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

temperaturemaster.com/why-do-electric-heaters-make-noise-7-common-reasons/

[quote chickenfried]temperaturemaster.com/why-do-electric-heaters-make-noise-7-common-reasons/[/quote]
Thank you. It's not radiators.

Yes washing machine, dryer possibly dishwasher?

Put a note through the door telling them it’s waking you up and could they please not use the equipment during the night

If it continues then either report to your local council, or is there a management company?

Thanks all, I've put a note through the door this morning. If it happens again I will report to the building management company.

mine paused in exactly the same way.. to the point i thought it was the neighbours having sex and the head board banging against the wall and he needed to take regular breaks.

it would go for 5 minutes then stop for 3 minutes then start again. then stop completely for hours. It would go first thing in the morning 4 am and then not go again til 3pm in the afternoon.

but ok yours is an appliance....

This is going to become the norm with surge pricing unfortunately.

Sounds to me like a squeaky bed and someone, rather tediously, 'at it'!

I immediately thought it sounded like a squeaky bed!

That sounds like a washing machine with a slightly maladjusted agitator, hence the annoying squeaking.

@chickenfried

mine paused in exactly the same way.. to the point i thought it was the neighbours having sex and the head board banging against the wall and he needed to take regular breaks.

it would go for 5 minutes then stop for 3 minutes then start again. then stop completely for hours. It would go first thing in the morning 4 am and then not go again til 3pm in the afternoon.

but ok yours is an appliance....

I literally heard it click with the door opening. It also sounds nothing like your video. I'm sorry but it is an appliance on this occasion.

@chickenfried also it's coming from their kitchen and we don't have radiators in the kitchen. We do have appliances.

It definitely sounds like a dryer to me. Rumbling, squeaky drum and pause then reverse. Not only unacceptably noisy but a serious fire hazard.

I think they must have had the same issue in my mum's block of flats as there are a lot of signs about not using washing machines from 11pm - 7am. It sounds maybe as though they've recently decided to save money (after hearing about energy prices). Assume as you have storage heaters there is a cheaper night tariff? Good luck OP.

@YellowAndGreenToBeSeen

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.

In this example you could put the machine on at 9pm when you get in and still put it out in the morning.

I live in an apartment and I hear the washer and dishwasher upstairs. I've seen some noise reducing mats you can put under washers that are quite good. Maybe the neighbors could use these?

Our upstairs neighbor was shouting, screaming, laughing really late one night so I went made at the managing agent. I also mention quiet enjoyment. Now quiet enjoyment strictly means the landlord cannot harass you. But there are cases when it means that if the landlord or managing agent knows the issues and does nothing they are liable. That noise never happened again.

Our managing agent is useless at solving anything. Bizarrely they seem to think the onus is on the tenants to get along when most stay for a year at most and I didnt move here to be friends with neighbors. But you could suggest the mats (in writing) as an attempt to be reasonable? Also mention the broader definition of quiet enjoyment.

My washing machine beeps. Drives me batshit. And we are not supposed to put it on after 9.30.

PolkaSpace

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

This. People upstairs of mum sounded like they were tap dancing every evening. They had laminate floor and no idea how noisy they were walking around with shoes on. One came down to listen, they apologised and it stopped immediately.

@YellowAndGreenToBeSeen

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.

It's not tricky, it's inconsiderate

Are you in the same room?
That squeaky washing machine is incredibly loud!
That would drive me crazy, too.

Noise in flats and terraced houses can be really bad, sound almost being amplified in some cases as it passes through thin flooring.

Definitely have a word- that machine sounds incredibly squeaky and ancient.

@BlackeyedSusan

My washing machine beeps. Drives me batshit. And we are not supposed to put it on after 9.30.

Beeping ought to have an automatic cutoff after a few seconds. Neighbours beeping drove me crazy They had a computer that beep beep beeped every 5 seconds to let them know they had an email. It went on constantly morning, noon and night while they were away.

@Iamanicepersonreally

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

It could well be this. Givne though that Economy 7 time period usually runs either 11.00pm to 6.00am, 12.00am to 7.00am or 1.00am to 8.00am,id have thought they could probably shift this to either earlier at night or later in the morning.

Though tbh, that level of noise that the op recorded really doesn't sound particularly intrusive to be breaking any rules regarding noise etc in a block of flats and could well be the op's sensitivity to any sounds.

This reminds me of when my upstairs neighbour got a new girlfriend and I thought they were enthusiastically shagging for hours some evenings - turns out it was jeans in the new tumble drier!

I could only hear the banging of the rivets/button not the general whirr so it would be rythmical for a bit and then pause for a bit - I thought he was doing well for an old bloke!

@chickenfried

mine paused in exactly the same way.. to the point i thought it was the neighbours having sex and the head board banging against the wall and he needed to take regular breaks.

it would go for 5 minutes then stop for 3 minutes then start again. then stop completely for hours. It would go first thing in the morning 4 am and then not go again til 3pm in the afternoon.

but ok yours is an appliance....

Why are you being so aggressive? The OP has explained that it's not the heaters, and it absolutely does sound like a squeaky tumble drier.

Is it a constant noise?

Just a friendly reminder that it is a fire risk to use appliances like this at night.