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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

A head's up would have been nice.

74 replies

SoleLavender · 29/07/2020 09:04

So I've just been woken up to a hell of a lot of noise. Someone setting up a ladder and banging on the roof with music blaring from a work van. The sawing and hammering sounds like it's right in the ceiling above me 🤬

My next door neighbour (semi-detached), is having some work done his roof (I assume).

AIBU to think that the polite thing to do would be to at least give me the heads up that someone was coming at all?

OP posts:
pippistrelle · 29/07/2020 09:19

I appreciate you're grumpy about being woken, but 9am on a week day isn't really anti-social, so no, I wouldn't expect a neighbour to tell me their plans.

InTheWings · 29/07/2020 09:21

A heads up would have been nice but not obligatory.

MsEllany · 29/07/2020 09:22

YANBU. Years ago we had a flue fitted in our chimney - they came so early and just went on the roof and did it. Didn’t even knock to tell us they were here. We’d been told they’d be round at 10 (it was a Saturday) but they started at 7am!

We weren’t pleased, neighbours weren’t pleased (terrace) - I went round and apologised later on.

9am isn’t late for sure but it’s horrible being woken when you actually want and can have a lie in!

CoRhona · 29/07/2020 09:28

We're having our guttering replaced today, hope you're not our neighbours Blush

zingally · 29/07/2020 09:28

A heads-up would have been nice, but not essential.

Personally, I don't think that starting work at 9am on a week day is unreasonable.

On Monday I had the boiler man rock up at 8:30am! Had been told he'd come between 9 and 12. I'd only been up all of 10 minutes.

crosser62 · 29/07/2020 09:31

Are you on night shifts op?
If you are then you have my sympathy, totally shit when this happens.
(Been there a LOT!)

The80sweregreat · 29/07/2020 09:32

Do you get on with your neighbour?
We have a cordial relationship with the people attached to our house and we've had some work done over the years which has been noisy , so we have told them there will be some disruption etc. They were fine about it luckily.
They were concerned about something we're currently having built and popped round to speak to the surveyor about it and we wouldn't have gone ahead unless they were happy about it , which they were. It won't affect their property at all.
We text them when work is about to start so they know there could be a bit of noise or disruption as builders tend to start around 8.30 or 9 am. This is being a civil and only fair and they tell us if there will be any work being done to their home as well!
I can understand why your upset ; I often feel sorry for night workers who have to sleep during the day through noise and builders do like their loud radios which winds me up too! You can't help noise but turn the radio down a bit..
your neighbour should have warned you there would be some disruption but not everyone is considerate unfortunately. It is unfair but it might just be for today !
It

relievedlady · 29/07/2020 09:34

We've had work starting from 7 am two doors up for the last two weeks and the house opposite has been having an extension built loudly from 7.30 am for the last two months Hmm

9 am is late in our area Hmm

madnessitellyou · 29/07/2020 09:38

9am isn't an unreasonable time. However, out of courtesy they should have let you know. We've had a lot of work done on the outside of our house and every time we have let our neighbours (we're in a semi) know. As they have done for us.

SweatyBetty20 · 29/07/2020 09:41

I live in a hamlet with six or seven houses up a line at the back of my house where the bin lorry can't get through. So every week I have everyone's bins outside my house. Today is a brown and green day so I have fourteen bins including my own, and some were put out last night at midnight and some this morning at 0615. Not a happy/alert/rested bunny this morning.

fairydustandpixies · 29/07/2020 09:42

YANBU - I always let my neighbours know if I've got builders or workmen coming at least a couple of days beforehand.

heartsonacake · 29/07/2020 09:42

@pippistrelle

I appreciate you're grumpy about being woken, but 9am on a week day isn't really anti-social, so no, I wouldn't expect a neighbour to tell me their plans.
This. 9am isn’t unreasonable.
LonelyGir1 · 29/07/2020 09:47

You have my sympathy. Our neighbours have been assholes and blocked our drive wAy every day for the past 3/4 months. Noise sometimes from 6 am (even on a Saturday). Their scaffolding extends into our property (not by much, would have said it would be fine if they asked).

Oh, and they’ve not been keeping to social distancing so they have friends making noise outside at midnight/1am when they’re leaving. We hear it because they block our driveway in evenings too. Fully grown adults with two grown up children at home. I don’t understand how they can be so selfish!

user1469544430 · 29/07/2020 09:58

We have had workmen turn up and start doing stuff without telling us in advance when they were coming: worked on the garden and tore down our fence then buggered off for the rest of the day. Our neighbours were furious and thought we were invading their garden! We had stupidly assumed they would have given notice and then we could have told the neighbours when we knew for certain they were coming, but many workmen just don't work like that, they take the opportunity while they have a good slot of time and good weather to get started - lesson learned, it was our first time as home owners, and we should have told them 'one day soon some men will arrive and replace the fence' at least.

EarringsandLipstick · 29/07/2020 09:59

I voted YABU but thinking again, I hadn't thought you could have been working a night shift, which is different, and also, although I don't think 9 a.m. is too early at all to start work like this, many people are wfh at present, and just flagging it with your neighbours is a courtesy.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 29/07/2020 10:03

@CoRhona

We're having our guttering replaced today, hope you're not our neighbours Blush
😂
Shizzlestix · 29/07/2020 10:06

I told the neighbours we were having noisy work done last week, I think it’s only fair.

CouldBeOuting · 29/07/2020 10:08

Personally, if I’m having any work done which might create unusual noise levels I give my neighbours a heads up.

I wouldn’t be happy to wake to noises of someone on the roof, especially since my bed is directly under a velux window which can be looked through from neighbours window.

HeronLanyon · 29/07/2020 10:08

Obvs if it was emergency work arranged last night they may not have been able to warn you (do they have your mobile? If so ignore this).
Otherwise yes they ‘should’ really have told you not because of it being 9 but just generally so you know who they are and that there will be some noise.

WorraLiberty · 29/07/2020 10:10

I would be the polite thing to do but 9am on a weekday, would be absolutely fine with me.

DumplingsAndStew · 29/07/2020 10:16

I would not have even thought of letting a neighbour know of work starting at 9am on a weekday.

There is a massive demolition taking place a few buildings from where i live. They've worked from 7.30am for the past 4 weeks.

Staplemaple · 29/07/2020 10:17

Next door have gutted the whole house and are having it all rewired and new kitchen and bathroom etc. Good for them, and although I know full well they can do what they like in their own home; the sound of banging, drilling etc all day from 8am to 5pm when you are trying to work and have a young child who won't nap because of the noise, it's annoying. To rub salt into the wound they've swanned off to their second home to avoid the noise, and keep messaging saying what a wonderful time they're having. Wouldn't be half as bad if I was at work but gah. Rant over.

Zhampagne · 29/07/2020 10:20

9am on a weekday is a reasonable time to start works. It would have been courteous to warn you but unless you work nights or have other particular circumstances YABU.

bridgetreilly · 29/07/2020 10:23

Yes, it would have been nice, but I don't think it's unreasonable of them not to have done so for work happening after 9am. Sorry, though. It's a horrid way to be woken up, and I would totally be grumpy about it as well.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 29/07/2020 10:24

Our plumbers turned up unexpectedly today. We weren’t expecting them back until tomorrow but they had some time today so just appeared at 9:30. Normally not an issue but I hadn’t had a shower yet because I was waiting for the hot water and then DD was upset so I was sitting with her. DH has to ask them to wait 10 minutes so I could get dressed at least. They could have given us a ring on their way. What if neither of us had been in today?