Problem neighbour

MistyZ

While I was staying at the house we rent out - doing it up in between tenants - the neighbours' teenage twins played some kind of music till 3 or 4 am. Loud, mega loud, literally sounded as if it was in the bedroom. In that house there are no back rooms to escape to. The tracks went on forever and the lyrics seemed to mainly consist of urging someone to commit rape. I started to have serious doubts about ever finding a happy tenant. Our current tenant has not had this problem and she's been there over a year. Yet the same twins live next door ..... All I can say is that this type of nuisance is not always a chronic problem, peoples' routines do change. So don't despair just yet, your neighbour may take the hint or get a job or something. And perhaps you could change rooms? If nothing gives why not consider moving .....? Any chance of renting somewhere rural? Rented properties are often cheaper off the beaten tracks and also offer the peace and quiet you need to concentrate on your work.

fierystormcloud

missbiggles1 wrote: »

I don't really understand why you can't switch rooms and have a front bedroom as your studio. I know you said you need the space but you also said that the room you use is the smallest which doesn't seem to make sense. Have I misunderstood something?

This. ^^^ I don't understand why the OP doesn't move to the other side of the house.

Davesnave wrote: »

Unless it is at antisocial hours or at a volume considerably higher than that of a phone, I can't see you getting anywhere with this.

Many people listen to music on mobile devices, and have done since the 1960s, so its an established pastime, like mowing the lawn, cutting hedges and using other power tools, all of which can be very noisy. It's just stuff people do in their gardens. Put a few gardens together in a town situation and there's a good chance someone will be doing one of those activities on any given dry and warm afternoon. At weekends and in the evenings, add a few rowdy barbecues to the mix.

It rather sounds as if the the type music offends your sensibilities, in which case why not provide some of your own, or one of those relaxation soundtracks, to mask it?

One of the perils of working from home is that an uncontrolled environment exists beyond your four walls. If you need stillness, then you may have to move, but even in the countryside there can be noise. In a few moments I'm going out to brush-cut the orchard in this very rural spot, which means a couple of hours of very loud rasping noises for my immediate neighbour, who'd probably welcome even One Direction as an alternative!

All true. ^^^

I do empathise with the OP, and it really irks me when people assume EVERYONE else wants to listen to their music! But at the same time, there isn't a lot you can do about someone playing the radio outside in their own garden. Just - as someone suggested - invest in ear plugs. Or move to a detached cottage in the countryside!

michelle2008

I really sympathise - I love reading in my garden. About two years ago some elderly neighbours died and three new families moved in - they all blast music in the garden!! Very inconsiderate. They also shout to each other, have long loud phone conversations in the garden and sing along to their music!

It has destroyed my lovely, quiet garden. I tried headphones with white noise, bird noise, classical music. Nothing drowned it all out. I love pop music - when I pick it, but I would never impose my music on others.

I am moving. People are just getting more inconsiderate unfortunately. Bigger back gardens are the only solution

[Deleted User]

I know this is going to sound trite.., but I've lived next door to someone with dogs who barked for hours at a time (I wore headphones playing stuff I liked, couldn't hear it much). Where I live now, when I go out in the tiny garden there is often a neighbour playing loud music during the day. It can be irritating if I feel irritated, but I find if I just accept it as background noise (remove the irritation) I can live with it even without headphones on.

It sounds like stopping your neighbour making noise is going to take time, if it happens at all. So all you can do is move, cover it up (wearing headphones) or change your perception. A thing one person finds irritating won't irritate another, you can change your perceptions unless you have something like ASD where being overwhelmed by sounds can be a problem.

GwylimT

missbiggles1 wrote: »

I don't really understand why you can't switch rooms and have a front bedroom as your studio. I know you said you need the space but you also said that the room you use is the smallest which doesn't seem to make sense. Have I misunderstood something?

As the current bedroom being used as a studio is very small OPs bedroom furniture may not fit in this room.

barbiedoll

melanzana wrote: »

I really can't understand the selfishness of people who play loud music outside.

OK for a one or two off on Summer weekend, but all day every day?

Anyway, sorry in advance, sorry again, sorry, but if I had tried every avenue to resolve the situation, I would be VERY tempted to get a boombox (would have to borrow one from somewhere!) and place it strategically at its loudest volume for a while.

Then shut it off. Then start it again, and on and on.

The reason I would do this is I think OP is working during the day from home. Appears everyone else is out working too apart from the music lover next door so who, apart from the selfish music lover would be affected?

Fire with fire sometimes!

And you can be sure that music lover will complain about the noise.

Then just shrug yer shoulders and go indoors.

I'm in a mood today. I know this kind of thing doesn't really help, but sometimes the satisfaction is good.

Other than that I would move as others have said, and god help the next tenant.

This ^^^.

If your inconsiderate neighbour persists in playing her loud music then you should indeed fight fire with fire. (Perhaps forewarn and apologise to other neighbours first?)

Try something truly awful....deep drum and bass, Des O'Connor, some depressing opera, or (channeling "Mars Attacks!") Slim Whitman. And play loud. With a bit of luck, your terrible tunes will encourage her to put bloody headphones on, like normal people do when they're listening to music in their garden.

Yes, noise is part of life in urban Britain. We have screechy kids with trampolines, lawnmowers, barbeques and everything else inbetween at weekends. But she's just being anti-social for the sake of it. Give her a taste of her own medicine!

DFlights

Thank you all for replying.

The neighbour is disabled and can't work, so I doubt that her habits will change. And yes, there have been occasions when the weather has been poor (but not raining - just cold, dull, etc) where she's still sitting out there with music.
I can't move rooms, as I live with my partner and we sleep in the master bedroom at the front. The middle room is his hobby room, which is also at the back of the house. Only the master bedroom faces the front and he won't change the rooms.
If it was two or three times a week, or just weekends, I could put up with it, despite the annoyance, but it really is every day except when it's raining or freezing cold.
I like the idea of white noise, though I've never tried it. I'm pretty non-confrontational, so I'll stick with the headphones and earplugs for myself right now. Though I'm currently relaxing and listening to Planet Rock (quietly!) before starting work. Yes, I work on Sundays.
I really don't want to get into a noise war by using my good stereo, I don't want the tables turned and to be labelled the troublesome, noisy neighbour myself.
We already live rurally, and nowhere else would be cheaper to rent or affordable, so we're stuck here. I just look forward to winter!
Regular noise like DIY, gardening, etc, doesn't really bother me if it's not continual, I understand that things need to be done, and most people limit it to weekends. And occasional parties or BBQs don't bother me either, as around here they last for a few hours then it's over.
I'm hoping that now she knows, she'll change, but I doubt that she's bothered that it disturbs me. As it's been so warm at night, I did think of taking a reading light and my Kindle and reading at night in the garden!

elona

A long session of Max Bygraves songs should do the trick.

Or just "You're a pink toothbrush, I'm a blue toothbrush" played over and over again

Bossypants

OP, I don't know if your noise war comment was in reference to my suggestion, but if you use white noise no one will ever notice (the whole point of it is that even you will barely notice, except that you are calmer and more focussed in your work.

If you want to try, these are the ones I use (all free):

http://mynoise.net/NoiseMachines/whiteNoiseGenerator.php?c=0&l=87909725282420211718

https://rain.simplynoise.com/

http://asoftmurmur.com/

Davesnave

elona wrote: »

A long session of Max Bygraves songs should do the trick.

:T Good, but I think I can top that:

Try this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGESxjqHf7E

There's also this site for white noise tailored to your own preferences, and much more besides:

https://mynoise.net/