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AIBU?

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New neighbour, terraced house, seems to expect silence

779 replies

Bahhhhhumbug · 19/05/2021 01:34

New neighbour to my empty (atm) terraced property. As soon as moved in started sending me texts (got my number by asking previous neighbour she bought house off but that's a whole other thread) informing me there seems be a tv left on in the property.
She said l hope l didn't mind her texting me and she askedfor my number.
I texted prev. neighbours and queried whether their buyer knew my house was empty and she said yes as she had told her.
I have always got on very well with former neighbour so didn't 'pull her up' on giving out my number as was very out of character and just figured she got caught on the hop in what was a very stressful house move for unconnected reasons to this tale.
So l text back to new neighbour that yes l was aware and it was a radio left on a talking channel as the house was empty but thanks for letting me know.
Next day l get a phone call from her and she's all 'Hi (insert very shortened version of my name, which even the old neighbour never called me) and she tells me again the radio has been on all night (it hasn't its on a timer goes off about 11pm and a lamp comes on) because she ' can hear it ' l was l admit a little frosty with her as l was annoyed at these chummy texts and calls from someone who shouldn't even have my number and shouldn't have even asked for it imo though l accept old neighbour partly to blame.
I had to read between the lines at this point that she found it too loud so l said (without being asked) l would call next day, (which l did) and turn it down and move it to the far wall in the kitchen (no neighbours that side).
I've had another long text off her today after ld done all that saying can l please answer and confirm that l am going to turn it down (she wasnt in when l went round and obliged so obviously at this point didn't know l had already done so
) Whilst there l also checked upstairs l couldn't hear it wafting up the stairs which l couldn't whatsoever and l have good hearing. It is quieter than a normal volume speaking voice and you can only hear it after you've gone two doors into the house, it's about a volume 3 on Alexa equivalent.
Old neighbour when asked said couldn't hear it when l was in there and neither could l.
Shes rang me twice again now and l just ignored her in the hope she will text me and tell me what the fucks wrong now. She did then text saying she wants it switching off as she can still hear it.
She keeps bringing up that she works from home and l get impression she seems to think that means should be almost silence from neighbouring properties. Or maybe because the vendors told her my house was empty she had an expectation of it being completely silent.
If people moved in they would be entitled to watch tv, talk, have radio on etc and all at a higher wolume than one quiet radio. WWYD as she is really getting on my nerves now.
If l was a rude person l might suggest she should've bought a detached house maybe, but lm not.

Subject:
New neighbour, terraced house, seems to expect silence

Message:
New neighbour to my empty (atm) terraced property. As soon as moved in started sending me texts (got my number by asking previous neighbour she bought house off but that's a whole other thread) informing me there seems be a tv left on in the property.
She said l hope l didn't mind her texting me and she askedfor my number.
I texted prev. neighbours and queried whether their buyer knew my house was empty and she said yes as she had told her.
I have always got on very well with former neighbour so didn't 'pull her up' on giving out my number as was very out of character and just figured she got caught on the hop in what was a very stressful house move for unconnected reasons to this tale.
So l text back to new neighbour that yes l was aware and it was a radio left on a talking channel as the house was empty but thanks for letting me know.
Next day l get a phone call from her and she's all 'Hi (insert very shortened version of my name, which even the old neighbour never called me) and she tells me again the radio has been on all night (it hasn't its on a timer goes off about 11pm and a lamp comes on) because she ' can hear it ' l was l admit a little frosty with her as l was annoyed at these chummy texts and calls from someone who shouldn't even have my number and shouldn't have even asked for it imo though l accept old neighbour partly to blame.
I had to read between the lines at this point that she found it too loud so l said (without being asked) l would call next day, (which l did) and turn it down and move it to the far wall in the kitchen (no neighbours that side).
I've had another long text off her today after ld done all that saying can l please answer and confirm that l am going to turn it down (she wasnt in when l went round and obliged so obviously at this point didn't know l had already done so
) Whilst there l also checked upstairs l couldn't hear it wafting up the stairs which l couldn't whatsoever and l have good hearing. It is quieter than a normal volume speaking voice and you can only hear it after you've gone two doors into the house, it's about a volume 3 on Alexa equivalent.
Old neighbour when asked said couldn't hear it when l was in there and neither could l.
Shes rang me twice again now and l just ignored her in the hope she will text me and tell me what the fucks wrong now. She did then text saying she wants it switching off as she can still hear it.
She keeps bringing up that she works from home and l get impression she seems to think that means should be almost silence from neighbouring properties. Or maybe because the vendors told her my house was empty she had an expectation of it being completely silent.
If people moved in they would be entitled to watch tv, talk, have radio on etc and all at a higher wolume than one quiet radio. WWYD as she is really getting on my nerves now.
If l was a rude person l might suggest she should've bought a detached house maybe, but lm not.

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OP posts:
1frenchfoodie · 19/05/2021 03:25

Having this neighbour onside and watching out for any suspicious behaviour will be more valuable for crime avoidance than a radio that cant be heard from outside the property. So turn it off.

I’ve lived in plenty of terraces and semis, some with shockingly thin walls (think hearing neighbours plug something in or move hangers in their wardrobe) but hearing a constant faint noise from an empty property would still piss me off.

PinkSatinMoon · 19/05/2021 03:53

Turn it UP, then she will appreciate how low it actually was. Flowers

Guavafish · 19/05/2021 04:02

Turn it off and see if she complains

DeathStare · 19/05/2021 04:04

Your thoughts around this whole situation are completely illogical.

She can hear it. Clearly she can hear it or she wouldn't have known to mention it. You don't really think she peered through the windows, spotted a radio and thought "I bet that's on even though I can't hear it. Let's start some trouble with people who might be my neighbours for years" do you?

And if it can't be heard from outside, what's the point? Do you think a burglar breaks into the property and thinks "well this house is clearly empty, but I can hear Woman's Hour so there must be a team broadcasting in here somewhere I'd better leave immediately"?

NewIdeasToday · 19/05/2021 04:07

She must be able to hear it. Or she wouldn’t have raised the issue, as she wouldn’t have heard it.

So turn it off.

Completely unreasonable to do anything else.

SnappyMcSnapface · 19/05/2021 04:17

God, just turn it off. A barely audible radio isn’t going to be the thing that stops your house being broken into, and it’s clearly bothering your neighbour. What a stupid hill to die on! Please just prioritise the feelings of the person actually living with the sound.

emilyfrost · 19/05/2021 04:29

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CreamOrange · 19/05/2021 04:37

Turn the radio off. It's quite inconsiderate of you.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 19/05/2021 04:53

Noise transference between attached houses can be wierd.

When we first moved in, we heard our neighbours a lot. Heard them a lot less when we unpacked cushions and books.

She can either hear your radio, or its some other noise and she thinks it's your radio. Turn it off or down and see if she still complains.

Wiredforsound · 19/05/2021 05:02

Just turn it off. It’s completely pointless having it on.

Xanadu7 · 19/05/2021 05:08

Yabvu. Knowingly disturbing someone unnecessarily is just rude.

MintMatchmaker · 19/05/2021 05:09

How do you think she knows it’s on?

stalachtiteorstalagmite · 19/05/2021 05:13

YABU to keep the bloody radio on 8 hours a day. It is totally unnecessary. Just get a burglar alarm! Although if the house is totally empty I'm not sure you even need one of those!

ChocOrange1 · 19/05/2021 05:16

I do think you're being unreasonable in leaving the radio on when you know its disturbing her. Why would she make a fuss if it wasn't disturbing her, obviously she can hear it.

I also agree with others that a radio on intermittently isn't going to do anything for home security. If the radio is on from 9am to 11am and then off for a while, what happens if someone tried to break in at 11.05? If you really think it would deter people then you would want it on all day long, surely?

However I do think she is unreasonable to keep phoning, texting and emailing and to have asked for your details to do so. It doesn't bode well for the future. But if you're planning to sell the house and not live there yourself then it won't be your problem for long anyway, and you could just ignore her texts and calls most of the time.

At least having a neighbour with supersonic hearing might be useful if someone does break in, she is quite likely to notice!

ThinWomansBrain · 19/05/2021 05:17

If she is like this over a quiet intermittent radio, and you turn it off to suit her, WTF will she be like when people are living there?
Needs a detached house or padded cell

CeeceeBloomingdale · 19/05/2021 05:18

There is no purpose to a radio that can't be heard by burglars so just turn it off. Once it's occupied she will need to deal with next door sounds but for now stop pissing her off. Also leaving it on as late as 11pm is really inconsiderate, many people go to bed earlier than that.

burritofan · 19/05/2021 05:24

Turn the fucking radio off! Just thinking about your poor neighbour has driven my blood pressure up. It’s frustrating enough listening to neighbour noise or that ‘just at the cusp of audible’ TV/radio noise that you can’t quite tune out, let alone every day for set hours, knowing it’s going to go on til late, let alone that there’s no one bloody there!

How on earth is a radio a burglar deterrent? And in an empty house! There’s nothing to steal except the radio.

UCOinanOCG · 19/05/2021 05:25

Just turn is off I know I easily tune in to really low level sounds like that. It must be very annoying given it serves little purpose.

daretodenim · 19/05/2021 05:28

I think there is a purpose as OP has explained. And it's her property, she can do what she likes.

I'd definitely not go to her house to listen. That sets a precedent - can activities only be done in the house if neighbour agrees to the noise level?!

Who is on the other side of the neighbour? Is it possible she's hearing something from them and thinks it's from yours? If it really is the radio, she's going to have a rude awakening when actual people actually live in the house!

BorderlineHappy · 19/05/2021 05:28

Turn it off
It makes more sense to keep her onside as she works from home and can see and hear your house.

She's more likely to be cooperative if you knock the radio off.
Be a good neighbour and knock it off.

SugarCoatIt · 19/05/2021 05:32

I think the key word here is compromise.

Your radio doesn't have to be on over that time period and as other PPs have said, hardly acts as a full proof deterrent anyway.

rwalker · 19/05/2021 05:32

How selfish of you completely rude turn it off.

HannaHat · 19/05/2021 05:38

Yeah I’m on the neighbour’s side.
Turn it off.

Aquamarine1029 · 19/05/2021 05:42

Turn the fucking thing off. For fuck's sake.

CookieDoughKid · 19/05/2021 05:44

God this is awful. I have very good hearing and this would drive me mad. Just turn it off and be done!!

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