MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Right then, not much of a forum poster but why not share with strangers
For the last 6 years we've lived next door to a woman in her eighties
We didn't know when we moved in but she's deaf as a post and refuses to wear a hearing aid. She likes watching TV-loud. Not 'next door rave' loud, but loud enough to hear what channel she's on.
Now I'm a bit immune to it but it really gets to the wife. So much that during the day she always has TV,radio on etc as background noise to mask next doors. She won't use any rooms that adjoin next door, confining herself to half th house. It's a strain on her/us and lately the TV has been going on at 6:30 am, including Sundays!
We've done our best to accommodate it and spoke to her family but to no avail.
So this morning, after my wife had been woken up at 6:30 and I'd spent a few sleepless hours in bed after night shift I went round to have a polite word.
As soon as I mentioned that I needed to talk to her about the TV she just went off it and got abusive, and how she puts up with what we do, which I questioned but got not back but a load of abuse. I'll admit I put a shelf up once!
Ok maybe bad timing (didn't realise it was last ten mins of the queen on TV..."I was in the war you know" ) but I had no idea having not been to sleep after work
I'm lost as to what to do next as I'd imagine the authorities would say it wasn't loud enough, or they'd side with her, being deaf n that
Hopefully next time her family is up I can have a word...but what if that goes the same way? 😕
Speak to environmental health at the council and see what they say.
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Wire cutters.. snip her satellite / aerial cable
Somewhere outside the aerial cable or sky cable will be visible on the wall, just cut a few feet out of it.
Silence, till the police knock and charge you with criminal damage.
Or just get a long length of wood and nudge the satellite dish out of position
It's a tough one, we lived for a very short period in a house with noisy neighbors, it really wares you down, so you have my sympathy.
Although I am sure that is of no use to you !
I discussed the noisy neighbors, with another neighbor, he said he used wireless headphones ( he was a bit deaf himself) and the other peoples noise was then not a problem. I am not suggesting these for you but perhaps with a little input from the ladies family you could persuade her to use them, at least some of the time.
Buy her a Bluetooth headset thingy for Xmas.
'In her 80's'.
Be honest. How long have you got to wait?
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The first thing the environmental health people will want you to do list start a diary of the noise, what it is, when it is etc.
You may as well start that now
...or sneek in, change here cable/sat channel to a porn one and hide the remote
Thanks, haha the wire cutters thing did go through my head . I keep telling the missus one good winter will finish her off
As for environmental health-hopefully her folks will be up for Christmas so I'll tackle them, as politely as I can. But keeping a diary is a good call
full time job for the mrs = happy mrs + more bike junk 😀
I seem to recall that a ridiculous number of ASBOs are applied to elderly people making too much noise - the council will be able to help but they will need a record of events.
Take a step back. Does she have any family who visit? Or friends? A quiet word would be better than calling in the cavalry!
Failing that, talk to her again and explain how it's impacting on your family. Make her aware, very tactfully, that you don't want to take any official action. Appeal to her better nature.
Show some sensitivity, the chances are that she knows fine well her hearing is shot to pieces and possibly the rest of her body. How would you feel in her shoes?
Edit: I know full well how annoying noise can be. I had a house that wasn't properly soundproofed. As well as a flippin' baby crying 24/7 I could hear them having sex/him having a danger w*nk.
full time job for the mrs = happy mrs + more bike junk
She works part time-trade off is less house work for me! 😆
In response to cinnamon girl. When I knocked at the door I did approach it thinking "what if it was my mother"
I'm not tackling her again, my other neighbour says he's been on the receiving end before, and numerous others in the street apparently
donkers - did your other neighbour complain about the tv as well?
I doubt it, he's on the other side of our semi so not joined directly.
He's not letting on, he used to be a local mp so maybe she used to direct all complaints there
you could get one of those programable remote controls, that match her tv, then have fun changing the channels for her, when she has the curtains open.
My mum and aunt went through this with my gran and a couple of sets of her neighbours in the years before she died, it was a bit of nightmare to deal with. Simply telling a headstrong as they come, Yorkshire stubborn octogenarian that she had to keep the TV down wasn't much use at all! She'd turn the TV down where Mum was there and say it was always at that volume, then turn it up at night!
Mum tried all sorts without much luck - subtitles, earphones etc. etc. In the end we took the back off the TV, disconnected the speakers and told her they were broke. We then used the headphone socket and got some less powerful PC speakers which, even on full blast wouldn't bother her poor neighbours.
All I can offer is some sympathy and the suggestion to talk to her family. Although I know at times gran's neighbour were annoyed they were always pretty understanding with what my mum and aunty tried to do.
RM.
Sorry, just re-read your post and see that you've spoken to her family. What was their reaction ie disinterest/not their problem? If you do decide to report her then she should be aware of what you're intending to do and that it's a last resort.
Do hope it can be amicably sorted out.
Careful old folks are nuts!
I was once doing some DIY with a drill. The old lady next door evidently didn't like the noise as she through a brick through my window! 😯
You [i]may[/i] be trying to reason with a person with un/diagnosed dementia, in which case you'll never win. A real tricky can of worms, speak with the family and EH, be transparent in all your communications. Good luck.
Buy her some headphones for Christmas!!!!
You could wee in her shoes, but there's a chance she's already got that covered
Wait until it's forecast to go below freezing, pour a bucket of water over her doorstep/path.
Lengthy spell in hospital for her, peace and quiet for you.
Next time you go round dress as the Grim Reaper. She'll soon listen...
tsk tsk legend 😆
really difficult situation, but I'd be keeping the pressure up
contrary to popular belief it's not just young people who are rude and inconsiderate
Wire cutters.. snip her satellite / aerial cable
Or just get a long length of wood and nudge the satellite dish out of position
No need for such brute force, a simple pin stuck in the coax will do it.
But TBH, I'd tend to give her a bit of leeway
oh dear.mtfu you mcwcb 🙄
Your house is not fit for purpose, send it back.
Difficult situation - you could suggest she puts the sub-titles on and turn the sound down. The old folks home my Mum was in had most of the TV's with the sub-titles on.