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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:
Joeblack066 · 17/01/2021 12:01

@Brefugee

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

No it's not relevant. But you had to get the dig in.

Just ask them again not to put on their washing machine before 7am and in the evening so it ends not later than 10pm

My thoughts entirely...
Brefugee · 17/01/2021 12:01

if the OP was being affected by a fault in the guttering or roof on the side of their neighbours, don't you think it would make a big difference to deal with the home owner or the local council? Or would you expect the neighbours to deal with it regardless

i would expect OP to talk to her neighbour and her neighbour to escalate it to whoever is responsible - pretty much as if they owned it, I'd expect them to handle it directly.

TBH this is one of those situations where the OP needs to talk to the neighbours again. OP's DH asked and they changed. Now it seems that it's still an irritant, so ask again. How about asking them to put on a wash and invite them round to listen (and yes - you could do this in a COVID compliant way)

Suggestions to the neighbour could include using a mat, moving the appliance away from any walls/cupboards it's next to etc etc.

After they have done that? they have pretty much done all they can and absent an agreement not to wash beyond 10pm (or whenever) then the OP can try some mitigating eforts?

A lot of the noisy neighbour threads boil down to never ever approaching the neighbour (for whatever reason) about it.

biddybird · 17/01/2021 12:01

I used to do this because it was cheaper at night (Economy 7). I had no idea my washing machine was right above the downstairs neighbour's bedrooms.

I was actually in violation of my lease, as it states that I am not to make noise that will emanate outside the flat after 11pm.

The housing association that owns the neighbouring property may have a similar rule?

Baycob · 17/01/2021 12:02

I had this issue many years ago. It was the only time I could do my washing and I needed my uniform washed. I ended up buying more uniforms and kept all washing until the weekend as I hate confrontation, but the request pissed me off. I explained why I was doing it, but she just nodded. So YABU.

BestWatcherInTheUnit · 17/01/2021 12:02

I think they are being unreasonable to run their washing machine overnight. We have the top two floors of a big terraced house with neighbours having the ground floor and basement. Our washing machine is in our kitchen which is above the kitchen but when it spins it shakes the whole house. We only run it during the day (between about 9 and 5) and I feel bad enough about that at the weekend!

That being said, it sounds like trying to get them to stop might be more trouble than it’s worth.

MrsR87 · 17/01/2021 12:02

It’s a tough one isn’t it! When we lived in an end of terrace, our neighbours seemed quite loud, but the walls were really thin! They were lovely though so we didn’t want to fall out with them about it and so never mentioned it as we figured they could probably hear us too.

You mention that they have children, perhaps they have a never ending laundry pile that needs tackling multiple times a day. We’ve got a nine week old and I must admit that my washer and dryer go on when I get the chance without having a baby attached to me...be it 3pm or 3am! Granted, I don’t have any neighbours to worry about but if it was a 3am poonami, I’d probably use the washing machine regardless.

I don’t think either of you are unreasonable...you just have different priorities. I guess you need to decide if sleep is worth causing potential tension for.

Robbybobtail · 17/01/2021 12:03

HI OP LANDLADY HERE!
If we received a complaint that one of our tenants was doing this, we would (after enquiring whether you had spoken to them yourself first) send a letter politely asking them to respect their neighbours in accordance with permitted noise laws from 11pm-7pm.

I'm surprised at all the posters who seem to think having your washer/dryer on in the dead of night is acceptable. It is antisocial and also very dangerous. My tumble dryer set fire last year and I dread to think what would've happened had we not been in the house.

Original poster
BornInTheWrongCentury · 17/01/2021 12:03

Thanks for all your replies and suggestions xx

My husband wasn’t specific about what time was too late to be a nuisance to us when he spoke to them, he just said it was really loud and vibrating up our wall and therefore disturbing our sleep. They apologised for the noise and it stopped for a couple of weeks before starting up again - just at an earlier time.

I don’t think it’s a good idea to go round to speak to them about it (judging by some of the responses I’ve had on here I’m even more worried about how they might react now!)

I think I will wait until I see one of them outside and thank them for not running it the middle of the night anymore, but mention that it’s still been really hard to for us to fall asleep with it running after 11, so would they mind trying to finish the cycle by 11... hopefully that’s not too unreasonable of me.

If they become as defensive as some of the posters on here, or argumentative, or refuse I’ll guess have to let it go and get on with the lack of sleep as best I can Sad

OP posts:
VinylDetective · 17/01/2021 12:03

I very much doubt I’m a nuisance neighbour, given that I’ve very amicably lived next door to the same people for over 20 years. I guess the difference is that they and we are of a generation that doesn’t expect other people to arrange their lives for our convenience.

UnicornAndSparkles · 17/01/2021 12:05

I'd politely ask again, and mention the noise levels in your bedroom. If I was your neighbour I'd be mortified and stop using the machine overnight! Sleep is important.

SoupDragon · 17/01/2021 12:05

it’s still been really hard to for us to fall asleep with it running after 11, so would they mind trying to finish the cycle by 11... hopefully that’s not too unreasonable of me

That won't coincide with the cheaper over night electricity though.

Brefugee · 17/01/2021 12:06

also - not sure what kind of machine they have but i have a lovely, very quiet, Miele and the absolute best wash in terms of economy and ecology is the 3 hour 30° eco wash. I use it for everything that doesn't need 60°

Also again, the HA might have a rule about not making nuiscance noise, but nobody can actually judge that unless OP gets the council in to measure it.

ukmail · 17/01/2021 12:07

@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.
That's so inconsiderate. Anyway, Op isn't talking about a little noise.
PenfoldPenny · 17/01/2021 12:07

Im really astonished by all the YABU on this thread. Seriously - if this was you and your life you would be ok with your neighbours keeping you awake until 1am most mornings. You'd just go to sleep with earplugs in and be ok with that??
OP, YADNBU. Its thoughtlessly annoying. No reason at all why they cant instead put it on before they go to work/in the daytime. Im shocked too at a washing load taking 3 hours - thats a whole lot of water/time - ours takes an hour.

ParlezVousWronglais · 17/01/2021 12:08

I’ll guess have to let it go and get on with the lack of sleep as best I can

Or alternatively speak to your council for advice and as a last resort they can measure the sound and tell you if neighbours are breaking the law! Probably not while in lockdown though.

Childrenofthestones · 17/01/2021 12:09

Just a factoid for the people putting on their washer/dryer before going to bed,

60 house fires a week are caused by washers or dryers. That's 1/3 of all house fires.

ukmail · 17/01/2021 12:09

Surely it's relevant that they are in social housing? It means that if things get really difficult Op has a landlord to go to.

Isisiris · 17/01/2021 12:11

Can someone explain to me why washers are cheaper to run at night? Is this countrywide? I never knew misses point of thread

Cokie3 · 17/01/2021 12:12

I have not RTFT yet, but people who want peace and quiet shouldn't live in terraced houses let alone buy them. Terraced houses (which I actually had to google what they are even are! and I was horrified anyone can live like that) are not a thing in the country I live in, thank goodness, except for the inner city. If you want to live the ordinary daily routine with normal hours and peace and quiet, terraced houses are the antithesis of that. Sell and buy a proper house. OR, put up with it. Many people are shift workers, so their living hours will be opposite to yours. Maybe your neighbours are not shift workers, but still, they should be able to use the washing machine and dryer whenever they want. Living right on top of each other like sardines means you don't really have the assumption of peace and quiet. Unfortunately it's the choice you make when you choose to live and buy there. I also wonder just how loud a washing machine and dryer can possibly be. It should be easily classified as just background noise outside, no louder than cars going by all the time, so unless you have issues getting off to sleep, you should easily be able to sleep through that, of all things. Unless the machines are rusty and clanging all the time. So, while it's not nice to have to listen to background or outside noise like that, you ABU to live in a terrace house and expect the same level of peace and quiet in a detached house.

dementedpixie · 17/01/2021 12:13

@Isisiris

Can someone explain to me why washers are cheaper to run at night? Is this countrywide? I never knew misses point of thread
Its only cheaper if you live in an all electric house with an economy 7 tariff (or economy 10)
biddybird · 17/01/2021 12:14

@Isisiris You can get an electricity tariff that varies the charges by the time of day. It's usually referred to as "Economy 7".

Lovely1a2b3c · 17/01/2021 12:14

@Cokie3

I have not RTFT yet, but people who want peace and quiet shouldn't live in terraced houses let alone buy them. Terraced houses (which I actually had to google what they are even are! and I was horrified anyone can live like that) are not a thing in the country I live in, thank goodness, except for the inner city. If you want to live the ordinary daily routine with normal hours and peace and quiet, terraced houses are the antithesis of that. Sell and buy a proper house. OR, put up with it. Many people are shift workers, so their living hours will be opposite to yours. Maybe your neighbours are not shift workers, but still, they should be able to use the washing machine and dryer whenever they want. Living right on top of each other like sardines means you don't really have the assumption of peace and quiet. Unfortunately it's the choice you make when you choose to live and buy there. I also wonder just how loud a washing machine and dryer can possibly be. It should be easily classified as just background noise outside, no louder than cars going by all the time, so unless you have issues getting off to sleep, you should easily be able to sleep through that, of all things. Unless the machines are rusty and clanging all the time. So, while it's not nice to have to listen to background or outside noise like that, you ABU to live in a terrace house and expect the same level of peace and quiet in a detached house.
That's a bit of a silly thing to say. Obviously for the most part both semi-detached and terraced houses are cheaper. In general anyone with the opportunity would choose a detached house.
VinylDetective · 17/01/2021 12:16

@Isisiris

Can someone explain to me why washers are cheaper to run at night? Is this countrywide? I never knew misses point of thread
Our electricity is on three different tariffs, the cheapest is overnight. We live in a house with gas central heating and it isn’t Economy 7. It’s just one of the plans suppliers offer every household.
RizzleDrizzle · 17/01/2021 12:17

Ok @murbblurb sorry I actually think your quite ignorant

So I’ve just looked in to this

To run a washing machine a around 16p per one hour wash: On average, a 6 litre load washing machine takes around 1 unit of electricity – roughly about 16p – to run an hour-long wash.

16p x what 3 loads a week =48p week

48x4 =£1.92 a month
Or 48x52 weeks a year that’s £24.96 a YEAR

economy 7 reduces the rates by up to half depending on supplier

But let’s take it down even by 5 p per unit that’s around 11p to run a washing machine for an hour then
11px3 loads of washing a week that’s 33p a week already a saving of 15p
33x4 =£1.32 a month saving a saving of 60p a month that could actually be a couple of tins of vegetables a month
33x52 weeks a year = £17.16 that’s a saving of £7.80 a year that could make the world of difference.

If your taking it as far as half the standard tariff
That makes it 24p a week 96p a month £12.48 a year!

That’s a hell of a lot of difference actually

But don’t let ignorance get in the way of calling people selfish pigs hay!

Robbybobtail · 17/01/2021 12:18

I have not RTFT yet, but people who want peace and quiet shouldn't live in terraced houses let alone buy them. Terraced houses (which I actually had to google what they are even are! and I was horrified anyone can live like that) are not a thing in the country I live in, thank goodness, except for the inner city. If you want to live the ordinary daily routine with normal hours and peace and quiet, terraced houses are the antithesis of that. Sell and buy a proper house. OR, put up with it. Many people are shift workers, so their living hours will be opposite to yours. Maybe your neighbours are not shift workers, but still, they should be able to use the washing machine and dryer whenever they want. Living right on top of each other like sardines means you don't really have the assumption of peace and quiet. Unfortunately it's the choice you make when you choose to live and buy there. I also wonder just how loud a washing machine and dryer can possibly be. It should be easily classified as just background noise outside, no louder than cars going by all the time, so unless you have issues getting off to sleep, you should easily be able to sleep through that, of all things. Unless the machines are rusty and clanging all the time. So, while it's not nice to have to listen to background or outside noise like that, you ABU to live in a terrace house and expect the same level of peace and quiet in a detached house.

Or, instead of the OP having to sell her house and scrape the money together for a new, detached house in the suburbs the (anti-social) neighbours could just run the washer from 8-11pm in stead of 2-3 hours later? It's called being polite.
Just to be

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