How do I bring this issue up with our neighbours?

I like the subtitles on too, you can follow a program without having the TV blaring at you.

Hope that you can resolve it amicably!

Homes are build so badly! I have noticed that on some programmes, usually dramas, actors do mumble more than they used to. Also on iPlayer the sound needs to go up to hear. I don't have hearing problems. But it is a difficult situation as it's possibly their only form of entertainment. Also everyone I know with hearing aids still needs the Tele up high. But if it is driving you nuts then you do need to ask them to turn it down. And blame the thin walls and say you are sorry to have to ask them but it's coming right into your room. They will probably understand and turn it down.

I used to have that problem so just used to turn my TV up

I think Angelafeet's suggestion is a good one. Good luck

jocork

My ex used to play music very loudly so I was always glad we lived in a detached house, apart from a few months in a flat when first married. Unfortunately semi-detached houses often have fairly thin walls! i've been in houses where you could hear your neighbour putting a plug in the wall!
When I lived in a flat I had a neighbour below me who was very noisy, with loud TV in the early hours. I didn't know him at all as he was renting while most of the residents owned, so I put a note through the door and the noise stopped immediately so he clearly didn't realise. However if you know the neighbours I think it's best to speak to them directly. I'd be mortified if I thought my TV disturbed the neighbours, but I'd still rather know so I could turn it down.

With the fashion of having uncarpeted floors my partner had an upstairs neighbour who redecorated and he could hear them walking around. People don’t think sometimes. His current house is a semi; up till recently his neighbour was an elderly lady who was very quiet but the new people are doing lots of work on the house and there’s lots of banging and they’ve got barky dogs ( although the dogs don’t bother us). Fortunately they use the back room as their living room and he uses the front room so we don’t hear each other at night.

Thank you all for your suggestions, I will have a gentle word with the lady next door. I think her husband is rather deaf and is also fond of DIY so has probably put the television up on the wall, or at least directly against it. We did hear some banging and drilling a couple of weeks ago on the party wall, so maybe that was what he was doing!

Yes I agree with others - ask if they can hear your TV because you're thinking that because you can hear theirs they may be able to hear yours. Hopefully conversation can indeed continue from there.

Angelafeet

If you feel really awkward bringing it up. Try turning it round…ask if they can hear your Tv…that you were worried that they might….conversation can then continue

I like this approach.

Technically I believe you can get sound level measuring stuff and there are limits,

But a simple approach is to sound record on your mobile their TV noise so you have evidence (date, time, what was on TV) to mention in conversation if appropriate.

My ex used to play music very loudly so I was always glad we lived in a detached house, apart from a few months in a flat when first married. Unfortunately semi-detached houses often have fairly thin walls! i've been in houses where you could hear your neighbour putting a plug in the wall!
When I lived in a flat I had a neighbour below me who was very noisy, with loud TV in the early hours. I didn't know him at all as he was renting while most of the residents owned, so I put a note through the door and the noise stopped immediately so he clearly didn't realise. However if you know the neighbours I think it's best to speak to them directly. I'd be mortified if I thought my TV disturbed the neighbours, but I'd still rather know so I could turn it down.

Definitely hard of hearing.
I am 80 years old and have to turn the tv up quite loud sometimes.

But I usually put the subtitles on. That’s the only way to understand what’s being said.
I do this because my neighbours wall is directly behind our tv.

How you approach it is another matter.
But do mention to them that their tv is a little loud.
And see what they say,maybe.

Send a letter. Go through an intermediary. Unless I was completely dolally I would be very hurt not to say offended that they didn’t talk to me directly.

I companion a lady of 95 who’s hard of hearing and has good hearing aids but she has to still have her TV on 47 it’s very loud. She’s in an apartment and the upstairs Neigbours asked her to turn it down she was mortified that she was upsetting someone so was happy to turn it down but she does have to be reminded as she does forget now and again.

jakuss that’s rather ageist - my Tele is on the wall . And, I’m neither deaf, nor blind

my elderly father was very wary of upsetting the neighbours with his tv, he got headphones and plugged them into the back of the tv, i do not watch tv so i was happy to read a book or do a crossword and he was happy.

Speak thoughtfully & tactfully. Don't write. They could be, like many of us, a bit 'hard of hearing'.
Older people are often a bit more amenable and reasonable, and more likely to discuss, rather than respond defensively or aggressively. Try at all times to see their point of view as well as your own, and hopefully you will come to some sort of arrangement. Do listen to what they have to say!

jakuss

I dont think many 80 year olds put a tele on the way, they are deaf and dont realise it

Rather a patronising comment,if I may say so.
My television is wall mounted.... and I'm an octogenarian++++++
We're not dinasores you know.

Angelafeet

If you feel really awkward bringing it up. Try turning it round…ask if they can hear your Tv…that you were worried that they might….conversation can then continue

Yes, is it possible THEY can hear YOUR TV and have turned theirs up to drown YOURS?

Is it possible you're hearing it more as you both have windows open in the warmer weather?
I would just be straight with them and say in a friendly way that you've recently started hearing their TV through the walls and you wonder if it's possible for them to turn down the volume a little. It depends how much of a problem it is for you I suppose.

Ameliaw

Send them a letter.
It can’t usually be taken the wrong way.
And they can’t pretend you’ve said something you haven’t.
Sorry for your troubles, we are having problems with a neighbour who allows her boyfriend to park obstructively.
A word didn’t seem to work!

I think I’d find a letter more upsetting than my neighbour knocking on my door and tactfully mentioning it.

I dont think many 80 year olds put a tele on the way, they are deaf and dont realise it

Well, whatever you do, I'm sure it will be more tactful than my neighbour was when I was turning my telly up too loud. He called the council and I received a letter basically threatening me with an ASBO! I will concede that we are in flats and have different entry points so he probably wasn't sure which flat was mine, but I would have been happy for him to knock on the wall and tell me to turn it down!

Just tell them, why beat around the bush, they probably dont realise if they are deaf and will be horrified they disturbed you

Angelafeet

If you feel really awkward bringing it up. Try turning it round…ask if they can hear your Tv…that you were worried that they might….conversation can then continue

Good idea!

Send them a letter.
It can’t usually be taken the wrong way.
And they can’t pretend you’ve said something you haven’t.
Sorry for your troubles, we are having problems with a neighbour who allows her boyfriend to park obstructively.
A word didn’t seem to work!

If you feel really awkward bringing it up. Try turning it round…ask if they can hear your Tv…that you were worried that they might….conversation can then continue