Neighbour asked me to be quiet

[DBML]

Good afternoon!

My husband and I work full time. My son is 15 and never plays loud games or music. We bought him earphones many years ago so as not to disturb us, let alone neighbours. We are a quiet family; no parties; no late TV; no pets; nothing.

Anyway, next door (SAHM) have a two and a half year old and I understand how difficult that is, but I am getting a little pissed off. We hear the baby crying, sometimes screaming with a little tantrum and ignore...all very normal, no harm done.

But, I put the vacuum on on a Saturday to Hoover around and I get a text asking me if I can turn it off as they are trying to put the baby down for a nap and he won’t go.

Today, I’ve just almost finished my big clean of the week (as I said, I work full time) the vacuum is on at 1.30pm for less than a minute when I get the text.

‘Hey hun - were trying to get ** off to sleep. Can you do the vacuuming some other time?’

I want to say ‘actually, no I can’t. I’m doing my housework now’.

Would I be unreasonable to just start the vacuum up now and finish the job?

Why not just block the number. Unless you're really good friends I don't see the point of having neighbours numbers, it's just asking for trouble.

@QuestionEverythingOrBeASheep it's convenient though (unless you can't stand them).

It's like tonight, I did a spot of shopping for elderly neighbour who is ill. Admittedly I was in a bit of a strop when I got back because he appeared to want to chat and I didn't but I know he'd do the same if he's well enough. And he keeps a copy of my keys as locksmiths cost a fortune, it's useful for finding out local info etc.

Anyway OP if neighbour is generally not a pain then I'd ignore it though, you put your foot down thankfully.

[quote Heatherjayne1972]@frownette Is that a thing?? I’ve never even considered giving or asking for a neighbours number
Mind you I live next door to mr grumpy hermit And the family of ever changing members on the other side!! Plus I don’t think they speak English[/quote]
Yes @Heatherjayne1972 it's a thing where I live, I have the numbers of neighbours either side and we usually keep an eye /put bins out when others on holiday, and more recently when shopping was restricted asked if they needed anything when we were going to the supermarket. Also text if we take in a parcel for them.
Social interactions are usually restricted to the gardens though, we don't go inside each other's houses.

@YoTheGinPussyOnThigh

Anyone who sent me a message starting Hey Hun would be ignored on principle

Think my phone has an Anti-Hun feature. L

Christ I'd be blocking their number
Cheeky fuckers
Or any time their kid cries or has a tantrum I'd be asking them to keep it down please, in a sarcastic way

Crikey, is there a aeroplane engine in your vacuum cleaner?

Absolutely don’t stop vacuuming, turn your phone off whenever you do from now on!

OP, you should not have turned that hoover off to begin with! Who do they think they are?! 1:30pm?! You can make as much noise as you like technically. However you don't, because you're considerate. Hoovering however, that's every day living noise and their child needs to get used to that, or they're in for a very rough ride during the terrible twos and threes!

I'd be texting them and telling them the above and making it abundantly clear that I would not be cleaning to suit them and their schedule

I hoover when my OWN kids are in bed, I certainly wouldn't stop because anyone else's are, especially not before 8pm!

Definitely NBU!!! If it was like pre 9am and post 7pm I would be generous and not hoover but middle of the day? No sorry not everyone’s life can revolve around their toddler.

Often toddlers can sleep through the ‘white noise’ of a hoover!

Don’t stop, the time isn’t unreasonable but your NDN is!

She will possibly look back at this and cringe in ten years time.

I would actually block the number!

Ha haaa oh dear. They are obviously just deranged with lack of sleep? Maybe the baby’s been poorly and those magical moments of sleep are what’s holding their sanity together? Surely no sane and well slept person would text this lol

Try and give them some sympathy ( of course they are being unreasonable!) and maybe ask them for the next few weeks when’s a good time -morning or evening ?

Does your neighbour not vacuum then? Or do they expect you to vacuum when they choose to. They are being very unreasonable

Tell them politely you'd love for the walls to be thicker as you can hear the baby crying and screaming at all times of the day and night but you accept that hearing your neighbours is part of price one pays for not living in a detached house. Explain you both work full time and regretfully can't get the cleaning in any other time, and thought you were being corteous by not doing it late during the week. It should not always be up to you to be the tolerant one.

I'm mum to a 17 month old, both Me and my OH work full time - we can only get the housework done at the weekend when our toddler is having his nap so I cannot even imagine considering sending a message like that. I hope you enjoyed your bath OP.

They'd hate my (inconsiderate bastard) neighbours! They argue/fight/play loud music from 6am onwards EVERY FUCKING DAY. It's depressing to say the least 😕
Hoovering/cleaning in the middle of the day is perfectly acceptable!!

I know this is yesterday’s thread but I used to Hoover to get my kids to sleep!

I'd just ignore it and not even respond and carry on with the housework. I would say, but would be tempted to tell them they should have moved to a detached house in the country if they want no noise, you have to give and take when you have neighbours.

Babies do not need complete silence to sleep
If you carry on a normal life they sleep all sounds.

Ignore it and do your housework, as long as it's in the daytime. If they say anything, tell them it's reasonable to do your vacuuming and you're sorry, but you can't organise your life around what they are doing and when. Tell them that you suffer from bad headaches and sometimes their toddler crying disturbs you when you want to have a lie down or listen to quiet music.

Yes be sympathetic and firm
Tell them how loud the baby is and how you have been so tolerant but you do need to get your life on too.

I’d switch it on and go on my hols for a week, what a cheek 😒

I’d personally get a super noisy hoover and be hoovering every evening or early morning if someone sent me that text can’t be doing with people moaning about pathetic things lol

My neighbour works nights so if I hoover Before 2pm she bangs a hammer against the wall - if we make too much noise upstairs she also bangs. Yes the walls are paper thin. We don’t play music etc the noise would be our son laughing or talking to each other.

Life doesn’t revolve around your neighbours and their baby. They are behaving in a very entitled way.

You could text back next time & say I’ll leave it 20 minutes but it’s the middle of the day and not unreasonable to be hoovering or mowing the lawn