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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To confront my neighbours

189 replies

neighbourhoodhell · 30/08/2023 12:20

So, would love opinions on how to deal with this situation.

Neighbours moved in 3 or so months ago and when they moved in, I went over to introduce myself and say hello and welcome etc etc. They seemed friendly and apologised about the upcoming work they will be having done, asked if I WFH to which I said yes, hybrid but majority at home.

For the past 3 months, every single day there has been drilling, hammering, shouting etc that has been pretty unbearable however, I have just let it slide and put my headphones in... I should also add that the work starts at around 7am and finishes about 9pm... and goes on over the weekend on both Saturday and Sunday!

Last weekend we got a card through the door apologising and saying thanks for the patience etc, and that they were nearly half way through... I thought oh god another 3 months of this hell, but again thought they are doing what they need to do, keep shtum and say thanks for the note.

Until today.... my whole house is shaking, the noise is unbearable and my colleagues and clients can no longer actually hear me on calls (with or without headphones) and no matter what room I work in, it is the same! I had a peep in and it looks like they are completely knocking down walls and building a brand new kitchen

SO WIBU to go round and ask for clarity on what work happens on what day so I can plan accordingly and let them know I can no longer WFH because of them... or should I just grin and bear and try and go into the office more (although this costs me £50 a day...!)

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
Waffle78 · 30/08/2023 17:34

Could you ask a colleague, family, or friend if you could work from theirs while the work is going on?

thinkfast · 30/08/2023 17:49

neighbourhoodhell · 30/08/2023 12:43

Thanks for those with useful comments, much appreciated.

@LemonLymanDotCom where did I say confront...? Maybe read properly before accusing lovely...!

@Tinkerbyebye absolutely! I would struggle to get a desk as other teams have set days so I would have to fight a case for this...something I don't particularly want to do, and £150 a week feels very steep at the moment considering the cost of living

Those saying that IABU, you seem to also have missed the point that they are doing these works over weekends too.... am I supposed to go to the office then as well? Or go out and spend a fortune to allow them to crack on with works?

You use the word "confront" in the title of your post OP! Perhaps you could read your own posts properly before criticising others for not reading.

C152 · 30/08/2023 18:13

I sympathise, OP. My downstairs neighbours had building work going on for 2 years...then the next door neighbour started the same kind of renovation!

Notwithstanding how hideous it is putting up with other people's building work, I think it would be unreasonable to complain about work happening during the hours allowed by your local council. But I would no longer put up with 7am starts, 9pm finishes and weekend work. Complain every single time they go outside the allowed hours.

Skodacool · 30/08/2023 18:20

SmudgeButt · 30/08/2023 16:16

ask for a schedule of works and give a gentle reminder of local authority rules about no works being done before 8, after 6, rarely on Saturdays and never on Sundays (or whatever the local rules are).

Smile and add you're looking forward to the house warming party when all the dust has settled.

There are certainly rules about noisy work

QueenCamilla · 30/08/2023 18:32

OP, please get the schedule and also the name of the builders.
In most days? Staying past 2pm?Actually working/making noise?! That sounds dreamy! Wait, is this real??

Ribena20 · 30/08/2023 19:55

I'm still chuckling at the "confront" issue 🤣

LivStanshall · 30/08/2023 20:00

Check with your council the hours that noisy work can be done. It’s usually 8 to 6 and 8-1 on a Saturday. You can ask them to stick to those hours. It‘ll take them longer to do the work but at least you get some respite at the weekend.

LemonLymanDotCom · 30/08/2023 20:18

Ribena20 · 30/08/2023 19:55

I'm still chuckling at the "confront" issue 🤣

I’m still waiting for the apology! 😂

LookItsMeAgain · 30/08/2023 20:40

Time to eat some humble pie there @neighbourhoodhell and to come back and apologise to @LemonLymanDotCom .

Misty84 · 31/08/2023 09:46

Think the ground has swallowed OP up

HauntedPencil · 31/08/2023 11:29

Maybe she confronted them and it didn't go well.

Mamabear48 · 31/08/2023 14:24

I think your being unreasonable. They are obviously aware of the noise issues and making an effort to apologise and your just going to make them feel awkward and embarrassed. It’s not forever suck it up and be a nice neighbour you’ll have to live next to them anyway so May as well not make an issue out of it!

saffy2 · 31/08/2023 18:35

neighbourhoodhell · 30/08/2023 12:43

Thanks for those with useful comments, much appreciated.

@LemonLymanDotCom where did I say confront...? Maybe read properly before accusing lovely...!

@Tinkerbyebye absolutely! I would struggle to get a desk as other teams have set days so I would have to fight a case for this...something I don't particularly want to do, and £150 a week feels very steep at the moment considering the cost of living

Those saying that IABU, you seem to also have missed the point that they are doing these works over weekends too.... am I supposed to go to the office then as well? Or go out and spend a fortune to allow them to crack on with works?

🤦🏽‍♀️ your title says confront the neighbours 😂

Buffs · 31/08/2023 18:55

Maybe you could work in the library or even coffee shop? The quicker they finish the work, the better surely.

Bellyblueboy · 31/08/2023 19:01

HauntedPencil · 31/08/2023 11:29

Maybe she confronted them and it didn't go well.

She confronted them ‘keep the noise down - okay lovely’.

She is now duties under their patio😂

Scotslass171 · 31/08/2023 19:21

Surely it's illegal/against local council rules for building work etc to be going on until 9pm - seems rather late to me. Get in touch with local council and ask about guidelines on this

OhcantthInkofaname · 31/08/2023 19:33

7AM to 9 PM seven days a week is beyond reasonable.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 31/08/2023 19:36

TheSkull · 30/08/2023 15:27

Why “confront” them? They’ve been polite. They’ve explained to you what’s going on. It won’t be forever. Perhaps you’re just the confrontational type

They may be polite but they are not being considerate if building work is going on 7am-9pm and at weekends! I'd talk to them about it but if it carried on I'd be reporting them to the council as that's taking the piss.

Mrsgreen100 · 31/08/2023 19:38

Living next to that noise is really difficult, but long-term if they’re going to be living in the house themselves they could be your neighbours for a really long time. If you fall out with them now it’s gonna make it difficult for years to come, maybe it’s good they are cracking on with it.
at least it’ll be finished more quickly.
if you are a homeowner at the house, next door is better, helps the price of yours

Tigger1895 · 31/08/2023 19:39

You have my sympathy, we just lived through 6 months of it.
They knocked in to tell us the work was happening and they then had the luxury of living somewhere else whilst the work was done.
Your new neighbours sound like they are reasonable as they have apologised for the disruption and it possible they are unaware the crew are working outside official build hours.
You can approach the builder and state that they are being unreasonable but I can’t help but think you will get nowhere and will probably be irritated more by them.
Your best bet is to talk to the neighbours, I didn’t get this opportunity as they were never around and now absolutely despise them because of their lack of consideration. They moved in 2 weeks ago and haven’t come near me, nor me them.

Tigger1895 · 31/08/2023 19:41

Aquamarine1029 · 30/08/2023 12:26

There's only so many walls that can be torn down. That level of noise shouldn't last long.

I thought that to but until the day the job finished we still had kango hammers drilling walls for a new down pipe.

Toomuchtrouble4me · 31/08/2023 19:57

Just suck it up most of the time but it seems to be finishing late and I’m not sure that Sunday is ok. Contact your local council and ask for the acceptable hours document. Then ask them to abide by it. However, shorter days means longer time period overall. We all renovate, what do you want? To stop working and move in without a kitchen.
there are excellent noise cancelling headphones - perhaps you should invest.

Blowdown · 31/08/2023 19:58

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 31/08/2023 19:36

They may be polite but they are not being considerate if building work is going on 7am-9pm and at weekends! I'd talk to them about it but if it carried on I'd be reporting them to the council as that's taking the piss.

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I’d like their number as builders working 14 hours a day is a rarity! Turning up every day is something special as well!

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