I Told My Neighbour I Can Hear Them Pooping And Weeing

[Treacle71]

We own the freehold and our neighbour next door is leasehold. They bought the property 6 years ago. The people before them (elderly couple) died. My bedroom is right next to their bathroom and I never heard the elderly couple use the toilet apart from occasional toilet flushes. However, since the new couple arrived, I can hear everything 'fall' into the toilet. I've tried to cover my wall with big pictures and moved furniture around, but to no avail. I have been simmering away inside for these 6 years until one day I'd had enough. The husband knocked on our door (a mild mannered man) telling us they were having a BBQ and hope it wouldn't be too smoky for us (it was fine actually the BBQ), and then I gently blurted out, "There's something I've been meaning to say for a long while which I've found embarrassing to say. It's of a sensitive nature in that I can hear you guys in the bathroom, toilet area. I don't know if you want to add sound proofing, but I felt I must tell you". He was a little shocked. He then changed the subject by telling me when his wife's baby was due, etc.
Did I do the right thing to let him know their bathroom 'sounds'?

[1ozzy]

A royal flush Treacle?

[Tilly2]

Perhaps they will put in soundproofing when the baby arrives, otherwise, you might hear the baby crying too.

[davebro]

They aren't going to stop using the toilet for sure!

If the noise disturbs you enough and you can't move your bed to another room consider getting your side of the wall professionally soundproofed.

[Tilly2]

I wonder if they can hear you snoring,Treacle?

[barry1010]

If you can hear them, they can hear you.

[1ozzy]

This a sticky situation Treacle.

[bobbinwales]

I'm not sure what the free hold and leasehold matters here.
Wonder if they can hear noises from your bed

[Zacs-Master]

Depending on the building’s construction, soundproofing a wall alone probably won’t work. The floor and ceiling would also need doing.

[bobbinwales]

You could suggest they play loud music when there in the toilet... maybe Big Log by Robert Plant or Rod Stewart' with Urine My Heart

[Redhelen72]

You sound very unhappy
Jealous of a young lady at work
Narked at an ex colleague not returning emails
Annoyed at neighbours using their toilet

How old are you?
Perhaps you need to seek some help.

[douglas9401]

Plumbing new depths here.

[Tilly2]

Treacle is 51, Helen.

[Canary42]

Yes, I think you did the right thing, they'll now be careful what they get up to in the bathroom.

[Redhelen72]

Thanks Tilly
My initial thoughts are you may be suffering from the menopause Treacle - perhaps a chat with your GP may help

[Bazile]

They will probably cough strategically , at certain instances

[FatticusInch]

Tilly2
//Treacle is 51, Helen.//

….going on 14.

[Prudie]

I would cringe with horror if my neighbours told me they could hear me doing that and for 6 years as well. Everyone has to use the toilet. I can only assume the previous elderly couple used a commode elsewhere out of earshot. What a very bizarre problem.

[naomi24]

You live in a semi-detached or terraced house so I assume there are other similar properties nearby. Have you asked other neighbours if they have the same problem with their neighbours?

I can only think that the old couple either used a commode,
as Prudie suggests, or that they had carpet and curtains in the bathroom which would have minimised the 'echo' effect of an empty room.

Just as well the bathroom doesn't adjoin your sitting room or kitchen. At least you're not troubled for most of the time.

[Khandro]

It is customary in Eastern parts of the word (now everywhere) to use carpets and rugs as decorative wall hangings. It can look chic and the thicker the carpet the better the soundproofing;

https://www.mydomaine.com/how-to-hang-a-rug-on-the-wall-4783149

[poorclare]

This puts me in mind of the time I asked my neighbour if
she would move the babies cot out from the wall
(vibration of the cot) was disturbing my sleep.
She told me they didn't have a cot and the baby slept
in the other room with his little sister.
I knew then when I saw the boyfriends car outside her
door it was time for me to move to another room in the
house. :-)