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AIBU?

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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:
DerekSprechenZeDick · 25/09/2016 15:51

It's a one off OP

People have to right to party if they wish. It was a Saturday night, a 21st and the first one.

Luckily in RL people understand this

SoupDragon · 25/09/2016 15:52

Politeness and consideration are dead clearly

So is tolerance judging by your post.

Sprink · 25/09/2016 15:53

Get your child violin lessons. Schedule the lessons for 7.00 am on Sundays.

Also buy earplugs for the family. That might help.

Thatwaslulu · 25/09/2016 15:53

Just reread and it was 8pm? Seems a little unfair to complain about that - the issues I have are either really late, or in the daytime after my husband has expressly told them he's on nights at work and sleeping in the day. Maybe try asking nicely?

SoupDragon · 25/09/2016 15:53

Should they have warned you? Yes, out of politeness.
should they have turned it down at midnight? Yes, out of politeness.
Should you have started complaining at 8? No, out of tolerance and neighbourly understanding.

mydietstartsmonday · 25/09/2016 15:54

Start drilling at 7.30amafter such a party

DesolateWaist · 25/09/2016 15:55

I have complained about music at 3pm before. If the bass coming from the house opposite is loud enough to make the windows at the back of my house rattle then I'm going to complain.

Trifleorbust · 25/09/2016 15:55

I actually think really loud music at any time in a residential terrace is rude and antisocial. It makes a lot of people who aren't at the party feel stressed and out of control of their own space. 8pm is also when kids are going to bed, so you are not being unreasonable to ask them to turn it down to a sensible level at that time.

CrazyNameCrazyGuy · 25/09/2016 16:00

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

Where did anyone say that?

Where in your OP did it state that?

If they are playing music so loud you can't hear your tv every night then you have good reason to complain. Is that the case? If so, definitely speak to their LL.

JeSuisUnChocoholic · 25/09/2016 16:01

If you get junk mail eg you've won £10 million but it costs £1000 to claim it, reply, but with THEIR address. Grin

OnionKnight · 25/09/2016 16:03

Shit through their letterbox.

vulgarbunting · 25/09/2016 16:03

I cannot begin to describe how much hatred I have for people have the right to party if they wish.

No. They don't. They have no 'right' to party. They should be considerate of their neighbours, especially as London has such a good nightlife for them to take advantage of.

OliviaBensonOnAGoodDay · 25/09/2016 16:07

Agree that if it's a one off its not that bad. If it was 3am on a Wednesday I'd be agreeing with you, but 8pm on a Saturday is just normal, no?

I was a London student not that long ago, though. Once one of our neighbours came round to tell us to keep it down and ended up staying for a few drinks!

enolagayits0815 · 25/09/2016 16:11

FFS, you complained at 8pm?! It's only freshers week so you have no idea if this is a 1 off or a regular occurrence.

frostyfingers · 25/09/2016 16:12

I think you're entitled to be grumpy but for the moment I'd leave it. If it happens frequently then most definitely get on to the landlord and contact the university. If you complain now I suspect you'll just get "it's a one off", "it's freshers week" etc. It may well be that they're too knackered and/or poor to party like that much soon!

myownprivateidaho · 25/09/2016 16:14

I think you should go talk to them in the cold light of day and sort out some rules for next time. Maybe music down after midnight and warning in advance if there'll be a party? Appeal to their better natures. Agree that asking them to turn music down at 8pm is overkill, unless it was REALLY loud obviously (which I imagine it wasn't at that time?). Or even asking if they could move the stereo might help if it's against a party wall.

However, most students are presumably not going to have weekly house parties so hopefully it won't be a weekly thing.

LouisvilleLlama · 25/09/2016 16:17

I think you should go talk to them in the cold light of day and sort out some rules for next time.

They are now learning to be independent adults you wouldn't go round to a 40 year old having a one off party to discuss "rules"

ToastDemon · 25/09/2016 16:20

I'm sorry but it is NEVER reasonable to play music so loudly that it disturbs your neighbours. Not at midnight, 8pm, 8am or 3pm.
When did being completely inconsiderate become the norm in society?

bumblefeline · 25/09/2016 16:20

I actually think it is really rude to play loud music at any time. Not everybody works Monday to Friday. My DH sometimes has to get up at 2am on a weekend and be responsible for a lot of people's lives.

IJustLostTheGame · 25/09/2016 16:21

Sign them up for dianetics. Those folks know how to hassle.

Send them a glitter bomb with 'great party guys' on the card.

jamdonut · 25/09/2016 16:26

I see both sides of this situation.
I would HATE a noisy party next door, even if its a one off! (I have noisy neighbours as it is.)
However, my DD is just starting her second year at uni, and has just move in with 3 other girls (that she was in Halls with last year) in a particularly nice house, in a nice area very close to the University. They are the only student house in the immediate area...there are streets of them, a few roads away.

They had a very well written book of rules waiting for them.

They are not to block the driveway so the old man next door can't get his car out.
They are not to have loud parties as there are families living nearby.

So they are going to be careful, as they want to continue to live there next year.
The only problem is, my daughter and one of the house mates are doing a music degree, and now are a little worried about practising (DD- flute, friend - saxaphone) in their rooms so as not to disturb the neighbours!!!

Not all students are bad.
I would suggest that after 'Freshers Week', things will become quieter. I think there are more shenanigans in Halls of Residence, where 18 year olds are set free for the first time!

MaryField · 25/09/2016 16:29

But when did being completely intolerant become the norm?
How can someone be 'at the end of their tether' after ONE milestone party by students that have just moved in?
Students have parties, it's what they do. And they will always be in terraced houses unless the maintenance loan has shot up and detached houses down country lanes are now affordable.

teawamutu · 25/09/2016 16:32

I agree 8pm isn't late but if you can't hear the tv in your own house that's unacceptable at any time imo.

We had students next door to us for a year a while back and it was hell. Parties every week, drinking and shouting till the small hours on week nights, moving their friends in but not getting keys cut so we were woken by door knocking till 4am...

Not to mention the mice we got because they were filthy gits.

Complain to the LL every time and the university if you can.

user1471439727 · 25/09/2016 16:33

Did you know you were moving next door to a student house when you moved in?

To be frank asking them to turn the music down at 8pm on a Saturday night during a 21st party probably just riled them up enough to make even more noise.

Waitingfordolly · 25/09/2016 16:34

We had this. We used to play Tchaikovsky at 5am after many times going round at 3am with baby DD to ask them to turn it down. We also got the police round in the end (not London) and hilariously the students screamed abuse through the door at them thinking it was us. The police contacted the University and they finally shut up.

I'd go round and have a polite chat with them to discuss the noise, and at the same time ask them in a friendly manner about their university and courses to give you info to complain to the Uni in future.

It can be a nightmare though, where we used to live was originally a family area but more and more students moved in and everyone I knew moved out because constant noise and mess was intolerable.