Neighbour complaining about noise from our pool

[crusoe16]

We bought a house about a year ago, one of the reasons we bought it was because it had an outdoor pool. The pool is walled, and part of the wall forms the back of our neighbours' house. They bought their house around the same time as we bought ours and there is no way they couldn't not have known they were metres from a pool.

They are a retired couple and we have 4 DC. A few weeks after we both moved into our properties the lady made a comment about the children being noisy in the pool. I knew then that we were likely to have a problem so we remind the children not to scream and shout when they're in the garden or pool.

We heat the pool for about 4 months over summer and the children use it whenever they can. Probably for up to two hours a day and never after 6pm. There is obviously some noise, laughter, shrieking, jumping in etc from the children. There certainly isn't any offensive language or screaming. Occasionally the children will have friends over and then there is probably a bit more shrieking but we're talking a couple of times a month at most. We were away all of July so there hasn't been any noise for the past 5 weeks.

It was my son's birthday yesterday and we had a party at home, the children all swam and the noise level admittedly was quite high. The neighbours called tonight to complain "it was unbearable and we had to go out". I apologised for the noise and for not warning them about the party. They went on to suggest we never have a children's party in the pool again which I objected to; one of our four DC is a summer baby and it's likely we'll have his party at home every year and that the children would use the pool. I promised to give them good notice next time and that it would only be an annual thing.

They then went on to complain of constant noise from the pool. I objected to this as I've already said it's for a couple of hours a day max, never in the evenings and we've been away for all of the summer holidays until now. During term time the children are obviously at school so it's only generally used at weekends. They said they the noise from the children ruins their enjoyment of their garden. I was polite and apologetic and even went as far as promising not to let the children in the pool next Sunday as they are apparently entertaining but my DH doesn't think I should have said that in case they take to entertaining on a daily basis!

I'm unsure what to do or where we stand. I don't want to fall out with our neighbours. They clearly find any noise from the pool irritating and I can't realistically eradicate the noise

Didn't you have one at one stage though Jack?

I think this is just tough for them. They sound like my in-laws - they cannot bear the sound of people enjoying their gardens.
People who need silent enjoyment of their homes need to live a long way from other people.

Enjoy your pool OP.

I'd ignore it. It's only in use over the summer anyway. We had one complaint from our neighbour about ours but that was more about they didn't like seeing teenagers in bikinis (due to religious reasons). I pointed out a) that he saw we had a pool when he bought his house and b) he didn't have to see our pool at all if he didn't want to as its only viewable from one very small
part of his garden. He's such a dick.

I would LOVE to hear kids playing in a pool. On the proviso that there's no constant squealing. But general fun and games sounds great to me and I want a pool

Yes but an inflatable one. Not up for bloody 4 months

plus girls WAY WORSE - flippen screaming

Next time they come round to complain, i suggest you stand firm (or get your husband to go do it if you prefer) and tell them if the noise from your garden is so unbearable for them, you suggest they contact the environmental health officer at your local council to make a formal complaint. (don't give them his direct number). Or they move to a house on a bigger plot with no close neighbours. Some people are just complete noise freaks and have very unreasonable expectations. I'd stop restricting your activities and just limit it to reasonable times that you are out in your garden like 0900 -2100 unless the occasional party. Any opportunities for you to get out chainsaws, petrol hedge cutters and extra noisy lawnmowers?

Agree about girls. Mine are piercing in the pool; the boys much quieter.

My neighbours have a pool. Actually I'm amazed at how little they use it. If I had a pool I would be in there all summer. When they do use it the children shriek a bit, splash a lot laugh etc. Nothing excessive just general pool noise I suppose. I would take that noise any day over children screaming and arguing (thinks about neighbours on the other side...) or music blaring. Your neighbours have it easy!

Don't let them bother you. As long as it's not endless screaming for hours and hours you're doing nothing wrong. Surely pool noise is happy noise isn't it? I'd take the EH man's advice as a green light TBH, it sounds like your being more than considerate.

They'll just have to put up with it. What can they do? Children playing in their own garden which has a pool is perfectly reasonable.

Just don't let them aim supersoakers over the wall

I agree it's the noise. You say there is shrieking. That would drive me crazy, it literally hurts my head to hear shrieks.

Maybe they want to move but think it won't sell because of the noise issue.

I have a pool too, but I've banned shrieking. It's the worst sound in the world. Laughing, happy noise is fine, but not continuous screaming (or hours of "Marco..... Polo".

A child shrieking with laughter as they jump into a pool on a summers' day is the worst sound in the world? OK then.

We've banned wailing, arguing, shouting and screaming. I'm actually at a loss as to how in practice one would ban the occasional shriek.

I'm sick jealous. We have a 'pool', but it's only a steel framed above ground one.

Goes up in April and stays unil end of Sept.

I love nothing more than the sound of kids having fun. I'll be your neighbour.

I would hate to have a pool next door to me, but your neighbours selected that and I think you have been extremely fair with it.

Agree with others: don't make promises about times and days - you have as much right to enjoy your garden as they do.

They are not being held at gunpoint - they are free to move house if they want.

STOP pandering to them. In fact, do what the Environmental Health officer said. Enjoy your garden and pool. They're being ridiculous.

i would explain to them i will be considerate no late night swimming and forewarn you of party's but what were you expecting when you bought a house directly next to a swimming pool. Allot of family's like swimming pools so if you don't like the sound of children why did you purchase a home next to a pool.

same gos if you bought a house next to a lido what would have you done then .If you dont like children please remember not to purchase a home next to play parks or pools.When you buy a home you check for things that you like/dislike its not my fault if you did not do this

Ugh we got another email this morning. The kids had friends over yesterday afternoon. 8 in total but our toddler slept through most of it and one of them was 15 so let's say 6 kids aged between 5 and 11. They used the pool on and off between noon and 4pm. Four Mums present. I'd told them all about the neighbours and we all regularly warned our children when they were getting too noisy and they all kept the noise down until they got excited again when we 'shushed' them again. It was as quiet as 6 children possibly could be. No screaming. No crying. No arguing. I woke up to an email asking us not to use the pool today in lieu along with some other stuff about us having ruined their day..... Prior to this we hadn't used the pool at all for 6 days. I did actually have a friend coming over for lunch today with her two DC and had planned to use the pool but have now arranged to meet at a cafe.

Unsure what to do. I have already asked them to forward their complaints to the noise officer. They probably have and haven't been told what they wanted to hear so they're complaining to me again.

Can I ask them not to? It is it, dare I use the word, harassment?

I think we've reached a point where I can confidently say we're not going to remain on good terms with these neighbours and while I don't want an all out war, I don't want to have to listen to them either. I don't believe any noise coming from our property represents us doing anything other than 'reasonably enjoying our home'. I don't think there's anything antisocial about us at all

Block their email address and crack on with enjoying your summer. They have the details of the bloke at the council if they want someone to whine at.

I would say it's not unreasonably to now term this harassment. Children make noise, you are asking them to moderate the volume and you are not letting them play in the pool at an anti-social hour. I'd divert their emails to your junk mailbox now and let them complain to the council, they won't get anywhere.

It can be annoying if your children are grown up & have left home & new people move in & make shed loads of noise you haven't had for years. I just bide my time & think when I have grandchildren old enough to appreciate it I'm going to put a pool, with a waterslide, with a trampoline & buy two yappy dogs.

1. Ignore the email
2. Change your plans back again and have your friends over to use the pool
3. Ignore all future emails

If your house is big enough to have a pool and accommodate four kids, I'm guessing it's on a street of other large, family-style houses, right? I would just point out that the children would still be playing outside in the summer holidays and making noise even without the pool, and possibly even that they should maybe consider the type and average age of the neighbourhood they move into more closely next time.

It's really hot here today, you bought a house with a pool precisely to enjoy it . Do not cancel your lunch but calmly ignore the ridiculous emails , the summer will soon be over they can have 9 months of no pool . If they come and complain I would say that due to school holidays etc you have not picked up your emails .

You have made every effort to be accommodating by responding even if just by changing your plans you are giving them the impression that they have power to change this .You need to ignore ignore ignore.

Quietly I would log the times you have used the pool etc so that if they try to claim you are using it more frequently or having more people there you have records and also keep a log of their complaints .