To not expect neighbour to use washing machine overnight

[BornInTheWrongCentury]

Just that really. Over the last couple of months our neighbours started using their washing machine/tumble dryer overnight, it was going on on at about midnight and stays on till around 3am.

My husband asked a them politely a few weeks ago when he saw them outside if they’d mind changing the time they have it on as it really disturbs us. We’re in a mid terraced house and they are the end of the terrace. Their kitchen is below our bedroom. The previous occupants took out a wall in their kitchen that separated the kitchen from their hallway so it’s open planned now so all sound from their house is amplified now anyway and noise seems to travel up the wall into our bedroom.

After my husband mentioned it to them they stopped for a couple of weeks but now the noise has started again as they are putting a wash on at about 10pm and it finishes at 1am.

It’s really upsetting me that I can’t go to bed and read/fall asleep in peace until at least 1am now.

If it’s relevant we own our house and their house is social housing. They are the end of the terrace so if I complain to the council or their housing association they will know it’s me. They are the kind of couple who seem ok as long as you’re on the right side of them but they are rather loud and look very intimidating and to be honest I don’t want to make things worse or get into an argument with them.

They are pretty good neighbours apart from this issue as in the only other noise we hear is their children (they have very screechy, door slamming children but I can cope with that during the day!) They don’t have parties or play thumping music - it’s just the issue with not being able to go to sleep when I want to. I don’t know if I’m just being over sensitive where I so tired.

What would you do?

YABU - just be grateful it’s nothing worse than a washing machine and try to ignore it/go to bed later when you know you’ll fall straight to sleep

YANBU - be brave and speak to them again asking them to not use after 11pm and complain to the council if they refuse?

It might be to do with saving money although I don’t think they would be classed as poor. He works (although may be furloughed at the moment as he’s always home) I don’t think she works. Their car is newer than mine, their children are always dressed nicely, they go away on holidays (pre covid) and they have definitely spent lots on home improvements since they moved in. Obviously we all need to make savings where we can, I fully appreciate that but I still wouldn’t run my washing machine/tumble dryer at night if it was disturbing my neighbours.

For the record I also know what it’s like to be poor, when my parent divorced when I was a child we really struggled, at one point my mum had 3 jobs and I did a paper round for us to make ends meet.
My grandparents raised my dad in a council house so me be clear again that I have nothing against anyone who lives in social housing. I’m sorry if it came across that way.

I haven’t read the whole thread so apologies if someone has already suggested this. You can buy anti vibration mats/pads to help. Maybe your neighbours would try this, especially if you offered to pay for them.

www.amazon.co.uk/s?hvlocphy=1006946&hvnetw=g&hvadid=259106798090&k=anti-vibration+washing+machine+mat&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgfGPu4qj7gIV8mDmCh1DEgQAEAAYASAAEgJTivD_BwE&ref=pd_sl_268qz0sk39_b&hydadcr=28211_1821151&hvdev=c&hvqmt=b&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=kwd-314795449866&adgrpid=55997332474&hvrand=1265025015864962804

Yep @Youdonut. Although I don't think he/she has had an experience of extreme poverty due to the nonsense that they are coming out with. Their ramblings don't really convey any understanding of poverty. It's just hysterical gobbledygook to try (but failing to) back up their points.

If it’s relevant we own our house and their house is social housing.

No it’s not relevant - unless owner-occupied washers are quieter - are they ?

@AwaAnBileYerHeid

Yep *@Youdonut*. Although I don't think he/she has had an experience of extreme poverty due to the nonsense that they are coming out with. Their ramblings don't really convey any understanding of poverty. It's just hysterical gobbledygook to try (but failing to) back up their points.

I have to agree. I honestly don't think they have experienced it either, mainly because what they're saying doesn't make any sense in regards to such a situation.

OP, you're really not being unreasonable. Someone else said to make a note of what's happening, when, and when you've asked them not to, and what their response was. There's no need to run a washer through the night at all, and if they know it keeps neighbours awake during the night, they are unreasonable to do it.

Assuming this is the only complaint you have. I know in my case as soon as I rectified that issue with the neighbour, she escalated to the most ridiculous things to moan and complain about (like shutting a door at 2pm). We tried to placate her, but eventually just started ignoring her. Think she was a bit mental. I didn't revert back to my night time use of the washer though, cos she really was reasonable on that. People need their sleep.

I don’t necessarily think that’s it’s them being selfish or being inconsiderate or having no empathy for others. Why do people always jump to that because some people are saying yabu. Unless I had to do it I wouldn’t. My neighbours have 5 kids and they are up and down the stairs, slamming doors and shouting until 1 or 2 in the morning pretty much every night. Neighbours aren’t selfish or lack empathy for me it’s just kids and household noise

@YouJustDoYou

My neighbour did this, she was a nurse on nightshifts and that was the only time she could do it. I can't use earplugs so just download a free whitenoise app and used that instead.

If she was on night shift how come overnight was the only time she could do her washing? What about the morning when she got in before she went to bed? That makes no sense.

If it’s relevant we own our house and their house is social housing.

Stopped reading at that. It's never relevant. Including it says all I need to know about you.

YABU, buy ear plugs.
Not their fault a wall was removed.
It's a washing machine not a live band playing.

Sometimes MN is another world!

I don't know anyone in RL who would think that late night machines which disturb sleep are acceptable.

Most neighbours would be considerate if asked to.

Not everyone likes to use ear plugs- they are not exactly comfortable.

OP- I think you ought to keep asking them to be more considerate.

For those posters asking why does the owner/ tenant issue not matter- it does.

If someone in rented accommodation makes anti social noise, they can eventually be evicted. Anti social noise is anything from 11pm - 7am. Sure , a washing machine is not a rave, but it's still very annoying and a bit selfish.

Aw, you own your house, you sound like you need a detached property, they are great and any little noise doesn't disturb you.

Print off the dangers of putting a washing machine on at night and stuff it through their door. The fire risks are so obvious. Nobody should be putting them on whilst you are in bed. (Of course they may not be going to bed whist washer is on, they may just stay up all night.)

www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-3505060/Using-washing-machine-night-cost-life-Firefighters-warn-plan-charge-different-rates-different-times-day.html

I really can’t believe all the suggestions saying write down dates and times of when you spoke to them and what their response was, how many times they do it and report to the HA. The OP has said they are good neighbours otherwise and you are actually suggesting reporting them over a washing machine. How many times does a week do they do this? If they have a few children this can impact how many times you use your washing machine and when.

www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/you-should-never-leave-your-15984857

I actually think it's fair enough to expect them to at the very least do it earlier in the evening or early morning. Aren't there laws against using loud appliances after a certain time?

However the comment about social housing is about as stuck up as you can get so I do feel YABU in that respect. WTF?

Blame the power companies who charge a fortune for daytime hours.

I'd look at it from a problem-solving standpoint. they tried to accommodate you so I don't think they're being arseholes.

You could gift them one of those mats and see if your DH can offer to help level the washer if needed.

Their washer may be old too. As a last resort, you could gift them a super quiet Bosch front loader.

GypsyLee

Aw, you own your house, you sound like you need a detached property, they are great and any little noise doesn't disturb you.
Bookmark

Aye and you sound like you need a kick up the arse

@Kroebero

YABU we put washing on at night too, it’s not loud enough to bother us. I think this is part and parcel of you living in a terraced house and you should accept a little noise.

Our neighbour’s washing machine sounds louder than our own! They have their spin cycle on at around 5am and the noise wakes us up - it makes the wall vibrate making it sound worse.

I’m therefore aware of this and wouldn’t put washing on late as I know our other neighbour would be disturbed in the same way.

I’d never put washing on over night from a fire risk point of view anyway (as advised by the fire service).

Yabu
Nothing you can do About it.Use ear plugs.

My DH had an issue with me wanting to run the dryer at night as he was convinced he wouldnt be able to sleep and it would wake the kids, I just started doing it when he wasnt looking and he didnt even notice... now he doesnt care.

it seems to some people they think its so bizaare but its really common to run your washer/dryer at night.

I mean how loud can it honestly be in your bedroom after traveling through a fireproof terrace wall and another room? we cant hear our own running and its actually in our house.

@mam0918

My DH had an issue with me wanting to run the dryer at night as he was convinced he wouldnt be able to sleep and it would wake the kids, I just started doing it when he wasnt looking and he didnt even notice... now he doesnt care.

it seems to some people they think its so bizaare but its really common to run your washer/dryer at night.

I mean how loud can it honestly be in your bedroom after traveling through a fireproof terrace wall and another room? we cant hear our own running and its actually in our house.

As I posted above - our neighbour’s makes the wall vibrate and from our bedroom sounds much louder than our own washing machine does (we can’t even hear our own from upstairs). I imagine our neighbours are disturbed by their own machine, but we are - at 5am.

Our neighbours aren’t disturbed by their own machine.

It's cheaper to run machines overnight and people on smart meters are being encouraged to use power at quiet times through pricing so yes yabu it's annoying yes but it's kind of a trade off for living in a terraced house (and yes I'm terraced)

@JinglingHellsBells

Sometimes MN is another world!

I don't know anyone in RL who would think that late night machines which disturb sleep are acceptable.

Most neighbours would be considerate if asked to.

Not everyone likes to use ear plugs- they are not exactly comfortable.

OP- I think you ought to keep asking them to be more considerate.

For those posters asking why does the owner/ tenant issue not matter- it does.

If someone in rented accommodation makes anti social noise, they can eventually be evicted. Anti social noise is anything from 11pm - 7am. Sure , a washing machine is not a rave, but it's still very annoying and a bit selfish.

NO landlord on earth is going to evict a good, tidy and paying tennent because a random home owner neighbor objected, the homeowner isnt paying the rent and the landlord owes litrally nothing to them but does have to give rights to their tennent.

If there was a legal issue like late night parties with tonnes of people the landlord might evict for them breaking terms, damaging the house or causing issues with the council but having a washing machine is not punishable and the council litrally cant and wont do anything about it.