Would it be acceptable to ask my upstairs neighbour not to do this?

[feedmefudge]

I live in a Georgian flat. Over the years, I have become accustomed to hearing my upstairs neighbour’s every footstep and that’s fair enough. It’s not like that can be helped and she’s a good neighbour. We get on fine.
However her washing machine is directly above my bedroom and the noise from the thing is unbelievable, as there’s no padding underneath it. Normally I wouldn’t notice but I’m a teacher off on holiday now. I also have the new strain of Covid. The worst of the symptoms have passed, thank God, but I am still suffering with a bad cough. Her machine has woken me twice this week shortly before 9am. I know that’s not exactly early! But it’s hard when you’re up in the night with a bad cough and might like a lie-in!
She is retired and lives alone. She can’t hang out her washing, as she has no garden, so could really do it anytime.
WIBU to ask her to use her washing machine slightly later in the holidays?
Thanks 🙂

This 👏🏻

Has it started making more noise recently? Might be worth asking her if the bearings are going as you've noticed an increase in noise. If she says no, ask her about the mat.

Ok I will revise my initial response. Ok to ask her to do it later for a couple of weeks whilst you are recuperating and if she can put down a mat. But I still think it’s unreasonable for someone to wait until after 9am - and when exactly is appropriate- to put on a wash on a regular basis.

Personally I'd word it as would you mind if I purchased you an anti vibration mat to put under your washing machine as I can hear in the mornings... she will either say yes that's fine or I'm so sorry ill put it on a bit later.... without you actually asking her to delay a perfectly acceptable washing cycle time.

I think it would be absolutely fine to ask. This wouldn’t bother me at all from a neighbour I like, it’s such an easy thing to alter. her machine may even have a feature where you can delay the start of the cycle (mine does) so she can chuck it all in as usual. The rubber pads sound a good idea as well.

I live in an upstairs flat and would do this if I could, I currently work so could be a problem for me but I would be happy to oblige if I could and if I were asked in the way you have here, with the explanation of why and in a friendly/neighbourly way.

I would never put a wash on before 9, unless I knew my neighbour was out at work or on holiday. (Machine is close to their wall) It's too early.

Just getting over Covid myself.
Bit of a dose.
Started with chills, sore throat, killer cough and my nose going non stop.
Penny only dropped when my taste and smell went, still not back.

Hope you feel better soon.

I think it would be better to ask her to put some padded flooring underneath the machine. The noise is the problem. You could even provide something that might do the trick (thicker than carpet, maybe those squashy blocks?)
I don’t think it’s reasonable to specify timings… 9am isn’t that early.

How do you lift the machine to put the mat under it? They are so heavy

Buy some ear plugs? I wouldn't complain about a wash/ soon at 9am,I thought you were going to say 6am in your post!

I don't think you can ask her to adjust her days domestic activities to suit you but you could ask about giving her a rubber mat as others suggest if you get on well

A lot of people - possibly most - get cheaper electricity in off peak hours
Be grateful she doesn't run it between 11.30 and 5.30

Totally fine to ask, I wouldn’t at all mind accommodating a request like this.

Since you have a good relationship with her, ask! Was in a similar situation many years ago, when a tenant living in a basement flat under my landlord, who used to put the washing machine on late at night, right over my bedroom! It was sorted out amicably, thankfully.

You are a dream neighbour I love how considerate you are!

This. ^^^
You have a problem that's easily solved by some modern materials and an otherwise good relationship.
So you solve it by providing a solution and helping/moving the machine onto it, not asking her to be or provide the solution.

This was my thought! All well and good you bringing one over, but I’d expect you personally to put it under the machine.

You use gravity tilting the machine and 'walking' it on it's feet, and 2nd person to push the mat, not trying to bear hug lift it.

It's possible to manouver a washing machine onto a spare bit of carpet. Pull the machine out, tip it back, shove the carpet under. Tip the machine up, then one of you walks the machine forward a bit one side at a time while the other tugs the carpet back. I've done it!

I used to live under a very potty older woman who would have booming phonecalls at 2am and her spin cycle going at all hours (thankfully not above my bedroom).

When it finally got too much, I mentioned it to her and she was absolutely mortified (I think more that I'd potentially heard every word of her conversations!) and it's never happened again.

Certainly not unreasonable to ask, if you're asking nicely.

Definitely politely ask. Not in a demanding or accusatory way. As she doesn't really know how noisy it is for you and obviously is just doing normal stuff. But I personally would adhere to that if I was her. I'm retired and I wouldn't dream of being arsed to do laundry in the early morning. In an ideal world I'd do it at night. So I guess that could present another issue?

It’s reasonable to bring up because the machine is badly adjusted/functioning. It could just need the feet adjusting to make it level. Either way, having a machine making so much noise is antisocial - you could be an online zoom worker rather than a teacher resting.

I would mention it. Machines aren’t supposed to spin like that. I possibly would not mention the sleep part.

If I was your neighbour I wouldn’t have an issue starting my machine after 9am.

Most modern machines you can set to start at a specific time, so even if they go to work they could set it to come on mid morning

I would find it a bit cheeky considering you’re off work.

If you were having to be up and it was affecting your sleep then it would be different.

She probably assumes you’re still working so up anyway but just be prepared for a bit of frostiness.

I’m not sure I’d risk the falling out over this tbh.