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 meant the OP could answer their complaint with this.

I said exactly the same to the neighbour who complained about my noise. She’d only moved in on the Saturday and the environment health arrived Thursday that week. I did say to her that perhaps talking to me first would help!
we found out later, she was well known to the council ! I should say we were definitely not noisy.
Just saying that environment health would be very unlikely to consider the tumble dryer being used i the middle of the day and noise problem.

Sure, ignoring it will definitely make the problem go away, and is what all grown ups do.

Look, there's not a single scientist in the world who thinks that a single point of data is a statistically reliable source. If they start to complain about other things then sure, that's evidence that supports your claim, but one complaint in the (five?) years since OP has lived there does not indicate that more will follow if you... go over to theirs to listen.

I wonder if it’s more the vibrations/rumble they can hear/feel? I can feel (not hear) when my next door neighbour has his sound bar on. I can’t begin to describe how distressing it is, like something in my head I can’t escape from. I do appreciate it’s my problem , dh can’t notice it. But I did ask the neighbours if they could please shut the living room door when they have it on (their living room is the far side of the house from mine, we’re attached).

I’m sure they probably think I’m insane 🙈😁. I’m not sure if they do close the door or not, I do still hear it a bit but not as much, they did say they only use it for movies. I know I just have to put up with it now, I certainly would not be repeating any initial request or wording it as abruptly as your neighbour has.

if it is this I wonder if an acoustic mat might help? I appreciate you don’t have to do this.

Go and talk to to them.

Simple

Do absolutely nothing, don’t reply.

It is not your problem to solve, if they are bothered by normal domestic noise the onus is on them to improve the soundproofing of their home, not on you to eliminate the cause.

It is only your problem if you are doing anything that would constitute a noise complaint (which a tumble dryer in use during normal waking hours is not).

If they persist and you feel you must reply then something like “I am sorry it bothers you, you will need to look at improving the soundproofing of your home. There is nothing wrong with our machine and we will continue to use it as required”.

I wonder how you have been raised to be so inconsiderate?

They are being unreasonable.

Are you me (well, apart from the pool)? Life in the French countryside is very definitely not quiet (or drama free) 😂

It may not be her problem to solve but surely if you can solve it to help someone else out then why not at least try?

What's particularly weird about this thread is that we are generally as a society so much more considerate these days of people with neurodiversities who we understand may struggle with noise issues, but these people can apparently go fuck themselves. What is that about?!

You could get rubber feet that help dampen sound from dryers. 8 pounds off amazon. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Washing-Machine-Vibration-Universal-Anti-Vibration/dp/B0B1Q7FLFN/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=E5FSM099CFU7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.5fzBioW1r_6n_QkBuf0ujz7C85paeBwo5zzhG3wgvEb-YlkGB6vc3kKNu7HQ3sg33Fq8XmFt82zqnw4NyPxgXxu3byFEkE_Ex-4PFv7tAGp5XvnTYGy9hrjAoTnh-DgHCqI5F3uBNk_YEmpk_rtqs2srRq0ik4HN64_BuUgRY-j4qz_IOOQxb9ijdxVyJZWbVJ8G7q_7o3OyqGiLTbNyQA.p9JFD2VfTkiaTPpoypVHzYiMtcewWziAcxzLHWom1QE&dib_tag=se&keywords=tumble+dryer+damper&qid=1761841462&sprefix=tumble+dryer+dam%2Caps%2C154&sr=8-3

I've learned over the years to take no bollocks. I used to bend over backwards for people like these, but it never made any difference so I no longer bother and never will again.

I know you won't like that and will call me a terrible person, but so be it. I give no shits.

Exactly. Just because the tumble dryer could be considered acceptable noise to most people it doesn’t mean that we can’t show kindness and consideration to others who would find it distressing

I’m sorry you have had such bad treatment from other people to make you so selfish.

We're in a semi and we can hear our neighbour's washer/dryer even though their kitchen is on the opposite side of the house from us.

I’ve got better things to do to be honest.
If they wanted to ask nicely in person they might get a gentler response. If they sent me abrupt texts I’d respond in kind.

It’s always men that do this to women though, it’s not his wife being demanding, it’s a man throwing his weight around. Men like that can get to fuck.

Same style as the woman whose husband wants to take to lunch a woman the wife does not know. Same style, I mean really. Wake up mn

Maybe it is overly dramatic (I'm inclined to think that was overly dramatic language too, by the way), and maybe it isn't.

OP seeking more data (being able to hear first hand what the neighbours are or are not hearing from inside their house) is not being pushed around. It is basic fact gathering before deciding on a course of action/inaction. It is basic courtesy to her neighbours. If you have neighbours, goodwill and common courtesy with them is important for a peaceful life in one's own home.

Oh no, but all the selfish responses are real

This is so strange that I think you need to ask to go and listen to it. Maybe there is some weird structural thing that magnifies the tumble dryer noise. If one of our neighbour at the back and up the hill does any DIY in his garden it is very loud in our garden because of an echo I've never noticed at any other time. Maybe something like that is going on because of an underground or pipe or drain or.... something !?!?!

It's because they're potentially elderly. There is a certain element on mn that think nobody over 60 deserves to exist.

I'm with all those who advise that you ask to hear it from their house. It's the first thing I'd do anyway. (Unless they have form for being complainers about your lifestyle etc.) that's a simple act that might just bring a resolution.

However..... one of my thoughts was that they miss their former neighbour (from whom you bought the house), and are finding fault with you because you are just not the same and Jack and Jill were to them!

Regardless, take the high road and see if you can both identify where the noise is coming from and live in peace.

I've seen the complaints of ageism on mn before, but I have never seen it first hand so clearly as on this thread!

Stand outside whilst it’s running and record on your phone. If you can hear it, ask them to go inside their house and record it, it could be that you simply tune it out (I do) or could be they are hearing from somewhere else

'Seeking more data 🙄', she lives in the house if the dryer was noisy she would know.

Goodwill and courtesy work both ways and whining about a dryer is neither.