Problem neighbour

DRP

Given that we're talking about the noise from a mobile phone (not a stereo), in a garden more than a few metres away, with the OP inside a house, and double glazed windows closed, it would seem a bit extreme to counter this with loud stereo noise.

I think exploring the ambient music/ear defenders/white noise/different room options would be more appropriate?

DFlights

Davesnave and Bossypants, thank you for the suggestions and links, I'll look into that. I do suspect I have misophonia, but as it's almost impossible to diagnose, that's only a suspicion on my part. Higher pitched sounds are just as irritating to me as throbbing bass sounds, something to do with the tinny-ness of them, if that makes sense to anyone?

With regards to the noise war comment I made; I really don't want to be playing *anything* really loud, as I don't want to be the nasty neighbour myself. That would be an absolute last resort.

MABLE

DFlights wrote: »

Hi all, I need some advice on how to move forwards with this issue.

I work from home and live with my partner, who has a regular job. My studio is the smallest bedroom at the back of the terraced house, which we rent privately.

For months now, my neighbour has been sitting in her garden during the day for hours at a time, playing pop music on her phone. As this drifts into my work room, it disturbs me and can even be heard through the window if I close it (double glazed window). This isn't just the odd day she does this, it's every single day unless the weather's bad.
I've also been unable to sit out in my garden because of the music, as it's really unpleasant. I get that occasionally, people will have parties and bbqs and I accept that I will have some noise from a terraced house, but this is every day, from around 10am - 11am onwards, until she feels like going indoors. Sometimes she's out there for hours, sometimes I'm lucky and it's minutes.

I tried to talk to her today about it but I think she just doesn't care; I asked if she had headphones/earbuds for her phone; she said no. I offered her my unused, new ones (which came with my phone but which I've never used, because I don't listen to music on my phone).
I also explained that I work in the back bedroom and that the music is disturbing me and interrupting my work. All I got was a shrug from her, which was a bit rude. I ended up just walking back inside.
I don't want to have to keep my windows closed in hot weather, and I don't want to always have to wear either earplugs or my own headphones to block out the music, and the polite approach hasn't worked.
I don't know of the local Environmental Health will consider it enough of a nuisance, as it isn't very loud (though I can hear it through my double glazed, shut window) and isn't on at an unsociable hour.
But I haven't been able to sit in my garden for months, or have an uninterrupted day of work, either. And I can't move all my work items elsewhere in the house as there isn't room to set up a studio at the front of the house (lots of sculpting materials, oil paints, thinners - hence why I should really be leaving the window open).
From today, I've started a noise diary, but what else can I do? We rent privately too, so contacting their landlord might mean some form of retaliation in kind.

The best thing to do is find out who owns the property and complain to them. We had a problem with a noisy neighbour and to our horror we found out he had a noise abatement notice against him for 5 years.

In our case we tracked down the owner who was very sorry for the problems and promised to speak to him. She did about 3 times without any improvement and in the end she just issued him with a Section 25 notice to quit.

missbiggles1

DFlights wrote: »

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!

If your own partner won't put himself out to accommodate you and your work, that seems to me to be a far greater problem than the fact that your neighbour plays music!