Another neighbours and hot tub one

[nooverheadlighting]

I would love anyone's input here. AIBU to be really upset over my neighbour's new inflatable hot tub? For context, we are a family of four in a family neighbourhood. We do make some noise but just the usual family stuff. Sometimes music practice, singing etc can be heard from the garden but we mostly shut windows etc. Our children play in the garden too, but never late and not excessively.
Basically, we're really sensitive to our neighbour's noise dislikes as they live alone and have said they don't like the sound of children.
However, they have recently acquired a hot tub and it is driving me insane. We don't have big gardens. Ours is around 7m across and theirs 3.5m across. This means the tub cannot be positioned more than 0.5m from our boundary fence. It's on all the time, 24/7 with a hum that's impossible to tune out. We can also hear it from bathroom, kitchen and two back bedrooms if the windows are open.
We told neighbour this and at first they were fairly amenable, building a soundproof box to encase the pump. But it's barely made any difference and we're bathed in the sound as soon as we step outside. Neighbour has said it's just like a fridge and that we should get used to it as they've had to get used to our children. Literally, as in you have laughing, babbling, crying children, I have a hot tub, c'est la vie. Which has made me feel really sad because comparing children to a hot tub is just mean?!
Plus, our children are not outside all the time.. older one no more than an hour or so during the week, little one maybe more but always supervised and rushed indoors as soon as they make a grumpy sound (but apparently even joyful sounds have to be 'tolerated').
We haven't asked for the tub to be removed, just to be able to aid in building an improved sound dampener, with an expert if necessary. We are being friendly but honest in sharing how we feel because it's literally ruining our outside space. It's much louder than a fridge.. more like a substation. Our youngest says 'zzzzzz', making the sound of it when we go outdoors.
We don't want to fall out with neighbour any more than this and moving from this otherwise lovely neighbourhood seems rash and expensive.
What would you do??

Prob only on for spring summer and cost is 30 or 40 quid a month,

Meh hehe, might do this to my neighbours hot tub and barky dog. Only joking I wouldn't really damage their hot tub😂

Neighbours make noises. Especially kids.
Their noise is a constant low level noise. Your noise is an unpredictable, sometimes loud, high pitched, distressing sound. You can't complain about such a low level of noise when you have kids I think. I have one and am aware that just them playing makes alot of noise. Then you've got illnesses and crying in the night. Arguments, tantrums, bloody music practise.

I really don't think you can complain about their one noise.

My new neighbours have children and believe me they make far more noise than they think they do. I can hear their children through the walls, in the garden all the time when ever there is a bit of sunshine. As children do they cry, scream, laugh loudly etc. My peaceful Garden times are no more. However children are children and you can’t complain but perhaps be mindful of the fact you probably make a lot more noise than you think and it goes both ways….

I'm surprised they have it on all the time that must cost a fortune. I wouldn't be regulating how often my child use our own garden just because our neighbours don't like kids, honestly the fact they say it out loud that they find children playing annoying is pretty shocking to me. They sound like weirdos to me tbh.

Also you said you do singing practice, I can imagine that’s noisy too. I used to worry about any time my dog barked as I didn’t want to upset new neighbours. Now they make that much noise I have relaxed too. Just do what makes you happy and let it go. My neighbours have a hot tub too right near my kitchen. I can’t hear it at all. Perhaps it’s because the kids are so loud 😂 but I think there is always give and take

I know someone with a hot tub and air source heat pump. The air source pump is infinitely worse.

Tbf it depends how loud they are. Not everyone is a weirdo for not enjoying children shrieking, screaming and crying for long periods of time. This family also do singing practice etc. People are entitled to peace and speaking as a parent myself I don’t think parents always appreciate how loud their children can be. Not saying this family are very loud just basing it on my own experience and can understand why people get fed up!

Noise is an unwanted sound. Your family are living normal family lives with sounds but noise to your neighbour.
They have a hot tub which is a sound to them but noise to you.
I don't agree with the previous passive agressive responses as that's a race to the bottom. It would make things worse in the long term for everyone and possibly end up with council intervention if not legal.
My previous neighbour had an massive fishpond and loud pump running 24/7 sometimes there were fish in it, [I think he used to sell them] but most of the time it was empty and it was running all year round.
Got used to it, but didn't like it, he moved out and his ex left it running regardless.

'comparing children to a hot tub is just mean'

I'd rather listen to a humming sound than your children.

If you grew a fast growing shrub in your garden near their hot tub would it put it in shade? It might make it less desirable. I am another one that doesn’t like children being compared to hot tubs. We should all be tolerant of children as they are the next generation and will be needed.

I wonder if their pump is faulty. Ours isn’t inflatable but the pump does make a noise but definitely can’t hear it from next door.

We have a hot tub but it's enclosed with decking. The pump is on at all times but it's not noisy. It's also 20m from our nearest neighbour.

I think you need to suck it up. Get a wind chime like others have said and change the focus.

Get a trampoline. Encourage your children to bring their friends round to enjoy it too. Especially any screamy ones.

I'm honestly jealous of my neighbour. We're surrounded by people with young children and they're nothing like as considerate as you.

I'm more amused that you'd think other people should find the noise of your kids 'joyful'. I hate to tell you this but not everyone will find them as adorable as you, particularly the intermittent screeching 😂

Most of the year in this country is unsuitable to be outside in a hot tub anyway so this can't be going on 24/7 for hours every day surely?

Wow! Mine is on all the time, it’s about £30 a month maximum.

I don’t mind my own child’s noise. I love hearing him laughing and shouting with joy in our garden. I cannot STAND other people’s children making noise. So I’m sure my child’s lovely noises are annoying to some of our neighbours.
At the end of the day, I can’t stop my neighbours letting their children enjoy their garden the same way that you can’t stop your neighbours enjoying their hot tub.

Think you need to suck it up it's life when you have neighbours. Same time you shouldn't worry about your kids being noisy , kids make noise and as long as it's reasonable your neighbours have put up with that too!

Why does it have to be on all the time? I’d hate that too. It sounds annoying, OP. Hopefully the novelty will wear off and they’ll stop using it.

We have one and its really not noisy at all, far less annoying than my kids were when they were younger I'm sure

Based on everyone I know who got a hot tub, they’ll stop using it within six months so don’t worry about it.

I feel for you OP as my neighbours had a hot tub right next to my boundary. They switched it off at the end of last summer and are now building a shed at the bottom of the garden for it so I’m dropping hints about it being soundproofed. It won’t stop the music and boozy swearing that they have to have every time they sit outside.

It is interesting that everyone with a hot tub says you can barely hear them and the noise is nothing to get worked up about.
Yes, kids can be loud and annoying but they are not a constant in the same way that the humming from a hot tub is.

You enjoy the noise of people socialising. I don't. I would prefer the hot tub sound. 'We haven't asked them to remove it' good because that would make you look like a bigger dick.

It's a suck it up buttercup situation.

Is this an inflatable one ? Ours does not make a noise like that but is a proper one with built in filters etc. we also don’t have it on all the time .

Once they get their first electric bill it'll go off I'm sure