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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

New neighbours - noise

31 replies

elmleemum · 21/12/2021 22:50

Recently some new neighbours moved in to the other side of our semi. The previous occupants had been there for ten years and we never once heard a noise from them even though they had 2 small children. We assumed the walls were pretty solid and soundproof. We were wrong. A new family has moved in with slightly older children and we hear everything. Every word, every argument, every Tv programme. I am in bed now and can't sleep as I can hear exactly what they are watching as I watched it earlier and can hear the dialogue it's so loud. It's so disturbing / I have to put a fan on all night in my daughters room or else she can hear them or their TV and can't sleep . What do I do?! How do I politely let them know that we can hear everything? We NEVER heard the previous owners so either they were exceptionally quiet or these new ones are exceptionally loud!! It's just so odd it's like the walls have suddenly gone paper thin in every room. My husband wants to move but we have been here a long time and own our house / they are just renting next door so I am hoping they don't last long! Any ideas on how to let them know they are disturbing us or if I even should?

OP posts:

FenceSplinters · 21/12/2021 22:54

‘Just renting’
How judgmental are you!

TheHoptimist · 21/12/2021 22:57

@FenceSplinters

‘Just renting’ How judgmental are you!

Not judgemental at all The OP means that they might not be there long- as she says.

LittleRoundRobin · 21/12/2021 22:58

Get several white noise machines. They work a treat!

Or you could mention to them that they are very loud. I doubt it will go down well though, as people don't like being told what to do in their own home, even when they are 'just renting... '

KarmaStar · 21/12/2021 22:59

Hi op I feel for you.
Have they taken the carpets up so it's louder?
You could invite one of the adults around and perhaps whilst you're having coffee they will hear the noise and realise how much it's affecting you without you having to mention it.
Or you could just simply ask them to be more thoughtful.
Yes they have a right to live the way they want to,before anyone butts in with that,but so does the op.
The first thing you need to do is talk to them and see what type of person they are.
Good luck.

Itsalmostanaccessory · 21/12/2021 22:59

@FenceSplinters

‘Just renting’ How judgmental are you!

No. The OP means they might not be there long. If they bought then she would know it was longer term and moving might be a good idea. With renters, it might not be a long term thing and moving would be a pain in the ass.

senorafridgidaire · 21/12/2021 23:01

I could have written this post a few years ago. After several polite requests to keep it down and promises they would, to no avail, we put the house on the market...just 3 weeks after they moved in. I'd had noisy neighbours before and couldn't take it again!

Billandben444 · 21/12/2021 23:02

Did the previous people take the curtains with them and have the new people removed the carpets? Soft furnishings soak up a lot of noise and laminates and window blinds can be the devil.

RandomKettle500 · 21/12/2021 23:03

Maybe they have no soft furnishings so noise isn’t being absorbed. Can make a big difference.

Snowmanuel · 21/12/2021 23:04

@FenceSplinters

‘Just renting’ How judgmental are you!

That was your takeaway? Where was the judgement? It was a fact.

Icenii · 21/12/2021 23:05

You can report them OP. Coucil will have you download an app to record the noise. First you must keep a log. If you wish, you can try and talk to them.

Original poster

elmleemum · 21/12/2021 23:06

No judgement here - I should have clarified as I meant just renting in the short term (as the old owners are planning to come back after a period being moved away with work) so my husbands idea of moving house is a bit extreme as I know they won't be here forever whereas we planned to be here for a few more years yet !

OP posts:

firefly123 · 21/12/2021 23:06

Poor you OP. Sounds awful. Maybe pop round and politely request that they keep it down. Hopefully they don't realise how noisy they are. But really sympathize as this is my worst nightmare!

Original poster

elmleemum · 21/12/2021 23:11

Thanks for all the advice so far / it is hard as I kind of want to point it out in case they didn't realise and I would want to know if it was me. If they don't like what I say then I guess I have to learn to live it with it. If I do decide to tell them then I don't know how to do that politely as I don't know them that well! DH doesn't even want to drop a Xmas card round as he is so annoyed!

OP posts:

Lunificent · 21/12/2021 23:14

I do t think you’re going to be able to get a whole family to moderate their noise levels.that’d be like asking them not to be themselves.
So you either live with the noise, hopefully temporarily, or leave.

DaisyNGO · 21/12/2021 23:14

@elmleemum

Stop worrying so much about politeness. As long as you're not rude.

Just stick to the facts. I'd leave a note myself but you might prefer to go in person.

I wouldn't put up with the noise. Tell them.

StrawBeretMoose · 21/12/2021 23:15

@elmleemum

In that case I'd sit tight. There's no guarantee if you move that you won't end up with similarly noisy neighbours, and your old neighbours will be back.

When DH mentioned noise to our neighbours they said the walls of our semi are really good because they never hear us. No, we're just not noisy bastards, they are ridiculous, we hear conversations, music, and arguments.
We're not moving until we can get a detached house.

JustAnotherOpinion21 · 21/12/2021 23:19

Could always speak to their estate agent/landlord and ask for them to speak to the tenants for you.

Floyi · 21/12/2021 23:20

@FenceSplinters

‘Just renting’ How judgmental are you!

She means they're likely to move on sooner rather than later. How judgemental are you!

Original poster

elmleemum · 21/12/2021 23:23

Thanks all for the inputs which have given me some different thoughts . I am going to sleep now as the TV has finally gone off and will read again tomorrow!

OP posts:

middleager · 21/12/2021 23:27

I feel your pain OP. My neighbour has decided to let out his house (adjoins ours).

We've been really unlucky during our 5 years here. When we moved in, there was a noisy family, but they sold up after six months for work, they sold to a single guy, who was quiet, but started a motorbike up at 5am each day, then he met someone and sold to another single (quiet) guy. All was well this last year...

Now he's moving into the city centre and renting the house out.
A young family has moved in this weekend and I can hear everything. The house is all wooden flooring and blinds downstairs. It was the same with the first young family.
My husband tried to soundproof when we first moved in and put in a stud wall, but it hasn't worked.

I think carpet makes a big difference.

I feel like you, and wonder if we will need to move, but it's hard with short term lets and when we love our home in other ways.

Dottybackorcid · 21/12/2021 23:29

Op I know what you mean, the house nextdoor to me used to have an elderly gentleman living in it for over 12 years it was lovely, unfortunately after he passed away, it was bought and rented out the last 3 tenants have been a bloody nightmare the first did drugs and dealing caused no end of trouble, the one after played music all hours and partied ever weekend into the early hours, the last too e out were drunk constantly, always arguing and blasting music. On every occasion I have spoke to then politely first, then usually they have ignored it and I have sent them a polite letter. Some times it works for a while but always comes back to the same. You have a couple of options if this fails first consider any formal complaints you make if they are still there when you come to sell you will have to declare it. So you can try to ignore it or fight back and get them to move. CCTV is a good detergent as it makes them think twice about doing things to you and your property if they turn, it also gives you evidence if you need it. This last time we had had enough and my DP went round and pretty much told them straight, after we had received abuse for months and told them to move or he would sort it once and for all. Luckily they chose to move. If you have no other choice contact the local council for noise and your local police for anti social behaviour, one of our ex renter's got a behaviour order even after they moved. It can be done but it is always very stressful.

ChiefWiggumsBoy · 21/12/2021 23:30

I hope it might just be amplified as school has finished, it's the holidays and everyone is home.

I think I'd send a Christmas card round introducing yourselves and have some idle chit chat - where've you moved from, how old are the kids, hope the noise doesn't travel too much the walls are paper thin! Then if after Christmas the noise is still untenable, I'd drop round again and just mention that you can hear everything and would they mind either moving the tv or keeping the volume a bit lower? Don't set them up on a sour note a few days before Xmas, for both your sakes.

DespairingHomeowner · 21/12/2021 23:36

It may be to do with change of flooring/furniture position…. ask them if they’ve taken up the carpets. Is there anything you can do to dampen the noise at your end?

Onautopilot · 22/12/2021 01:54

As ChiefWiggumsBoy suggests, but if that falls on deaf ears, pun intended, you could try plan B. Send the DC away for a night, wait until the tv/ music dies down then indulge in really noisy, long, headboard banging (against the dividing wall) sex. Could be fun, may get the message across

Onautopilot · 22/12/2021 01:54

Pressed send too soon...could win you a BAFTA.

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