to be an equally shit neighbour?

[SkyeB86]

In 2019 a new family moved in next door and immediately they started acting a problem. Then lockdown happened and it escalated. Big heavy basketballs thud constantly from morning till night, kids (6 of them) scream at each other (and I mean blood-curdling screams at times) they think it's fine to jump into my garden whenever they fancy. I had a word with the dad, his response was that other than them jumping in my garden, they're not breaking any laws so he wouldn't be telling the kids to quiet down. Fair enough, they're not.

So I've bought some Bluetooth speakers. Whenever they get too noisy, I play music in my garden which effectively drowns them out, and can only be really be heard from NDNs garden. The dad has this weekend asked me to keep it down.

AIBU to think that if they can have the 'fuck everyone else' attitude, then so can I?

So keep doing the same thing, expecting a different result. Good plan, but I think I'll keep doing something that's actually effective in the meantime, until this is undoubtedly successful 👍

It works when each party has contractual obligation to fulfill, where remedies and mediation procedures are clearly set out. With your noisy neighbours... doesn't quite work, but it does amuse me how many times it's suggested as a logical process for such situations 😄

Your local council should offer a neighbour dispute resolution service. This is offered where I live (Scotland). You should find information on their website. These situations can escalate out of all proportion with neither side willing to back down .... misery all round for everyone.

We had the neighbours from hell years ago @SkyeB86
Just putting this here for you. (It’s the 24hr long insanity remix.)
You can pop it on in the garden when you’re leaf blowing and chain sawing. 🤭

Contacting council and keeping noise diary is a total waste of time. The only thing that works is fight fire with fire- I’ve been there.

yes it’s fine having kids out playing but at the end of the day keeping a reasonable noise level is about being considerate to others. The dad is happy for his kids to scream the place down as that noise doesn’t affect him even though he is aware it is highly unpleasant for his neighbour. His attitude is clearly ‘sod you’. But the moment he hears other people’s ‘noise’ that he doesn’t like, he kicks up a fuss.

so it’s fine for his family to impact on others, but the moment others impact on him, it’s not acceptable. I’m afraid it doesn’t work like that. What’s good for the goose, is good for the gander. If you don’t want other people’s noise impacting on you, don’t do it yourself in the first place.

Wack up that music OP as I can tell you, that’s the only thing that is going to force his hand to deal with his noisy kids.

Tell him you only have it on when you can hear the kids and dont want to listen to them

It was a suggestion for the OP to consider if the neighbour won’t ask his kids to be quiet. I personally find them great. No need to get agressive.

This method does not work at all.

I have an acquaintance who was offered mediation. It didn't work because the other neighbour refused.

Hopefully in this case both parties are smart enough to agree. There's nothing to lose.

Do you have the means to record their noise? If so record and play it back.