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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Noise and neighbours.

22 replies

123LiloLill · 04/08/2020 20:31

I have just had a complaint from the council about the noise from my house. I didn't think we were a source of unreasonable noise, just regular family noise. One thing the complaint singled out was cars on the drive starting up at 6 (DH leaving for work) and the sound of DIY/kitchen renovation at the weekend... this was all going on in the daytime.

However I am now wondering if I am being unreasonable! I am not really sure what constitutes "unreasonable noise" is it just any noise that another person feels is unreasonable, or is there a list of 'types of noise' somewhere and guidance as to what is deemed ok in the UK.

Anyone got experience of this?

OP posts:

Original poster

123LiloLill · 04/08/2020 20:35

Sorry, didn't mean to enable voting!

OP posts:

HoneysuckIejasmine · 04/08/2020 20:36

What did the council actually say? Surely they are not suggesting that your husband isn't allowed to start his car to go to work?

LizzieBennett70 · 04/08/2020 20:39

It's really easy to underestimate the noise that your family makes.

If someone has made the effort to report it, then it's bothering them.

MargoDurrell · 04/08/2020 20:39

Is he revving / idling the car for long periods? The council wouldn’t have written a letter about him leaving for work at 6am, surely?

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 04/08/2020 20:41

It depends, I'm assuming your DH isn't revving his engine like an F1 driver? Also DIY, is it really regular?

Govt lunk but basically you'd need to check your local councils guidelines: www.gov.uk/guidance/noise-nuisances-how-councils-deal-with-complaints

I only know aboutthe above because since covid, my furloughed, manchild neighbour has been doing DIY most days starting at 7am and whistling (I've put up with him for years with his Noah's Ark 2.0 projects that involve a forest full of wood and drilling/hammering but as it was once a month I didn't mind as much). I also have a taxi driver neighbour who makes some noise going and coming home from work but he makes minimal noise opening and shutting doors - him I don't mind as work is necessary.

MorganKitten · 04/08/2020 20:42

If it’s weekend it’s not meant to be on Sunday, that will be on your council website.

Original poster

123LiloLill · 04/08/2020 20:50

DH doesn't rev the car or anything, just gets in it and drives away/parks it, and goes in to the house at about 11.30. I think the neighbour got used to the very quiet pensioners that lived in the house before us and probably us being around more in the lock down has been a bit of a change.

I get that everyone has their own tolerances, especially if they have sensory issues for example. I really want to find out what the rules are so I can ensure we are within them. I am sure it can't be the case that you can get in to bother for any random noises that another person happens to find annoying.

The DIY kitchen renovations have been going on mainly on afternoons, all packed up by 5 ish when we start thinking about cooking.

The letter from the council just sights "noise from cars on the drive late at night and early in the morning and power tools."

The power tools were nothing abnormal or super industrial, just a sander and drill/jigsaw.

OP posts:

vodkaredbullgirl · 04/08/2020 20:57

I have neighbours who have been doing a patio, for what seems like forever. I work nights and it has pissed me of some what hearing music, slate cutter and mixer. Plenty of times ive wanted to shout out the window, for them to pack it in.

Chloemol · 04/08/2020 21:04

Just contact the council and have a conversation with them

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 04/08/2020 21:10

You're going to have to ring the council up and discuss it with them, iirc the neighbour should have approach you first before contacting the council, I'm assuming they haven't done that?

Like I said I have a neighbour who's a taxi driver, he doesn't let his engine idle, no slamming doors or has one of those stupid exhaust pipe things that bang every so often (what is the point of those?!) or fucking whistling otherwise I'd be feeling less generous towards him.

You're going to have to be specific to the council about the noise from your house, has the DIY power tools been everyday for weeks? That would drive me nuts.

imissthesouth · 04/08/2020 21:14

It would seem YANBU.
Does DH leave his car running or rev the engine to warm it up on a morning? Then I could see this being an issue. Unless he's a boy racer then it seems like something you expect living in a town/city.
As for DIY as long as it's not before 8am (9 on weekends) or after tea time, then it's not an issue, again something you have to expect living near neighbors.
Good luck!

Livelovebehappy · 04/08/2020 21:18

Everyone is super sensitive at the moment. I wfh and am obviously aware of every noise going on. One neighbour has three very young DCs jumping on trampolines, screaming all day, and the other side are building a shed. Then all the other general noises going on, it drives me nuts, but I understand that it’s because we are all obviously spending more enforced time at home and practically all of us living on top of each other. Unless you’re lucky enough to live in a detached house in the middle of a field.

imissthesouth · 04/08/2020 21:20

@Livelovebehappy

This! Perhaps they're stressed from being at home? I live in a detached home and can still hear my neighbours sometimes in the evenings😳

StCharlotte · 04/08/2020 21:26

The DIY kitchen renovations have been going on mainly on afternoons, all packed up by 5 ish when we start thinking about cooking.

Many councils prohibit noisy work including DIY after 1pm on a Saturday and not at all on a Sunday. If I thought for a minute it would ever get enforced I would have reported my neighbours who have made every weekend a misery since they moved in a couple of years ago with their constant DIY using the noisiest power tools. And that's without the banging music in the garden, the yapping dogs, the revving of the vintage motorbike etc etc etc.

Sorry OP, you've hit a nerve

safariboot · 04/08/2020 21:37

is there a list of 'types of noise' somewhere and guidance as to what is deemed ok in the UK.

There is not.

Keep in mind it's entirely possible the neighbours have grossly exaggerated things.

Complaining about the car noise is ridiculous. Your DH should tell the council that X time is when he leaves for work, and Y time is when he returns, and he doesn't idle the engine. This would surely qualify as normal living noise.

As for the DIY, different councils have different guidelines on what they consider reasonable. Some are quite restrictive about weekend work.

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 04/08/2020 21:41

He probably slams the car door which wakes them up and then starts the engine, and only then starts faffing around with seatbelt and so on while the engine is running.

At least that one of my twatty neighbours does.

Fatherbrownsbicycle · 04/08/2020 21:44

Does he have the car radio on when he leaves/arrives? If it’s fairly loud that could sound unreasonable if it’s waking them as he comes & goes.

RedPanda2 · 04/08/2020 21:48

My neighbour slams his car doors at 5am everuday even though I've asked him not to. I can't have my windows open or it wakes me up. It's really irritating and I do think people are sensitive at the moment!

Pipandmum · 04/08/2020 21:49

I had a couple letters from the council when I let my teenage son stay with some friends at my holiday home. They were used to london level of background noise and probably had the music up and were calling to each other from the balcony down to the deck. The neighbourhood was very quiet with many elderly residents, and I imagine they might have been too intimidated by a group of teens to just knock on the door.
As it was just a one off visit I didn't do anything, other than tell him next time to be mindful of the area. Nothing further happened.
Thing is you don't know who made the complaint, so you can't approach them and talk about what it is specifically. Starting the car is fine, no matter what time of day or night. DIY noise is ok too during day time (not on a sunday though). My current neighbours are builders and are constantly making noise of one kind or another. It doesn't bother me as we are a family that makes noise too and live on a busy street so there's lots of ambient noise.

TrainspottingWelsh · 04/08/2020 22:08

It's probably a mumsnetter acting upon the usual advice. It will be 'logged' with 101 too.

Some poor bastard at the council will have received 8 pages of hysterical ranting about how selfish your dp is not to change his shifts when he knows it might wake up pfb. And how you are bu not to plan your domestic diy around afternoon nap time.

Now you just need to watch and see which neighbour puts a passive aggressive anonymous note through. There's probably a thread somewhere with an op whining about a neighbour gaslighting them by driving to work.

Original poster

123LiloLill · 04/08/2020 22:20

Crikey! Thank you for all your responses, I will phone the council and have a chat. I worry so much that I am being that twatty neighbour!

OP posts:

KorkMum · 05/08/2020 00:37

Your neighbours are unreasonable. My idiot neighbour has a shit car but does that thing where he leaves it running for half hour before he leaves for work and when he gets home. Hes a dick but I haven't reported him. Wish you was my neighbours.

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