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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Downstairs neighbours hoovering at 7.30am

77 replies

user1490817986 · 01/06/2017 07:58

Neighbours downstairs who are lovely have just woken me up at 7.30am with their hoovering. I was watching a film in bed at 10.30pm one night and she started hoovering. Also put the washing machine on at midnight sometimes, and it sounds like a fucking helicopter.

I don't know if this is passive agressive behaviour, because sometimes my cat is a bastard and runs/scuttles/meows along my bedroom floor to harass me for breakfast. The floor is laminate but I can't afford to put carpet down.

He did it once this morning (he hasn't done it for a few weeks) at around 6.20am, so i'm wondering if they are being passive aggressive with the hoovering at 7.30am.

I'm always considerate of them and I won't hoover in the evenings because one of them works shifts but I'm not sure when/times etc.

AIBU to think they are being dicks to hoover at 7.30am?

OP posts:

qwertyberty · 01/06/2017 16:16

personally speaking, I was brought up that no excessive noise before 9am or after 9pm. I still try to do this and make sure that I don't use washing machine or vacuum cleaner between 9pm and 9am. Even flushing the toilet was not allowed. However, I will play 'tit for tat' with neighbours. So if they come home at some ungodly hour and stomp up their stairs (I live in a ground floor flat) and make a lot of noise for a long period of time, I will put washer on at 7 or 8am. I try not to but it depends whether their noise is a one off or if it continues for days.

The other thing is that previous tenants had laminate flooring and used to walk on in heels all time s of day and night. All I can advise (which you may have already considered) is cheap rugs or maybe saving for carpet, with thick underlay. This may also block noise from down stairs. Have a word with you neighbour and try and reason with them, unfortunately this could make things worse. Good luck.

Kursk · 01/06/2017 16:17

We are normally up and about at 6am, doing stuff around the house before work. We will do stuff around the house until 8pm

HelenaDove · 01/06/2017 16:19

I did point out to her that it wasnt fair on the other neighbours expat.

But i think by then she was desperate.

WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 01/06/2017 16:19

YABU. I don't know if your neighbours are doing it in revenge, but I absolutely would if someone's animal woke me up so early.

expatinscotland · 01/06/2017 16:22

'Also I put the dishwasher on before I go to bed too.. would that be loud? '

Some dishwashers are very quiet, but, any firefighter will tell you please not to do this. Never put on a dishwasher, washing machine or dryer whilst you are sleeping.

HelenaDove · 01/06/2017 16:22

When i worked nights 15 years ago i would finish at 3 am and be in bed by about 4.45 am.

I used to sleep quite soundly..................mainly because sex talk to dickheads on the phone can be mentally exhausting

Coddiwomple · 01/06/2017 16:25

If anyone is playing MN Bingo, this thread is now in the DM.

Must be a really slow news day! (actually, it's not, but the DM has priorities!)

KittiKat · 01/06/2017 16:28

This thread has made it to the Daily Fail!

amusedbush · 01/06/2017 16:35

But then I have been flamed on a certain thread, defending a OP who was terribly 'bad-mannered' in sitting outside until 1030pm, on a friday evening, in her own garden, drinking and talking with 4 friends.....

Consensus was, it shouldn't be allowed

I didn't see that thread but that would annoy the fuck out of me. My neighbours congregate under my window to have a fag and a chat, and the hum of their voices outside drives me mad. They do it at 10 or 11pm in the summer, and DH and I joke but it's totally not a joke that the only good thing about winter is how it keeps them indoors.

BlahBlahBlahEtc · 01/06/2017 16:44

I vac the house (10 min job) at 7:30 ish in the morning on a weekday because that's the only real time I get to do it. I don't do it on the weekend though. My neighbours are either at work already and the other side are up with their kids so it's not a problem here even with paper thin walls. If your cat woke them up then they probably thought you was up any way.

Groupie123 · 01/06/2017 16:48

We do things when we can. Will often mow the lawn between 8-9pm, hoover at 5am or midnight depending on time, and washing machine gets switched on whenever we remember. Everybody around us is similar.

PlymouthMaid1 · 01/06/2017 16:51

If its my day off I will still be asleep at eight thirty so wouldn't appreciate the sound of hoovering an hour earlier. Some people are early birds and dome are night owls so where possible it makes sense to keep your noise between nine and seven.

HelenaDove · 01/06/2017 16:55

Elite Tree Services Can you please start your wood chippers a bit later than 8am Ta.

Bedsheets4knickers · 01/06/2017 16:57

I think it's more they don't realise the noise that travels down .. I often put a wash on before I go bed . It's pretty standard in this house . I Hoover as an when I can fit it in .. saying that . I've got no-one below me x

Mummmy2017 · 01/06/2017 17:01

DM have been reading your post, your in the news.

FuzzyPillow · 01/06/2017 17:45

I used to live in a flat with shitty soundproofing and would sometimes put the washing machine & shower at 11:30pm...... I had DC in NICU and lived in the hospital with DC 18+ hours a day. I'm afraid DC was a priority so the neighbours had to suck it up. It's unfortunate I had to do it, but I have no regrets, especially as the neighbours turned out to be utter cunts weekly threatening letters from them in legalese

So there may be another side to this story. Though I acknowledge there probably isn't here.

AwaywiththePixies27 · 01/06/2017 22:50

Slow news day in the daily mail then!

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4561790/Is-housework-anti-social.html

I was on that thread, you forgot the two parties 'gatherings' in short succession complete with music.

ThaliaLuxurySpa · 02/06/2017 01:05

OP,
Nothing useful to add re early hoovering, but you can minimise the potential reason for them doing it:
Invest in one of those timer automatic cat feeders, set for 6am?

That way your cat will help himself; won't need to make a row by running around in order to wake you up for food/ disturbing the neighbours..
I've wangled an extra hour of peace that way. Hooray.

(Though no guarantee he won't still do it after eating, just to get your attention...cats, eh?).

ThaliaLuxurySpa · 02/06/2017 01:16

Fuzzy,

Really hope your DC was helped by NICU.

Must have been an incredibly worrying time for you.

Any neighbour aware of that type of serious situation, yet still not showing understanding about unavoidable noise, is bloody heartless

user1480459555 · 02/06/2017 08:31

I am surprised so many people think it is ok to hoover so early.

I am up at around 6am most days but would never dream of hoovering at that time. I think 9am is a more acceptable time.

I know quite a few people who do not get up early for various reasons and think it would be unfair if they were woken by someone who can't put off hoovering until later in the day

AwaywiththePixies27 · 02/06/2017 17:14

7:30am isn't early user.

On a Sunday, yes maybe, on a weekday when people have a day to be getting on with. Not at all.

Coddiwomple · 02/06/2017 17:40

Even on a weekday, my kids are still asleep at half seven when they are tired. They don't start school until 9am, they don't need to be up at 6.
7:30 is ridiculously early to make noise. I have seen a couple of lease where it was explicitly forbidden to make such noise at ridiculous hours. Not much you can do to apply the rules unfortunately.

It is however perfectly acceptable to make noise if you have been kept awake or awaken by the neighbours. Sometimes it works and they do stop making noise at unsociable hours eventually.

AwaywiththePixies27 · 02/06/2017 17:58

^They don't start school until 9am, they don't need to be up at 6.
7:30 is ridiculously early to make noise^

That's your DCs. Many parents have to get their children into breakfast club because they start work at 9am.

The last job I had I had to be in the office for 8:15am.

All the people around me work nights and leave at 6am for early shifts.

It's called life.

LiveLongAndProspero · 02/06/2017 18:00

It's called your life. It's not everyones!

user1480459555 · 02/06/2017 21:21

7.30am is early and whilst a lot of people are up by that time, many are not.

Just because someone is up early does not make it right if they start hovering or making other noise.

As I said, I am up early even at weekends and I know my next door neighbour is usually up early but I still don't hoover until after 9am. It's just respectful.

Quite a few of my friends and family don't get up until 8.30am even ones that work.

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