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?

We got rid of the economy 7 as it was already here when we moved in and it was an even more expensive, restrictive tariff - day and night originally.

YANBU. Not getting a good night's sleep in your own home is horrible. I have said to my DH that next time we move, I want to buy a house in the middle of nowhere because I can't bear noise! You say their kitchen is below your bedroom. Do you have carpet or hard floor in your bedroom? If the latter, would rugs or a carpet help to absorb the noise and the vibrations?

So do I.

There was a house fire near us last year caused by a tumble dryer. Family were out so unhurt but the house was trashed. I only run ours now when we’re in and awake.

@LaBellina

"You don't get to dictate when I do my Laundrey"

@LaBellina
Its called being a Consirdate Neighbours.!

You sound like you could be someone's idea of a Anti social Neighbour.!

Can't believe the number of inconsiderate people on here.

@AhNowTed

Can't believe the number of inconsiderate people on here.

Causing absolute noise and stress to their own neighbours no doubt !

I'm astonished that so many people use their washing machine or tumble dryer while they're sleeping.
My father had a habit of leaving his washing machine or tumble dryer running when he went to bed. About 3 years ago, he dozed off on the sofa and was awoken by a bang. Upon investigating, he discovered the glass door to the washing machine was black and when he opened the door, thick acrid smoke poured out of the machine. He was frantically opening all of the doors and windows to dispel the smoke.
Luckily, he had dozed off on the sofa because the fire brigade said it would have been much worse if he had been in bed.
Fire brigade do not advise leaving washing machines, tumble dryers or dishwashers to be left on unsupervised.
3 years later, much to my frustration, my father is back to leaving all of these appliances running overnight.
I'd rather pay a little extra and be safe.

@AhNowTed

Can't believe the number of inconsiderate people on here.

It's actually sad to think of all the people who have to put up with them. Sleep deprivation is just hell. Everybody agrees on that. Sadly it gets forgotten when it's about basic respect and manners for some.

It would be so easy (and safer) to put the laundry on at 8pm, finishing at 11pm which is a bit late for the noisiest part of the cycle but much less disturbing for the neighbours. And I wouldn't even put anything noisy finishing after 9:30-10pm personally.

It really takes no effort to be considerate. When neighbours are just as pleasant, everybody has a better quality of life

Suggest you put the wall back in that is allowing the noise to escape...

@GreySkyClouds

Suggest you put the wall back in that is allowing the noise to escape...

I'm sure that going into someone else's house to reconfigure the wall arrangement will go down well.

Really surprised at the responses, of course you don’t run a washing machine at night if u have neighbours!! Or, u know, do DIY, practice trombone...

@BornInTheWrongCentury I don't think YABU but I also think your neighbours ANBU by finishing when they do. I wonder if they are up at 1am to hang it out?

Maybe it's easier for them to have their washing drying over night when no one is using the space?

We don't have a tumble dryer so have to hang the load on an indoor airer and spend so much time wheeling it around out of the way.

Maybe you could speak to them again and ask them to finish by 12am.

Also you can get some lovely ear/eye masks online which help drown out the sound and can play white noise to fall asleep to as well. We've just got echo dots and I set the one in the bedroom playing ocean sounds for 15 minutes. I'm normally asleep before the ocean sounds stop.

Talk to them in the garden (2m apart!) make a joke out of it, be self-deprecating. Don't avoid the issue. Just talk to them. It may be that there's a bit of compromise from both households.

Interstate point though regarding shift workers if the OP worked nights so slept in the day would people expect next door to time their washing and hoovering etc so as not to wake them up?

I don't mind the washing machine or hoover, been used during the day while i slept. It's loud bloody music that annoys me from my neighbours.

vodkaredbullgirl, loud music, TV, loud talking on the phone.

Some of these comments are ridiculous!

So because you ‘choose’ to live in a terraced house or a flat (nothing to do with not being able to afford a detached house) then you should put up with noise from neighbours because what do you expect right?
But oh no OP is the snob for even daring to mention the words HA or council.

I can't believe peoples general instruction is to wear ear plugs.

I need quiet. I wouldn't want to wear ear plugs.

I would prefer it is others were considerate.

@Grapewrath

Sorry white goods noise which is considered regular household noise

During the day, yes. At night, no.

From a Home Office guidance document <a class="break-all" href="https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20200610232156/assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/364849/Noisy_neighbours_information_note.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20200610232156/assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/364849/Noisy_neighbours_information_note.pdf:
Not all noise is unreasonable, even if it is causing concern to the person hearing it. For example, it is not unreasonable for babies to cry, telephones to ring, people to walk around in their flat or use their washing machines in the day

For the purposes of noise nuisance, night is legally defined as 11.00pm - 7.00am. One of the grounds for complaint is that the nuisance is detrimental to the health of the neighbours, and sleep deprivation comes under that heading.

A key factor in this would be the frequency of the noise. Once a week, the OP wouldn't get anywhere. More often and the council should certainly take it seriously.

Sorry OP this sounds terrible. I’d try some ear plugs or ear defenders to see if these help you at all. As your husband has already asked them it would seem they have chosen now to ignore the request and on the possibility of things getting worse I would try anything possible on your side before having to speak to them again.

@Countdowntonothing

Love how all the 'be considerate' comments are complaining about the noise.

Why can't you be considerate of other people's finances or schedules that might be the reason why they are doing washing at night?

No, the noise aspect should take priority. Perhaps they should live away from everyone else if they cannot be considerate

I cannot imagine putting the washing machine on late at night, that’s so inconsiderate!!

The thing is if you live close to other people you have to be considerate. If it disturbs you they should change their habits.

I think it works in your favour if they are HA and I would complain directly to it. If your council is any good it might help. However, I was once told by the council that noise coming from a kitchen is okay because it is not a living area despite the noise travelling through the house and waking us up.

I cannot bear inconsiderate neighbours. I am only buying a detached in a very quiet street next.