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?

I can sympathise. I once lived in a house share and was next to the kitchen (where the WM was located). One of my housemates (a chef) always came in late and put on a two hour wash at sometime after midnight.

The spin cycle was incredibly loud! I could hear the kitchen units/cupboards vibrating and it often kept me up till 2am.

I’d genuinely have preferred a loud tv on somewhere as at least I couldn’t feel the vibrations from that and earplugs would’ve been effective.

On a side note I’ve got some Mack’s foam earplugs. They’re fairly cheap for a box and claim to give the greatest db reduction of foam ones - defo better than the cheap ones you get given at places.

Just realised they do several types. Mine are called the ‘maximum protection’ ones.

Maybe they are keywords? Hubby is and puts his clothes in the washing machine straight after he gets home and wash them straight away . When he's late shift he gets home between 10pm and midnight and that's when his clothes get washed and dried 🤷‍♀️

YNBU . I’m very surprised to read the comments of so Many people ignorant of the basic behaviour and blatantly refusing to aknowledge that produsing noise that can be heard outside their home is forbidden at night . I’ve read so much nonsense and stupid comments that really worries me

Mack’s soft silicone earplugs. The best- great them from Amazon.

Any from Boots are rubbish

It’s unfair really if they know it’s below your bedroom. I sometimes put my dryer on at night but that is because I know my kitchen is next to their extension away from the bedroom

I couldn't afford to pander to a neighbour, a washing machine is an essential so evening you were to complain to the council or anti social behaviour team they'd tell you it's within their rights to wash at a time like that

So not keeping your neighbours awake into the small hours is pandering to them? I'm glad I'm not your neighbour.

And no, in most councils they actually specify that noise from washing machines is not a nuisance 'during the day'. At night it is different. If the noise is causing psychological damage, and recurrent sleep deprivation comes under that heading, then councils can and will intervene.

YABU. People have a right to do their washing when it is convenient for them.

Don't be ridiculous, of course you can't complain to the council about someone using their washing machine at a time that doesn't suit you.

I listen to audiobooks at night on my phone if I wake. I listen to eg wildlife, the countryside, ?Astronomy - anything that isn't riveting or scary, more gently burbling. It distracts me from daytime worries and allows me to drift off- also there is a timer so you cAn set it to turn off after a while. DH sleeps soundly and isn't disturbed. It's next to me anyway. I suggest trying that - there will probably still be sounds from the w machine but I think it would be enough of a distraction for you to sleep. There are free books from your local library app.

@jgjgjgjgjg Yes I can apparently according to the local council.

@momtoboys

YABU. People have a right to do their washing when it is convenient for them.

They don’t, though. There are laws against it.

I think a lot of people would change their tune after a few months of their wardrobe rattling every night at 2am!

I'd complain to the landlord. I Specifically don't use loud appliances after 10pm because I consider other people. I get that it may be cheaper to run the machine at night but it's also selfish and they are aware that it bothers their neighbour.

You definitely need to speak to them again.

What time does it stop now?

They are selfish inconsiderate arseholes

Complain away
Or put baby shark / washing machine / hoover/ pneumatic drill sounds on a loop at maximum volume park the speaker next to the wall then go out for a very long lockdown walk

@alexdgr8

i would never run anything that generates heat at night, for safety reasons. i think it is unwise to leave such appliances running when unattended; there have been several house fires started this way. i understand your point and think it is reasonable, OP. but if the neighbours don't have the same attitude, it may be more hassle. could you sleep the other way up, with your feet towards the wall. might help a bit. if it is rented, how come the previous occupants took down a wall. and you say these ones have made many improvements. are you sure it is rented. usually tenants do not/ cannot make structural changes. all the best, OP.

@alexdgr8 The temperature drops at night so it would be logically safer to run these items at night than during the day. Most of these fires are started by not cleaning out the lint, so that would cause a fire during the day or during the night, when it happened doesn't matter, and wouldn't make a difference. That the dryers were used at night and caught fire, or used during the day and caused fire is simply coincidence. It would have happened during the day. Lint fires are lint fires, they don't have a day vs night preference.

@teachmehow14

It is annoying but I think you’re being unreasonable. Growing up my mum worked until late and would only be able to get the washing done when she got in later in the evening. Sometimes this meant running the dryer throughout the night so that our school uniforms were dry. Neighbour lent out of her window one night and started banging on ours with a broom to complain about the noise, my mum made it clear that she was only doing the washing/drying then because that was the only time she could and actually the neighbour was apologetic and didn’t complain about it again.

That is how these situations should be handled. Good to see the neighbour was apologetic and finally understood. Too many on this thread think it only goes one way, the selfishness is incredible, only bested by the amount of people on here who truly believe they are right, and not themselves being selfish. Good to read an account that had a good ending. That neighbour is the type of neighbour we need more of.

This is definitely all to do with cost saving, where I live is is just over 50% cheaper to run these appliances after 10.30pm and before I go to bed I always turn on my dishwasher, washing machine and dryer. I'd be your nightmare neighbour 🙈 Maybe the reason they don't appear poor i.e. nice car, holidays etc is because they make wise cost saving decisions like this? Think you'll just have to get the earplugs tbh...

Get some earplugs the blue ones are great

Cokie3
The temperature drops at night so it would be logically safer to run these items at night than during the day. Most of these fires are started by not cleaning out the lint, so that would cause a fire during the day or during the night, when it happened doesn't matter, and wouldn't make a difference. That the dryers were used at night and caught fire, or used during the day and caused fire is simply coincidence. It would have happened during the day. Lint fires are lint fires, they don't have a day vs night preference.

I only run tumble dryers / washing machines when I’m awake for safety reasons. DH knows my views on this and also only runs the appliance if one of us is awake.

I’m well aware that lint fires, or any other sort of appliance fire, doesn’t have a day vs night preference. If the appliance was going to catch on fire it could do so whenever it’s used.

The major issue though, is that if I - or DH - is awake when the washer / dryer is running, then that maximises our chances of noticing any fire early, and it maximises our chances of making sure everyone gets out of the house safely.

If we’re all asleep and the washer / dryer catches fire, then that increases the risk that things have got totally out of control by the time an adult is alert enough to realise what’s happening and start responding to the emergency.

Even with smoke alarms fitted, I’d rather we be awake when the washer / dryer is running, just in case.

This would annoy me, I'd mention it again saying you are very tired and need to sleep much earlier than you have been able to. My previous neighbour would vacuum at 3am and evict her very lively Cockapoo into the garden right by my bedroom window to bark. I purchased ear plugs which gave me the most horrific and painful ear infection. I've been terrified of using them ever since.

Not sure the Council would do much, or sholud do much.

However I'm surprised at the amount of 'YABU' you're receiving or people thinking that running a washing machine at night is acceptable behaviour!!! Especially now we are in lockdown they can liekly run it often at whatever time they please. Only the other morning my DP was about to put the washing on at 7am and i asked him to wait an hour as we live in a flat with lots of neighbours who dont WFH and therefore might still be asleep...it's just common courtesy

@Liana2021

I always put my washing machine during the night and sleep through it. I’m so surprised that you even mentioned it to your neighbours TBH. I understand you’re trying your luck here but it’s unreasonable to tell them when to use their appliances. Maybe that’s the only time where she finds time to load it after the kids are in bed? Maybe they just unload it in the morning as part of their routine? It must be incredibly loud though for you to have sleep disturbance over it. Does your DH have the same annoyance at it or is it maybe an overreaction (quite natural) of something that annoys you?

It takes only a few mins to load a washing machine!!!- sorry I don;t buy that that is the only time they can do it! What if she needs to take a shit in the late morning? If it's not in the rota does she just hold it in all day until midnight? Takes about the same amount of time....