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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to speak to neighbour about evening noise levels?

99 replies

Xansaf · 30/04/2018 20:15

We are quite fortunate to live in a detached house so we are seldom bothered by neighbours’ noise during winter. However our neighbours on one side, as soon as late spring rolls around, start mowing their lawn (on a very loud petrol ride on mower) and doing a spot of topiary. This is all very nice except they usually start doing this at 8pm at night and unfortunately they are on the side of the house where the bedrooms are. They woke DD who is 14 months old last night and I remember them doing so several times last summer. AIBU to want to make them aware of this? I’ll probably get told where to go but it’s pretty annoying having my kid woken up half an hour after bed and then having to sit up with her until they’ve had their gardening fix.

OP posts:
TheHodgeoftheHedge · 30/04/2018 20:21

How frequently can they be doing this for it to be an issue?!
I'm tempted to say 8pm is not too late and frankly, having lived through the hell of true noise issues with neighbours, I'd count myself lucky if I were you.
But I'm also having a particularly grumpy evening so feel free to ignore me ;)

LML83 · 30/04/2018 20:28

Do they work during the day? if so they aren't likely to change their hobby/diy so I wouldn't ask.
If they have more time they might be willing to be flexible with it.
Is there anything you can do for dc? is window closed? white noise or soothing music you could play?
It must be hard. If you do speak to them ask really nicely and say you know it's a big favour. Less likely to cause an issue and more likely they will help.

AddictiveCereal · 30/04/2018 20:33

I'm pretty intolerant when it comes to noise but I would think you are being unreasonable in this case.

If its only happening a few times a year its not worth saying anything. You should really value having neighbours who are normally quiet and ignore occassional noise.

One day your child might be out in the garden making noise that they can hear.

HaudYerWheeshtBawbag · 30/04/2018 20:36

Yabu, if they work then that’s the only time they can get stuff done during an evening, 8pm isn’t late, and it’s not as if they are doing it nightly.

By all means speak to them, however don’t expect it from them.

MooMummy12 · 30/04/2018 20:43

Surely they can't be mowing the lawn every night?
My DP is a landscape gardener and he does his customers gardens every 2/3 weeks during spring/summer so it can't be more often than that?

mummyhaschangedhername · 30/04/2018 20:47

Unless your going to suddenly share numerous other things they do, I think YABU. I guess they cut their grass once every two weeks or so? And 8pm isn't late. I appreciate it's a nightmare with young children sleeping but people have lives and I don't think the neighbors are doing anything particularly antisocial.

Scrumptiousbears · 30/04/2018 20:49

I have to say we mow our lawn at 8pm sometimes. I don't think it's that late (any we have kids)

PersianCatLady · 30/04/2018 20:50

Count yourself lucky if you consider this to be neighbour noise

LexieLulu · 30/04/2018 21:09

Defo, maybe write a note saying what time your baby goes to sleep and ask politely if they will use the lawn mower before this time xx

GrannyGrissle · 30/04/2018 21:14

Not worth risking a fall out over and getting used to noise will do DD no harm. DD (4) is bombproof after living next door to The Scroatiest Noisiest Scum Bag Bastard Neighbours From Hell for a year until the council finally turfed them out.

MrsExpo · 30/04/2018 21:16

Several time over as summer is once every 2-3 weeks or so, so no U at all if they work etc. I think you need to suck it up and live with it.

FithColumnist · 30/04/2018 21:27

Seriously, who the fuck decides that 8pm is a good time to mow the lawn and do some topiary?

CalF123 · 01/05/2018 02:45

8pm is not too late at all to be mowing the loan and they're perfectly within their rights to be doing it at that time. Just because your kids are sensitive to noise doesn't doesn't mean you get to dictate what other people can do in their garden.

BoomBoomsCousin · 01/05/2018 03:24

Assuming you get on and they (and you) are reasonable people, I don't see the harm in mentioning it and asking if there is another convenient time they'd be happy to do it. But 8 pm isn't an unreasonable time for garden noise, so if they can't or won't change the time you're stuck with it.

TroubledLichen · 01/05/2018 03:50

8pm is not particularly late and if it’s mowing the lawn/topiary then surely it can’t be more than once every 2 weeks, and if the garden is big enough for a ride on mower most of the mowing must be really far from the bedroom window. You could mention it to them but they probably won’t listen as it’s not really a reasonable request; it’s not their problem your child is very sensitive to noise, and you run the risk of ruining an otherwise good relationship. Can you do a bedroom swap instead so your DC isn’t right next to the neighbour’s garden?

llangennith · 01/05/2018 05:59

I never use a mower after 7pm and nor do any of my neighbours.
Ride on mowers generally don’t have a grass collecting box so they mow little and often. My DF used to wander off to sit on his mower after dinner two or three times a week as a way of relaxing and getting away from DM.
I’m sure our neighbours found it very annoying to have their summer evenings ruined by the noise.

OP, see how it goes for a few days then have a word. If you can agree on a ‘no later than’ time you may feel less stressed rather than waiting anxiously every evening to see if he’s going to start his mower.

hannah1992 · 01/05/2018 06:04

Me and dh work full time but we do gardening on a weekend. Mind you we don’t have a huge garden so only takes an hour to do the lawns which is the noise bit.

I don’t think I’d have the energy to come home after working sort the kids get them to bed and then do the lawn! Gosh I couldn’t think of anything worse 😂

QuitMoaning · 01/05/2018 06:05

@Fithcolumnist Seriously, who the fuck decides that 8pm is a good time to mow the lawn and do some topiary?
People who don’t get home from work until 7.30?

tortelliniforever · 01/05/2018 06:10

8pm is not late -. it depends on how long it goes on for!

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 01/05/2018 06:23

For me, mowing etc., after nine o'clock, would definitely be pushing it.

Mummyoflittledragon · 01/05/2018 06:28

Yes that’s frustrating for your dd. But not unacceptable

PlumsGalore · 01/05/2018 06:41

It would annoy me but I am an early to bed early to rise person. Im itching to power up my mower at 8:00 am on a Sunday morning 😀

my2bundles · 01/05/2018 06:43

8 pm is not late. I am regularly still out in the garden untill 9 pm in the summer with my own children it's the best part of the day. you carnt expect your neighbours to run their lives around your child's bedtime.

WillowySnicket · 01/05/2018 06:46

It is mega annoying, I would be frustrated (mostly because I have to go to bed at the time so it would bug me!) BUT...

Wait until your 14mo is a 2/3/4yo banshee then you (may) feel a bit sheepish. My neighbours put up with a lot with me and the kids chatting about banal shit (or, in the summer when potty training, actual shit) in the incessant way only a4yo can right in the other side of the fence to their nice adult garden furniture relaxation spot. Swings and roundabouts, I'm afraid.

Original poster
Xansaf · 01/05/2018 07:00

Righto I’ll just carry on having my daughter woken up from 8-10 3 times a week until October then. Thanks for being sooooo supportive.

OP posts: