Neighbour Complaints ! Options

[angie]

I was reading on another forum (a flute one) about a guy who lives in a flat in Brighton, whose neighbour has complained about his practise.

He is an advanced player (so no nasty squeaky noises) but his neighbour has insisted he finishes his practise at 7pm on the dot. Apparently if you don't break the decibel level, you are allowed to do what you're doing until 11pm !!

I suppose in a way i can understand why this guy is feeling a little "put out" it must be difficult especially if one is in full time work. I am fortunate enough that even though i live in a terraced house i manage to do most of my practise during the day, and make a point of not playing after 7pm anyway

I was wondering if anyone else has had a similar problem with their neighbours

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/peace.gif)

[magicflute]

Actually I'm pretty awful to my neighbours because I tend to practice anytime up to 10pm. Usually no later though because I do think that's unfair. I live in a terraced house too and I've never had any complaints as yet. Although someone complained to the council about my brother playing his guitar at about 10pm and we all got a warning which I thought was outrageous! It was summer and the window was open but i thought the person who was complaining was a bit out of order really.

as I have a clarinet now too, I think my neighbours are VERY understanding - the amount of awful noises that comes out of that... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/eek.gif) also I'm getting a piccolo soon muhahahaha!!

[littlelady87]

I also play the violin until 11 pm... my teacher constantly tells me to go WILD when I practise, so I have done...

If the neighbours do complain, I shall tell them that their fourteen year old daughter has been smoking out of her window and dropping her fag ends in OUR GARDEN so her mother can't tell she's been smoking!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Morgan's Munchkin]

I got a complaint when I was playing my piccolo before school one morning.

Our neighbours often get annoyed with me practicing, but we have an agreement that I won't practice after 9pm and that seems to work.

[notmusimum]

maybe my Mystic Meg powers were at their height when we purchased our house (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) because our front room doesn't share a wall. One of the attached neighbours has commented on my eldests clarinet technique but in a helful rather than complaining way! My other neighbours have heard the drums and think my daughter is good so luckily we've not had any complaints.

[After Eight]

I think I'm far too considerate. We used to practice in our spare room which is away from our neighbours, then our second child came along and selfishly took it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleep.gif) . I never practice if I know next door is in, although it really frustrates me. I try and practice in the day when number one child is at school, and baby is in bed, but now it's the Easter hols, I'm finding it really hard! Maybe I should just go ahead and practice. Next door is really quiet and we hardly ever hear anything from them but I don't want to make things awkward. We're on the market at the moment to try and find something detached, but that worries me too, because if we move somewhere more rural, then the traffic noise won't disguise my playing and it will look even more obvious which house it's coming from (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif)
Ho hum.

We used to have a rock band which played in the shed which backs onto our garden. They were really loud. they wrote letters to everyone in the street, which was a nice touch, but they still played rather late, and had their amps turned up far beyond what they needed. The shed was unfortunately nearer to our house than any others, including their own, so we got most of it. Fortunately, they only lasted one Summer!

[jacobvaneyck]

Without knowing all the facts, I would say it's the neighbour who is being unreasonable, not your friend, especially if he works all day and gets home not long before 7 anyway. As others on this thread have shown, there are much more reasonable solutions, like 9pmish.

I am fortunate though that my room is well away from any neighbours so I can go a bit later than that, but never 7pm. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[Melody Amour]

I sometimes play until 11. The neighbours do not complain but they sometimes put their stereos on or turn their TV up. That is preferable to them complaining. Sometimes if I stop for a little while their sound dies away but when I start up again I think they are too embarrassed to turn up their stereo or tv.

[lizbun]

I play at a normal loudness untill about 8. If it's later than that, I tend to play wuietly. My naighbors never caomplains about my playing.

[onequirkypianist]

I used to practise at all hours... but never after my anyone in the house went to bed, which would be about 10pm. I live in halls now and they have a music room... I have been in there at 2 in the morning when I'm unable to sleep, but it's away from the rooms so you don't disturb anyone anyway.

7pm? That's really early... Sometimes I didn't start until then.

[angie]

someone has just suggested he take up the bagpipes !!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rofl.gif)

[jod]

Thank goodness for detached houses. I finish teaching and practicing by 10pm. Fortunately have only had favourable comments. Strangely I smile when I hear someone else practice particularly if they're a child. I reminds me of when I started and the journey they're on.

I'd rather hear music practice than an over-loud stereo!

[BassoonplayingSinger]

When I was growing up, our neighbours said they loved it when I practised - and they used to turn their TV off so that they could listen!

At the moment we live in a flat, and no one has ever complained - in fact they too seem to like it. But I do tend to try and practise during the day - and never before 9.30am or after 9pm. I work after 9pm, but then there's always practise you can do without making any noise - especially us singers.

However, we're moving tomorrow (I so should be packing at this moment!) - and I'm yet to find out what our neighbours are like. Luckily the couple who live downstairs only live there for about 10 weeks of the year, and it's only a semi-detached place, so there's just one family next door. Also, the room isn't on the edge of the house, which is a luxury I've never had before.

[HazelKay]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/peace.gif) I live in a terrace too. I'm an early bird, but if I practise early I go down to the summerhouse and practise there. I wouldn't practise in the house in the morning before 9 am or in the evening after 9pm. I think 7pm is a little unreasonable.
If I'm practising in the evenings in the house it would be pieces I was practising. In the summerhouse and in the middle of the day I would practise the more disturbibg things like long tones and sticky bits of fingering I'm trying to get right.
We were disturbed for 2 years by a young neighbour who came home drunk several times a week and played thumping music until 4am. Compared to that, hearing proper practice can't be too aggravating. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)
To be in harmony with one's neighbours, is, I feel, beyond price, however. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/goodLuck.gif)

[sarah-flute]

I'm really lucky in that my neighbours are always complimentary - even when I am playing scales........... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)