Quiet neighbours now making noise.

[OpalBird]

My neighbours talked to us about the noise coming from our property. OK, my son has a hobby that does make an annoying noise. Since then we have made sure he's doing it less but we obviously aren't going to stop him completely. They haven't said anything since and I think we've been considerate in reducing the number of hours our son does his thing.

It seems like they've now decided that they are allowed to make more noise. We've been neighbours for years and they've always been quiet. Now we get occasional music or radio in their backyard. When I asked them about it they said they have always worn headphones to be considerate but they don't really like listening that way, so they thought it was fair they got to have their hobbies the way they enjoy them best as well.

Would I be unreasonable to complain to them again? There is a difference between children playing and music when they have the option of headphones.

I have to admit Im pretty relaxed about noise but I would never allow my kids to play basketball before school!
The way I see it, I won't let my kids lives suffer in order to please others. So I won't stop them playing an instrument, playing a sport, having fun in the garden. That would include playing basketball. It's so important for kids to play sport and get exercise. I wouldn't be limiting his time.
But there are boundaries around that - excessive screaming and shouting just isn't ok, and no noise early in the morning or late at night.
And I would never complain about neighbour every day noise unless it was particular bad and inconsiderate.

Sounds reasonable to me Op.

Did you quote the wrong person @SophieJo ?

Me too. Nothing like a bit of Slayer in the sunshine

Ah, you have good taste 😁 We should be neighbours 🤘

I don't think I have experienced anything more annoying than our teenage neighbour with a basketball when we lived in our previous house. It was the most awful noise. He was a nice boy but the noise of the ball bouncing on the patio and banging off the backboard was a real nuisance.

You are a very selfish person. You’re allowed to make noise but they’re not? Move your bloody basketball hoop and be a good neighbour Mrs Selfish.

Is the hobby basketball? Is so yes, YABU. There is a special place in hell for people who subject a constant banging sound on neighbours.

Can you be my neighbour please?

how is bouncing a ball and standing at a hoop chucking a ball up at it "getting exercise"? Unless of course you have a court in your garden.

Because that’s not how you play basketball 😂 highly unlikely OP doesn’t have a patio/driveway/paved area and the hoop is just stood on its own tiny patch of hard ground.

Not quite sure how to answer this. Even if all he did was repeatedly shoot hoops it would still be exercise as he would be moving continuously the entire time.
But presumably he also dribbles the ball, practices skills etc. As opposed to sitting inside on a sofa watching TV or playing computer games.

It's paved. Haven't talked to them yet. I've kept son off the ball to give them a break this weekend. Don't know what they were listening to but it wasn't slayer.

You don't like them playing music in their garden for a couple of hours. You want to figure out how you can control them and what they play and how. I feel sorry for your neighbours you seem very invested in them.