Neighbours moaning about noise

[KarenTrex]

Hi

moved in to new house recently and I live alone. The house was empty for around 8 months before I moved in.

Its a semi detached. The soundproofing is really awful. If I sit in silence I can hear their microwave, even when they turn a tap on. I can hear all noise.

Last night I had 2 friends come round and we were having a drink but we wasnt playing music or anything like that just the 3 of us talking and having a nice drink.

at 1am they knocked the door asking if I could keep the noise down. They moaned at me again today saying they can constantly hear noise from my TV in the day and they said they like it to be quiet as they go to bed at 10pm and I said I could hear them arguing in the day and they didnt say anything.

Their sound has never bothered me I wear earplugs at night and even before I wore them the only times I have been woken up at night is by loud motorbikes going past, never from them. I feel like I cant have friends around late in the evening as they will just moan.

Am I being unreasonable to ignore them, even if it's the middle of the night?

Vote I am being unreasonable if I should be quieter
Vote I am not being unreasonable if I should not care
If youre somewhere between these two dont vote

Thank u.

I would be very courteous and say you've had the same issues since moving in and that given the poor state of sound-insulation you suggest you club together and jointly invest in sound proofing so that you can both live in peace & harmoniously

We wouldnt have to club in together we could do soundproofing individually on own properties but as Im not bothered by their noise and its expensive I dont want to pay for it I think they should pay for it if it bothers them so was wondering if Im being unreasonable hence the thread thank u

As long as you're not having wild parties or being excessively noisy for the sake of it, they have a them problem.

They need to learn to live in an occupied semi, that includes some noise from neighbours. It's part of life!

I imagine they'd say similar, except as to them you're the noisy one they might think it's your responsibility.

Hence my suggested solution.

"I understand your dear neighbours. We have the exact same issue with you guys"...

Its talking though thats all the noise Im not playing music I think they can just wear earplugs if they dont like it

I could understand if I was playing loud music late at night but Ive never done that its just talking and having a drink thats it

If you are disturbing your neighbours at 1 am that is unreasonable. When you have had a few drinks your voices get louder.
I think you should have been quieter after midnight.

The idea that you could hear your neighbour's microwave is ridiculous! That is what is unreasonable here.

@olympicsrock but what if I took a job that worked nights? I bet they wouldnt be quiet during the day when they're arguing and shouting at each other so I think time shouldnt matter

Still missing the point, op

@madeinmanc yep I can hear my neighbours microwave, tap on speaking, coughing everything its a party wall and its incredibly thin

I think to 10pm is OK, 1am is not fair noise is noise

@MissPeachyKeen its whether I should say I cant have friends around at night, or I decide to ignore my neighbours

@WandaWonder I disagree

Not unreasonable as your behaviour isn’t particularly noisy.

tbh I’d be tempted to say to the neighbours I know you can hear me because I can hear everything you do and say, I appreciate it’s annoying but I’m not doing anything particularly noisy. I am looking into sound proofing solutions and you should do the same.

68% saying Im not being unreasonable thank you everyone

Ignore them! You are entitled to have friends round whenever you want!

@SergeantDawkins cant afford it soundproofing is ££££ I dont have particularly since cost of living crisis I only heat one room of my house as it is

I live in a similar set up. Ridiculously thin party wall. Neighbour is an abusive asshole that stands at his door spewing profanity when I leave my house. I don't make antisocial noise, I speak to my child and that's it

Unless you’re playing loud music until the early hours which you don’t seem to be doing,?5)3 issue is not your behaviour but the properties. Even if you’re not bothered right now it’s wise to sound proof I. Case your neighbours sell up. If the walls are that thin, you’re the lucky one right now in that you’re the one making more noise than your neighbours (not unreasonably) but imagine you have other neighbours with young kids banging and screaming and crying all day. They won’t be unreasonable either but poor sound proofing will cause hell for you. Better to sort issue now, than when it’s too late.

I used to live in a house like this, I think both sides need to be really laid back or it won't work. We actually had a system (pre mobile phones) when it was getting loud loud we knocked to remind the others to keep it down a bit but we both knew it wasn't a personal dig just a reminder if thin walls. I would suggest op that you just sound sympathetic, remind them it's the same on your side and you can both try to be considerate

@Catsbreakfast I get the issue is the properties but soundproofing is too expensive. I would care if my neighbours sell up thats got nothing to do with me.
If I had kids screaming all day Id block it out in the day with my tv and at night I'd wear ear plugs. Ive been having a look and I can put some cheap wardrobes at the back of my bedroom to act as a basic kind of soundproofing and neigbours could do the same

@Gcsunnyside23 I appreciate that but we dont really get on and I dont want to be dictated to by someone else in my own house!!

I would look at soundproofing as I think I would be constantly on edge every time I invited somebody around on had the TV on. I live in a 1970's build semi and all I can hear - is the faint background noise when they hoover - and when they drill on the wall - which for some unknown reason they seem to do every month

@BIWO

Are people not reading my posts??? I said I cant afford soundproofing at least twice.