To think my neighbour is wrong to play music in the garden?

[InTheNameOfAllThatIsHonest]

I work from home (always, not just a few days a week or because of Covid) and my office opens onto my garden. The section of garden it opens onto is about three metres or so from the boundary fence that separates our garden from our neighbours'.

This neighbour (who we don't have the best relationship with for a number of reasons - but I should say he's attended anger management courses in the past and other neighbours warned us about him in the past) built some kind of permanent gazebo attached to the fence (which also takes light away from our living room but it's been there for longer than we could now report it so it's there to stay) and given they are a retired couple, they spend most of their days sitting there, smoking and playing music. When their grandchildren come over to use the temporary pool, it's constant shrieking (and throwing stuff into our garden!).

We usually don't say anything but today they have started playing some sort of techno music so loud that the people on my conf calls can hear it through my laptop microphone (I have the door open because of the heat).

I tried to call out 'hello? hello?' in a 'friendly voice' but nobody answered. So they either left the music going and left the garden, or just don't care at all. I am getting more and more annoyed at the fact that I might end up having to close the door because of their music, especially in this heat.

AIBU to think they should be more considerate? That when they built that structure attached to the boundary fence they should have realised they couldn't use it as if it where further from our garden?

And, more importantly, how can I get them to stop playing loud music? Thank you!

Use headphones and a mic. Then it won't disturb work calls.

Headphones make you really hot in this weather though... (I can't use in-ear ones unfortunately). But any other time of year that would be a good solution, thank you.

I also work from home permanently OP, as does my partner, and I’m sorry but personally I think YABU.

Both of us use a headset with a mic to avoid outside noise - given we’re also in the same house. If you flip this and think about your neighbours sitting in their garden listening to/being disturbed by all of your work conversations and meetings (because of the open door and using your laptop mic/speakers) all day long you may feel a little differently.

I know the opinion here seems to be that if you make noise and play music in your garden you are an arse, but if I wasn’t at work I’m absolutely certain I’d be out in my garden; making noise, playing music and enjoying the brief days of sunshine we get in the UK.

Also, what about when I'm not on a call?

@helpfulperson

Use headphones and a mic. Then it won't disturb work calls.

Why should she!

People who play loud music in the garden are anti-social. They should use headphones.

I WFH long term.
One ndn is a child minder.
Headphones, noise cancelling ones and if it's justified a desk Mic.
Even when it's hot.
It's not our neighbours problem we WFH (Normal living noise obvs not anti social.

I tried to call out 'hello? hello?' in a 'friendly voice' but nobody answered.

Knock on the front door then

Why should she!

Because that's the only guaranteed way to solve this?

@oneglassandpuzzled

People who play loud music in the garden are anti-social. They should use headphones.

It’s really not anti-social to enjoy your own outside space though… even more so during the daytime. If it’s banging on into the night it’s understandable.

It’s the 6 weeks holidays now in a lot of places, would you also get wound up by kids shrieking/bouncing on trampolines/splashing in pools?

Some people like noise, some people like quiet. If you like quiet you’re far better off moving to an area which is not so densely populated and therefore is naturally more quiet, surely?!

how can I get them to stop playing loud music?

Knock on their front door and ask them (politely) to turn it down?

And if they won't, close your office door, buy a fan and wear headphones.

YABU. You cannot expect to have a working environment at home and that your neighbours will enable that.

Home is home, where families all around you will be living their daily life. It is unreasonable to expect them not to enjoy themselves and play music because you’ve decided to make your home your work too.

If you cannot solve the problem with headphones or a mic, it is not feasible for you to WFH.

If it is your fence take it down

You could also just stick some music on in your garden snd see how they like it. Petty yes, but might make them realise how shit it is to have to listen to demesne else's tastes.

It’s the 6 weeks holidays now in a lot of places, would you also get wound up by kids shrieking/bouncing on trampolines/splashing in pools?

Oh believe me, at least a quarter of the threads will be complaining about exactly that, as soon as the ksids break up for the 6 weeks in the rest of the UK.

And about BBQs, wood burners, neighbours smoking, next door kids wanting to chat, squirrels farting...any outdoor activity really.

Theu sound annoying but yabu about the music. Its part of having neighbours. Either your work care enough to offer up an office or not.

I don't have an issue with people playing music in their gardens. But the speaker must be less than a meter from the boundary fence! Surely they know that means I'm having to listen to is as much as them? Their house is actually MUCH further from the speaker than mine. It's just driving me insane...

@RealBecca

Theu sound annoying but yabu about the music. Its part of having neighbours. Either your work care enough to offer up an office or not.

I'm the boss - and I don't want to go to an office. I also don't expect total silence from my neighbours - but maybe move the speaker away from the fence...

@WorraLiberty

It’s the 6 weeks holidays now in a lot of places, would you also get wound up by kids shrieking/bouncing on trampolines/splashing in pools?

Oh believe me, at least a quarter of the threads will be complaining about exactly that, as soon as the ksids break up for the 6 weeks in the rest of the UK.

And about BBQs, wood burners, neighbours smoking, next door kids wanting to chat, squirrels farting...any outdoor activity really.

Squirrels farting gave me a right chuckle @WorraLiberty

They're retired and playing techno - Wow!

Actually I've just realised how old I am :(

I don't think you can really complain about noise if you're working with the door wide open, of course you're going to get disturbed. Yes their music is annoying but what if they were cutting the grass, kids playing etc. Close the door and buy a fan or portable air con unit.

I think it's a bit much playing music all the time to a volume that disturbs work calls. Just gently in the background I wouldn't mind, if in an office you'd expect a background hubbub. Ask them to keep it down a bit.

It will probably be for a short time if you are in the UK though, I guess they won't be out much when the temperature drops.

I don’t think anyone should play music in a garden so neighbours can hear it. Unless it’s a party and neighbours are invited or warned. Think it’s really antisocial/thoughtless.
Hope you sort it out op.

but maybe move the speaker away from the fence

Well, ask them to, then! They may not realise what an impact it is having on you.

@oneglassandpuzzled

People who play loud music in the garden are anti-social. They should use headphones.

I agree. Loud music in the garden IS anti-social. I also think the same about it being played on the beach or in a park/in open green space.

It doesn't have to be loud to be enjoyed and if it's blasting away all day - even on "just" the "few" sunny days we usually get here in the UK, it's still spoiling someone else's enjoyment of their surroundings.

I don't see why it has to be 'loud' in order to be enjoyed - do they play techno at any sort of volume inside the house? If not, they're probably doing it specifically to piss you off because they know you can hear it just as well as they can when they play it in the garden.

There's enough fucking noise going on in the world, without some arse of a neighbour playing their choice of music loudly enough for their neighbours to be bothered by it. Selfish fuckers.

Apols for the swearing, but stuff like this really pisses me off!