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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not expect neighbour to use washing machine overnight

583 replies

BornInTheWrongCentury · 17/01/2021 09:39

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?

OP posts:
Staffy1 · 17/01/2021 15:19

YANBU. I would think they should be more considerate of noise like that after 11:00pm.

Cokie3 · 17/01/2021 15:20

Why can't people say the other couple are 'renting'? It could be privately rented, or publicly rented (social housing). We get the message if you say you own and they rent, we don't need to know it is social housing. Renting is renting, and it's a lot nicer just to say they rent, and doesn't give off any judgement.

Murmurur · 17/01/2021 15:24

If they have a timer on the machine they might be happy to move it to later after you've fallen asleep.

Brefugee · 17/01/2021 15:24

If I was renting I would contact my landlord or social housing organisation to ask how we could resolve the matter in a way that’s fair for both of us. I don’t want to upset my neighbours or stop them living their lives,

you know that in countries that have a lot of renters neighbours handle this kind of thing by speaking to their neighbours

it is absolutely nothing to do with the landlord unless laws are being broken and even then it is up to the police and the local authority.

Derekhello · 17/01/2021 15:24

It’s probably because of economy 7, but I feel your pain. I had a neighbour in the flat above me who would get out of bed at midnight/one o clock/half one in the morning to use hers, ( I know this because you could hear all movements especially at night when it was quiet so I’d even hear her get out of bed! 🙄) I don’t think it was because of a cheaper rate because she used it all day as well, the noise was deafening at night 😫 She was an arsehole. Live in a terrace now, I have economy 7 but never have it going after10 pm or before 8 am. I don’t want to be that neighbour

PixieLaLa · 17/01/2021 15:24

YANBU
Of course it’s anti social to put a washing machine on in the middle of the night. The same goes for DIY/hoovering/loud music past a certain time, sadly some people just aren’t as considerate as others.

(FYI as soon as you even mention HA/council it’s like a red rag to a bull and you will get a lot of unkind, unhelpful and defensive comments regardless of the context.) 😂

BikeRunSki · 17/01/2021 15:26

@Cokie3

Why can't people say the other couple are 'renting'? It could be privately rented, or publicly rented (social housing). We get the message if you say you own and they rent, we don't need to know it is social housing. Renting is renting, and it's a lot nicer just to say they rent, and doesn't give off any judgement.
I think the OP mentioned social housing in case there was any recourse to the housing association, rather than to be snobby?
Happyone8 · 17/01/2021 15:27

You could also as a last resort consider moving your bedroom to another room ( assume you have more than one bedroom) if kids or other person occupies other room than they may not wake with this noise . I know my ds sleep through anything.
Good luck op , I truly empathise and wish people would be more considerate neighbours, especially when made aware of problems .

BadNomad · 17/01/2021 15:36

Make sure you have a smoke detector in your bedroom, OP. If their machine does catch on fire, it's you who is right above it.

Persianparadise · 17/01/2021 15:38

Our old neighbour, we ended up moving. Was a mindless idiot of a women. Well known to the police. She used to do her washing, hoovering and I’m not kidding bath her child at approx 2/3am. She didn’t work, plus other things I won’t go into, but for two years it was utter hell. Washing machine was the worst. It was a newish terraced build and our bedroom was at the front and her kitchen downstairs at the back of the house. Well I could feel the house vibrate during the night on the final spin. Hair dryers, hoovers at 3am. Everything is louder at that time as it’s quieter outside, so it seems worse. Anyone saying this is normal has a screw loose. As it isn’t. There was only so much the council could do. We ended up moving. But this was an extreme case of neighbours from hell.

Almostslimjim · 17/01/2021 15:39

Yabu. I work shifts. Laundry gets done when I can, and yes sometimes that's middle of the night. I also shower at odd times. I don't expect my neighbours to be quiet when I'm sleeping in the day, I don't think they can dictate when I run my washing machine.

JinglingHellsBells · 17/01/2021 15:40

I think the world has two types of people - the considerate, and the rest.

I was brought up in a small semi with thin walls. I was told, as a child, not make a noise because of the neighbours.

My parents still live in that house.

They won't vacuum at odd hours if they think the neighbours are in (he does shift work) and my mum even shuts her kitchen cupboard doors gently to avoid any noise.

The neighbours on the other hand (who are renting!) are some of the noisiest who have ever lived next door. They are nice and kind, but not considerate about noise in the way other neighbours were over the years.

JinglingHellsBells · 17/01/2021 15:41

@Almostslimjim

Yabu. I work shifts. Laundry gets done when I can, and yes sometimes that's middle of the night. I also shower at odd times. I don't expect my neighbours to be quiet when I'm sleeping in the day, I don't think they can dictate when I run my washing machine.
You sound inconsiderate tbh.

It's not about dictating, it's about showing consideration and being a nice person.

Shortysoso · 17/01/2021 15:42

YANBU. Neighbour above us did this and we asked them not to and they stopped. People asking ‘how bad can it be?’ have never tried to sleep through it, it makes our Windows and door rattle and sounds awful. Luckily they understood and are very nice and understanding people. Good luck OP, it’s horrible not being able to relax in your own home.

Viviennemary · 17/01/2021 15:48

It's cheeky of them. They're probably on that ridiculous economy seven if it's still going.

PattyPan · 17/01/2021 15:50

Yanbu, I think it’s really anti-social to do washing late at night as the spin cycle can be loud. We are mid-terrace too and when our neighbour does her washing it rattles our radiator loudly so I am very glad she only does it in the daytime!

vodkaredbullgirl · 17/01/2021 15:56

Surely they can't be doing it every night?

Soontobe60 · 17/01/2021 16:04

Actually, in lots of flats people are not allowed to run washing machines at certain hours precisely because it does disturb other residents.
I’d speak to them again - ask them if they’d put their machine on spin and come up to your bedroom to listen to it so they can see what this issue is. Also, get a meter to record the decibels, it would give you an indication of how loud it actually is.

Iknowwhatudidlastsummer · 17/01/2021 16:11

@Cokie3

Why can't people say the other couple are 'renting'? It could be privately rented, or publicly rented (social housing). We get the message if you say you own and they rent, we don't need to know it is social housing. Renting is renting, and it's a lot nicer just to say they rent, and doesn't give off any judgement.
AGAIN because the advice will depend on the situation of the neighbours? How hard is that to comprehend Hmm
PaddingtonsSister · 17/01/2021 16:15

Its vastly cheaper at night we run our washer and dryer every night Your neighbours have already tried to change times but its still not good enough for you. Get some sound insulation on your floor and hope you never need them to be understanding about noise like a crying baby

Iknowwhatudidlastsummer · 17/01/2021 16:17

You could just hoovering at 2am, batch cooking at 3am banging every pots and pans and see how the neighbours actually enjoy the "normal life noise" when they are the ones who have to put up with it...
I bet none of the posters on here would be so understanding Grin

CF rely on other people not behaving as badly and being the nuisance, not the victim of it.

Looking at the attitude on here, I would keep a diary and keep complaining to the council.

user1467048527 · 17/01/2021 16:23

No, finishing at 1am still isn't good enough when we're talking about keeping people awake.

Sometimes reading this site is like dropping into an alternative universe.

Nanny0gg · 17/01/2021 16:29

@VintageStitchers

YABU. Buy ear plugs.

It’s a washing machine so a normal household appliance. It’s not classed as a nuisance in law.

You should try living in some areas where people think nothing of partying and playing very loud music at 4am most nights of the week.

It's not a normal appliance in the middle of the night!!
Nanny0gg · 17/01/2021 16:29

@PaddingtonsSister

Its vastly cheaper at night we run our washer and dryer every night Your neighbours have already tried to change times but its still not good enough for you. Get some sound insulation on your floor and hope you never need them to be understanding about noise like a crying baby
Do you know how much cheaper?
PaddingtonsSister · 17/01/2021 16:33

Ours is 1/3 of the price on the Economy 7