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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

about our neighbours' inflatable hot tub

140 replies

LuluJakey1 · 21/04/2019 12:26

Our neighbours are nice enough people. We chat if we see each other take in parcels for each other etc.
There have been occasional niggles - eg he complained that our drive being re-laid had blown dust on his car and it could have been scratched if he had just washed it with a sponge and bucket. DH apologised and said we should have told him so he could have moved his car.
I was unhappy when their builders put scaffolding outside our bathroom window and I found myself using the loo with a builder on the other side of the glass. They apologised.
Their children had a trampoline in the garden which the son bounced on from 6.30 in the morning until 10 at night (not continuously) in the summer and it was a horrible repetitive noise that drove me mad. We never said anything and it was removed last year as he had outgrown it.
Nothing serious, never fallen out.
However, for the last few days we have been aware of this horrible electrical buzzing and noise which is constant and sometimes much louder and seemed like a motor of some kind. Turns out they have bought a large, inflatable hot-tub which is what is making the noise. They were out somewhere all day yesterday but the buzzing/hum was on all day. Today they have used it this morning and they were having to talk really loudly to hear each other over the noise when the motor bit was on. It is against our side of the garden because it is sunny and sheltered there.
I can't bear it. It is a contunual droning humming sort of noise.
I wsnt to say something. DH thinks I shouldn't but we couldn't sit on the patio in the sun this morning or in the kitchen with the french doors open because of this noise. It is only April. It could go on every day for the whole of this summer and however many summers to come.

AIBU?

OP posts:
LaurieFairyCake · 21/04/2019 13:03

They have to leave it on

You will get used to it. A very cheap water feature (like £40) could drown out the worst if it as your ears would focus on it instead

They're not going to turn it off, even if they move it you will still hear it.

All garden noise is antisocial but unfortunately we don't get to live in a quiet world.

TheCatDidSay · 21/04/2019 13:03

Only if you want to be charged with criminal damage.

If it is really loud they might not have the filter level.

boredboredboredboredbored · 21/04/2019 13:07

It's so tricky with neighbours isn't it? What's normal noise and what's not. I moved into my house last year adjoined to a house with 2 kids aged 8 & 10. Last summer with the heatwave they were out a lot (as we all were) but the R&B they played most of the day ruined the peace. The kids are noisy and she has a voice that BOOMS like a fog horn. The boy kicks his football against the conservatory despite us having 100ft gardens. It's like their enjoyment trumps anybody else's!!

I think you'll need to say something if you can tolerate it op.

LadyRannaldini · 21/04/2019 13:08

Horrible things hot tubs. I think I’ve seen them described as chlamydia soup on here before!

Exactly! Have a long, very loud conversation about this outside, being -particularly scathing about how common those cheap inflatable ones are!

MrsCasares · 21/04/2019 13:08

Can you ask them to move it? The inflatable hot tubs are much noisier than the solid ones.

Loyaultemelie · 21/04/2019 13:09

Inflatable hot tub you say? Are they affordable? We'd love a hot tub but they are too pricey. I will add in the spirit of the thread we are rural and although we have neighbours on the lane the nearest garden is a quarter of a mile

Ghanagirl · 21/04/2019 13:09

TheCatDidSay
I’m not frugal but £2 a day is quite a lot if it’s on constantly

PrincessTiggerlily · 21/04/2019 13:11

Might the novelty wear off?
I don't care for them much. Would rather have a bath.

Dippypippy1980 · 21/04/2019 13:13

It’s that time of year when we all go out into the garden and piss each other off😎

They aren’t going to stop using their hot tub, but maybe hey could switch it off if they are gone all day??

A friendly word perhaps? They might not realise how annoying it is for everyone else.

Daddylonglegs1965 · 21/04/2019 13:14

Next doors 11 year old DD bounces up and down on her trampoline which is a couple of inches from the 6ft fence we have between our houses. The continual bouncing noise is annoying enough and she bounces so high she looks into our living room. She is on it now most evenings until late (and she is on it now). Her dad lights up a massive BBQ and cooks outside most nights in sunny weather hollering instructions to rest of the family and many weekend nights they have umpteen people round drinking, shouting and smoking until the early hours. I think I would prefer the hot tub to this and just hope they don’t get one. Since they moved in we rarely sit outside in our garden or have the patio doors open the noise is deafening enough when they are closed. They also have two big loud barking dogs.

TheCatDidSay · 21/04/2019 13:15

£2 a day Is only if you constantly leave the lid off so it’s working harder to heat up and using the actual bubbles a lot. I use use ours as a heated pool rather than the bubbles apart from when I chuck ball pool balls in for the kids and let them have it on. My electric bill with or without the tub on is over £100 a month anyway so I don’t tend to notice it too much.

Silvercatowner · 21/04/2019 13:23

Our neighbours have one. It doesn't make that much noise, but my garden reeks of whatever chemicals they have to put in the water to offset the human soup. It's gross.

Sugarformyhoney · 21/04/2019 13:23

I think yabu, sorry.
Having a hot tub is not unreasonable in their garden and though a noise is annoying, it’s just one of those things when living in close proximity. I think you’re going to have to suck this one up- they are very unlikely to get rid of it and it’ll just cause drama. It’s not like it’s excessive

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 21/04/2019 13:23

All garden noise is antisocial but unfortunately we don't get to live in a quiet world.

Spot on. My neighbour spent all day yesterday in her garden cackling away. She has the most grating laugh I've ever heard but it's her garden to enjoy. Part and parcel of living with neighbours is living with their noise and a low level hum that could be covered by having the radio on low isn't that big a deal.

Byllis · 21/04/2019 13:27

I’d like a hot tub, but after reading about the noise on other threads wouldn’t inflict this on neighbours (or not unless I could be certain it was a model where noise was negligible). Buying something that hums constantly is incredibly selfish, and I know I’d find this noise from another garden would spoil my enjoyment of my own.

I find the argument that there is other garden noise unconvincing; everyone ought to understand there’s some give and take living in urban areas, but that doesn’t mean adding your own unreasonable noise to the mix until everyone is assaulted by it from all angles!

Hope this is something to do with how the thing has been set up, as others have suggested, and can be improved.

FriarTuck · 21/04/2019 13:28

Shin over the fence in the dead of night with a very long sharp implement. Pierce inflatable several times right through all the layers. When you see them the next day in the garden have a friendly chat over the fence sympathising with either 'Looks a bit like foxes to me' or 'It's the poor standards in the countries where they make these things - they fall apart after just a couple of uses'.

TheCatDidSay · 21/04/2019 13:29

beware that’s showroom hot tubs that are purely water and on. If you treat your hot tub and test it you won’t have a problem. No different to running a proper pool. You have to maintain it. It’s not like throwing up a paddling pool.

bobstersmum · 21/04/2019 13:36

I have not got a hot tub nor do I want one, but I do think you sound a bit overly stressed about all of this! I have a friend who has one and the humming noise isn't loud enough to bother a neighbour? When the jets are on its loud yes but how long is that on for? You can't really dictate what your neighbours can and can't enjoy. Hot tubs aren't illegal are they and unless they are using it with the jets on until after midnight every night I wouldn't say anything personally. Maybe play some music in the garden to drown the noise out ? Not blasting out but just a nice level to mask the noise if its bothering you, and if they say anything about it then you can say well.........

CorlysVelaryon · 21/04/2019 13:39

I'd give it a couple of weeks incase they lose interest, or the hum is a fault that they get sorted. If it's still going strong mid-May, pop it. They've only got themselves to blame.

Ariela · 21/04/2019 13:41

I'd be bringing it up in conversation ...'is there something wrong with your new hot tub, only the hum the electric motor makes is very loud, are you sure it's safe?'

NannyRed · 21/04/2019 13:42

Would putting some music on at your end work? Just loud enough to drown out their noise.

It’s not like they can complain, and if they do, tell them it’s just to drown out their noise.

Hopefully they’ll soon be bored with their outside bathtub.

EngagedAgain · 21/04/2019 13:45

Not rtft, but could they move it?

MaybeitsMaybelline · 21/04/2019 13:46

Our neighbour got one of these and positioned it as far away from their house as possible and Three feet from our patio, they are horrendous noisy things and then you get the people in it and the associated noise it’s awful.

If it’s any consolation OP it’s a novelty. They will use it half a dozen times then put it away and won’t be arsed to get it out again because they will have to fill it, heat it, keep up with chemicals etc

Mosschopz · 21/04/2019 13:54

Grim invention, and terrible for the environment if they have to be on all the time. What’s that about?