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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Who is BU? Neighbour's heat pump

115 replies

ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs · 10/01/2024 19:52

Help to resolve a dispute between DH and I.
Neighbours have installed a heat pump on the side of their house close to our boundary. It is very noisy! DH is not happy with the noise level, he has researched and regulations state should be no more than 42 dbs from our side. He's measured it as 60 dbs and 58 just outside our bedroom. He has sent an email to neighbour asking him to check it out, but no reply.

Relevant back story: We have lived in our house for 17 years, with no close neighbours (woodland). Couple of years ago the land was sold and developed. DH and I had different opinions on this- he thought having a house there was a good thing for security, I was really upset at the destruction of the trees.

Things got worse when they "accidentally" tore down our hedge (outside our fence but inside our boundary). There was then a boundary dispute, we had to pay for a land survey to resolve. Eventually "resolved" but boundary still not completely adhered when they erected fence.

So things were a bit awkward, then we had months of noisy building/ builders. Neighbours finally moved in and I was happy to let it all go for the sake of good relations. Have spoken to them briefly and all OK.

Now DH is complaining about the noise of the heat pump, where it doesn't really bother me that much and I would rather leave it. Especially as we have dogs that occasionally bark, and I'm sure we make noise of our own at times. I really don't want to be on bad terms with them- the reason we left our previous house was that our neighbours were horrible

Who's BU- DH or me? I think DH is being a bit petty, he thinks he is right to complain and that they are taking the piss! It was his idea to ask MN....

(Sorry about the essay, trying not to drip feed!!)

OP posts:
Piffpaffpoff · 10/01/2024 19:55

It's almost 50% louder than it should be - I'd be speaking to the noise officer at your local council (if there is such a person) asap

OhmygodDont · 10/01/2024 19:56

Nah if it’s too loud it’s too loud. They have been asked nicely. No reply. I’d get the council involved unless you plan on selling soon.

Rocketpants50 · 10/01/2024 19:57

Unless your dog barks for hours then I am with your husband, having the pump constantly making that noise would really annoy me if it was on through the night. Why could they have not put it on the other side where presumably there are no houses?

LordSnot · 10/01/2024 19:58

60 decibels is ridiculous. Your husband is right.

novhange · 10/01/2024 20:04

I agree with DH, complain now, that's too loud. If you leave it years then you will less right of complaint.

LauderSyme · 10/01/2024 20:08

I am with DH on this. No way should you have to live with that level of constant noise. I had continual machine noise from a previous neighbour and it really gets you down over time.

You seem to prefer a quiet life over asserting your needs, but the neighbours have proven to be selfish CFs who care not a jot for your rights or feelings. So never mind if they get upset with you for trying to resolve the noise pollution issue they are causing.

2Old2Tango · 10/01/2024 20:08

The noise may not bother you too much OP, but once you're aware of a noise that annoys you (in your DH case) it's hard to tune it out and the irritation just grows. It does sound very noisy so your DH should approach the council.

Original poster
ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs · 10/01/2024 20:09

OK, so it is just me being a wuss for an easy life! (Not unheard of!) Just we've been so long without close neighbours (2 houses have actually been built in the gap!) that the thought of falling out with next door makes me feel stressed

OP posts:
TinySaltLick · 10/01/2024 20:10

Piffpaffpoff · 10/01/2024 19:55

It's almost 50% louder than it should be - I'd be speaking to the noise officer at your local council (if there is such a person) asap

Decibels are logarithmic - so an increase of 20 is approximately 4 x louder

LauderSyme · 10/01/2024 20:11

I understand your stress OP, I am also a wuss. Try to see it from the perspective that you never fell in with these neighbours because they are rude and selfish.

Allchangename354 · 10/01/2024 20:11

Also may make it harder to sell.

Flamesatmytoes · 10/01/2024 20:12

There are planning rules on this. Speak to the council.

GeneCity · 10/01/2024 20:14

I'd hate this, so I'd definitely try to do something about it.

MrsKwazi · 10/01/2024 20:15

That is too loud.

Rocketpants50 · 10/01/2024 20:15

Sounds like they were never wanted to be neighbourly in the first place so don't give them an easy life and make yours miserable as a consequence.

Original poster
ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs · 10/01/2024 20:19

DH says thank you for vindicating him! Hearing lots of you agreeing with him makes me feel better about him complaining!

OP posts:
Runnerduck34 · 10/01/2024 20:21

I'd try and do something about it .
Look at their planning permission. Are there any conditions on decision notice ( or subsequent submission of details applications) that aren't being adhered to. How close it is to the boundary? noise levels etc.
If so complain to local council planning enforcement team
If you're not sure complain to them anyway and they should look into it to see if it contrary to granted planning permission.
AND also complain to environmental health of it exceeds noise levels.

LuluBlakey1 · 10/01/2024 20:22

What kind of noise does a heatpump make?

Our neighbours in our last house had a hot tub that was continually plugged in and made a continual quite high-pitched, droning buzz. I found it intolerable. It was right on the other side of the fence to our patio and outside our kitchen doors . It meant if we were in the kitchen or the garden or had the garden doors open from the back sitting room and were in the sitting room you could hear this continual high-pitched, droning buzz. We couldn't have the bedroom window open at night. And to add insult to injury, after the first few weeks when they used it late at night if they had friends round, they never used it. Meanwhile, we couldn't use chunks of our house and garden and had to keep doors and windows shut.

DH didn't want to speak to them about it because we got on really well, I couldn't stand it. So I decided to just have a straight conversation while the woman was in the garden and we were chatting through the fence.

Me 'Do you not use your hot tub now?'
Her 'No, it was a bit of a fad really.'
Me 'Any chance you could unplug it? The noise it makes is unbearable - that droning buzzing sound. We haven't been out in the garden or had the doors open it's so awful. We didn't like to say anything but if you're not using it....'
Her 'That's awful. I notice you weren't using the garden. I'll turn it off now- you should have said.'
Me 'We didn't want to cause upset.'
Her 'Well that's helped me decide for definite- we're getting rid of it.'

It took another couple of months to disappear but it was never turned on again. I could have stood it for a couple of hours when they were using it but, turned on constantly it was just awful.

Random30 · 10/01/2024 20:25

Here is my take.

Be very careful with noise measurements. A bog standard noisemeter won’t cut it. It will need a proper Health and Safety bod to do it.

if the Heat Pump is too noisy, then it might be that it needs to be maintained properly and it’s just something loose inside. The manufacturer should not be selling machines which are not compliant with legislation.

you can buy heat pump covers which are designed for noise reduction and they aren’t very expensive.

Goood luck.

Original poster
ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs · 10/01/2024 20:26

Topofthemountain · 10/01/2024 20:21

This article says it is 40-60 dB from 1 meter away, so it might be ok.

https://www.environ.co.uk/air-source-heat-pumps-noise/

Thanks for that, Topofthemountain! One of my points was "what can they actually do about it?" but that article talks about acoustic noise diffusers, so there is something....
DH measured the noise 1m inside our boundary, which is a couple of meters from the pump at least..

OP posts:
IlonaRN · 10/01/2024 20:26

TinySaltLick · 10/01/2024 20:10

Decibels are logarithmic - so an increase of 20 is approximately 4 x louder

Show quote history

This!

TheJanuaryPinks · 10/01/2024 20:26

You were upset at “destruction of the trees”? 😂

SkankingWombat · 10/01/2024 20:26

Absolutely report it. They sound like the kind of people who will keep doing this crap if they can get away with it. This won't be the last thing, but it'll be worse if they peg you as pushovers.
From another angle, if you need further incentive, it will be very noticeable to any potential buyers if you ever sell up. I wouldn't consider buying a house with something running at that volume constantly.

Flamesatmytoes · 10/01/2024 20:27

They can encase them