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Original poster

AIBU to go out to neighbour and ask them to stop?

129 replies

HappyHolidays22 · 29/05/2023 09:28

So it’s 9.20am bank holiday Monday and a beautiful morning. DD playing on the patio and I’m just putting our baby down for nap 1.

For the last 30 minutes out neighbour has been cutting flags on and off. It’s the loudest most annoying noise I can imagine at this time on a Monday morning. We do have the windows open as it’s a lovely morning, but even closed we can hear it.

DH is cross too but thinks we shouldn’t say anything… he’s worried we will start an ongoing argument as a few weeks back, he was doing some more flag cutting at 8pm and woke both my kids up! I absolutely went out and told him to stop that time.

Would I be unreasonable to ask neighbour to stop now? I know we are up anyway with the kids, but it’s early right?

for reference, neighbours have been extensively renovating for 12 months and I think they’re desperate to finish their drive and be done with it all!

OP posts:
polkadotdalmation · 29/05/2023 10:14

Annoying but YABU.

Feraldogmum · 29/05/2023 10:15

You have my sympathy,I know what it sounds like,however it’s far better he does it now than at tea time or worse bedtime.
Just a thought but on a lovely bank holiday, he probably doesn’t want to be doing this and may well be doing it now so he doesn’t disturb you later?

Wishimaywishimight · 29/05/2023 10:17

I (briefly) thought "cutting flags" might be a euphemism for farting 😁

Rhondaa · 29/05/2023 10:17

It doesn't matter if 9.20 is too early according to some on here, to make that racket in the morning on a sunny bh Monday is massively annoying and really inconsiderate!

I'm with you op. All I'd suggest is to buy a trampoline and get your dc and pals jumping on it screaming at 9am and see how they like it. I bet 9am will suddenly become an unreasonable time to disturb neighbours.

BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 29/05/2023 10:19

Well my NDN like to start these sort of jobs at 7:30pm & continue until 10pm so I'd take 9:20am. It is an annoying noise to listen to but it's a reasonable time of day (& will mean it's hopefully done by bedtime, for your sake)!

Doggymummar · 29/05/2023 10:21

Check your local council website. Ours says no DIY using power tools on a BH and 10 -1 on a Sunday

Mikimoto · 29/05/2023 10:21

How about if neighbour asks you one day to tell baby to stop crying as it's only 0830h?

TeaParty4Me · 29/05/2023 10:22

Was your DD out playing before he started doing it?

Perhaps he saw you were all up and thought it would be ok.

I personally wouldn’t do anything noisy before 10am on a Sunday or bank holiday but I wouldn’t complain unless it was like 7am or something.

Abouttime123 · 29/05/2023 10:22

OP - machinery noise on construction sites is only allowed Monday to Friday 8-6 and Saturday 8-1, it’s not allowed at all on Sundays and Bank Holidays. This is the law. I believe that most councils also apply this to householders doing their own work using similar noisy tools. My neighbour did this he was having very noisy work done on a bank holiday last year. I went round and explained the law very politely. I then said I wouldn’t mind too much so long as it wasn’t going on all day and they asked if it was ok for further couple of hours but quiet all afternoon and we agreed that was ok. Only you know how best to approach your neighbour though.

SlightlygrumpyBettyswaitress · 29/05/2023 10:23

It's incredibly irritating. Luckily where I live now, neighbours in all directions pop a card through the letter box if they are going to be doing something noisy. It doesn't stop the noise but it does mean we can plan to do something else instead!

TrashyPanda · 29/05/2023 10:23

It’s not early, far less “so early” - it was nearly 9.30!

Stratocumulus · 29/05/2023 10:24

When you next can chat to neighbour, make a general query in a neutral tone of voice, about how work is progressing? Ask if there’s much more in the way of flags to be cut?
Without saying too much he will hopefully get your drift about it being a bit, in your book, anti-social?
These days unless you live in the back of beyond it seems as if anything goes and folks are too selfish to give a toss about disturbing others during relaxation/break from work times.
A decent neighbour might have knocked to say “Sorry but I’m going to be making a bit of noise tomorrow/today/whenever which would give yous a chance to brace yourselves.
I empathise with you but sadly, these days it’s a free-for-all attitude and bug**r everyone else.

Rhondaa · 29/05/2023 10:25

Mikimoto · 29/05/2023 10:21

How about if neighbour asks you one day to tell baby to stop crying as it's only 0830h?

Oh yes, stop babies crying! Whey doesn't everyone do that? It is actually quite hard to do, whereas it is very easy to choose not to use a really loud tool cutting flagstones disturbing neaugbiurs on a bh morning.

I'd take a crying baby over an angle grinder any day.

MarkWithaC · 29/05/2023 10:26

Some councils say work should be carried out on Sundays and public and bank holidays only in emergencies. So depending on where you are, technically you may have a case.
But that aside, I think after 9am is fine. And if people work a 9-to-5 type job, when else are they supposed to do work?

itsgettingweird · 29/05/2023 10:27

9.20am reasonable.

8pm unreasonable.

Mikimoto · 29/05/2023 10:27

Rhondaa · 29/05/2023 10:25

Oh yes, stop babies crying! Whey doesn't everyone do that? It is actually quite hard to do, whereas it is very easy to choose not to use a really loud tool cutting flagstones disturbing neaugbiurs on a bh morning.

I'd take a crying baby over an angle grinder any day.

Show quote history

Whoosh.....

CheshireCat1 · 29/05/2023 10:28

I like it when the neighbours are noisy, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

crabbyoldappletree · 29/05/2023 10:28

Take him coffee and biscuits.... he'll stop for a break and your dh can settle the baby for a thirty min nap, whilst you and your neighbour have a nice chat. You never know you might end up all being mates!

MrsSkylerWhite · 29/05/2023 10:29

Yep, really annoying but that’s life. You really can’t complain.

SoupDragon · 29/05/2023 10:30

I think they’re desperate to finish their drive and be done with it all!

They can't finish it without cutting the flagstones though. If you had asked them to stop (and I see you've taken on board that you are unreasonable) it would only have prolonged it and I bet you're equally keen to have it over and done with too!

ShandaLear · 29/05/2023 10:43

If they stop now they’re going to have to do it next weekend or the weekend after so you’re just saving up the noise for another day. And come the day when you want to do noisy renovations or get the Karcher out to pressure wash your dog or whatever, you haven’t got a leg to stand on if they complain. They probably have to listen to little ones crying night and day - it’s all part of the fun of living near people.

Take it as a sign from the gods that you should go out for the day.

SlicerAndEcho · 29/05/2023 10:44

Where I live we can only make noise between 8am and 12pm on a bank holiday (and a Sunday), so everyone cracks on at 8. At least the afternoon is quiet.

Landbeforetime · 29/05/2023 10:44

How do you know they’re not trying to drown out your kids piano playing? Your windows are open after all

Oysterbabe · 29/05/2023 10:46

Landbeforetime · 29/05/2023 10:44

How do you know they’re not trying to drown out your kids piano playing? Your windows are open after all

Patio not piano.

Ariela · 29/05/2023 10:47

Do you really want a child that wakes at every noise because they've only been allowed a non-noisy environment at 'sleep time'? Makes eg going on holiday awkward. Or do you want a child that sleep s happily when tired even if there is noise going on in the background?
We started our first early by building a bookcase from scratch outside her bedroom when she was asleep (and she didn't wake).