Neighbour Noise Complaint but no loud noise

unforeseen

Why are people saying DIY up to 9PM is a mistake? Its not!
It's fairly normal for people to be doing DIY up to to that time if they work during the day. 
Your neighbours are completely off their trolley for threatening to tell the police and council about doing DIY after 8PM.
Their expectations are totally out of proportion to reality.

Congratulations. It looks like you have wannabe NFHs now living next door to you want everything their way. Personally, I would ignore them. 

Petriix

If the noise was between 11pm and 7am then there might be shred of substance to their complaint; otherwise there's nothing wrong with doing DIY or whatever. In any case, the noise threshold required for Environmental Health to take any action is actually very high, so there is near zero chance that there is any actual legal breach occurring. There is a bit of a grey area around 'nuisance noise' which is open to interpretation but would not normally cover day-to-day living sounds.

It is an unfortunate feature of the housing in the UK that the more affordable homes tend to be terraced with thin walls between. Some people really dislike hearing anyone else at all; they would be better suited to detached houses.

It is better to try and get on with your neighbours but that can be difficult if they're unreasonable. However, it may be prudent to get your daughter to use headphones if watching TV in the evening, or to watch downstairs. It's about finding a peaceful resolution rather than winning the battle.

pinkshoes

I would invite them round for a cup of tea and cake.

I would also mention the ghost!!! Tell them the story and say you often get random banging and clanking noises with mysterious shadows. It might freak them out so much that they move!!!

jackieblack

pinkshoes said:

I would invite them round for a cup of tea and cake.

I guess that depends on what tier they’re living in!

I’d second the headphones suggestion, I often have bouts of insomnia and watch tv in the early hours, my tv is on top of a tallboy which is against the party wall with my neighbours bedroom so I use headphones with a long cable and the tv muted - my neighbours say that they’ve never heard it at all

Norman_Castle

dori2o said:

However, now the neighbour has taken to banging on the walls and shouting for my daughter (age 19) to turn her TV down at 8.30pm as they have a 4yr old who cannot sleep.

The TV is not loud.  Mostly she's playing on her Xbox or Nintendo Switch, but watches YouTube vids before going to sleep.

The tv noise every evening is likely the problem, the diy noise just added to the problem. Computer games and youtube can be noisy, Its clearly loud enough for them to hear. Previous neighbour didn't complain possibly because they weren't a four year old trying to sleep in that room at 8.30. Your daughter has the option of showing some maturity and understanding or acting like a teenager and putting herself first.

Norman_Castle

twopenny said:

As for the malicious words to the neighbours let it ride. The more rope you give them the more they are likely to take until it becomes obvious to everyone what they are like.

Agreed, your other already neighbours know you. Give the new neighbours enough rope to hang themselves, its up to them if they choose to use it.

Jeepers_Creepers

unforeseen said:

Why are people saying DIY up to 9PM is a mistake? Its not!
It's fairly normal for people to be doing DIY up to to that time if they work during the day. 
Your neighbours are completely off their trolley for threatening to tell the police and council about doing DIY after 8PM.
Their expectations are totally out of proportion to reality.

Congratulations. It looks like you have wannabe NFHs now living next door to you want everything their way. Personally, I would ignore them. 

It might be 'acceptable', but to do so on a regular basis when you are attached to a neighb with a baby is obviously not considerate.

I know the OP wouldn't keep doing this. Yes, for the neighb to threaten to call the police is nuts.

Doozergirl

Norman_Castle said:

dori2o said:

However, now the neighbour has taken to banging on the walls and shouting for my daughter (age 19) to turn her TV down at 8.30pm as they have a 4yr old who cannot sleep.

The TV is not loud.  Mostly she's playing on her Xbox or Nintendo Switch, but watches YouTube vids before going to sleep.

The tv noise every evening is likely the problem, the diy noise just added to the problem. Computer games and youtube can be noisy, Its clearly loud enough for them to hear. Previous neighbour didn't complain possibly because they weren't a four year old trying to sleep in that room at 8.30. Your daughter has the option of showing some maturity and understanding or acting like a teenager and putting herself first.

When you live in a terraced house, noise happens.  If it isn't anti-social behaviour then it's just life and needs to be tolerated.  I'm quite sure that the four year old makes more than enough noise at other times of the day!  

Putting yourself first is banging on walls, writing passive-aggressive notes and spreading gossip, instead of behaving like an adult and inviting a decent relationship and reasoned conversation with your neighbours.  

If you want someone to do something, the best way is to do it in a friendly manner and to look for solutions, not invite confrontation.   

unforeseen

Jeepers_Creepers said:

unforeseen said:

Why are people saying DIY up to 9PM is a mistake? Its not!
It's fairly normal for people to be doing DIY up to to that time if they work during the day. 
Your neighbours are completely off their trolley for threatening to tell the police and council about doing DIY after 8PM.
Their expectations are totally out of proportion to reality.

Congratulations. It looks like you have wannabe NFHs now living next door to you want everything their way. Personally, I would ignore them. 

It might be 'acceptable', but to do so on a regular basis when you are attached to a neighb with a baby is obviously not considerate.

I know the OP wouldn't keep doing this. Yes, for the neighb to threaten to call the police is nuts.

Sorry, if you have a neighbour who complains about it happening on a one off and threatens police and council then they are the sort of people to complain about a mouse farting. 
It is totally reasonable to work on DIY up to 9PM. By the nature of DIY it wouldn't be every night anyway. If the neighbour is so unreasonable as to not even consider talking to you about it first before going 'legal' then you are on a hiding to nothing in trying to appease them, as they will always find something else to moan about. What next? Tea cups rattling loudly? Door accidentally slamming in the wind? They have shown their colours and  WILL ALWAYS find some slight noise to complain about, warranted or not.
I believe they may be getting their solicitor to write to God about thunder, heavy rain and strong howling wind. Watch this space. 

Norman_Castle

Doozergirl said:

Norman_Castle said:

dori2o said:

However, now the neighbour has taken to banging on the walls and shouting for my daughter (age 19) to turn her TV down at 8.30pm as they have a 4yr old who cannot sleep.

The TV is not loud.  Mostly she's playing on her Xbox or Nintendo Switch, but watches YouTube vids before going to sleep.

The tv noise every evening is likely the problem, the diy noise just added to the problem. Computer games and youtube can be noisy, Its clearly loud enough for them to hear. Previous neighbour didn't complain possibly because they weren't a four year old trying to sleep in that room at 8.30. Your daughter has the option of showing some maturity and understanding or acting like a teenager and putting herself first.

When you live in a terraced house, noise happens.  If it isn't anti-social behaviour then it's just life and needs to be tolerated.  I'm quite sure that the four year old makes more than enough noise at other times of the day! 

When you live in any attached property you need to be considerate which includes considering if your tv is too loud. Considering any noise you choose to make as "just life" and expecting others to tolerate it is selfish and ignorant.

Its likely the four year old does make noise which the op is entitled to an opinion of whether its its excessive and unnecessary but thats not an excuse for their noise unless they choose a tit for tat response.

I agree the neighbour isn't complaining in the most agreeable way but that doesn't dismiss the noise problem.