AIBU to post a note through neighbours door?

[sleeeeeeepy]

We have recently got some new next door neighbours who are a group of uni students. They seem nice enough in passing but we haven’t had much chance to properly speak to them.

Since they moved in 3 nights ago, they have been incredibly noisy in the middle of the night. As in, shouting outside in the garden, banging on the internal walls etc. Last night at 4am one of them did a blood curdling scream!

It’s partially an issue as its terraced houses, so it’s hard to know where a noise is coming from sometimes. Every night it’s woken me up I’ve panicked there’s someone in my house and had to get up to check to realise it’s coming from them!

It’s also just (obviously) very annoying!! We both work full time and I leave for work at 8am, so being disturbed sleeping has a massive impact on my day. I’m a bad sleeper at the best of times and really struggle to get back to sleep after being woken.

I’d like to stress this isn’t normal terraced houses neighbourly noise, it’s very very loud boys messing about and being very disturbing! We’ve had students next door before and not been disturbed like this.

I want to put a note through the door on the basis that they may not realise they’re disturbing us and therefore can’t try and be quieter. DH thinks that will aggregate them and be passive aggressive and that they’ll calm down after freshers.

I don’t mind if they’re noisy occasionally (on a weekend!) as obviously everyone is, but I really can’t cope with another night of no sleep like this.

AIBU to post a note through the door?

My idea was to say along the lines of:

Hi,

Sorry to be awkward but for the last few nights we’ve been woken up by you in the early hours of the morning. We both have to leave for work quite early so it’s really hard to lose out on sleep!

Is there any chance you would be able to try and keep it down overnight during the week? Totally understand you want to have people round but it’s very noisey when you’re all shouting inside as we don’t have the thickest walls!

Thanks,
Neighbours

Talk to them face to face.

People who are this inconsiderate aren’t going to respond to a wet noodle note.

I would go straight to the landlord.

Yes, this is exactly what a normal, well-balanced person would say to their new neighbours. No wonder so many Mners are friendless, NC with their families, and regard the world outside their front door with horror and suspicion. 🙄

Id speak to them in person, keep an eye out for when they are home and go around.
After that, if they are noisy in the night I'd go around at 4am or whenever it happens and tell them if it happens again you'll be in touch with their landlord.

Talk to them. If they wake you at 4am just get up and have a word.

I agree with others that your letter is far too soft. If the students are entitled arseholes, they will probably post it on social media for all their friends to see and have a good laugh about.
Try again to knock and speak to them. Early morning on your way to work would be best. If the noise continues, then report them to their landlord, though I don’t know how you would find out who that is…

This ^^

Don't wait, don't apologise and don't 'understand' that they need to throw parties, bash about and scream in a terraced house on a residential street.

Set the limits, do it in writing (keep a copy) and in person, and inform the estate agents/landlord asap if they do it even one more time.

Thanks for all the advice! I can see why my note is maybe too nice, but I do agree that being quite grumpy is likely to just make them laugh and ignore too!

I will maybe wait until the weekend and go round to speak to them (or send DH as it’s a house full of boys!). It’s just so hard being exhausted at work all day and knowing it’s someone else’s fault!

I do want to keep a good relationship with them if possible, and part of me thinks that until we say they don’t know they’re disturbing us!

I agree the note is too nice - asking if there’s any chance they can try to do something doesn’t sound very assertive. I’d be going round and telling (not asking) them to keep it down. They have only just stopped being kids and maybe never lived alone before so might not realise house walls are thin, but they are in a residential area

I lived next to a student house for 5 years & I found making eye contact & being ‘friendly’ to the occupants helped if you needed to knock on their door & say what’s with the screaming & banging at 4am last night, thin walls, can you keep the noise down etc. As it’s only a couple of days so far they’ll probably settle down.
I had different group each year & think I only lost the plot one year when they came back from a club at 3am & put music on so loud I could feel the base beating in my chest.

I once lived in a terrace next to some house sharing young professionals (as were we) so everyone got up in the morning for work during the week. Every weekend however one of the people next door clearly didnt stay the night at home and every morning the alarm would go off at 6am and wake me up through the thin walls as no one turned it off. Anyway eventually I wrote what I thought was a firm but nice letter suggesting the alarm clock be turned off at weekends. Tne recipient was furious and shouted at me next time I saw her.
So notes however well drafted probably aren't as productive as trying to speak face to face.

I think your note needs to be more direct. You can be polite and to the point. Explain the noise needs to stop you haven’t had to contact the landlord with previous students but will have no option if the noise carries on. I would look into sound proofing if I had students next door.

Also it’s definitely a private rental, the uni accommodation round here is either halls or apartment blocks, definitely not terraced houses etc! I don’t know which letting agent it is, but I doubt it would be hard to find out as it will have been advertised over summer etc

The second note, more factual and objective. remove the comments about being mature adults - very condescending and wholly unnecessary.

You sounds like a real treat yourself. Do you have actual advice or just insults for all?

I completely disagree with the knee jerk 'passive aggressive' response to a note. It's fine to write a note. You can carefully word it as you wish, it can be passed around the occupants so they all get the message and it leaves no doubt as to what is being asked. I wouldn't feel comfortable going round in person.

When do you get up OP? Because if they are up until about 4am, they will be sleeping in. I recommend stereo speakers against their wall and play the most annoying song, on a loop as you leave for work.

That of course is only if they don't try and calm it down for you, sadly I presume they will not.

I'm afraid at the age of 19. If I'd have received this letter, I would have just thought fuck you, you pompous patronising git. And made more noise on purpose.

But if I had received the ops letter i would have made the effort to be quieter and then a couple of nights later, if we were being noisy again, and then recived something a bit more terse like the next letter, I might be more likely to not be so selfish and noisy.

Teenagers/20 year olds, tend not to respond very well too people being too officious, as it puts them into a child like position.

Wait till they start bringing girls back and you need to listen to them shagging all night

go around at 4am absolutely raging and knock on their door hard enough to go through it and tell them to shut the up

I think the tone of your note is nice OP. You’re saying that you understand they’re enjoying themselves but making the point that you need to get up early.
I think they’ll respond far better to that than a more terse note. I think it’s perfect

I’d go round when woken up, or send your DH and tell them to be quiet!

You need to find the landlord and stamp on this quickly, because they sound like a bunch of idiots. A polite word won't cut the mustard. And also find the Uni contact for student welfare - if you give the address, they can gather who is living there and say that they're the wrong students to be in residential accommodation.

You heard a blood curdling scream but never thought to call the police. You should have called the police. Perhaps even if they where messing about it would have made them thing twice about making so much noise

@Cornucopia55

Your note is perfect, I would say something similar. Try knocking a couple more times before posting. As a PP said, it's only a few days in, starting a new term is exciting, they should (hopefully) settle down.