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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Next door neighbour and normal volume of household noise?? (Sorry, a bit of a saga!)

127 replies

ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 23/10/2022 22:13

New neighbour, 50 year old divorcee moved in about a month ago. There's a thread on here about an incident where I had my TV on at 11.15 pm not realising how late it was and she came round to knock on the door and say it was too loud, so I turned it down, and all seemed OK after I'd apologised. We live in mid terrace houses and both our houses have a dividing wall on both sides and my TV is on the wall. All fair enough.

The following morning I saw her and she said that her daughter thought she'd been a bit OTT but as far as I was concerned and her too, it seemed to be resolved. She then involved me in a lot of chat, asking me if I swear because she does, asking if I own or rent the property (I own outright, she rents it privately, I know the landlord) and asking about my relationship status all whilst telling me how she's a private person and keeps herself to herself but went on to tell me about her exes, her bitches of sisters and her parents who are dead and said she didn't care a fig about her mother and didn't want another man again. All TMI for me and certainly for someone who claims to be a private person. This was the third time I'd met her, the first two being a brief encounter on the doorstep when I was leaving for work the day after she moved in and the second when I dropped a welcome card and flowers round.

Since then I've been overly conscious about the TV and have had it on too low, in fact, and been a bit paranoid if I'm honest and have strained to hear it. I work full time, leaving the house about 7 am and often I don't get home until 8 or 9 because of late sessions at work, visits related to my small business after work and the gym or social stuff. I will run the vacuum over the downstairs at that time when I get back, but not for long. (I have 6 cats). I usually load up the washing machine at night (not every day, obviously) and switch it on about 6am because I have the Economy 7 tariff. I put the TV on but keep it below 24 volume.

This afternoon I was doing some tidying outside the front of the house and she walked up with some shopping. I'd thought she was in, as her car was outside, but she said she liked to walk to the local Sainsbury's, and she started chatting. I asked her if she'd settled in and she told me about how she was putting her own stamp on the place, and she liked the house to be perfect, cleaning every morning and every evening and she liked girly bling and glitz and pink glittery stuff around.

For conversation I said I was catching up on housework because I'd been out a lot in the evenings recently, and she told me how she likes to be on her own at home and quiet, and doesn't drink or smoke (I don't smoke either, and very occasionally drink) and she is a very quiet person, doesn't have her TV on loud, only puts the washing machine on after 10am because you never know who is having a lie-in on the street, is considerate when she does her vacuuming, is quiet as a mouse shutting her door and the car door and likes to be on her own and quiet.

She told me (again ...) she doesn't want a man in the house, in her kitchen, bed, bathroom or at her table ... for conversation I said that many of my friends are happy single too, and then she told me it's "bloody lonely".

Went on to tell me how she doesn't do the neighbour thing but then told me how she gave a birthday card with money in it to the 2 year old girl across the road, a family I don't know well since they moved in over lockdown. More revelations about swearing and how she was brought up in a swearing family, that made me cringe.

I'm not noisy, I don't slam doors or make noise in the house nor have people round for loud social events but I do have things to do around the house and I consider what I do normal. I've no intention of changing my routines either (I can't, not related to work) and I'm not planning my household or social schedule to fit in with the woman next door.

I appreciate this is a long tirade, but do you think she is passively aggressively (or however you say it) trying to set out how people should behave around her? Apart from the loud TV that one evening, I've done simply normal things around the house. Now I am watching TV on a sound level of 15 that I can hear and that is to me normal. I have no idea how she can hear my washing machine that is next to the wall that divides with the bloke next door, not her.

There just feels something off about this. Or I am massively overthinking. What do you think?

OP posts:
LookItsMeAgain · 24/10/2022 08:42

The next time she walks up for a 'chat' or whatever, I'd make my excuses to leave the conversation as quickly as possible.
"Oh, Neighbour would you look at the time, I've got a roast in the oven, and I've got to save it, so it doesn't overcook" or something (even if you don't).

Don't read anything into what she is saying about pets or noise. You're allowed to live in your home. I don't know the make/model of television you have so I can't say if 24 is very loud but if it is mounted onto a party wall, I can't imagine that the sound just stays in your property so it might be worth investigating and possibly investing in some sound suppression between the walls of your house to hers.
You could get an automatic vacuum cleaner or perhaps if you were out, you could get a cleaner to come in during the day to clean your house. I don't know how much of the property you let your cats roam in but where they go, there will no doubt be cat hair and possibly dander so, while it might be harsh, I'd try and limit the rooms they can go in.

Just going on what you've said in your posts like.

WeepingSomnambulist · 24/10/2022 08:43

And just to echo others, 24 is really loud on most TVs. Mine is on at 8 right now. It was 12 and I had to ask my son to turn it down because it was just too loud.

Wishyfishy · 24/10/2022 08:53

I appreciate this is a long tirade, but do you think she is passively aggressively (or however you say it) trying to set out how people should behave around her?

Yes I think so. She only puts her washing machine on at 10am in case of lie -ins is definitely a dig at your 6am routine. A washing machine at 6am is certainly not anti social however. No not rise to her digs.

We had a next door neighbour who constantly complained at our noise (children in garden etc). What she wanted - basically to live next to an empty house - was unreasonable and you can’t keep making concessions when you are doing nothing wrong.

If I were you I’d ignore until she actually has the guts (if ever!) to ask you to stop using it at 6am or whatever else she asks. Then say sorry no, that low level of noise wouldn’t count as antisocial noise and this is what works for you.

SaltedCaramelIcedLatte · 24/10/2022 08:54

I think you are reading way too much into this! Your neighbour does sound lonely and seems to like talking to you! Carry on with your normal routines and if she has a problem with anything she will obviously address it directly!

edenhills · 24/10/2022 08:58

Move your TV to an internal wall rather than the party wall if you are feeling paranoid.

MichelleScarn · 24/10/2022 09:00

ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 24/10/2022 08:33

I'm not friends with the landlord. I said I know him not that I'm friends with him. My friend is friends with his daughter that's all. I only know him to chat to when I bump into him.

When she said she didn't want a man in the house she also said "no pets" with a visible shudder knowing I've got several cats.

If you've said to her 'you know her landlord' she may also have thought meaning as friends?

ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 24/10/2022 09:04

LookItsMeAgain · 24/10/2022 08:42

The next time she walks up for a 'chat' or whatever, I'd make my excuses to leave the conversation as quickly as possible.
"Oh, Neighbour would you look at the time, I've got a roast in the oven, and I've got to save it, so it doesn't overcook" or something (even if you don't).

Don't read anything into what she is saying about pets or noise. You're allowed to live in your home. I don't know the make/model of television you have so I can't say if 24 is very loud but if it is mounted onto a party wall, I can't imagine that the sound just stays in your property so it might be worth investigating and possibly investing in some sound suppression between the walls of your house to hers.
You could get an automatic vacuum cleaner or perhaps if you were out, you could get a cleaner to come in during the day to clean your house. I don't know how much of the property you let your cats roam in but where they go, there will no doubt be cat hair and possibly dander so, while it might be harsh, I'd try and limit the rooms they can go in.

Just going on what you've said in your posts like.

I have a cleaner once a fortnight. That doesn't make an impact on day to day cleaning though.

However I have six cats, no carpets (wooden flooring throughout but I have rugs) and when I get home there's tumbleweed fur everywhere. As I have asthma I have to vacuum daily. The cats have the run of downstairs.

I've turned the TV down to 9 after this discussion and the loudness was that one night only.

The previous occupant and the guy on the other side have never said anything like this and I've never heard their TV, vacuum cleaner or washing machine either.

When this woman moved in she gave me chapter and verse about the people in her flat complex. Compared to them I'm a Trappist monk.

OP posts:
ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 24/10/2022 09:05

MichelleScarn · 24/10/2022 09:00

If you've said to her 'you know her landlord' she may also have thought meaning as friends?

I've never told her I know the landlord. I've told all of you on Mumsnet but not her.

OP posts:
ZeroFuchsGiven · 24/10/2022 09:20

I leave the house at 7. I get home often 9pm. I'm usually out of the house most of the weekend

And you have 6 cats? How bloody selfish! And gives the impression you are selfish in other ways too.

ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 24/10/2022 09:23

ZeroFuchsGiven · 24/10/2022 09:20

I leave the house at 7. I get home often 9pm. I'm usually out of the house most of the weekend

And you have 6 cats? How bloody selfish! And gives the impression you are selfish in other ways too.

What I think about your opinion echoes your username.

OP posts:
NoSquirrels · 24/10/2022 09:23

You should carry on with your life - it sounds fine, hoovering at 9pm and all.

But if you did want to make your life easier, then I can highly recommend a robot vacuum cleaner for keeping pet hair down - we have a Eufy, best £150 or so I’ve spent for some time. It’s quiet, runs every day when you set it to, so it can do twice a day if you really wanted, and if you’ve got asthma sounds like a good investment for your own free time after work if nothing else.

goldshimmerystar · 24/10/2022 09:41

I think that in a terrace hoovering at 8-9pm is too late. I live in one and wouldn’t hoover at this time.

It’s a little early to have a washing machine on too, when the machine is right next to the neighbours’ wall. Our neighbours puts theirs on earlier than 6am and the vibrations wake us up at 5-6am. We’ve never complained but it has made me aware of how much the vibrations travel, so we wouldn’t put ours on that early.

Also the sound coming through from TVs on a wall is much louder than if the TV was on a stand. My parents’ are in a semi and their neighbours have their TV on the wall - the sound is awful, it can be heard really loudly in my parents’ house.

CatOfTheLand · 24/10/2022 09:51

Not because of your neighbour, but have you considered a pet hair specific robot vacuum that you can switch on remotely? We've got multiple cats and set x2 to go off on timers during the day when we're out. They're pretty quiet and mean we come home to a cat hair free house most days.

Suggesting this more to save you time / help your asthma than because of your neighbour.

(You'll still need to Hoover now and then because it's not perfect but a lot less).

ZeroFuchsGiven · 24/10/2022 09:52

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ChaToilLeam · 24/10/2022 09:57

She probably is getting a few digs in. I wouldn’t react to anything other than a direct complaint however. She sounds trying but harmless. Just carry on doing normal things.

ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 24/10/2022 10:00

goldshimmerystar · 24/10/2022 09:41

I think that in a terrace hoovering at 8-9pm is too late. I live in one and wouldn’t hoover at this time.

It’s a little early to have a washing machine on too, when the machine is right next to the neighbours’ wall. Our neighbours puts theirs on earlier than 6am and the vibrations wake us up at 5-6am. We’ve never complained but it has made me aware of how much the vibrations travel, so we wouldn’t put ours on that early.

Also the sound coming through from TVs on a wall is much louder than if the TV was on a stand. My parents’ are in a semi and their neighbours have their TV on the wall - the sound is awful, it can be heard really loudly in my parents’ house.

It isn't right next to anyone's wall. It's underneath the window in my kitchen. The wall by the side of it is the party wall with the man next door, whose washer is in the same position. I've never heard his machine going.

The point about the TV has been taken. I hardly have it on anyway, two hours in the evening max.

OP posts:
ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 24/10/2022 10:03

@CatOfTheLand That's a good idea about the robot vac. I'll investigate it. Thanks.

OP posts:
Name99 · 24/10/2022 11:27

OP I have cats and this thing is a life changer, it's perfect for hard floors and gets cat hair up better than all the pet hair vacs I've tried, the dry wipes on the mop
It's silent and very effective.

Next door neighbour and normal volume of household noise?? (Sorry, a bit of a saga!)
ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 24/10/2022 11:44

@Name99 thank you!

OP posts:
Name99 · 24/10/2022 11:49

ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 24/10/2022 11:44

@Name99 thank you!

Your welcome.
The dry wipes were on offer at wilkos, I turn them over to get 2 uses out of them so they don't work out that expensive
much better than vacuuming pet hair up, they use static.
I love them

SpeckofDustUponMySoul · 24/10/2022 11:57

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eatsleepwinerepeat · 24/10/2022 11:57

This won't be popular but I think people who put TVs on party walls are massively inconsiderate.
Didn't really follow the rest of your post. She sounds like a bit of a busy body that's all. Maybe put your phone to your ear when you see her so that you don't have to stop and chat.

ZeroFuchsGiven · 24/10/2022 11:59

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ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 24/10/2022 12:19

eatsleepwinerepeat · 24/10/2022 11:57

This won't be popular but I think people who put TVs on party walls are massively inconsiderate.
Didn't really follow the rest of your post. She sounds like a bit of a busy body that's all. Maybe put your phone to your ear when you see her so that you don't have to stop and chat.

The room is very small and there's nowhere else to put it unless I had it in a corner on a stand, and there isn't the space for that. The sound is kept down very low now so I can barely hear it myself, so job done.

I wonder how the woman next door will cope in the summer, though, when the people the other side are out all the time with their young daughter who is very noisy when playing out.

OP posts:
greenhousegal · 24/10/2022 12:32

I got wireless headphones for the Tv. You can get bluetooth ones also. Game changer! Everyone is happy and I can choose whatever volume I want and everything is very clear to listen to.

It has nothing to do with neighbours, we are all good no issues there touch wood! Just me and hearing loss.