Neighbour complained about dryer

[alisonelli]

I have just had a text from my next door neighbour saying my tumble dryer is too loud and its "having a significant adverse impact on their quality of life".
For context, we live in detached houses, its on carpet in the utility room, I'd say there is at least 6ft gap between the houses, with cavity wall and a fence. I don't run it early in the morning or late at night. I'd say it runs between 10 and 3 if that. Its an eco one, so it does go on for about 3 hours, but uses little electricity. I have 2 kids, who play lots of sports and I have clothes I need to get dry.
What do I do?

I don't think previos post was ambiguous?

A dick? Very pleasant

I’ve never given a neighbour my phone number.

They do if a part is broken or worn out.

Can I come round to your place OP .. I need somewhere to practice my flute . Your utility room sounds perfect ..

It might be distressing them but it's noise during perfectly normal daylight hours. I'd agree if it was late at night or early morning, but if they are being aggravated by a sound that's occasional and only happening during the day, then they must be living in a permanent state of nervousness because EVERYTHING noisy will be going on during those hours.

I'm sorry. I experienced your post differently to how you expected

And resorted to crude insults rather than a coherent argument

I wouldn't deal with him any more. I'd send your dh round to have a "listen" and suggest he uses ear defenders if it bothers him that much and you'll keep the window closed in future.

He doesn't want you there, he wants the former neighbours back!

Seriously though, get your DH (since it's a man complaining and you don't know his motives really) to go over and listen for the noise. Bet they'll end up having a pint together and discussing the ways of the world or something. Tumble drier totally forgotten about.

Do you get along with them day to day or is there a backstory here of frosty relations since you moved in? I think that might be a key to this.

I'd either just mute him and let him scream into the void OR start complaining about being able to hear his telly/lovemaking

Meh. Some people, especially that type, manufacture their own "distress." I wouldn't waste another moment on their batshittery.

They’re the ones being unreasonable. They must sit in silence looking to hear something. Maybe their medication needs adaptation. Too many board Karen’s these days looking to create problems.

I would be asking to go round to hear what's bothering them, purely out of curiosity. I'd want to know what they suggested you do instead.
Ultimately, unless there's something I could fix, 'tough titty' would be my reaction. I would hate to be causing anyone avoidable distress. However it's not reasonable to expect you to stop using a normal household appliance during the day.

Brilliant 😂😂😂😂😂😂

I'm very grateful for this thread. I have always hated tumble dryer noise, especially when inconsiderate people in my house put it on late at night. I can't sleep with it on and it makes me feel awful. But I couldn't explain it as the noise of the washing machine, which is right next to it, doesn't bother me at all.

Based on comments in this thread I've just put it on and realised that there are subtle but really unsettling vibrations - not that noticeable if I'm up and moving around, but sitting still or lying down? Horrible.

(I'm autistic, so 'sensory nightmare' things are not unusual for me, but pinpointing what exactly the problem is can sometimes be difficult.)

Are they holding a glass against your outside wall? Ignore them. Its ridiculous. And anyway even if it was loud you aren't using it at an unreasonable time of day.

Also that text talks about it being intolerable for the last couple of months which implies something has changed or got worse. Please send DH round I’m very invested in finding out the source of the noise.

I think you'll find that I added the coherent argument after the crude insult. A double whammy, as it were.

It wasn't that crude an insult either; I can do better

I would contact his wife and ask if I could pop round to see what your dryer sounds like from their house.

I wouldn't ask him, I'd want to go round to listen with his wife.

Years ago we had a very bad problem with our next door neighbours tumble dryer. We were in a row of terraced town houses and the dryer caused noise and vibration all along our party wall. I dreaded coming home from work as I could hear it from the other side of the road whilst approaching the house and they used it all times of the day and night causing stress and anxiety. After several requests they refused to move it and I had to contact the noise abatement department of the local council who, after visiting, agreed it had to be moved. Although this is a different situation to your problem it did cause bad feelings and it would have been better if it had been dealt with between ourselves. Best to talk to them, hear the noise for yourself and come to an agreement to avoid long term neighbour problems. Hope it goes well.

I'll bring my bagpipes!

Honestly @alisonelli he sounds creepy, looking as you were saying goodbye to your mam & mentioning about you working from home, his bloomers on the line made me laugh but don't put your underwear out.. they might go missing, what a weirdo & you have confirmation from your other neighbours too

Never had any issues. He told us to turn music down in the summer, it wasn't loud, but we did anyway

Even if you both lived in neighbouring flats that would be an unreasonable complaint, providing you were using it through the day, so I can't see how this is a problem. You have to dry your laundry! I would be inclined to explain that to them. Maybe they're hearing something else?....I live in a flat and my neighbours washing machine vibrates the whole place...I can't complain if it's within daytime hours, even though I work nights. People need to do their washing. Kill them with kindness and don't change what you're doing. They sound like the kind of folk that just sit in the house and look for problems....

Maybe he's suffering from tinnitus, you could send him this link https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tinnitus/