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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

4am Every morning - what are neighbours doing?

180 replies

KnobZombie7 · 22/08/2018 16:57

New neighbours moved in before the summer in the flat next door. The water pipes in our building are shocking and make such a lot of noise and we're occasionally woken up at 4am with the sound through the wall of them turning their taps on for 2 seconds then turning them off again. This can go on for up to ten minutes sometimes. On/off, on/off...They don't work night shifts. I usually drift off back to sleep straight away. Didn't think much of it until...

Early this morning at 3.45, I was awake and decided to stand outside their door to see if I could get some clues as to what they do at 4am. Because I was bored. And nosey. I was as silent as a mouse. Sure enough, the taps were turned on/of, on/off for a while then I heard a noise like water being sloshed around in a big bowl right behind their front door. This went on for about 2 minutes then all was quiet again.

What do you think they are doing? I assume there are bowls by their front door that they fill up with fresh water at 4. But why? AIBU to think this strange?

DP says it's a burglar deterrent but why refill the water and why refill it at the same time each day and at an antisocial time? And why not just let the tap run and fill the bowl in one go?

Any ideas? Please help otherwise my nights will be spent loitering around the communal area and trying to figure it out myself.

OP posts:
Curious2468 · 22/08/2018 16:59

Teeth brushing just before bed?

ACatsNoHelpWithThat · 22/08/2018 17:00

Timeswitch for a washing machine?

Curious2468 · 22/08/2018 17:01

The water sloshing could be them watering a plant with the water?

SimonBridges · 22/08/2018 17:01

I think they are in cahoots with my neighbours who all get into the car at 3 am (mum, dad, two older teen/20s and one younger teen) and go somewhere coming back at 5 am at least once a week.

StressedToTheMaxx · 22/08/2018 17:01

Could you maybe just ask them.
Not at 4am.
But pop round one afternoon and point out you have noticed they run the taps during the night, it makes quite a noise and is everything okay.
Could you not also contact some about the pipes. A plumber, landlords (if you rent)

Forgottencoffee · 22/08/2018 17:02

Do they have a baby? Could it be something to do with cooling down bottles? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Original poster
KnobZombie7 · 22/08/2018 17:03

They seem to go to bed at 11/12 , get up at 7/8 for work so reasonably normal times - it would be a bit strange to wake up at 4 just to brush their teeth. I don't think it's their washing machine, that sounds different But what I just don't understand is them having a big bowl of water by their front door.

OP posts:
Original poster
KnobZombie7 · 22/08/2018 17:05

No children, just a couple in their mid-late 50s I think.
Should ask them really but I'll sound really petty, as this petty as this thread probably sounds.

OP posts:
Original poster
KnobZombie7 · 22/08/2018 17:05

Colleague thinks it's a home protection spell???

OP posts:
Methe · 22/08/2018 17:06

Are they Muslims? Afaik devout Muslims get up to pray in the early hours and have to wash before they do so.

Original poster
KnobZombie7 · 22/08/2018 17:08

Methe No, they're not Muslims but weirdly, when they moved in they told us they were Buddhists and the people downstairs that they were Christians so maybe they are experimenting with different religions.

OP posts:
Seeline · 22/08/2018 17:08

mid to late 50s - probably one needs to get up for a wee, flushes, washes hands returns to bed, promptly wakes the other who then needs a wee, flushes and washes.

nicycle · 22/08/2018 17:11

Colostomy bag? Emptying, may keep their 'hazardous waste' in a cupboard by the door or something? DF keeps his by the back door, that's what it made me think of.

Original poster
KnobZombie7 · 22/08/2018 17:12

Seeline but why wash their hands in a bowl right behind the front door and not in a sink in the bathroom or kitchen which are on the other side of their flat? And the repeated on/off. on/off of the tap is a strange thing. In order to turn a tap off so quickly you wouldn't have time to put your other hand under it. Unless they swap hands - I'm really overthinking this.

OP posts:
Skiiltan · 22/08/2018 17:14

Rinsing the penis beaker?

Freezingheart · 22/08/2018 17:14

Could it be their boiler? Ours resets / does something (technical term) every evening and when I asked the plumber engineer he said it’s meant to do this every 24 hours. It fires up and you can hear water sloshing through when there is too much air in the system and radiators need bled. Lasts only a few minutes then stops.

Original poster
KnobZombie7 · 22/08/2018 17:14

nicycle Could be. You see, I wanted ideas as to what they might be doing and if that's a possibility I won't ask them about it. It's fine really, doesn't bother me noise-wise I'm just intrigued but yes, it's probably a health thing.

OP posts:
CuriousaboutSamphire · 22/08/2018 17:15

Skiiltan Naughty step - right now!

Guardsman18 · 22/08/2018 17:16

Maybe it's a water meter thing? I'd be baffled too!

ApproachingATunnel · 22/08/2018 17:17

Water on/off- perhaps they fill up smaller jugs and transport water to this bigger container by the door? Hence 10 mins to fill it up?
Perhaps they are soaking big quantities of beans and cooking them later?..
More info needed, do they appear normal?

Raven88 · 22/08/2018 17:18

Maybe one of them is emptying a night bag for a catheter? Or one of them could be changing a pad and washing themselves. Maybe they have a wet room next to the front door.

Glymou · 22/08/2018 17:18

Early this morning at 3.45, I was awake and decided to stand outside their door to see if I could get some clues as to what they do at 4am.

A bit creepy. Shock

itbemay · 22/08/2018 17:19

I think its the washing machine on a timer, starts at 4am so wash finished by the time neighbours are up and can hang out / dry... you think you'd hear the machine itself though Confused

Original poster
KnobZombie7 · 22/08/2018 17:19

Freezingheart they're actually up at 4 though, can hear them moving around a bit.
Skiiltan I did think it could be sex-related. Maybe they have regular silent up at the crack of dawn sex, but I do think it's rather rude of him to dunk his penis and slosh it around in a big bowl right outside my front door, albeit with a landing separating us.

OP posts:
AnnieAnoniMoose · 22/08/2018 17:20

I’d have to go and ask, as once I’m awake at that sort of time, that’s me for the day 😫

You need to go and ask.

...otherwise the curiosity might kill me!

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