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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

WWYD?

111 replies

Whattodo20177 · 18/10/2017 23:53

More a WWYD really.

My neighbor has recently started leaving her bike in the communal hallway.

It is a pain to manoeuvre around with shopping etc as well as being a fire hazard

But I don’t want to ruffle feathers as she is a nice neighbour and the other neighbour in our block is a miserable complainer so I’m keen to keep her on nice neighbour’s side.

The bike doesn’t affect miserable neighbor as she is in the basement flat. Me and bike neighbour are the only ones who share this particular hallway.

The complicating issue is that I’m a professional pianist and so practice at least 4 hours a day. Only ever within the hours of 10am and 6pm though. She has always been complimentary about the music though whenever we’ve bumped into each other. But I’m worried that if I complain about the bike, she will turn and create bad blood.

WWYD?

OP posts:

Lndnmummy · 19/10/2017 00:54

The piano would drive me insane! In a flat? I would let the bike go tbh

AnnieAnoniMouse · 19/10/2017 00:55

4 hours a day?

I'd have murdered you by now.

I would buy a wall bracket, pay to have it put up properly and ask her to use it to avoid the bike being a fire hazard.

As for it being a pain with shopping etc. beggars belief you'd complain about that given your antisocial activity.

She's polite about it , not necessarily honest about it, but given she's not complaining about it I think you should be incredibly grateful and count your blessings. If she moves out your life could become very difficult.

DistanceCall · 19/10/2017 01:02

Given your piano playing, I don't think you have the right to say anything.

And I would get an electric piano. With headphones.

Sohurt17 · 19/10/2017 01:02

There’s a big difference between a piano (annoying) and a fire hazard (potentially illegal/lethal).

I’d go with the suggestions of pointing the fire hazard out to the neighbour. It’s possible she hasn’t considered that it might be dangerous to herself as well as anyone else in the building.

eddielizzard · 19/10/2017 01:09

by law you have to keep communal passageways clear. by law you're allowed to practice - there was a case of a pianist last year who won the right to practice

at the same time you don't want cause bad feelings. how bad is it really? a minor inconvenience or a major pain?

RhinosDontEatOatcakes · 19/10/2017 01:13

I think you are incredibly anti-social to have a piano in a flat (assuming it's not an electric one?). Just because your neighbour likes the sound (I bet she's being polite) what about all the other people who must be able to hear you - or is she the only one you share a wall/ceiling with? I used to hear a neighbour playing their piano every day. They played to a very high standard but even so, I just didn't choose to listen to piano music every morning yet I was forced to.

The bike thing is bad too, it looks untidy and is definitely a fire hazard and an obstacle to anyone passing through.

But the piano playing - wow, that's worse. You must have an ego the size of a piano to do that!

Hidingalion · 19/10/2017 01:19

The piano is her job, and electric ones don't necessarily have the right action for the level she's playing at.

TrumpsWigmaker · 19/10/2017 01:32

YANBU - the piano playing wouldn't bother me, OP (unless it was Chopin c# minor )

I'd be very snippy about the bike blocking the hallway though...

itshappening · 19/10/2017 01:33

I had reason to look into this In the past. It is in fact illegal for anyone, including an owner occupier, to leave a bicycle obstructing a communal hallway. The legal responsibility in this case might lie with the landlord of the property where the bike owner lives. If I can dig out any of what I looked into I will post a link.

DistanceCall · 19/10/2017 01:47

The piano is her job, and electric ones don't necessarily have the right action for the level she's playing at.

Then perhaps she could rent somewhere where she could play on a real piano. I know that playing during business hours is legal, but it's really not on. I would never move next to someone who played an instrument professionally and refused to wear headphones.

oldlaundbooth · 19/10/2017 02:12

Surely with it coming winter she won't be using it that much? Is she planning on permanently leaving it in the hallway?

TBH I wouldn't say anything, the piano playing is a lot for her to take tbh.

Stopyourhavering · 19/10/2017 02:16

Maybe its a passive aggressive way of her telling you she's had enough of the piano practice....

SouthWindsWesterly · 19/10/2017 02:33

It isn’t difficult people.

The OP owns her flat. Not rent. Has bought. She has a legal right to practise her piano which she does for 5 hours a day within certain daytime hours.

It could be worse. It could be a trumpet.

Nice neighbour has been leaving her bike in the communal hallway. The hallway is narrow and should the fire brigade come around for a check, will be picked up on. Leaving items in a hallway causes an obstruction if there were to be a fire.

As the hallway is communal, it isn’t clear if a wall bracket can be mounted. Nice neighbours landlord is tight so wouldn’t contribute and would be if no help for either secure bike storage outside or a wall bracket.

OP - you have a couple of options
A) get the fire brigade in for a check. Deal with the fallout
B) find out if you are allowed to mount a bike bracket and offer in this one instance to go halves for H&S
C) ask her to park her bike in her flat
D) talk to all flat owners about buying cheap but secure storage either in a different place in the building or outside

For what it’s worth, I worked in Japan for a while and cycled everywhere. I had a small 2 room apartment which in Tokyo was luxurious by its swing a cat standards and I still managed to store my bike in my flat. It can be done. You just need to rearrange and make room.

Pivoine · 19/10/2017 02:42

Four hours a day? What if people work from home? That’s four hours screwed because of your noise.

I couldn’t cope with that.

Pivoine · 19/10/2017 02:43

I was about to be annoyed by the bike on your behalf before I read that. Four hours a fucking day?!

MidniteScribbler · 19/10/2017 03:06

I would have set fire to the piano by now. It is anti-social and just down right obnoxious to inflict instrument playing on someone for four hours a day.

Sprinklestar · 19/10/2017 03:50

The piano playing is a red herring. Legally all fine.
The bike is a known risk. Most blocks of flats have clauses in the lease/headlease that prevent the storage of anything at all in communal areas. Do you have a management company/freehold owner who can intervene?

ambereeree · 19/10/2017 06:12

She is not allowed to have a bike there for health and safety reasons. All exits should be kept clear. I would mention it to your management or freeholder.

itsnearlychristmas · 19/10/2017 06:15

I would rather the risk that I may one day fall over a bike trying to escape a fire than live next to hours of daily piano playing.

makeourfuture · 19/10/2017 06:32

It is in fact illegal for anyone, including an owner occupier, to leave a bicycle obstructing a communal hallway. The legal responsibility in this case might lie with the landlord of the property where the bike owner lives

Yes, there is almost assuredly a statutory duty of care here. The case I read involved a mattress left leaning against the hall wall.

ferrier · 19/10/2017 06:49

I'm laughing at the number of people suggesting an electric piano.
There would be no musicians in this country if they didn't have the legal right to practise in their homes within certain hours.

Candlelight234 · 19/10/2017 06:56

Your piano would drive me crackers so you've got to tread carefully about complaining.
The wall bracket is a good idea, but I don't see why you should chip in for it?

KoalaD · 19/10/2017 06:59

The OP owns her flat. Not rent. Has bought. She has a legal right to practise her piano

This attitude pisses me off.

Whether she rents or owns her home is irrelevant to her right to practise piano.

(I say this as a homeowner who rented for years.)

WeAreEternal · 19/10/2017 07:00

You would seen less unreasonable if you offered an alternative place to put the bike.
Either suggest a wall bracket, which you would be completely happy with, or another location.
Tell her it’s not the bike you have an issue with, it’s the location, you are struggling to manover around it and you are scared of knocking it over, scratching it or hurting yourself.

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 19/10/2017 07:01

I think good neighbours need give and take

She tolerates the piano
You tolerate the bike

No ? If it's decent bike it will get robbed outside - really

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