phone calls in neighbours gardens

riversflows · 2025-08-01T18:38:51+00:00

Why do people insist on making lengthy phone calls from their gardens? I want to enjoy my garden not listen to people talking about their jobs and their love live. If they don't want their family to hear them why do they think it's ok for strangers to hear them? So anti-social.

Memberofstaff · 01/08/2025 19:45

We have the same. Neighbour Facetimes in her garden so we get to hear the whole conversation! Really annoying as she does it multiple times each day in the summer.

randomusernam · 01/08/2025 19:49

have you ever considered they don’t have good signal in their house. The only way I get signal in my house is outside or stood by the window. You have no right to dictate how someone uses their garden. They have every right to sit in the garden and have a chat. How is this any different to you sitting in your garden and talking to someone face to face?! How would you feel if people said you couldn’t sit in the garden and speak to someone?! I think you have way to much time on your hands to let something like this irate you. Get a hobby for god sake

DorothyWainwright · 01/08/2025 19:53

They might not get reception in their house.

I love listening to other people's conversations.

Worriemummy · 01/08/2025 19:53

DorothyWainwright · 01/08/2025 19:53

They might not get reception in their house.

I love listening to other people's conversations.

Me too! 😂

BitOutOfPractice · 01/08/2025 19:55

randomusernam · 01/08/2025 19:49

have you ever considered they don’t have good signal in their house. The only way I get signal in my house is outside or stood by the window. You have no right to dictate how someone uses their garden. They have every right to sit in the garden and have a chat. How is this any different to you sitting in your garden and talking to someone face to face?! How would you feel if people said you couldn’t sit in the garden and speak to someone?! I think you have way to much time on your hands to let something like this irate you. Get a hobby for god sake

Tell us you’re a no headphone caller without telling us you’re a no headphone caller.

SquirrelRed · 01/08/2025 19:55

Talking in your own garden is not anti social. I go in my garden when I'm on the phone otherwise the kids still want my attention and I can't concentrate on who I'm talking to

TheCoralEagle · 01/08/2025 19:55

Worriemummy · 01/08/2025 19:53

Me too! 😂

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And me!

I wouldn't be complaining, I'd be sitting on my patio with my ears peeled 😂

Bobbie12345678 · 01/08/2025 19:56

Kind of annoying. But why not put some music on. Would highlight to your neighbour that you are out there, and would mask the sound of their call.
Or listen to an audiobook through headphones. If this is the worst thing about your neighbour then you are doing pretty well.

VaseofViolets · 01/08/2025 19:57

My neighbours do this - lengthy FaceTime conversations sat on the patio, arguments with family, details of medical procedures etc. No effort to lower the volume. I know all their business 😂

Original poster

riversflows · 01/08/2025 20:03

DorothyWainwright · 01/08/2025 19:53

They might not get reception in their house.

I love listening to other people's conversations.

They do as I can hear them on the phone when it's dark or it's raining.
I only get to hear 1/2 of the conversation when they're in the garden Maybe I should ask them to use speaker phone 😁

OP posts:

Zov · 01/08/2025 20:06

I am with you @riversflows We have a neighbour who does work calls in the back garden ... They sit at the bloody patio table and chairs (on the laptop,) and talk to clients! When I hear them jibber jabbering away, I feel a bit awkward about making any kind of noise or sound. In my own garden. I have the radio on, and have it VERY quiet.

I was chucking something in the wheelie bin the other week, and it made a lot of clanking, and it went in the bin awkwardly and I had to re-adjust it, and it made some screeching and crunching sounds. I heard them say 'oh for goodness sake, sorry, I have to go in the house, as there's too much noise out here!' I thought 'fucking hell, if you're WORKING, just fucking go in the house. Don't try and make people feel like shit for making normal day to day sounds in their own bloody garden!'

ALSO, a woman over the road - whenever she is on a phone call - always has to be on the driveway, and she is SO LOUD, so everyone can hear her conversations. IDGAF about your private life luv. Tone it down. Having no signal is a lame excuse! I manage to not broadcast all of MY phone calls to everyone in the village! Get in the fucking house!

You can tell who the attention-seeking 'listen to ME, talking about my fascinating life to all my FRIENDS' people are on this thread. 😆

applespearsbears · 15/08/2025 10:04

we have a neighbour who makes calls on loudspeaker in the garden all week. Why should my peace and quiet be disturbed by something that the majority of people undertake indoors? I think this shows a total disregard for other people and a real me me me attitude

hereismydog · 15/08/2025 10:07

applespearsbears · 15/08/2025 10:04

we have a neighbour who makes calls on loudspeaker in the garden all week. Why should my peace and quiet be disturbed by something that the majority of people undertake indoors? I think this shows a total disregard for other people and a real me me me attitude

Would you have an issue if your neighbour spoke to another person face-to-face in their garden?

Ineedpeaceandquiet · 15/08/2025 10:09

If there is no signal, why aren't they out there in winter?!

Ineedpeaceandquiet · 15/08/2025 10:10

Noise carries in open spaces, so it would be considerate to keep one's voice down so that everyone can enjoy peacefully.

Yachtingaroundtheworldiwish · 15/08/2025 10:13

Yes, I hate it too.

x2boys · 15/08/2025 10:16

Because its their garden and they can do what they want in it
Got yo love mumsnet i wear I think posters want people to sit perfectly still in their garden and not utter a single sound .

Mugon · 15/08/2025 10:18

I'd assume they happen to be in the garden so that's where they make/take the call rather than that they're avoiding people in the house. Is it any differently to having any other conversation.

In the warm weather I've been working in rhe garden. Sorry.

applespearsbears · 15/08/2025 10:23

hereismydog · 15/08/2025 10:07

Would you have an issue if your neighbour spoke to another person face-to-face in their garden?

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N of course not, but for some reason our neighbours already loud voice is even louder on calls and the speaker in the phone is put on loud so the whole thing g is extra intrusive. I think people lose perspective on how loud calls are.

This is about being sensitive to others though isn’t it. If you have a house and an home office why would you choose to disturb others enjoyment of their gardens 5 days per week when you have alternatives? What if we all undertook our work outside imagine the constant noise. We don’t because we recognise how disruptive this is.

MasterBeth · 15/08/2025 10:25

Overhearing a one-sided phone conversation is more tiring/annoying than hearing a normal conversation because your brain tries to fill in the gaps. (Research has been done into it.)

But it's their garden and they have every right to have an annoying conversation in it.

Mugon · 15/08/2025 10:28

applespearsbears · 15/08/2025 10:23

N of course not, but for some reason our neighbours already loud voice is even louder on calls and the speaker in the phone is put on loud so the whole thing g is extra intrusive. I think people lose perspective on how loud calls are.

This is about being sensitive to others though isn’t it. If you have a house and an home office why would you choose to disturb others enjoyment of their gardens 5 days per week when you have alternatives? What if we all undertook our work outside imagine the constant noise. We don’t because we recognise how disruptive this is.

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Wow, I had no idea it was so inconsoderare to sit at my lap top and take a few calls in my own garden.

Next door yelling at his dog is disruptive too, as is children playing in the paddling pool and neighbours having a bbq, but we all live in close confines and having a bit of outdoor space to use when the weather is good is what gardens are for.

applespearsbears · 15/08/2025 10:35

Mugon · 15/08/2025 10:28

Wow, I had no idea it was so inconsoderare to sit at my lap top and take a few calls in my own garden.

Next door yelling at his dog is disruptive too, as is children playing in the paddling pool and neighbours having a bbq, but we all live in close confines and having a bit of outdoor space to use when the weather is good is what gardens are for.

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Do you put your calls on loudspeaker 5 days per week? All day? Then yes it is really annoying. Are your neighbours kids in the paddling pool all day every week ?

StickyProblem · 15/08/2025 10:37

People don’t know how sound carries.
Do your own thing and make your own noise in your garden, have the radio as you would like it, not being childishly vengeful but if they can hear you they will realise that you can hear them.

applespearsbears · 15/08/2025 10:37

MasterBeth · 15/08/2025 10:25

Overhearing a one-sided phone conversation is more tiring/annoying than hearing a normal conversation because your brain tries to fill in the gaps. (Research has been done into it.)

But it's their garden and they have every right to have an annoying conversation in it.

Why does their right to make noise trump our right to quiet enjoy
ent of our garden? Why is noise made in the house monitored by the council but not in the garden

applespearsbears · 15/08/2025 10:39

StickyProblem · 15/08/2025 10:37

People don’t know how sound carries.
Do your own thing and make your own noise in your garden, have the radio as you would like it, not being childishly vengeful but if they can hear you they will realise that you can hear them.

im afraid people like this don’t care and are t reasonable they have not modified any behaviour and I do t want to disturb our other neighbours