The moan about your neighbours thread - Stool Bloke returns...

Jawa's new neighbour:

Pacific Heights if you've not seen the film.

Zilnad wrote:Winckle's new avatar

Hello Gendarme...

Victor Mildew wrote:Jawa's new neighbour:

Pacific Heights if you've not seen the film.

It's just these lads practicing for their next job.

aayl1 wrote:...I have people above, below and either side if me and never hear anyone. Maybe if someone above me is playing music in their bathroom I can hear it faintly in my bathroom, and maybe if someone is hammering a nail or putting a shelf up, but I never hear anything else...

Oh, man, that sounds so good. I'd love that situation!

Does sound pretty good tbf.

aayl1 wrote:...I have people above, below and either side of me

I could definitely see aayl1 as a swinger. Take that as you will but no offense intended.

Been a bit of tension in the street here this week, Mrs Stool Bloke wasn't looking where she was going when reversing out of her drive and she ploughed straight into the side of Degenerate Neighbour Bloke's mother's car.

At first they were all apologies and smiles, but when mum spoke to DNG's mother yesterday, she was seething over the whole thing and is claiming off of Mrs Stool Bloke's insurance.

Just how can people talk so loudly? I'm in bed but sleep is an impossibility; it sounds like the talking is in my flat, not downstairs. The people aren't arguing - they're just strawbin' loud. I'm gonna have to get ear plugs.

Get down there and assert some authority. You are entitled to peace and quiet at this time of night.

Well, technically, you aren't, not until 11pm.

I would wait until then.

Green Gecko wrote:Well, technically, you aren't, not until 11pm.

I would wait until then.

Assume you mean in terms of most local authority 11-7 guidance? Good luck with having anyone enforce that. If it's a one-off, no problem, but if it's continual noise and nuisance in the evenings, every evening, they'd tell you there's nothing they could do.

Hence going down and having a word.

I have the excuse that I have a kid that I'm trying to get to sleep, but it should be no different for someone without a kid. People should expect some level of peace in the evening times and I would expect most tenancy agreements have terms similar to this built in.

If they're literally just talking at 10pm I'd consider it pretty unreasonable to ask them to shut up. Sounds like a gooseberry fool flat problem rather than a noise problem.

Red wrote:If they're literally just talking at 10pm I'd consider it pretty unreasonable to ask them to shut up. Sounds like a gooseberry fool flat problem rather than a noise problem.

I was more talking about the scraping/chiseling issue jawa referenced.

But yeah, if you can hear someone else talking, it's more than likely this country's love affair with throwing up flats which as cheap materials as possible

Yeah, it's a tricky one. I suspect that they're not bad people - it is mainly just talking / laughing / door and cupboard closing - but they seem to do this very noisily at all times. Why close a door when you can slam it? I'm awake so everybody else must be! Just a bit thoughtless; and frustrating when it's midnight or 5:30am.

And, as Proto says, it's probably in part due to most buildings being built ultra cheaply.

jawa_ wrote:And, as Proto says, it's probably in part due to most buildings being built ultra cheaply.

I think this is the main issue.

If i was in government, i would introduce legislation which forced builders to make sure new homes/flats are soundproofed.

Prototype wrote:
Green Gecko wrote:Well, technically, you aren't, not until 11pm.

I would wait until then.

Assume you mean in terms of most local authority 11-7 guidance? Good luck with having anyone enforce that. If it's a one-off, no problem, but if it's continual noise and nuisance in the evenings, every evening, they'd tell you there's nothing they could do.

Hence going down and having a word.

I have the excuse that I have a kid that I'm trying to get to sleep, but it should be no different for someone without a kid. People should expect some level of peace in the evening times and I would expect most tenancy agreements have terms similar to this built in.

It's not only local authority guidance but yes I was referring to the law that defines the "night time period" as 11pm to 7am, it's in the Noise Act (a brilliantly named law given how meaningless that word is) but the environmental protection act maybe says stuff: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/37/section/2

If you are specifically bothered by noise in the "night" i.e. potential sleep disturbance then it is defined between those hours. It's later than people think.

During the day, things are more flexible I believe but it is also not really defined beyond what the "secretary of state" deems acceptable noise levels.

I don't believe there actually is any kind of legal definition for what "noise" is.

I don't know who or what defines it and can't be bothered to read lots of legislation but in residential areas with the possible exception of idiots moving in near music venues or pubs etc and complaining about that, it's meant to be around 70dB is considered reasonable level of noise.

70dB is actually around the volume of just people talking in a quiet room. There are probably various other laws covering things like DIY, tools, musical instruments etc.

Up to and including 11pm around 70dB is reasonable noise, it would seem, and with that literally being talking, yes the council aren't going to do anything. But they can issue noise abatement notices spuriously, I think they do have the power to basically just make their own minds up about it, perhaps depending on how persistent and/or pissy the complainant is. But the person making the "noise" might appeal in court and have that abatement cancelled, say for example they have a right to carry out their practising of music or have a party sometimes (not all the time). A lot of those things are based on legal precedents (case law), and licensing etc. For example musicians who perform music or practice with a view to do that have a right to carry it out as a "practice" i.e. an art, to become or be a musician. That one's a bit complicated.

11pm is basically the cut off for deliberately making "additional" or "excessive" noise, given that's so incredibly subjective and given how quiet 70dB actually is, any reasonable person I think would have some grace about it in both directions. We don't nor should we, or anyone, or anything (including my favourite example, wild animals like birds) exist in a vacuum. The irony of expecting that is that psychoacoutistically it makes the problem worse the more we expect that.

It's technically better for wellbeing for the nervous system to adapt to anticipate some sound happening, sometimes. It's the only way anyone can learn to cope without living in literal space. Like, hyperacusis, misophonia, tinnitus, and all sorts, are real (I have them), and the best treatment is just understanding sound better.

Something repeatedly exceeding like 90 to 100dB for days on end or at irregular and unpredictable times probably would and imo should get stopped.

Just living is unfortunately neither noise in my opinion or preventable by law.

I say that with extremely "severe" sound sensitivity myself, but I've learnt to not hate all noise. There are days when for example I get pissed off with scaffolders endlessly being commissioned to repaint houses ALL THE TIME here with their WEEEEERRRRk WEEEEERK impact driver sounds. There are other days when someone decides to sit on my outside wall and talk continuously for an hour, or pace back and forth for the same 10 feet on their phone for an hour and a half, or work/tradespeople doing some stuff in the street and constantly yelling at each other using pneumatic tools because they're deaf BECAUSE they never use hearing protection, and gooseberry fool like that, which is irritating.

That last time I just went out and called down the street at the same volume that I could hear them talking VERY LOUDLY for 4+ hours. They told me to strawberry float off and eventually left. Fine.

But generally speaking I try to reason with it.

I did call the police lately when some people were snorting speed or coke or ketamine or whatever off their hands in the driving seat of their car, alongside another car, practically exploding their car's frame (like it was massively distorted on maximum volume), playing hardstyle gabba/grime or some gooseberry fool. More so because driving around under the influence is not cool, and that could have quickly gotten out of hand. Plus it was half 2 in the strawberry floating morning, and they were just rolled up on the corner obstructing the road. As far as intervention goes, I simply sat outside, watched them for a while, gave their registrations to the police and they sent a patrol around.

I said and did nothing to provoke them, all the while they were evidently so oblivious that I was even there on the phone talking about them, they could easily have sped off and killed someone or themselves.

That's the kind of thing I consider taking the piss. Otherwise, I deal with my hyperacusis and cope mostly by moaning about it. It's very quiet 95% of the time so I'm grateful for that and get on with my life.

I'm fortunate not to live in a flat, maybe , but I'm also paying insane rent which wasn't a planned thing. Pick one I guess.

Here are a bunch of random references which on their own can be surprising and unsurprising depending on your PoV. Loads of stuff we consider "normal" noise, like passing traffic, exceed the "residential" noise threshold.

A normal conversation: 60-70 dB
Open office noise: 65-75 dB
An alarm clock: 70-80 dB
Washing machine: 70 dB
Dishwasher: 70 dB
Restaurant: 70-80 dB
Vacuum cleaner: 60-80 dB

Hearing is by its vary nature subjective, relative and constantly shifts depending on a variety of neurophysical, biochemical, psychological factors so dB levels are pretty meaningless. That's why it's such a hotly contested thing.

It's basically an impossible problem. Thank you everyone for not reading my unsolicited analysis.

BTW I don't mean to have a go at anyone in this thread at all, it's a subject I'm deeply interested in as I studied the difference between sound, noise and music and I think it tells us a lot about what it is to be human.

I can hear the most ridiculous gooseberry fool, like coil whine from power adapters within a several feet away, I can hear my TV on while playing nothing, anywhere in the room, I can hear my fridge, lightbulbs, plumbing, radiators, you name it. I can hear the sea from 2,000 feet away, and wind rushing through plants or trees 100+ feet away. Traffic from miles away.

There's literally no other option than to change my relationship with sound if I find it annoying. Generally by doing something else that may or may not make noise. Sure it doesn't help that my brain has zero filter.

Interesting stuff GG.

I've never been diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum, but my over-reliance on noise-cancelling headphones pretty much all day long tells me I definitely have issues. I would never go to someone's door for a conversation, as annoying as that may be. I already had a half-decent relationship with washing machine guy upstairs, so perhaps thats why i felt emboldened to have as friendly a word i could as possible. He was receptive and now doesn't use it after half 8.

I did say to him that I have absolutely no right to intervene in his living habits, but it would be greatly appreciate if - because of the gooseberry fool build quality of the flats - he could not use the washing machine where possible after 8:30. He said that was no problem at all. I also said if there was anything me or my family were doing that I might be unaware was annoying him, to come down and tell me.

I've bumped into him a few times since and said thanks and he seems absolutely fine.

I guess it's luck of the draw on the type of person you live next to I guess.

Green Gecko wrote: Thank you everyone for not reading my unsolicited analysis.

Any time, mate.

My new neighbours have had running water going in their bathroom for 36 hours now. When I'm in my bathroom I can hear it; it's like a bath is being filled or something.

Where is the water going? It's not pouring out the overflow or anything. What can they be doing?

jawa_ wrote:My new neighbours have had running water going in their bathroom for 36 hours now. When I'm in my bathroom I can hear it; it's like a bath is being filled or something.

Where is the water going? It's not pouring out the overflow or anything. What can they be doing?

The moan about your neighbours thread - Stool Bloke returns...

Frame your neighbours for murder to get rid of them

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