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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To tell my neighbour I won’t stop running on my treadmill?

200 replies

Oldhag5 · 29/07/2023 14:14

Following on from the thread about the piano teacher where the consensus seems to be she can teach and play piano in her own home…..
I am trying to lose weight and bought a new treadmill which I have put in my garage. The garage is in a block and there are two flats above the block. I was running/walking on it and the neighbour from upstairs came down and said ‘that’s a very noisy machine you’ve got there’. The neighbours have lived there about a year and we get on ok, pass the time of day etc but this has made me feel really uncomfortable. It was during the day and I’d only been on it for about 15 minutes. I wouldn’t plan to use it for more than half an hour a day. Surely if you buy a flat above garages you would realise there would be some noise? Just like I live in a terraced house, one side the neighbours have a treadmill and they use it for about 2 hours a day (couple both very into fitness) and whilst it can be annoying I accept they are entitled to use a treadmill in their home. So should I just carry on using it, should I stop or should I just face him out and say I’m not going to stop running on it? Maybe ask if there is a specific time he would like me to avoid but other than that use my own treadmill in my own garage?

OP posts:
GiveMyHeadPeaceffs · 29/07/2023 14:32

Bloody hell, some of the replies on here suggest that you should always strive to be as quiet as possible at all times. Fuck it, @Oldhag5 use your treadmill, lose the weight, feel good about yourself. As long as you're not using it at 11.00pm or 5.30am, absolutely go for it.

VinEtFromage · 29/07/2023 14:32

HarrietJet · 29/07/2023 14:24

Indeed. It's actually quite reasonable to expect a garage not to be used as a fitness studio, if you're living directly above.

Show quote history

@HarrietJet

unless there's something in the OP's contract to specify usage then there are far worse things she could be doing!

-using it as a social space

  • leaning a musical instrument
  • renovating furniture
  • renovating a car
all kinds of things.

@Oldhag5 you're fine, half an hour, even longer when you build up to it, is nothing.

woman over the back of me has an elliptical trainer, she's as fit as fuck because she spends HOURS on it, daily. Her DH & teenagers use it too, it makes a right bloody noise & drives me MAD. But that's life.

Don't feel bad, it's just life, the world doesn't revolve around them!!

NeverDropYourMooncup · 29/07/2023 14:33

Oldhag5 · 29/07/2023 14:20

We’ve put the treadmill on carpet to try and absorb some of the sound….maybe an anti vibration mat would be better.
or I could move it to the house but then that could potentially annoy 2 sets of neighbours….surely treadmills aren’t the preserve of those who can afford detached houses??

It definitely would be better to use a proper mat/mats designed specifically to reduce noise, rather than something designed to give a non slip surface for downward facing dog. The vibrations are going all around an essentially empty, hard box and carrying upwards as well as outwards.

They aren't hugely expensive and could make a lot of difference to them - and you in reducing impact damage on your joints.

LaughOutInTheGrass · 29/07/2023 14:34

They’ve only said it’s noisy, don’t let that make you feel uncomfortable. It’s half an hour a day. The neighbour needs to be more tolerant as using a treadmill is a perfectly acceptable and normal thing to do.

ItsNotRocketSalad · 29/07/2023 14:38

They will likely be 100% happy if you say it's for 30 minutes a day and ask if there are any particular time slots they'd like you avoid. A bit of give and take is needed when you live in houses where sound travels.

WhenIWasAFieldMyself · 29/07/2023 14:44

Oldhag5 · 29/07/2023 14:24

They didn’t tell me to stop. But have made me feel uncomfortable by the fact they specially came downstairs to comment

There's your answer then.
You're causing a nuisance.
Move it into your house and soundproof.

Frabbits · 29/07/2023 14:48

NillyNoMates · 29/07/2023 14:20

Why don’t you put it in your house?

...because OP doesn't want to? Treadmills take up a lot of space.

Get some decent anti-vibration mats and that will help a lot.

limitedperiodonly · 29/07/2023 14:58

Oldhag5 · 29/07/2023 14:24

They didn’t tell me to stop. But have made me feel uncomfortable by the fact they specially came downstairs to comment

Running machines are very noisy but half an hour doesn't seem that bad so long it's not when someone is trying to sleep.

But why are you uncomfortable at a simple and presumably politely expressed request? How are the people upstairs meant to tell you that you are annoying them without coming down to talk to you?

Inkpotlover · 29/07/2023 15:04

Oldhag5 · 29/07/2023 14:24

They didn’t tell me to stop. But have made me feel uncomfortable by the fact they specially came downstairs to comment

Maybe they came down to investigate where the noise was coming from, rather than knowing for sure what it was and wanting to put a stop to it. Definitely get an anti-vibration mat.

m00rfarm · 29/07/2023 15:16

All they said was "it's a very noisy machine you've got there"? So no direct complaint?

Willmafrockfit · 29/07/2023 15:17

what time of day are you doing it
just say sorry and you wont use it for hours at a time.

Sewingdufus · 29/07/2023 15:18

I would talk to them. Apolgies for the disturbance but explain there isn’t a better solution, say what you have said here and ask if there is a better time of day when it won’t disturb them as much?

Gymmum82 · 29/07/2023 15:24

It might be annoying but it’s what? Less than an hour a day? Sorry but that’s just having neighbours. I’m sure they can tolerate the noise for a very small proportion of their day. I wouldn’t stop using it. I would maybe apologise for the noise. Explain you’re trying to improve your health and you won’t use it at antisocial hours. That should be enough

Spectre8 · 29/07/2023 15:26

Its 30 mins! Hardly all day long. End of the days it isn't at antisocial hours either.

If they don't like it they can soundproof their floor

My neighbours are noisy as hell always slamming their doors, any door, cupboard door etc and talk loudly. The previous owners i never heard a peep. I'll be soundproofing my kitchen wall when I get a new kitchen cos you never know what type of neighbour you will get

Same for my lounge whilst my other neighbour is quiet I hear the TV bubbling away i know that if a new set moved in they could be eveb louder so ill be sound proofing that wall too.

I cant ask either set of neighbours to be more quieter either otherwise I'd look a bit crazy.

CherryCokeFanatic · 29/07/2023 15:37

Would check the legals on this there may be covenants about what the garage can be used for.

MayThe4th · 29/07/2023 15:37

Considering plenty of people use their garages for DIY they can be glad it’s not a drill and circular saw you have in there

RitzyMcFitzy · 29/07/2023 15:41

30 mins a day is fine, assuming it's not at the crack of dawn/middle of night.

If people want 24hr silence they should live in a detached property on its own many acres. Otherwise, do as the rest of us do, and accept that sometimes neighbours make noise.

Nanny0gg · 29/07/2023 15:45

Apart from a bit of carpet you've got nothing to absorb the sound.
And what is there between your ceiling and their floor?

I would do what I could to soundproof and then carry on

Whatswhatwhichiswhich · 29/07/2023 15:49

I’ve voted YABU because living above a garage you do expect noise (car related noise) and treadmills are really really bloody noisy. However if you can find a time of day you’re not actively disturbing people I don’t see the issue, I’m assuming he leaves the house to work?

skyeisthelimit · 29/07/2023 15:51

I don't think half an hour a day is being too annoying, but if you take as many steps as you can to mitigate the noise, there is not much else you can do. If the garage is pretty empty then it could be noisier than usual, so maybe look into some soundproofing?

Thankgoodnessforabitofsun · 29/07/2023 15:52

I think your suggestion of popping over, letting them know you’ll just be using it for half an hour a day and is there any particular time that’s a problem, is sensible

soberfabulous · 29/07/2023 15:52

Honestly half an hour a day is nothing, can people really not tolerate this?

IamSTARVING · 29/07/2023 15:53

Oldhag5 · 29/07/2023 14:22

Thank you for your replies. I really don’t want to upset my neighbours but then I think they have upset me by making me doubt whether I can use my treadmill. I really need to lose the weight for my mental well-being and I can’t go out walking and leave the kids alone…I wish I didn’t care so much what other people think….

Why not have a reasonable discussion about it?

Your doc said you need to use it - are there a few times that you could come up with that would accomodate all?

Let them know that you are willing to compromise and be neighbourly?

BlippiIsAnnoying · 29/07/2023 15:53

You need to make a Deal with God and get him to swap your places.
She'll go running up that treadmill with no problems.

Rewis · 29/07/2023 15:53

Just keep running. Is it annoying to neighbours? Sure. But so are 1000 other things that you just need to accept.