New neighbour, terraced house, seems to expect silence

[Bahhhhhumbug]

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.

Back to top

Yabvu

It’s in your best interests to turn it off. A neighbour dispute won’t look good if you want to sell and if you antagonize her she might report you/lodge a dispute against you. Plus your house is empty and a concerned, SAH neighbour is a better ward off for burglars than a radio.

Just ignore everything.

How anti social to leave a radio on all day in an empty house! Yes, the lights might deter burglars but not the radio and compare that with how terrible it is for the neighbour and it is no contest. Switch it off. Apologise.

@Bahhhhhumbug you should go and turn it off without telling her and see if she still messages saying she can hear it?

I think the two most logical points (which OP hasn’t refuted) have already been made.

1. Burglars are going to watch the house for a bit before breaking in, as @isthismylifenow said, and they’re going to realize the house is empty, whether you have a radio, lights, or even a disco ball on a timer. Lots of burglars actually want to make sure there’s no one home, and will rob houses in the afternoon (after lunch but before school pick-up), which is why your best deterrents are a dog and nosy neighbors who are home all day... LIKE YOUR WFH NEIGHBOR IS. She’d probably be your biggest ally in not getting robbed, because she’d be the one to call police.

1. What is there to steal, if the house is empty? (As @apalledandshocked pointed out). Most burglars want electronics, valuables, things they can sell quickly for cash - iPads, laptops, gaming consoles, jewelry, etc. That’s why they watch a house or neighborhood of houses and mark the “right” ones first; an empty house doesn’t have any of those things.

I’d turn it off to be honest!

We live above an older chap who has his tv on 24/7. Can’t hear it during the day really with other noise but at night when I’m laying in bed 2 floors up all I can hear is his damn tv all.night.long because everything else is so quiet.

The protection of your property is your problem not hers and the last thing you want to do is end up in some sort of dispute with the neighbours and this causing issues when you come to sell. Maybe just have it on during the day if you really must and neighbour agrees this is less disturbing.

I’d be furious if I was your neighbour.

There are lots of ways to make a house appear ‘lived in’ over leaving a radio on in an empty house.

It’s different to hearing TV when you know someone’s watching it (that’s just irritating), but someone purposely causing you stress is infuriating.

It’s baffling that you think a radio loud enough to be heard outside the property can’t be heard by the neighbour.

Ironically having a friendly neighbour keeping an eye out probably would have been a much better burglary safeguard than all of your efforts. I’m not sure why you’re so determined to burn that bridge.

I would just turn it off.

Once it's getting on your nerves, repetitive noise can drive you round the bend.

If someone was living there, fine, but only a psychopath would leave it on when there is no-one living there and it's driving the neighbours mad.

I know done will suggest it's your house, you can do what you like, but we all have to do our best not to be antisocial in densely populated places. We're all dependent on each other to preserve our peace of mind.

Yabvu for no reason at all. Turn it off.

Honestly, YANBU and your neighbour sounds like a nuisance.

When someone moves in, is she going to expect them to never talk or watch television? If you’re buying a terraced house, you have to expect some noise.

Maybe most of the people who would find this annoying live in detached houses and don’t know what to expect in a Victorian (presumably?) terrace?

I have misophonia. This would drive me mad, hearing sounds of people living is so different to EIGHT hours of radio in an empty echoey house!

You are VERY unreasonable, and selfish, but you don't care what anyone here has to say anyway!

Maybe most of the people who would find this annoying live in detached houses and don’t know what to expect in a Victorian (presumably?) terrace?

Maybe 600+ posts in, that has been addressed? 🤔

@CatalinaCasesolver

I have misophonia. This would drive me mad, hearing sounds of people living is so different to EIGHT hours of radio in an empty echoey house!

You are VERY unreasonable, and selfish, but you don't care what anyone here has to say anyway!

I don’t know what type of property you live in, but with this presumably you wouldn’t choose a terrace house or a flat in a period building?

I live in a city, and in a terrace house. Believe me, there are soooo many noises all around me. Intermittent radio that’s quiet is nothing! I used to be able to hear full conversations when I lived in my old place. I still sometimes can in my new place.

While noises don’t bother me, if they did, I would absolutely not choose to live in a period terrace.

So it's on at random times. What happens if a burglar turns up when it's off? Kind of negates having it on at all, doesn't it? She can hear it. She is trying to work. YABVVU. She's your new neighbour. Don't you want to be on good terms with her? Turn the thing off and put her out of her misery.

@HannaHat

Maybe most of the people who would find this annoying live in detached houses and don’t know what to expect in a Victorian (presumably?) terrace?

Maybe 600+ posts in, that has been addressed? 🤔

Fair enough! I read all the OP’s responses, but not the majority of the other replies.

@Notsure6 good for you. I have lived in terraces and currently a flat and as I said, I have no problem with 'living' sounds. A repetitive radio sound for 8 hours a day is unacceptable in my opinion.

Have lived in old terraces and semis, and yes, this would annoy me.

I’ve never really encountered the non-stop noise that many posters seem to suggest is entirely normal in these properties. A bit of TV and radio, people moving about or having guests over, but I’ve had generally considerate neighbours and there’s been a lot of peace and quiet too.

I’ve read so much mn on neighbours now, though, that I feel I’ve been freakishly lucky and am put off moving to another in future!

Low level radio noise all day long would drive me bonkers. I don"t mind normal people noise, but a constant background hum of voices would do my head in completely. As it's obviously doing hers.

I don't understand what you think it's doing, anyway, if it's too low to hear from outside. If someone breaks a window and comes in what are they going to steal in an empty house? The worst they can do is damage your window and door, and they will already have done that.

It sounds like your new neighbour is trying hard to be nice about this. Be equally nice and turn off the radio.

And why does the light come on at 11? Who had their lights on from 11pm to morning?

That would utterly piss me off. l love peace and quiet in my home. I find my neighbour's tv and radio annoying as it is, but at least I know he's enjoying it, and he's a nice man. I can't believe you think you have the right to disturb her when you're not even there.

[quote Bahhhhhumbug]@Meghansego please RTFTorat least my posts.[/quote]
I’ve lost the will to live to read it all.

It really isn't difficult just to read OP's posts if you're going to bother to respond, @Meghansego. MN does put them into different colours and provide a "See all" function, after all, and you risk making yourself look a bit daft if you make a point that has already been negated.

@Zzelda

It really isn't difficult just to read OP's posts if you're going to bother to respond, *@Meghansego*. MN does put them into different colours and provide a "See all" function, after all, and you risk making yourself look a bit daft if you make a point that has already been negated.

I was too exhausted to read it all after reading the 80odd posts of the girl who fancies the older man at work. 👀

@keeptheaspidistra

Why are you posting in Aibu when you have clearly decided you're not being unreasonable? I would most certainly expect an empty house to be silent to be honest. If it's loud enough to have any impact and give the impression someone's home from the outside then stands to reason it's loud enough to bother you're neighbour. Why are you being an arse about it?

So what if you expect an empty house to be silent? You can't legitimately expect that state of affairs to continue for ever, nor can you reasonably object if there is normal household noise emanating from it. In this case, it's not as if OP has a TV up against the party wall or a teenager playing loud heavy metal music or children shouting in the garden, after all.

I don't really think that the fact that it might be loud enough to be heard at the windows or doors automatically means that it's loud enough to bother a neighbour, either. It doesn't necessarily mean that the sound travels much further and, if you live in a terraced house, you can't expect absolute silence from your neighbours.

I was too exhausted to read it all after reading the 80odd posts of the girl who fancies the older man at work.

So why bother to comment if you're that exhausted? Let alone to keep commenting?