Work from home and neighbour's kids v noisy, what to do?

S

shoelover

Guest
Hi, hoping for some advice and opinions on this, I work from home but recently find that neighbours' kids playing in the common area outside my house is really loud and distracting. I appreciate that children need to play etc but I wish they would do it outside their own house and this is very boisterous, screaming and banging off side-doors etc and even crawling over my front wall to throw stones at each other.
Not sure whether to approach the parent or if she'll think I'm totally out of order, but with the way things are going I'm getting nothing done with all the noise. To add insult to injury, these are welfare tenants whereas I paid for my house which I know shouldn't make a difference but to me just adds insult to injury as I need to work to pay my bills while she sits in her subsidised rented house and her kids play havoc outside.

Is there anything I can do or do I just have to put up with it?
 
Probably not much you can do except move your business out of a residental area to a commercial one. Whats it going to be like when the hopefully hot summer arrives and all those kiddies and more will be on holidays.
 
Earplugs ! And no I'm not being facetious, try them.

I had to study in my cubicle for exams with work chitter-chatter all around me, it helped greatly! Vary your hours also - can you work earlier in the morning ?
 
I don't think there's much you can do.

You could reasonably approach the mother to ask her to not leave the children crawl over your front wall, but you may well get a negative reaction from her.

Children play, and make noise, c'est la vie. It's a normal part of being a child.

Nicola
 
You'll have to put up with it or find a way to work around it kids are playing in a Communal area as you state, if you have only noticed it recently its because the Easter break has just happened and in about another 10 weeks the Primary Schools are off for the Summer break of 9 weeks. Its your problem, not your neighbours regardless of your perception of their socio-economic status. You could invest in triple glazing or some kind of white noise product to help you block out environmental noise, or could you move your working area to the back of the house?
 
Thanks for the replies, as I said I understand that children have to play, but they are exceptionally loud and boisterous and the mother hunts them from outside her own house which means they end up outside mine, hence my disgruntlement! I can't move the business elsewhere as it's not a business per se, just me working freelance from home on work that needs an intense amount of concentration. Will try the earplug suggestion, never thought of that!
 
Get to know each of them by their name.
On a day that they aren't particularly noisy call them to your door and give them a treat (on the proviso that they check with their mother first before accepting/eating it). Tell them that they are being so good you wanted to reward them.
Trust me, it works!
 

I wouldn't draw them on me...

The summer will be over in a few weeks anyway so you won't have to wait too long :mad:
 

would be livid if any of my neighbours tried to give my kids treats! If they are only playing in the communal area during daylight hours then you must get around this yourself by earplugs or adjusting your work patterns.

You could ask them not to come onto your property (via their parents would not advocate approaching small kids yourself) but if it is like most estates nowadays with no garden walls it is hard for smaller kids to always know the boundaries.

I think adults often forget what is is like to be a child and with so many kids watching TV and playing computer games all day I love to see kids having a good time out in the fresh air and think this should not be discouraged!
 
Yes, yes, I understand and I'm sure its lovely to be a kid out playing and no responsibilities etc etc, but I do have responsibilities and to be honest, I feel a bit peeved having to adapt my circumstances in my own home because of other peoples children when all I'm doing is trying to earn a living.
 

Thats what you get for moving into an estate mainly consisting of families. Your problem really not theirs! You could rent a premises in a quieter area or just put up with it! You can't expect your neighbours to care what your work arrangements are!
 
shoelover said:
I feel a bit peeved having to adapt my circumstances in my own home
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Houses are intended by planners, developers, builders etc. as homes not workplaces so that's how the environment is set up. I work from home a lot and face onto a communal green area which is a magnet for kids when the weather is good - most of the time I tune it out but sometimes there can be 20-30 10-14 year-old boys playing football and generally messing so I would second the earplugs suggestion - or move your home-office to the back of the house.
 
pennypitstop said:
get a life in all fairness - kids playing in a communal area what is the world coming to?
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Agree with you 100 %..

I have seen couples where ive lived whom have no kids,and they speed up and down the road in their cars,have parties till all hours ,etc and have zero consideration for the parents and the kids.
Then what do you know they go and have a kid and suddenly its all,oh the cars go so fast up the road,oh the teenagers make a lot of noise,blah blah blah.A complete u turn when this affects them..

Tell me what would you do if the adults on your estate went out for a game of football on saturday morning or brought their dog and kids to the "communal " area and were making noise? DO you think you could complain about that?
Go to a library if you are that bothered!
 

I wouldnt event think about it - just think about it and how it might be misinterpreted. try double\triple glazing and ... ear plugs!
 

In this day and age you just can't do that!

Sad sign of the times we live in but as a parent we don't want our children wandering around other peoples houses and if we thought someone was "bribing" them, for whatever reason...I wouldn't be able to hold Mr Bubbly back.
 
I certainly wouldnt advise giving treats to kids.. it would certainly be frowned upon if you think about it.

Earplugs or moving rooms would be your own options.

Having a word with the parents about them coming onto your property should also be a port of call if they are climbing on your walls, but a common area is just that.

A place for people, including kids, to gather.
 
Thanks for your replies guys, I haven't I hope of moving as this place cost me a packet at the time so earplugs it is! Just to point out that it is not cutie kiddie behaviour as has been alluded to, but very boisterous 'bold' carry-on directly outside my house (there is no green or anything, only a parking area) and it makes me wonder what they will be like when they get older if they haven't been taught to have consideration for other people by this stage. It amazes me that people will give out yards about dogs barking or house alarms going off etc but when its the little darlings, it is suddenly harmless. Noise is noise!!!
Thanks for input.
 
If you re-read my post you will see that I've said that treats should be approved by the parents beforehand.

I'm shocked that many of you wouldn't consider inviting the children into your property or speaking to them when they are behaving well. I live in an estate where every second house has young children. The sense of community here is brilliant and treats are shared between the houses - even houses where there are no children.

The kids here are known to help neighbours with their gardening, carry shoppipng. No, I'm not living in the past - this is a modern estate in Dublin.
 
GreenQueen said:
I'm shocked that many of you wouldn't consider inviting the children into your property or speaking to them when they are behaving well. I live in an estate where every second house has young children.
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No way would I consider inviting children into my property. Are you mad? If I saw any neighbour doing that it would be a major concern. Do you not see a problem with this?
 
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