Why do my neighbours insist on sitting in their front garden?

[vnk21]

I am sure this makes me unreasonable but the incessant noise is giving me the rage.

I WFH, in an upstairs room at the front of the house. Today it's about 26 degrees here so I have the windows open. And all I can here is next door.

There's currently an entire family of them outside (mum, dad, and various kids). The parents have garden chairs out in the front garden and the kids are kicking a ball around - all of them are making a load of noise. Plus every time anyone walks past they have to engage them in conversation.

The houses in this street have small front gardens, Theirs is paved, and the size of 1 large car. Their back garden is at least twice the size. Why would you not sit out there?!

I'm not expecting silence, but the incessant shouting/screaming is so bloody irritating - especially when one of them goes indoors and they carry out a yelled conversation from the house to outside! First thing this morning it was lovely, birdsong and (because it is a relatively busy road) cars going past. But their noise is far more irritating than cars going past.

There's no solution other than closing the windows (and sweating in the heat) is there? Or hoping for rain.

I appreciate it's only a week and the schools will be back next week (so at least I should get some quiet 9-3), but I'm concerned they're going to be like this for the whole 6 weeks holiday which will drive me mad!

Can you close the window and get a fan?

I’m sitting in my bedroom with the windows open and (blackout) curtains 90% closed and it’s much cooler than when I had the windows closed and the fan on.

It’s kind of nice that they use all their gardens. Perhaps move to the back of your house for a while (until the sun moves and they all decamp to the back!)?

I feel your pain, op.

The ball is kicked against the fence, or onto the pavement (or into the road). That's now been abandoned in favour of chucking water over each other and screaming.

It's not council but it rather fits that stereotype. A friend dropped off some shopping yesterday (when they were all out there) and said 'why are they all in the garden like that?' with a face.

I can't easily move to another room, as I have a 3 screen set up for work, there isn't room for it elsewhere, plus I have a wired internet connection in here rather than using wifi which is patchy elsewhere in the house.

The reason I opened the windows was because there's quite a nice breeze today which was cooling. I think I'll have to go down the headphones and/or fan route.

Have you not told them that everything must revolve around you? How dare they be happy, it's just not on.

I know how you feel (see my post about screaming children). It is irritating when you are trying to work or relax but if you say anything YOURE the grumpy one lol. No advice I’m afraid but yanbu

You didn't expect council posters to take the comment about coucil behaviour happily did you? 😂

I've WFH for years.
Headphones are my solution, stops me being nosey too.

It's not really about whether they sit at the front though. It would be quite possible that the room you work from is at the back of your house, and you'd be complaining about them sitting in the back garden.

On a sunny day of course people are going to sit in the outdoor space they have and chat - complaining about that it crazy!

I don't get it either. Especially when there's a larger, more private back garden.

It's more relaxing there, reading a book and stripping off in hot weather, not sitting out the front like I'm waiting for a bus. Or even worse, watching other people who are waiting for a bus.

I would be interested to know why people prefer it though.

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Oh to add to this, I am council. I have also owned my house outright, fully paid... but things went drastically wrong. So when you judge people for the accommodation they live in, maybe you need to stop before you speak!

I put YANBU to find the noise irritating, but I also think they ANBU to enjoy the front for whatever reason.

Could you move to another part of the house? Get ear plugs? A fan? Are you on good enough terms to mention how loud they are? And ask, as a favour, that they keep their voices down? They might be embarrassed if they didn't realise they were shouting and check their volume (they also might not).

It's not council but it rather fits that stereotype. Oh OP your undertones are now uncovered.
Move to the back of the house, don't be a fun sponge the sun is shining, schools are closed.
In fairness my area is private however totally WC.

Get over yourself, I know who I would prefer to live next too. Maybe think about moving 🤔

I have no problem with people being happy. Incessant shouting and screaming is bloody irritating though.

Just now the mum went indoors to get a drink, and all I can here is [kids name repeated several times] until kid bellows back 'WHAT MUM?'
Mum then shouts DO YOU WANT ORANGE OR BLACKCURRANT'
Kid WHAT? WHAT?
For a good 5 mins until finally their drink options, and choice, is established.

Meanwhile the others are tipping water over each other and doing that high pitched squealing.

I think most people would find that at least a little annoying!

I like our front garden, however it's a similar size to back, and is quite private (corner plot). I am sure they have their reasons and will have other things to do than sit out all day.
A fan would be good for cooling and white noise.

Sounds like they're having a lovely time in half term, good for them

It sounds very annoying but that's all to do with their behaviour and the fact you're WFH.

It has nothing to do with their choice of garden.

I do plan to move, but will not be in a position to do so for several years. In my next house I will be a lot further than 6ft from the neighbouring property.

Just to say, I am in a semi detached - the neighbours on the attached side also have children of similar ages. However they make very little noise (sometimes I don't even know they are home). So kids doesn't have to equal incessant noise.

If you were working in a room at the back of your house and the neighbours were in the back garden, you'd have the same issue. You have neighbours as many of us do, and unless it's at unreasonable levels, noise from neighbours is an expected part of living in a street.

It's a government conspiracy to get everyone back to the office.🤔

The woman opposite me, not only sits in her minuscule front garden, she has a huge hot tub in it. Her and the kids are in it all day in the summer. I feel sorry for her neighbours, both of which are decent people. Even from my back garden, 200 yards away, I can hear her screeching at the kids all day 😒

@vnk21 YANBU. As a few posters have said, I have the same opinion of people who sit sunbathing, and sprawled all over their front garden, with tacky garden furniture and naff blankets, as I do of people who have trampolines, barbecues, and hot tubs.

And as for the posters getting annoyed by it, and calling people snobs, have you not got a front garden you need to sunbathe in, a hot tub to jump into, a barbecue to fire up, and a trampoline to erect, so your kids can bounce up and down on it annoying people?