AIBU to ask them not to play musical instruments

[Lcb123]

We live in a flat, and the 2 people in the flat above are professional musicians. AIBU to ask them to restrict their practice to office hours Monday to Saturday? They have recently started playing before 8am and are playing now (Sunday 6pm). Sometimes they’ve played up to 10pm.
I’ve only once asked them before to stop playing as I was about to have an interview on Zoom and you could hear the saxophone in the background (asked them to wait 30 mins).

Office hours might be hard for them and also a bit unreasonable as if they weren't professional musicians they'd be within their rights to play in their spare time. But I do think before 8 and after 8 at night is unsociable. Ask them nicely and explain why

YANBU. And why on earth would musicians choose to live in a flat??

Because like many other people, they aren't paid enough to live in a nice detached house?

Maybe because there’s a housing crisis and this is the only place that was suitable? Or maybe that’s where they wanted to live? 🙄

@mycatisannoying maybe because professional musicians are so badly paid in this country that they can't afford to live anywhere else?

OP In any case it would not be unreasonable for you to ask them to stick to 8-8 and (if possible) to use mutes.

Looool I'm sure they'd prefer to live in a manor house in the middle of nowhere but musicians pay is absolutely appalling....

OP pre 8am isn't really ok but I'd personally be ok with anything up to say 9:30pm. They probably keep quite unusual hours and office hours could be a stretch.

8-8 is reasonable - maybe 9-8 at the weekends. Agree with using mutes too, if possible. Are they practising solidly during those hours, or is it intermittent?

Because they can't afford a house.....

For the same (and only) reason we live in a flat - that’s all we can afford in London. So I have zero judgment there

I’m a professional musician. I live in a flat. I play a loud instrument I can’t mute.

The agreement I have with my neighbours is 9-9 Mon-Fri, and at weekends I never start before 11am.

I have had different agreements with different neighbours before - from 7-7, to organising a pretty tight schedule with a flatmate when the first lockdown started and we were both suddenly forced to work from home full time.

Speak to them. Arrange something that works for both parties, even if not perfectly.

Unfortunately I cannot live in a detached house. I’m in a big city, where most people live in flats, and I earn an average wage which would never allow me to pay 2-3k + for a detached one or two bed. That’s the situation for most professional musicians. We’re not made of money, the opposite usually.

Also, if they play wind or string instruments, they should be able to use a mute for a little bit each day (30-60 mins if they’re doing technique regularly).

You could agree start and end times but sticking to office hours is unreasonable

Part of the risk of living in a flat really. They’re entitled to practice. I’d hate it personally but that’s why I’d never live in a flat again!

Thanks that’s good to hear you’ve come
to agreements. I completely understand them living in a flat, so will ask if they can not play early morning or late evening.

I think realistically you can't force anything on them beyond what the council restrictions are (8-8 most locations), like with building work and stuff. But I'm sure that if you chat with them you can find sth which works for both parties. For example, if you find it grating early in the morning, perhaps ask if they don't mind starting at 8.30, 9 or whatever. Likewise, if you prefer a quiet evening, or if there's a particular point during the day. I'm sure they will accommodate any reasonable request. But office hours (especially considering that most working musicians don't have them!) may be difficult.

I would't like the early mornings (as we'd all still be in bed on a non school day). Evenings fine unless there are small children. Sounds like they stop at a reasonable time. Be thankful they're not amateur musicians.