Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask for revenge ideas on the sodding students next door

268 replies

HomeIsWhereTheGinisNow · 25/09/2016 15:03

At the end of my tether. Group of students have just moved into the terraced house next door, and had a 21st birthday last night. It was ludicrous, music pounding until 3am when the police finally shut them down. Desperate requests for the music to be turned down (not off...) at 8pm and midnight were met with serious attitudes and an expectation that as it was a birthday party we should just deal with it ("it's not Sen midnight...!"). The London council in charge of the borough has helpfully closed down their noise officer service, and as we're London we're bottom of the list for the police. So basically we're stuck. Begging them to turn it down so our two year old could get some sleep didn't work as they literally told me that they couldn't imagine what it'd be like to be a parent, it must be hard etc.

So here's the rub. Their landlord is gong to have a word but I'm not sure what he can do. The authorities won't help. So I suspect we're in for an academic year of misery, what would you do?

OP posts:
hesterton · 25/09/2016 15:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DibbySound · 25/09/2016 15:29

I don't mean saucepans. I mean fucking wooden spoons, pots and pans!

LouisvilleLlama · 25/09/2016 15:30

I get. You have a 2 year old but unfortunately it doesn't make everyone else beholden to your requests of silence when the baby wants to sleep, so I think it's unreasonable to complain at 8, midnight is still semi early, especially for a one off to complain so much.

Darkswan · 25/09/2016 15:31

8pm on a satutday is late if the music is loud enough to stop a child going to sleep! If music was too loud for my child to sleep I'd be furious by midnight!

DerekSprechenZeDick · 25/09/2016 15:35

8pm really isn't late for neighbours to be having a party.

If it's a one off you put up with it coz they will put up with shit from you too.

Having a child doesn't make you super important and people shouldn't have parties incase your child can't sleep

Afreshstartplease · 25/09/2016 15:37

Yabu to complain at 8pm

trafalgargal · 25/09/2016 15:37

Complaining at 8pm is ridiculous and makes you look like some kind of a nut not to be taken seriously. If you are that concerned about noise ou really shouldn't be living in a terraced house as some neighbour noise is inevitable.

SoupDragon · 25/09/2016 15:37

They had one party? Confused

LouisvilleLlama · 25/09/2016 15:38

Darkswan just because somebody has a baby if doesn't mean the whole neighbourhood has to change to suite their needs.

AndNowItsSeven · 25/09/2016 15:38

Music should never be loud enough to be heard by neighbors.

Scarydinosaurs · 25/09/2016 15:38

It all depends on how loud!

Are you able to get someone to record how loud it is?

Keep complaining to uni and landlord if it persists.

maddy68 · 25/09/2016 15:39

It's all about tolerance though isn't it
I don't suppose at all you consider the noise if a toddler running up and down stairs , crying, shrieking, playing etc and they have to live next door to that.

A few parties a couple of times a year is fine in my opinion, the same way as your child playing early morning is perfectly acceptable

LouisvilleLlama · 25/09/2016 15:41

And just to put Into perspective sometimes I can hear my neighbours talk through the wall, so music doesn't need to be loud to be heard by neighbours

Ausernotanumber · 25/09/2016 15:41

8pm wasn't late and if it was a one can't really complain.

If it carries on, contact the provost at their university. They will have signed up to a code of conduct at registration.

Igotboredofmyotherusername · 25/09/2016 15:42

Are you at the end of your tether after one party, really?

I suspect they found it ridiculous of you to go round at 8pm and decided that you were neurotic neighbour and therefore they could ignore you later.

Some of these revenge ideas are ridiculous and will just be likely to escalate the situation.

Thatwaslulu · 25/09/2016 15:42

My tried and tested way of getting revenge on noisy neighbours... my NDN like rap and dance rubbish, and argue and fight all the time. If it gets too bad I put on some really diametrically opposed music (think My Chemical Romance, Iron Maiden, etc) on top volume, turn the speakers to the wall, and go out. It usually quietens down for a few weeks.

abigwideworld · 25/09/2016 15:43

They've had one party for a birthday during Freshers and you are already plotting revenge? YABU. Keep an eye on it and if it gets worse contact the university's accommodation office. They will have a word even if the accommodation doesn't belong to them.

Twogoats · 25/09/2016 15:44

I'm on the fence here. We used to have a house party every Saturday when I was a student...

Why not ask them to inform you in advance of their next party so that you can be prepared at least?

CrazyNameCrazyGuy · 25/09/2016 15:44

I'm going to go against the grain here.

I would go and speak to them in a calm and respectful manner. Explain why you found the noise so intolerable at such an early time (young child trying to sleep). Tell them that you're not trying to spoil their fun but that they need to be considerate when having parties. Make it clear that you will, reluctantly, have to contact the Uni and their LL if this happens on a regular basis.

That way they will have no room to whinge if they ignore you and get kicked out of the house.

ChablisTyrant · 25/09/2016 15:45

This is one of the reasons we left London. Unfortunately rental properties with under 25s next door to families with young children just doesn't work, no matter how reasonable you are both being.

Original poster
HomeIsWhereTheGinisNow · 25/09/2016 15:46

Wow. The number of people on MN that think it's acceptable to play music so loud your neighbours can't hear their tv at all is astounding, presumably some of you are parents of the people now living next door to us. I didn't ask them to end the party, I asked them to turn it down - and asked again at midnight. That's 12, for those people that picked up on the 8 but missed the subsequent time.

I would never play music so loud that it inconvenienced my neighbours at any time of the day or night. I don't think I'm special because I have a toddler - hence why I didn't mind the party continuing, but I think that level of noise is too much.

Yes to some noise from neighbours but living next to a nightclub. Sadly as we're in London it's impossible to tell which university they're at. And they have removed their doorbell.

I am honestly gobsmacked that people think neighbours should have to tolerate being unable to sleep until 3am "as long as it's just one party". Really?

Politeness and consideration are dead clearly. So disappointed by the number of people that think I'm the one BU, I had no idea that lack of consideration was so accepted in wider society.

OP posts:
Sweetandsour93 · 25/09/2016 15:46

Complaining about music at 8pm on a Saturday Hmm seems pretty harsh to me. It was a big birthday and it might be a one off. Give them a chance and if it happens all night weeknights then I'd complain.
Why should people not be allowed to have music playing at the weekend just because their neighbour has a child? Kids make plenty of annoying noise too.

justilou · 25/09/2016 15:46
  1. Opera... Loud Opera. Think Wagner or something out there like John Cage. Any coloratura arias are great, also.
  2. Learn these pieces yourself and practice, practice, practice!!! (Shower, early morning, you get the picture...)
  3. Presents for your kids like this....
To ask for revenge ideas on the sodding students next door
KingJoffreysRestingCuntface · 25/09/2016 15:50

You could put a venomous snake through their letterbox.

That'll teach 'em.

SoupDragon · 25/09/2016 15:51

I am honestly gobsmacked that people think neighbours should have to tolerate being unable to sleep until 3am "as long as it's just one party". Really?

You were complaining at 8pm.

If the neighbours were otherwise fine, I would tolerate it as a one off, yes. I would expect similar consideration for anything I might do that pisses them off (like a loud toddler early in the morning)