppose it's reciprocal really. If they had ever asked our permission to do anything then it would have set a precedent between us. (and ironically he does own a chainsaw himself which he has used in the past to chop down his own trees and chop them up). But they never have and neither have we. No-one down this road has ever come to us to ask permission to do anything and so it never occurred to me.

OP posts:

Muskateersmummy · 02/04/2016 09:21

Blimey, I really don't think you were being unreasonable. Almost everyone round by me uses chain saws to sort their logs at some point. No one ever warns anyone or complains, but then we were in a small hamlet. It was during the day. They have no reason to complain. And I would certainly rather one afternoon of annoyance than an hour of it every day for several days.

Your dh is way too nice, I'm guessing he will be using an axe then.... But I would lay bets she will complain about the thudding of the axe too!

mollie123 · 02/04/2016 09:11

YANBU to want to saw up the trees
YABU - to witter on about rights (which come with some responsibilities) when the courteous, considerate thing to do would be to have had a word with your neighbours first. It is not a case of 'asking their permission' but being a good neighbour would at least be considerate enough to get them 'on side' first.
I am glad I don't live next door to some of you on here who seem to think anything goes, any time, anywhere

busyboysmum · 02/04/2016 09:00

No not all women. Just me. I know my limitations and trust me chainsawing is not for me. 😊

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DoreenLethal · 02/04/2016 08:54

I like your faith in my dexterity Doreen. i want to go to Portugal with all digits still attached so might give that a miss

I would suggest doing it properly and safely then, but I can see you think that chainsawing is not for women as we have no spatial awareness or something. I have two chainsaws, and still manage to go on holiday.

MyLlamasGoneBananas · 02/04/2016 07:58

Leave the trees on the drive whilst yo go away. That will probably piss her off too. Then pop a passive aggressive note through the door upon your return asking when they are going on holiday.You will wait until then to chainsaw them and the new batch of 500 pine trees being delivered on your driveway and front lawn next week

Noise is annoying and yes we need to be considerate to our neighbours. I have 2 jack Russells living at the back of of my house that endlessly bark whilst in their garden and recently for hours at a time when left in the house alone, with a few windows open. It's regular and for prolonged periods. I am considering popping over to ask them if they realise their dogs bark when slone and how loud they are in the garden barking at 7am on a Sunday. On the other hand Karcher Power Washer Man lives next door - every Saturday afternoon he power washes all 4 of his family's cars and his driveway and the gutter and the pavement outside his house. I am aware of it but know it's just an hour or so on a Saturday and at least he keeps his cars and drive clean. Unless you live in the middle of nowhere then most of us have neighbours that will make some noise as they go about their lives. Your neighbour is being v unreasonable.

limitedperiodonly · 02/04/2016 07:33

I'm enjoying this thread with all this talk of chainsaws and Greek godlike men making fire.

We've only got a boiler and gas central heating but after reading this, I'm going to make DH put on a lumberjack shirt every time he flicks the switch.

Herewegoagainfolks · 02/04/2016 07:22

I would assume the 17 yo might be studying for his exams so the noise might indeed be distracting.

You are going to have to do something gcsith the logs - just agree a convenient time.

Ditsy4 · 02/04/2016 06:49

The image of yourDH chopping large trees with an axe made me LOL. He'd be there for weeks if he could even get through it. My DH chainsaws given trees too. No one complains but I do live in the country where chainsaws and tractors are valued when a tree blows down and blocks the road so those that work outside the village can get to work and the school kids can get in.

I would pop around and say you realise the noise had been annoying the other day( perhaps she had a migraine) but your husband needs to get this job done before you go away. Give her two or three times to chose from. Then she has the option to go out. If she then complains just say well I'm afraid it needs doing and leave. As long as it isn't prolonged. I would say an hour to one and a half hours would be long enough. Good luck with it.

Lighteningirll · 02/04/2016 05:48

Barbarian before the chainsaw we had men who spent all day chopping wood, whose profession was wood cutter. My dh is built like a Greek god strong, as an ox and he wouldn't chop a whole pile of logs! I say wouldn't because he could if he had too but it would take a month of chopping eight hours a days it's a tad naive to suggest an axe as a viable modern alternative to a chainsaw.

usernameisalreadyinuse · 01/04/2016 23:25

As long as you're not doing it during unsociable hours and for long periods of time then I can't see that there's anything for her to complain about. I would just pop a note through her door saying we are doing x, y and z until it is done. As long as you notify her then surely she can't make any official complaint that will stand? My dad has a log splitter, they are much quieter but you definitely shouldn't be wasting your money on one when you already have perfectly good tools for the job. Tell your neighbour she can buy you one if she that bothered.

JapaneseSlipper · 01/04/2016 23:00

'Laughing at all the people saying "oh axes won't work".'

I'm laughing at the fact that the poster saying "use an axe!" has gone so quiet.

MiniLop · 01/04/2016 22:57

Barbarian no, before chainsaws were invented, people used manual saws. Not axes.

BarbarianMum · 01/04/2016 22:48

Laughing at all the people saying "oh axes won't work". That's right folks, before the advent on the chainsaw mankind only burnt whole trees.

Maybe next time your dh could log up at the work site?

I can think of several reasons why chainsaws are better than axes btw, but that's not the same as saying that they are the only option.

busyboysmum · 01/04/2016 22:41

I like your faith in my dexterity Doreen. i want to go to Portugal with all digits still attached so might give that a miss

OP posts:

DoreenLethal · 01/04/2016 22:39

He might well not use the chainsaw but it doesnt stop you doing it.

whois · 01/04/2016 22:34

Put a note through her door saying 'we will be sawing up the trees between 4-6 again today. They have to be finished by the weekend. Apologies for the noise.'

This. Just tell her when you're going to be doing it so she can go out if she wants/needs. And get it done in one session so it's over and done.

PhoenixReisling · 01/04/2016 21:03

Write a note!

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PhoenixReisling · 01/04/2016 21:02

Ermmm so your DH has given this women carte Blanche that anytime, she is inconvenienced by noise etc, she will complain and then you will stop.....feck that YWNBU!

I would write a not passive, but will save face saying, that you will be using the chain saw between X and y. If she complains bitches again....nod and smile

SquidgeyMidgey · 01/04/2016 20:54

We burn wood and in fairness to her it sends me round the bend when my own DH is chainsawing, it's an awful noise. However, your DH was perfectly entitled to be doing it at those times of day. Since her DH seems reasonable, and you don't want to cause a barney, could you ask him when she will be out and do it then?

carthorsespullcarts · 01/04/2016 20:49

Go round with some ear defenders for the son although most 17 year olds seem to prefer Beats and let her know there will be chain saw noise from x time for 2 hours.
Ridiculous to complain about day time garden machinery.

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