What is this noise? Should I ask neighbours to stop

[User7257543]

Hello,

We moved into our flat as tenants about 5-6 weeks ago. We have a youngish guy and girl above us but haven't met them yet, they are also tenants. Recently we keep getting woken up at around 4am to this sound which we think is their washing machine. We heard it in the day this week so went up to ask what it is and if they could keep the noise to daytime hours but they wouldn't answer the door! Thinking I might need to put a note through the door but want to be sure it is a washing machine.

I'm aware with the energy costs it might be more economical for them to run it through the night but I'm really struggling to get back to sleep once woken up at 4am so can I ask them not to do this?

Recorded the noise and you can listen here:
soundcloud.app.goo.gl/kHRQ7reCLtxqbsd67

It kind of does sound something like a washing machine or a dryer....I don't know what the beeping sound is though...

Yes it definitely sounds like a washing machine. How frequently is this happening? I might tolerate it once a week but not more than that. I would try again to speak to them in person before putting a note through the door though.

It's so weird because until this week it was just during daytime so no issue. But this week we have been twice woken at 4am and this morning (Saturday) 6:30am. I would prefer to still be asleep right now!

You could try knocking again, but if they won't answer, you could put a note through saying you are being woken by something noisy at 4am (washing machine?) Please could they restrict it to the daytime.

Some people would sleep through that, so they might not realise that it's a problem. I'd try to speak to them face-to-face.

Imo it's really antisocial to run noisy stuff during the night, unless you live in a detached house where it doesn't disturb anyone.

I'd explain that it wakes you up and ask them, politely, if they'd stop doing it.

Dishwasher?

You should be able too but enforcing it can sometimes be difficult.
Most leasehold tenancies have a requirement regarding noise, and this is usually reflected in the tenancy agreement. The one our letting agent uses says no excess noise after 11pm or before 7.30 I think.
If you can't get them to answer the door you could put a note through the door, keep a copy. If no joy raise with your managing agent for the block or your landlord's letting agent.
YANBU

Speak to your letting agent / landlord.

They can check the terms of the lease for the building, as there may be something prohibiting the running electrical items overnight.

I put my washing machine on a timer for 5am so it’s freshly washed at 7 and I can put it on the airer before work. Could it be a similar situation?

However I live in a detached house so it’s not disturbing anyone !!

My washing machine and old dishwasher both bleep at the end of the cycle.

Well you could knock on their door at 4 am and ask them to switch it off.
If it's on at that time I would guess it's on a timer so surey they can alter the timer to a bit later or earlier - but I don't really know much about timers on washing machines.

Hmmm. It’s tricky - I set my machine to be finished when I wake up. Means I can hang the washing out during the day and it’s dry when I get home. I’d be loathe to change that I’m afraid. I work very long hours, often leaving the house at 7am and not getting back till 8 or 9pm. My time to do laundry is limited.

And to me that sounds like the drum squeaking not a beep as such?

@Mykittensmittens

I put my washing machine on a timer for 5am so it’s freshly washed at 7 and I can put it on the airer before work. Could it be a similar situation?

However I live in a detached house so it’s not disturbing anyone !!

This is exactly what I assume they are doing

@YellowAndGreenToBeSeen - but do you live in a flat, though? I work similar sorts of hours but think sometimes people vastly underestimate how much noise comes down from general living and I'm afraid if my neighbour did that and used being "busy" as an excuse, it would be a complaint to the freeholder and she'd be sent a cease and desist notice as they are very good at addressing noise issues, and 4am would not be seen as an appropriate time no matter how busy you were!

It's probably on a timer so they are not awake when it goes on. I think it's really reasonable to go and speak to them in the day / evening. If they work long ours like PP says they can set the timer for it to wash & finish by the time they get home from work, hang it out once home that evening and it stays up through the night and next day- I work long hours and this is what I do.

They are often in during the day though. Most days we hear someone play an acoustic guitar for an hour or so around 3pm.

I thought it could possibly be due to energy prices.

Yeah just stick a polite note through. Often in flats it's hard to know how much the sound travels through the floor.

It sounds like a washing machine. I set mine to wash at night because I'm on Economy 7 and it's three times cheaper at night. Luckily I'm detached so it doesn't disturb anyone. I'd suggest trying to speak to them again

I did live in a flat and used my machine at that time, yes. No one ever complained.

I think it's a dishwasher. I can hear my neighbours one doing the same thing. I even hear the beep when it's finished and spent a few days hunting for a mysterious beep in my house.

Chat to them and maybe get them to listen to how it sounds from your flat. Maybe just lifting it onto some blocks would help?

Maybe they could still save money by putting it on at midnight to be ready for the morning, but you'd be in a deeper sleep at that time? 4am is a crap time to try and go back to sleep, I'd be annoyed too OP.