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AIBU

Noisy Neighbours

(167 Posts)
caramel Tue 12-May-20 09:43:58

AIBU on the lovely bank holiday afternoon sitting in the garden with my locked in family. The neighbours decided to mow and strim their lawn even though they could hear we were in the garden. I was very upset and feel that they should not have been doing this on a special afternoon when the sun was shining. Arn't we allowed any time any more when we can relax and enjoy our gardens without constant noise.

dontmindstayinghome Tue 12-May-20 15:39:06

Yes you are being unreasonable, they are not noisy neighbours, they are just neighbours looking after their garden. They don't have to mow or strim at a time that suits you!
You should try living in my house, my very elderly neighbour is deaf and her TV is so loud I have to put mine on to drown hers out! That's all the time, early morning until late evening and not just on sunny days!
I wouldn't dream of complaining, she can't help being hard of hearing and she is a lovely neighbour in every other way.
Live and let live.

Babyshark Tue 12-May-20 15:32:46

Is this real? People upset by general garden maintenance?

RomyP Tue 12-May-20 15:18:29

You're not being unreasonable just completely selfish.

NanTheWiser Tue 12-May-20 15:10:08

I mowed and strimmed my garden this morning... Was I being unreasonable? Fortunately the house next door is currently empty.

lizzypopbottle Tue 12-May-20 15:07:57

It takes me about 40 minutes once a week to cut my grass. Then it's over and done. My neighbours have an entirely stone and concrete 'garden', so no mowing (or wildlife, other than their teenagers), but have lots of loud, outdoor, social get-togethers and can't spend time outside without the radio playing even though they mostly talk over it or go inside and leave it playing. They don't know any better so I make allowances. Tolerance is the only virtue! ? (Would you call that virtue signalling or merely tongue in cheek? Or maybe just cheek....)

sarahh56 Tue 12-May-20 14:47:37

Bimey! Cutting their lawn on a bank holiday,some of us it is the only time we get. We are working from home full time currently, and our retired neighbours cut their grass and strim during the daytime in the week whilst we are working,but I would not dream of complaining. Far better that they cut it rather than leave it to become a jungle!

Grannygrumps1 Tue 12-May-20 14:47:34

Lol..... my local Nextdoor Web page was discussing the same thing . Yes you are being unreasonable.
Sorry if it’s not what you want to here.

Suzey Tue 12-May-20 14:33:03

I'm so glad I don't live next to you

claresc0tt Tue 12-May-20 14:23:08

I love dogs,but one of my neighbours allows them to bark without trying to quieten them. Gives me a headache and I end up going indoors on a lovely sunny day

janipans Tue 12-May-20 13:46:45

It seems the gransnet jury has made its decision that yes, Caramel, quite clearly you are being totally unreasonable!

GardenerGran Tue 12-May-20 13:43:59

If only that was all we had on V.E.day. The neighbours opposite decided to chop down a huge conifer (in the nesting season) in the morning with the help of a neighbour (?) and his chainsaw, then proceeded to burn the whole thing, green wood which causes loads of smoke, so billowing smoke everywhere, in our garden front and back, and neighbours gardens. We could smell it and taste it as well as see it. This went on through the 11am 2 min silence and the 3 pm toast. DH went over in the morning to have a word to no effect. They eventually stopped around 5.30pm. Their 2 children were also running around in it all day. Inconsiderate doesn’t even come close.

flores Tue 12-May-20 13:43:38

Mowing the lawn or children playing in their own garden are quite acceptable, I’d think. If we choose to live in a “built up” area, there are things we must “put up” with, although it can be annoying. I had a choice and I chose to live in town......so be it

felice Tue 12-May-20 13:35:10

Mowing, strimming and any noisy outside work is banned here in Belgium on Sundays and Public Holidays.
The rules can be quite strictly enforced and heavy fines given.

JaneRn Tue 12-May-20 13:31:32

I think you may have got the message by now! If you live in suburbia with people close by you should expect to hear lawns being cut, and as a matter of interest when do you cut your's? I admit some of the examples given would be intolerable and quite unacceptable behaviour but that's the chance you take. Most of us have far more important things to think about. Just be grateful for what you've got.

I suspect you are the sort of person who moves to a village and then complains about church bells or a cockerel crowing in the morning!

Phloembundle Tue 12-May-20 13:29:41

I like the sound of a lawnmower because it reminds me of my youth, and possibly one of the best pop songs ever, namely, Pleasant Valley Sunday, by the Monkees.

Silverlady79 Tue 12-May-20 13:29:17

This post must be a joke. In the middle of a pandemic with thousands of people dying you’re actually worried about somebody mowing the lawn? I just can’t seem to get my head around why on earth this would offend you so much

Shazmo24 Tue 12-May-20 13:21:45

Yes you ABU as it may have been the only time they could do it. Give them a break...am sure there may be things that annoy them.
You need to learn to be mote tolerant and it probably didn't last long eithrr

H1954 Tue 12-May-20 13:21:28

Am I missing something? Tuesday? Bank Holiday? And actually, yes I do think you ABU, they can hardly cut the grass when it's raining! During this pandemic we should be grateful that we can actually sit outside and enjoy the sunshine rather than working in the hospitals, occupying a bed in ITU or worse still, laying in a slab in the mortuary!!!!! Get a grip!

Silversalsa7 Tue 12-May-20 13:18:08

I love to hear the children joyfully screaming and playing, particularly in these most difficult times. It makes me feel alive. As for mowing a lawn, for heavens sake why not.

Scooty413 Tue 12-May-20 13:16:34

Generally it's not too bad where I live however there is one family who live on the next street that backs on to our garden. They're about 3 houses along. Just about every day they have music playing, kids kicking football against the fence, trampolining, etc. They ebbing having BBQs too, and parties usually. Sadly she is very loud, as are her friends when they go round to party (luckily only once during lockdown but usually at least twice a month). We've known them be shrieking and mucking about until 3 and 4 in the morning. A new neighbour immediately behind decided to blast heavy metal the other day and we shouted to ask him to turn it down which he did after a while.

On the other hand we have an old man on our street who sits and gossips all day when it's not raining, our the front of his house. We call him clattergobs. It's usually rubbish and sometimes is horrible, but we can all hear him with the windows and doors shut and his voice also carries into the back garden.

I wonder if I'm just being picky, but when I have visitors, they say the noise is terrible.

I know I should contact the council but just wish it wasn't always me who has to do something for the benefit of everyone else. Why can other neighbours not just report it instead of waiting for me to? They complain to me.

Gwiz5 Tue 12-May-20 13:11:08

Seems that after this long in lockdown every little thing is causing irritation , I have neighbours with a very small garden that they took 60 minutes to mow .. no idea why but it did. They put the trampoline for the kids right next to the fence , so I get to see them and hear them having a fabulous time. My other neighbours dog barks like a lunatic every time a lawnmower gets started .. which is fun.
I’m pretty sure the lyrics of the song were not ‘ don’t worry about a thing , coz every little things gonna cause a fight ‘

At least now you can go out for the day when they mow.

Loislovesstewie Tue 12-May-20 13:06:40

Hi JennyCee , AIBU is just 'am I being unreasonable' . There is a list of acronyms that you can access at the bottom of the page.

JennyCee Tue 12-May-20 13:01:10

I’m new to Gransnet and am frustrated about the constant use of initials! I understand DB and DS etc but what is AIBU?
Could you use a “board of clues” please?
Can’t remember the word I am looking for, so unlikely to be able to translate this ‘language’

helenmabr Tue 12-May-20 12:58:18

Yes you are being very unreasonable, when else are people supposed to be the garden than at the weekend

Purplepoppies Tue 12-May-20 12:58:14

One of my neighbours uses an old fashioned roller mower. The noise rather irritates me. I wouldn't dream of complaining about it.
I was rather annoyed about the binmen having a loud conversation outside my window at 6am yesterday morning though, very thoughtless ?.
You are very lucky to have a garden that is for your personal use. I have a communal garden. I'm isolating. I haven't used the garden apart from hanging washing on the odd occasion.
There are worse things you're neighbours could be doing. My next door neighbour likes to abuse his wife. That is not pleasant, I can tell you!!!