[Athena E.]

AIBU 08.07.2024​

AIBU, which stands for 'Am I Being Unreasonable', is the perfect platform for sharing your thoughts and opinions! So, for today's AIBU discussion, we have this story from Reddit/Secret-World-1371:

Would it be considered unreasonable to call the police on my neighbours for their excessively noisy child?​

'I’m a 32-year-old woman living in a beautiful, quiet apartment complex. I’ve been here for 8 months and everything was great until a new family moved in upstairs about five months ago. They have a young child, around three years old, and ever since they arrived, it's been constant noise at all hours. '

'Initially, I was patient, assuming they were settling in. I even bought fans, sound machines, and earplugs to cope with the noise. Despite this, I’m still constantly disturbed by the child’s running, jumping, screaming, and crying. Sometimes, they even leave their windows and patio doors open while the child screams for long periods. '

'I get that kids are noisy and parenting is hard, but the noise happens day and night – at 12am, 5am, 2pm – you name it. I can’t sleep, work, or relax because of it. '

'After enduring three days of constant noise one weekend, I left a polite, unsigned note on their door, welcoming them and asking if they could keep it down, especially during the evening. Unfortunately, nothing changed. I reached out to the leasing office multiple times, but they couldn’t help either. I even left another note, which they returned to my door.'

'I pay a lot for this apartment, and the noise has become unbearable. I don’t want to be a grumpy neighbour or overreact, but I’m at my wit's end. Calling the police feels extreme, especially with a small child involved, but I don’t know what else to do. Am I being unreasonable?'

 

[marrels]

You have left notes, and asked politely. Obviously they don't care, very entitled. If you are in a complex, maybe the body corporate can do something. I doubt police will do anything.

 

[SirExton]

This is child abuse by the parents! Tell the police you can hear the parents abusing the child? Also tell Child protection about it?

 

[BlackWolf]

I wonder what would happen if you blasted music when it was their sleep time, I bet you know about it.

 

[PepeLePew]

Are you the only one being disturbed by this child's noise or have you asked the tenants of other apartments if this noise also disturbs them? If it does then perhaps you could get signatures from all the tenants on a letter of complaint to present to your leasing agent. If all this fails then yes I would be contacting the Police to register the child's ongoing screaming BUT only after having the guts to speak directly to the parents themselves to find out if the child is living on the Autism Spectrum.
I have a friends whose child is Autistic and has many other learning difficulties/problems as well and she has an horrendous amount of meltdowns over the simplest of things. These friends have had the police turn up on their doorstep more times now than they can count as do-good neighbours think the child is being abused.

 

[Staffordshire Whippet]

If you suspect the child is being abused by the parents, report it immediately to the Police every time.
If, however, you believe the child's noise is it abusing the parents, record it, every time, and present your complaint to the Body Corporate complete with your evidence tapes. If the offending family are Tenants, their agent will be served with a Breach notice; if they are Owners, they will be served directly. You'll probably get a quicker long-term solution than reporting to the Police. You may also get a brick through your car windscreen, but that's another matter.....

 

[Trish M]

Perhaps the child has a development disability, such as autism spectrum disorder?

 

[SEAN]

no you are not take them to court they seem not to care about you or antone else --total scumbags if you ask me

 

[Sherza]

Try living next door to my neighbour. They have a kid that screams all day, and I do men scream all day.
Ive often wished I could ring someone and get something done

 

[darrellh]

When we were having noise problems with a neighbour I was told by the council to keep a diary over a period of time and list times, noise scale of noise 1 to 10 so they had something to go on. Your say so is no good but documented and recorded would be a big help. Certainly getting other neighbours on board would also help as you surely cannot be alone in being disrupted by this family. You are entitled to reasonable quiet particularly at night. I am sure the police would be able to help. I wouldn't put up with it if it was me living there.

 

[Johan van Zalen]

You have left notes, and asked politely. Obviously they don't care, very entitled. If you are in a complex, maybe the body corporate can do something. I doubt police will do anything.

Can your landlord speak to the body corporate on your behalf? Because that is wrong and are there any other neighbours who are also affected

 

[Noon]

So what does she expect with a child, does she want the Police to come & confiscate the child. Wake up lady, if you can't handle the noise then go & find somewhere else to live. Maybe out of town where there's no-one else living close-by

 

[Ezzy]

The lady stated she had been there for 3 months before the family moved in. This is the same as someone moving into your home, they should abide by your rules. Have consideration for tenants around you!

They would be aware without being told that their child is causing a disturbance to fellow residents & should be doing everything to avoid this, regardless of the possibility of illness or not. I would suggest this would not be the first time for this problem with those parents. Perhaps that is why they moved from their previous location.

Certainly group support is better. "Together we stand & divided we fall".
You may even consider recording the noise when it occurs, noting the times.

 

[Johan van Zalen]

When we were having noise problems with a neighbour I was told by the council to keep a diary over a period of time and list times, noise scale of noise 1 to 10 so they had something to go on. Your say so is no good but documented and recorded would be a big help. Certainly getting other neighbours on board would also help as you surely cannot be alone in being disrupted by this family. You are entitled to reasonable quiet particularly at night. I am sure the police would be able to help. I wouldn't put up with it if it was me living there.

Isn't there a law called disturbing the peace

 

[Johan van Zalen]

Isn't there a law called disturbing the peace

What if you had a trumpet player

 

[Jest]

it isn't the child, it is the parents who are to blame. In this era parents seem to think their kids are so special and do not restrain them. I have news for them they are NOT special and keep your kids quiet at times of the day. these parents are obnoxious as shown by the return of the note, BUT i will say unsigned notes show a gutless contact.

 

[Jest]

So what does she expect with a child, does she want the Police to come & confiscate the child. Wake up lady, if you can't handle the noise then go & find somewhere else to live. Maybe out of town where there's no-one else living close-by

what a very stupid reply.

 

[Jest]

Perhaps the child has a development disability, such as autism spectrum disorder?

excuses excuses.

 

[Jest]

I wonder what would happen if you blasted music when it was their sleep time, I bet you know about it.

tit for tat, good idea.

 

[Luckyus]

I wonder what would happen if you blasted music when it was their sleep time, I bet you know about it.

Thats what used to do, Led Zep two in the morning?