Elderly neighbours

[cerebus]

We are currently living in a quite nice residential housing unit in an area of town which happens to be largely populated by old-age homes and elderly people. As a consequence a lot of our direct neighbours are measuring their lives in coffee spoons and wearing the bottoms of their trousers rolled. Which is fine except that their aged crotchetiness is starting to become slightly intrusive. E.g:

• MrsCerebus can't go out with the boys between 10-2 without getting complaints about noise. I can tell you they are not particularly noisy children by toddler standards.
• Yesterday we got a complaint from the director via some anonymous individual about our laundry, which was being dried in the one sunny day of the entire winter, inside the porch doorway, and consisted of some nappies and towels.
• If the boys go outside in inclement weather we'll be guaranteed to be remonstrated by our most active resident, who believes that no amount of layering will be sufficient to protect them from pneumonia.
• The one time in 5 years of residence we had some guests over from the church and we sang for an hour or so, we didn't hear the end of it for weeks.

And so forth. We're generally exemplary neighbours, quiet and friendly and helpful where we can be. How should we take care of them while still upholding our basic terms of residence, which we actually never violate? In particular nr2 had my wife frothing the whole day yesterday.

 

[Messugga]

The simplest solution to me seems to be to simply wait things out. You have time on your side, from what I can gather.

Failing the above (Everybody gets impatient sometimes), if you don't break any rules there's nothing they can do with you. Simply ignore the people?

 

[Fuma]

Tell them to F O A D.

 

[DJ...]

[*]MrsCerebus can't go out with the boys between 10-2 without getting complaints about noise. I can tell you they are not particularly noisy children by toddler standards.

Are there rules about this? Unlikely. There is nothing you can do here apart from ignore them and carry on with your lives as usual. If they want to be in an old-aged home with these rules, then they should be there. The only issue here is they will make up the body corporate majority so rules could easily come into the picture at the next AGM...

[*]Yesterday we got a complaint from the director via some anonymous individual about our laundry, which was being dried in the one sunny day of the entire winter, inside the porch doorway, and consisted of some nappies and towels.

Is it a valid complaint in terms of the director quoting the relevant rules you broke?

[*]If the boys go outside in inclement weather we'll be guaranteed to be remonstrated by our most active resident, who believes that no amount of layering will be sufficient to protect them from pneumonia.

Educate them. No amount of cold weather causes colds. That is an old wive's tale. But then again, let them have their say. It's not interfering with you in any way is it?

[*]The one time in 5 years of residence we had some guests over from the church and we sang for an hour or so, we didn't hear the end of it for weeks.

Again, what are the noise rules there?

 

[cerebus]

Are there rules about this? Unlikely. There is nothing you can do here apart from ignore them and carry on with your lives as usual. If they want to be in an old-aged home with these rules, then they should be there. The only issue here is they will make up the body corporate majority so rules could easily come into the picture at the next AGM...

No we aren't breaking the rules at all. We're about as trouble-free as you could hope for.

Is it a valid complaint in terms of the director quoting the relevant rules you broke?

Are anonymous phone calls ever valid complaints ito...?

Educate them. No amount of cold weather causes colds. That is an old wive's tale. But then again, let them have their say. It's not interfering with you in any way is it?

MrsCerebus can get pretty bothered about it but otherwise not really.

Again, what are the noise rules there?

I'm sure there are some rules about noisemaking and that sort of thing which is fine. 99.9% nobody hears us.

 

[supersunbird]

blackmail... the more complaints, the more noisy games with kids in the day and diapers drying and such... the less complaints, the minimising of those mentioned

 

[blunomore]

We are currently living in a quite nice residential housing unit .....

What is a residential housing unit ? A townhouse ? An apartment ? A house in a security complex ?

 

[DJ...]

No we aren't breaking the rules at all. We're about as trouble-free as you could hope for.


Are anonymous phone calls ever valid complaints ito...?



MrsCerebus can get pretty bothered about it but otherwise not really.


I'm sure there are some rules about noisemaking and that sort of thing which is fine. 99.9% nobody hears us.

I don't see any way around this for you. You're outnumbered. I guess the FIFO rule applies or you're just going to have to learn to let their bitching slide...

 

[Hemps]

The old couple staying next to us are very friendly and often come over to visit our dogs and my son.
They enjoy the company.

 

[cerebus]

What is a residential housing unit ? A townhouse ? An apartment ? A house in a security complex ?

A townhouse in a security complex.

 

[blunomore]

A townhouse in a security complex.

I see.

Yes, this requires mutual consideration from all parties. Just ignore the complaints if they seem unreasonable. Keep smiling and being friendly towards the old people.

Some of them complain about almost everything because they have little else to do and it gives them purpose and makes them feel important again. Remember they probably do not have much to do and this then becomes all-important to them.

 

[web]

My mother and father live in a complex, they are getting on in years but honestly they moan about everything. The estate (all houses) is mainly young families with kids but my folks always seem to find something to moan about. I guess it is just old age. Thankfully they have now taken my advice and are going to move to somewhere with more old people and more suited to their age.

 

[SinghDude]

Be nice.

Bake the oldies a cake.

Make them feel good about themselves again.

 

[cerebus]

I see.

Yes, this requires mutual consideration from all parties. Just ignore the complaints if they seem unreasonable. Keep smiling and being friendly towards the old people.

Some of them complain about almost everything because they have little else to do and it gives them purpose and makes them feel important again. Remember they probably do not have much to do and this then becomes all-important to them.

I know they do because I see them peering through the curtains.

 

[blunomore]

I know they do because I see them peering through the curtains.

Poor things.

Remember, we will all be old like that one day

 

[RazedInBlack]

Wait for them to croak man!

 

[nakedpeanut]

Be nice.

Bake the oldies a space cake.

Make them feel good about themselves again.

fixed

 

[Lupus]

We are currently living in a quite nice residential housing unit in an area of town which happens to be largely populated by old-age homes and elderly people. As a consequence a lot of our direct neighbours are measuring their lives in coffee spoons and wearing the bottoms of their trousers rolled. Which is fine except that their aged crotchetiness is starting to become slightly intrusive. E.g:

• MrsCerebus can't go out with the boys between 10-2 without getting complaints about noise. I can tell you they are not particularly noisy children by toddler standards.
• Yesterday we got a complaint from the director via some anonymous individual about our laundry, which was being dried in the one sunny day of the entire winter, inside the porch doorway, and consisted of some nappies and towels.
• If the boys go outside in inclement weather we'll be guaranteed to be remonstrated by our most active resident, who believes that no amount of layering will be sufficient to protect them from pneumonia.
• The one time in 5 years of residence we had some guests over from the church and we sang for an hour or so, we didn't hear the end of it for weeks.

And so forth. We're generally exemplary neighbours, quiet and friendly and helpful where we can be. How should we take care of them while still upholding our basic terms of residence, which we actually never violate? In particular nr2 had my wife frothing the whole day yesterday.

I'd also complain about that last one, you've got a big building dedicated to that, go use it to sing, perhaps they aren't christians and don't want to listen to that. Be considerate here, not everyone is of the same religion.

 

[Nick333]

Old people are a pain in ass.

Vaguely related story:

I always know when it's Wednesday because my elderly neighbours always put there rubbish out on Tuesday night. I always know when its Thursday because that's when the rubbish men come and everyone else puts there rubbish out then.

 

[Picard]

The dog of choice of all old people.