To hoover at 11:30

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AIBU to hoover at 11:30am on a week day?

I live in a block of flats. It's an old building so reasonably poor noise proofing. Because of this, I am cautious about making noise at night or too early. We rarely hear our upstairs neighbours, but hear footsteps/cleaning etc. It's to be expected.

I was just hoovering my flat at 11:30am. I get a knock on the door. I open the door to my downstairs neighbour wearing their pyjamas. "I work nights" is all they say, with a glare. So I put two and two together and realised they were referring to the noise from hoovering. So I apologised, and explained I didn't know so would finish hoovering later. I politely asked "Are there any particular days? So I know when to best not disturb you". They replied "I always work nights, so keep it down". I apologised again, and wished them a good sleep.

Now I know what they do for work, and it isn't as a nurse/doctor or any other job which usually requires night shifts. I have only ever spoken to them once, and didn't think they were very friendly then.

How am I meant to hoover at night? I guess I could do it later in the day, but it needs to be light.

I hoover, use my washing machine and drier when it's convenient for me, not my neighbours.

Unfortunately, if you live in a block of flats with bad soundproofing, you have to live with some noise such as footsteps, hoovering, washing machines, babies etc.

Loud music, dIY etc is different.

In short... you aren't unreasonable to hoover in the liddke of a weekday.

The only way you were unreasonable was for apologising about doing something that is acceptable. You cannot be responsible for everyone else's routine. My husband worked nights for years and had to use really good earplugs because of noise. It is okay to take nights into consideration if you want an easy relationship with neighbours, and maybe they were exhausted and that's why they were non communicative about the issue, but the next time anything like this happens don't apologise! You haven't done anything wrong, and were actually very polite and nice to the neighbour!

You cannot be expected to be nocturnal because your neighbour happens to work nights and wants to sleep during the day, regardless of what job they do. Hoover whenever you want.

Tell her buy some ear plugs! 11.30am is reasonable time to hoover. Does she expect everyone else surrounding her to be quiet as well!

Ignore the door next time. Perfectly reasonable time to hoover. If you're afraid of confrontation etc maybe do it late afternoon when potentially night worker is up getting ready to go back to work. But honestly I'd just crack on.

I'd advise them to get a white noise machine. You will be making a rod for your own back if you give in.

If you hoover at night that will probably bother one of your other neighbours. I think your neighbour is being unreasonable, they work nights but they shouldnt be using that to dictate what other people do during the day. Most of us are awake, up and about during the day.

If you hoover in the evening then you risk bothering a neighbour with children going to bed. Hoover during the day. If you work nights then you have to put up with daytime noise when you live in a flat.

YANBU, if they don't like it they can wear earplugs, use a white noise machine or get a job that doesn't require night shifts.

They are being ridiculous. Not your fault they work nights.

And you'll get moaned at for hoovering too late. I'd just carry on doing what I'm doing. He should get ear plugs. Does he really expect everyone to be quiet because he works nights?

You’re in the right. I live in a block of flats and you have to accept a certain amount of noise. I would not hoover or use the washing machine after 10pm.

I’d tell them to piss off personally. Their job is the unsociable hours not you doing housework during normal day time hours.

I would not have agreed to not hoover in the day time given they were very rude. If someone wants to ask me a favour I am willing to listen but 'I work nights' is just rude.

YANBU to hoover at 1130am, even if your neighbour works nights.

The way they raised it was rather rude, and it doesn't sound as if they bothered to tell you what time IS okay. You'd probably have responded much better to "You probably haven't realised that I work nights; I wake up about <time> so if you are able to leave hoovering until then I'd really appreciate it."
11.30am is not unreasonable, but if I knew my neighbour slept until 2pm I'd try and work round it if I could (with exceptions if I had to go out before then, or if I smashed a glass).

Well, with an attitude like that he/she can GTF.

IF they'd said NICELY worked nights and ANSWERED POLITELY when you asked about the roster I'd have been happy to schedule my hoovering around their sleep times. But with that attitude they can fuck right off.

You don't need to hoover at night though? You can just hoover at say 4pm when they're up and getting ready for work?

I work nights. One of the hazards is knowing that people will still mow their lawns. hoover, shout, and make all the other noise that comes with normal life. If he doesn't like it he needs to get some decent ear plugs, or move.

My Dad worked 3 different shifts all his working life which encompassed night work and just got on with it. He had three kids and we lived on an estate with loads of families so it would have been impossible to expect everyone else to keep quiet. Your neighbour was not even asking you politely so my view would be she can get tae fuck. She needs to move, or install sound insulation in her flat or get earplugs. Meanwhile keep up the hoovering Op.