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Original poster

Neighbour complained about dryer

476 replies

alisonelli · 30/10/2025 14:01

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?

OP posts:
PizzaPowder · 30/10/2025 14:44

Tell her to fuck off!

Jungfraujoch · 30/10/2025 14:45

Ignore! Unless your dryer is old and rattly! How long have you lived there and have you always had the same dryer? But tbh they sound crazy!

DwarfPalmetto · 30/10/2025 14:45

You are running it in the middle of the day, it's normal household noise. You do nothing.

Original poster
alisonelli · 30/10/2025 14:46

Jungfraujoch · 30/10/2025 14:45

Ignore! Unless your dryer is old and rattly! How long have you lived there and have you always had the same dryer? But tbh they sound crazy!

Its about 5 years old and we have been here 2 years. The old owner didn't have a dryer, which is how they never had problems with them.

OP posts:
MossAndLeaves · 30/10/2025 14:48

It looks like they have a conservatory style wall there? I'd suggest that if they've recently started hearing things after not preciously they may want to check if their windows need updating and are no longer keeping normal sounds out as expected.

eurochick · 30/10/2025 14:48

Do you use dryer balls? We have the spikey kind and with certain loads they can clunk really noisily.

Original poster
alisonelli · 30/10/2025 14:49

eurochick · 30/10/2025 14:48

Do you use dryer balls? We have the spikey kind and with certain loads they can clunk really noisily.

Nope - just clothes - not even trainers

OP posts:
Goldfsh · 30/10/2025 14:50

You say "with the window closed" - do you mean that the window in the utility room is usually open? If so maybe that's the issue.

It does seem really strange TBH.

BreadInCaptivity · 30/10/2025 14:50

Turn off the dryer. Text them and say the dryer is running and please can they describe the level of noise/vibration and offer to come round and listen.

BreadInCaptivity · 30/10/2025 14:51

Sorry posted too soon but expect next steps are obvious if they maintain there is an issue.

Pumpkinsonastring · 30/10/2025 14:51

What do you do? You carry on as you are! Your neighbours are being dicks and they don't rule you.

Next time they mention it say oh dear and suggest a trip to a DIY store for earplugs. When they don't like that, just shrug and say they'll have to think of something else then.

Say no to any suggestions for you to do this or that and don't get into explaining why it's a no, just keep repeating it isn't convenient.

When they say it's not convenient for them as things are, go back to shrugging and saying oh dear.

It's totally their problem to fix, you don't have to do anything - except stand firm and refuse to be hounded into doing whatever it is that they want.

Goldfsh · 30/10/2025 14:51

I'd go and listen in their house. Maybe it's actually something else completely!

CardiganCat · 30/10/2025 14:53

I would ignore them. I bet they have too much spare time on their hands. My grandfather was like this and I felt really sorry for his neighbours. The worst thing you could do was to entertain him because then it was onto the next whinge. He had one neighbour living on edge constantly. Do not engage.

Charminggoldfinch · 30/10/2025 14:53

I’m confused as to how it is adversely impacting their quality of life when you have a detached property and it’s on during the day. Even if they can hear it 1) it’s reasonable day to day noise and 2) it looks like they(or previous owners) extended right to the boundary and put a conservatory in - that’s their choice/ previous owners choice to extend their living space closer to your property and should have considered noise when doing the works

gamerchick · 30/10/2025 14:54

Why do people give their neighbours their phone numbers?

Comefromaway · 30/10/2025 14:56

gamerchick · 30/10/2025 14:54

Why do people give their neighbours their phone numbers?

Goodness knows. I would only give a neighbour my number if they were a close friend as well.

OP, block the number.

ComfortFoodCafe · 30/10/2025 14:56

Tell them to turn down their hearing aids. They are being ridiculous.

Goldfsh · 30/10/2025 14:57

My neighbours all have my number, in case of any problems (theirs or mine).

It's... neighbourly.

Honestly these posts are unhinged. "Block the number" FFS! Why not go and speak to them and see if you can hear anything? Maybe it's something in THEIR house!

Original poster
alisonelli · 30/10/2025 14:57

Thank you all so much. You have all made me feel a lot better about this. I was starting to get anxious about running into them. I happily let him get his solar panels cleaned - via my garden to make it easier. He can struggle next time!

OP posts:
Pumpkinsonastring · 30/10/2025 15:01

Yeh I'd block the number too. There's no point being in contact with whingey bastards you're not friends with. No text that comes from them is ever going to be good.

Don't answer the door if they knock either, you'll know they're only coming round to berate you in person. Leave them fuming on the doorstep and turn the TV up louder to cover the sound of their incessant banging (if they escalate to that). They'll soon get the message that they're going to get nowhere with their intimidation tactics with you.

People set the tone for relationships and if they've decided to start a bully campaign then just have nothing more to do with them. Hello and goodbye to be polite if they initiate it but other than that don't get into conversation with them. No reasonable person thinks it ok they can tell someone not to use a tumble dryer during the day.

CraftyNavySeal · 30/10/2025 15:02

gamerchick · 30/10/2025 14:54

Why do people give their neighbours their phone numbers?

So they can call you if something is wrong. Wouldn’t you want to know if your house has burnt down or been robbed when you were out?

If there has been no issue with the sound for all this time maybe it’s something else or they are going a bit senile.

I would reply that the tumble dryer has been making the same sound it always has but could they call you when they hear it and you will come over.

RandomMess · 30/10/2025 15:05

You could reply “I’ll keep the window shut when it’s in use”.

Perhaps they need to shut theirs too!

DelphiniumBlue · 30/10/2025 15:05

I don’t understand, your elderly neighbour complained about the noise, surely step one is to check whether it is in fact noisy, and then whether the machine is causing the noise or whether it’s actually something else. Some noise is clearly bothering them, why would you not treat that seriously and respectfully?
If it is your machine, there are bound to be steps you can take to insulate it better.

Goldfsh · 30/10/2025 15:06

I mean personally I would text back "Oh I'm sorry to hear that! Nothing has changed recently, but could I come over and have a listen so I can see?"

OR if I was a normal MNer I'd block the number, key their car, ignore them banging on the door, fire up a pneumatic drill and throw it through their open kitchen window, shit in their kitchen waste bin once the binmen have gone, and maybe just try and sleep with the guy's son just to really rub it in

BlueandPinkSwan · 30/10/2025 15:06

BoredZelda · 30/10/2025 14:03

You have carpet in the utility room?

"Talk to the council if it's a problem with it neighbour and when they finish laughing at you, go and jog off."
I wouldn't make excuses and pussy foot around these idiots. They can check things in their own home to see if anything there is adversely affecting their empty lives. They sound older, not being ageist, well, probably am but a lot of older people find the smallest thing to moan about. Their worlds are sometimes small and they become petty. I live next door to one.🙄 generally ignore though.