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A Sydney family received a letter from a “concerned neighbour” requesting that they keep their kids inside and quiet until at least 9am.

A letter has surfaced, and has been shared to ABC Sydney Facebook Page from a fed-up Sydney neighbour requesting that a nearby family, who is currently in lockdown, keep their kids quiet in the mornings.

With most of New South Wales, Victoria and South East Queensland currently in lockdown, there are thousands of families currently juggling noisy kids, working from home, growing stress levels and a lack of freedom. Everyone, especially kids, are getting fed-up by the situation.

The letter started on a passive aggressive note, “Congratulations on your renovations. Your neighbours have endured many months of construction noise and now we are being disturbed by your kids in the backyard early in the morning.”

The letter recipients, who are residents of Mosman, are currently in lockdown and have been for weeks. No doubt they’re juggling kids, working from home and all in a confined space.

The letter also states, “We wish to request that you keep your young kids indoors until 9am.”

Neighbourhood-Noise-Complaint-Letter-ABC-SYDNEY

“THEY ARE DISTURBING THE PEACE”

The neighbours who typed the letter are getting frustrated at waking to the noise of kids playing, “There have been many occasions in recent times when you (sic) kids are out in the backyard early in the morning and they have been very loud and noisy. They are disturbing the peace in the neighbourhood and waking people up.”

Kids are noise-makers, there is no doubt, and the neighbours are over it. “Sometimes they are out very early around 7:30am and unfortunately they have very loud voices. Your son in particular is always screaming on top of his voice.”

The letter took a slightly softer turn to finish, “Kids will be kids but I’m simply asking if they can go out later so your neighbours are not awaken too early in the morning. Thank you for your co-operation and appreciate your kind understanding.” The “concerned neighbours” then slipped the letter into the letterbox and hoped for the best.

Do you think it’s fair that the neighbours are asking for quiet in the mornings? Or is it an unreasonable request?

  • Love how this letter is written by one person but they are making out that they are writting it on behalf of EVERYONE in the neighbourhood.

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  • These things are always to gauge unless you are in or a part of the situation and physically present.

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  • Yes I think it is somewhat fair. I’m sure these neighbours wouldn’t have sent this note unless the noise was excessive.

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  • I can understand the point of both parties
    It is trying time

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  • Why can’t the kids stay inside until a reasonable hour? Their parents probably send them outside so they can get a break from the kids running around inside of the house. I’ve lived next door to a lot of noisy people who don’t care about anyone else. Now on one side we have a lady and her dog that I need to see to know she is okay but on the other side we have people who like to party in their shed that’s been set up with karaoke and loud music. I’ve put up with it for over 4 years now but I’d had more than I can handle when they turned their music up so loud I had my aircon on full, tv up louder than normal, all windows and doors shut but still heard them. They started around midday and were still going at 1:30 am and people screaming. Decided enough was enough and asked the police who dropped around and just told them a few complaints had been made and could they keep it down. After 3 weeks they had their music on again and I actually had to stand outside to hear them. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

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  • It would be a frustrating position, everyone in lockdown, nerves frazzled. Maybe the parents could follow the request for a couple of mornings a week. It could make for a not nice place to live if things get nastier.

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  • They should try ear plugs and let the kids enjoy their time at home. I live next to a train line and the trains go at any time during the night. Ear plugs if you need a good night sleep work a treat.

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  • I think you need to be in the situation to fully appreciate and understand it. I can see why it could be problematic, having lived next to feral neighbours for years who basically didn’t care about anyone else. I think it’s about being kind and considerate of those around you.

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  • I agree with this neighbour. My neighbour has 4 kids who for some reason when outside they can’t talk but instead scream at the top of their lungs. There loud enough you can hear them 5 houses away, so imagine living next door. It’s all about respecting other people as I don’t think my neighbours would appreciate us making loud noises when they’ve put their kids to bed.

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  • No thanks- sounds very pushy and cold.

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  • The neighbour took the wrong tone with this letter and should have been nicer about it, however in saying that 7:30am is very early and I wouldn’t be happy with kids being loud that early either.

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  • A chat would have been better than a letter. Many years ago when we had our first child, and we had the 4 hourly feeds, the teenage boy next door regularly practiced on his drums. It seemed that every time I put the baby down for her nap after being fed, the drums would start up. It was horrendous. My husband went and had a chat with the parents, in the hope that we could work around the noise. We were greeted with hostility and the noise continued and seem to even get louder. Eventually we sold and moved house. Some neighbours, no matter what you suggest, will not even try to understand, and have the view, because it’s their yard, they can do whatever they like. Having good and respectful neighbours is a blessing. I have to add that at our next home, we found the most wonderful neighbours and have been friends for more than 30 years. Even our children are friends with each other.


    • So true, good neighbours are a blessing indeed !

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  • They should be glad that it wasn’t earlier. Because hubby always caught an early train we were always up between 5 and 530. At least with WFH we sleep in until 6. I’m glad we never had neighbours like this.

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  • Crazy talk! Kids are up early most mornings. So waiting until 7:30am is a long time for some. Parents need to do what they can to burn their energy before their nap time. Those neighbours should just go to bed early

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  • So the neighbour is too cowardly to calmly discuss it. Admittedly some people do like to sleep in on Sunday mornings. Tradesmen are allowed to start work at 7.00am. I’m surprised the neighbour didn’t complain then. They probably checked the law or complained to the council. Legally you can cut your lawn at that time.
    Maybe you should put a very polite reply in the neighbour’s letterbox if you know who it is…..especially if they make noise when it suits them

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  • I would hate to have that neighbour living next to me (not for my sake, but for theirs!). We don’t hear a peep from our neighbours, but we are out in the morning playing, making noise. I just WISH 7.30am was an early rising time for my kids (I don’t take them outside at unreasonable hours but at 7.30, we’ve already had breakfast, played for a couple of hours at times, read books).
    Of course, I try to teach my boys to be respectful of people sleeping in the early hours of the morning, but seriously you can’t win. As a parent, you get chastised if you keep them indoors all the time, and you get chastised if you let them play outside. Personally, I like my boys to play outside earlier when the UV index is not as high.

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  • Very rude. I’d post the letter editing the spelling errors to the local community Facebook page, and keep my children doing what they enjoy.

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  • In all honesty I think they’re being a bit unreasonable. We leave the house to walk our dog at 7.45am every week day and can often be noisy doing so. However, I don’t see 7.30am as being early. Most people are generally waking up by that time. Maybe they should buy ear plugs. As a general rule noise curfew ends at 8am anyway so asking until 9am is ridiculous and rude.

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  • I can imagine that loud noises from the neighbours frustrate. Thing is, we all have our own day / night Rhythm pattern. Our previous neighbours always blasted their favourite song around 8.30pm in the evening; the time I brought my youngest to bed. They were Thai and to me their music sounded like howling cats. Did I ever complain ? No, I just sucked it up and dealt with it.
    Sometimes my own kids are so loud (not at unreasonable times) that I feel embarrassed


    • 9am is quite late btw !
      I don’t know which state you live ? But each state has it’s noise curfew.
      For example noise curfew in Qld;
      Noise limits
      Time Day Noise limit
      7pm to 7am Monday to Saturday No clearly audible noise allowed
      7pm to 8am Sunday or public holiday No clearly audible noise allowed



      • I agree – 9am is late and many households are well on the move by then – inside and outside.

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  • I don’t disagree. We aren’t allowed to have renovation works or lawn mowing etc until a certain time so I can understand their frustration. 7:30am is quite early and I have kids myself, I absolutely hate when they get woken up. I think it’s about respecting each other as neighbours and thinking in their shoes too

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