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??

Yes revenge noise should be avoided at all costs— I am not talking from the moral point of view but from the practical and legal. If you ever make a complaint to a council or via the courts, the noise maker can make a counter accusation against you. Do not give them the upper hand.

They sound like moaning old codgers. If they don't want to hear children they shouldn't live in a residential neighbourhood.

Case in point. I present, a moaning old codger. Their username backs it up.

This user, and OPs neighbours, are probably the type that gloat how their childhoods were spent outdoors, free to do whatever, it's not like it was in our day. ...what's that?? Kids outside??!! Disgusting and noisy!

Hope the organisation suggested can help. I'd be unhappy in your shoes.

I hate to point out that many people own white noise machines to chill out... not screeching children machines.

This would piss me off no end. I’m sure your kids do make normal noise, but as a person who hates constant noise, the incessant drone of a hot tub is bound to be worse than the intermittent noise of children playing. Think constant, loud, rhythmic snoring compared with a dog barking for a few minutes or an ambulance blaring. The second two are loud and annoying but I can cope with them because they aren’t constant (well some dogs do bark constantly but that’s a different thread!)
I’m afraid I don’t know how you deal with it though other than what you’ve already done and that won’t cause more expense to them.
Not sure how they work but must they be on all the time? Can you ask them that?
Hopefully it will eventually become white noise you will tune out

They're telling you your kids are noisy but that's okay with you; but you don't like their noise? I can guarantee they can hear your music and singing lessons along with all the other noise of daily life with children!

You are being totally unreasonable. The noise of the hot tub is no where near as loud as kids singing, playing, doing music etc. It's no louder than a normal fridge freezer or washing machine etc.

You don't have to prevent your children playing outside but you have no right to demand they turn their hot tub off and stop enjoying their retirement just because you can't stand anyone else making noise. If you are that sensitive - move to the country.

You own your house and the land within your boundary. Worry about what happens there and let other people be.

(And don't damage their hot tub as others have suggested. That is criminal damage)

Music practice, singing and screeching kids

V.S

Hot tub hum

Next door sound like my perfect neighbours!

There are really simply things they can do to reduce the noise - even putting foam on the fence will help - you can do the same too. It's cheap to buy, Google it.

But honestly it annoys me how entitled people are, you're being nice and your manage your kids well too. They should be equally nice, but they're not, wtf!

yes, good idea, play some nice music!

They are not comparing children to a hot tub. They are comparing the NOISE children make to the noise of a hot tub. And they are right. Your children make more noise than a hot tub ever could. You are being very unreasonable.

You ageist creature

Why is it on 24/7. Is that the heater?

Try your own white noise like a fountain.

Otherwise you'll probably need to live with it. It is annoying but so are other people's kids. I'm already annoyed by the thump thump thump of the neighbours ball and looking forward to the summer pool noise but I'm reframing it as something I won't care about when I'm retired and moved away. It's annoying now but I think you'll be happier accepting it and tolerating it than fighting it.

...wondering how I can encourage our local foxes and next door's hot tub.

For all the people saying get a noisy trampoline, get the kids to make more noise!!! The neighbours are doing NOTHING wrong! They are not screaming, not shouting just running a hot tub! Yes, some are slightly noisy but that can be due to the ground being uneven or the type of material the control unit is sat on. Some very pathetic people on here thinking you should punish your neighbours with noisy kids and toys just because they are making a bit of noise that you don’t like! Get a grip!!!

But kids using a trampoline aren't doing anything wrong either then, by that logic? All parties are enjoying their gardens in the manner of their choosing.

every time they get in the hot tub let the kids out to play. If you have to get used to their hot tub they can get used to sound of kids playing.

I think you should get violin lessons for your DC

The joys of living in cities and towns. You've just got to suck it up. Your kids will grow and the noises will change, I prefer thought kids playing over teens swearing and lessoning to music any time. And the hot tub will break. The sooner you stop stressing over it the sooner you will start to tune it out.

They are such a fad, they will get fed up of it in a few weeks. Just grin and bear it.

Honestly, this is the approach I would probably end up taking.

I'd start with inviting her in to see just how loud it is inside your house. If they still didn't do anything about it, I'd have the radio on all the time to drown it out.

We were in Gozo over Easter and I booked a hotel with a hot tub on the balcony, it was so noisy. Husband and I couldn't sleep at night as it kept turning on to maintain the temperature. In the end we turned it down to 18 degrees every night so it would be silent and we could sleep. I would hate it if next door had one, sympathies.