Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to expect to not have to listen to screaming kids all night

37 replies

maimy88 · 05/01/2019 22:31

I live in a terraced house so expect some noise to come from either side and I also understand that kids need to play.

Everyday no matter what the weather between 5 and 10 kids congregate outside my house (some kids live on one side of me and some on the other side so it seems to be a meeting place for all the kids in the street). They are constantly screeching and screaming. The language that comes out of their mouths is foul. If I can hear it their parents must be able to aswell. They were out there until 10.30pm last night (still out there tonight and it's 10.15pm) and some are primary school age. It's so cold out there that there is frost on the cars. They run out from between cars, stand in the road when you're trying to park and leave rubbish everywhere. The constant screeching puts my dog on edge so he spends most of the night barking because of the noise out of them. The school holidays and weekends are horrendous (has gone on until past 11 before now) but even in term time they are out late.

I've been out so many times over the last year and either get met with abuse or the more sheepish of them disappear for 10 mins before it starts again. When I've spoken to the parents they will bring ask their kids to keep it down but that is it.

I've had to move my house around so that our living room is now in our back room, we don't open our windows except for during school hours, I watch TV louder than I would like to try and drown some of it out. Despite all of this I can still hear it. I'm due to have my baby next month so it's really getting me down. I own my house so it's not as easy as moving but to be honest it got to the point over the summer I just wanted to sell up and leave.

AIBU to expect these 8 to 13 year old kids to be inside their homes at this time in the middle of winter or for them/their parents to have some consideration for the people that live around them? I have no idea what to do.

OP posts:
whatsthepointthen · 05/01/2019 22:33

I think that kind of comes with living on an estate tbh, my sister has neighbours who sit outside the front drinking, playing music and swearing all night, no matter the weather.

Flannelled · 05/01/2019 22:34

Contact the local PCSOs. It's probably considered anti-social behaviour and they will deal with it.

Alternatively you can decide that 1015 is a completely appropriate time to start mopping your floors and having to throw the dirty cold water out into your front garden.

Dementedswan · 05/01/2019 22:36

I've an 8 year old and no way is he allowed out to play unsupervised. I'd march them home and tell parents what they are up to.

BackBoiler · 05/01/2019 22:37

YANBU listening to my own kids screeching drives me potty!

JennyFisher12 · 05/01/2019 22:38

As your neighbour I’d be more annoyed about your dog barking all night

TheHodgeoftheHedge · 05/01/2019 22:39

My immediate thought was get a mosquito alarm but perhaps that’s a bit harsh...
www.compoundsecurity.co.uk/security-equipment-mosquito-mk4-anti-loitering-device

MapMyMum · 05/01/2019 22:40

Honestly Id look into moving asap. Youre not going to change things by moaning at them, if anything it will make them worse, it will become a game to them to annoy you. Is it a nice area or a rougher area? Kids are kids anywhere but you can find places where they have more manners

CheekyNandosForMe · 05/01/2019 22:45

Moved this summer, away from a ghastly village in rural Wales, where the youngest kids out playing without supervision were three, nearly four. Fucked up or what. Antisocial behaviour. Everything you have described. And knocking on my door and windows and running away. Funny how the parents of said kids got in my face about my yelling at them to leave us alone, but as soon as I mentioned the police had names and photos and a long list of reports, suddenly the kids backed off.

But I still moved. It was hostile.

Original poster
maimy88 · 05/01/2019 22:50

I didn't think the PCSO's would be able to do anything because they are kids but that is a good call. I will give them a ring the next time (tomorrow) and see what they say. We spoke to the council last year and we did a noise log but nothing came of it.

I don't live on an estate and it seems to only be happening outside the three houses with mine in the middle with everywhere else being quiet.

The parent's of the 8 year old know she is out as the youngest is one of the kids who live next door, which is part of the problem I think. My husband went out a couple of weeks ago at 10pm to ask them to be quiet the parents weren't even home. So I can only assume they are being left with the older kid probably 13/14.

I honestly think I wouldn't mind so much if they were playing games rather than screaming and swearing. And if I knew come a certain time they would be going in. I don't remember being allowed out after the street lights came on when I was in primary school and even as a young pre-teen/teen I had to be inside by 9 or I'd be at a friends house. Also in primary school if the local kids were playing out one of our parents would be supervising us/popping in and out making sure we weren't too loud etc. but at 8 I was playing hopscotch and skipping not practising my most foul language at the top of my lungs.

OP posts:
Grace212 · 05/01/2019 22:50

Dementedswan " I'd march them home and tell parents what they are up to."

OP has told the parents and they don't care.

OP I'm really sorry you are having this experience, but judging by the noise round here over summer, there's a lot of this going on. I guess I'm lucky that cold weather prevents it but I do know how you feel - I was debating moving over the summer.

the sad thing is, people are letting their kids behave this way everywhere so I don't know where you can move to - more a case of hoping the kids move or grow out of it.

we also have a problem in my building with kids playing in the corridor and screeching - because parents want them out of the flat/house. Infuriating but I'm not aware of anything that can be done.

I have made a nuisance of myself with constant complaints re the corridor thing, a couple of neighbours joined me and it did reduce the volume a bit.

Lose2StoneObviously · 05/01/2019 22:52

A mosquito alarm could land you with a £5000 fine
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/11984317/Couple-face-5000-fine-for-installing-anti-child-noise-repellant-outside-their-home.html

Original poster
maimy88 · 05/01/2019 22:54

My dog barks when the kids are screeching outside hardly makes a peep otherwise. I've even said when speaking to the parents that I know my dog must be driving you mad barking (because it does my head in too) but there is nothing I can do when he's reacting to your kids screaming and shouting all night outside my front door. I was more polite than that but maybe I shouldn't be.

OP posts:
Original poster
maimy88 · 05/01/2019 22:55

I was hoping the cold weather might stop them being out so late but apparently not! I did have all my fingers and toes crossed

OP posts:
Poodloo · 05/01/2019 22:56

Oh that sounds horrible. It's almost like a situation where you can't win because if you have a go at them then they will turn it in to a game but either way they are still going to do it. They should be in and not hanging out outside your house like that. I'd hate it.

Grace212 · 05/01/2019 22:58

sometimes being less polite can help

the only time the parents have actually called the kids in from the corridor was when I said to the parents "your kids are making a fucking racket again, what a surprise - can you quieten them down?"

this was after several "please" and "thank you" requests.

anniehm · 05/01/2019 22:59

Whether or not you have a legal case will depend on time - it's perfectly legal for people to talk in the street, but you can contact the council if you believe it's unreasonably loud for the time of day. It's probable that the police and council will say they cannot take action if it's finished by 10.30pm, though if children under 10 are there after dark they may investigate child neglect. I wouldn't dream of letting my teens hang out in the street, I let them congregate in my (detached) house, but not everyone is fortunate to have a sufficiently sized house to have a second living space they can take over, I can imagine in small houses parents not wanting kids to bring their friends home.

Lose2StoneObviously · 05/01/2019 22:59

Your constantly barking dog probably winds your neighbours up just as much, and soon your screaming baby will.

Grace212 · 05/01/2019 23:01

@Lose2StoneObviously

OP has said twice that the dog barks in response to the kids' screeching, the dog isn't barking all night apropos nothing.

Yabbers · 05/01/2019 23:03

You can stop your dog barking though, so unreasonable just to let him do that.

Not much you can do about the children if their parents don’t do anything. They probably just think they can’t do anything about it.

Lose2StoneObviously · 05/01/2019 23:04

You are not entitled to 'quiet', people have the right to live their life too including children!.

MotorcycleMayhem · 05/01/2019 23:10

Please don't install a Mosquito alarm, not even rhe cat scaring versions. I'm 37 and the fucking things cause me physical pain. I have two neighbours with them - one two doors up from a school (to deter cats rather than kids) and I really want to rip them up every time I go past their houses.

Play classical music out your window. A nice bit of opera or Gregorian chanting every evening. They'll soon move off.

Original poster
maimy88 · 05/01/2019 23:10

Lose2stoneobviously - The nasty side of me hopes my baby does wind them up! But at least my 'screaming' baby will be in my house not causing mayhem outside their front doors. Funnily enough I was worried about having a crying baby bothering my neighbours overnight but less so as time has gone on.

Anniehm - That is exactly what I thought. I didn't think there would be any way of the council/police getting them to be quieter especially as they are children. However, I can well imagine if it was adults doing what they are doing something would be done.

What time would you expect kids to be going inside? At this point as soon as it starts it gets my goat but logically I know there is a reasonable time to expect it to stop or quieten down at least.

OP posts:
Original poster
maimy88 · 05/01/2019 23:15

Yabbers - I don't think it is unreasonable for my dog to bark when they are screaming outside my door. I do what I can to stop him barking and as I have said he only ever barks when they are screaming. I close all my doors, my windows are closed (even during the heatwave we had). When they aren't screaming he is the type of dog who sleeps all day and never makes a sound! Their screaming makes him nervy that's all there is to it.

Motorcyclemayhem - I like the idea of classical music! Although I would probably end up with a noise complaint! haha!

OP posts:
Soconfusedbylife · 05/01/2019 23:16

I’d try to move anyway I think. The classical music is a good idea as is a cat alarm (less obvious than the mosquito variety but with the same effect).

mumsastudent · 05/01/2019 23:16

practice opera singing - badly full throttle - can send a recording if you like :)

Swipe left for the next trending thread