I've been happily house-sharing with an owner-couple for years. Just recently tension arose with everyone confined to barracks.
So one of my housemates has been working on an elaborate wooden bookcase just outside my bedroom/study/office door. It's been going on for around a year. He does the work in his free time on weekends. It can be noisy, with hammering, power drills etc.
Up to now the noise hasn't been too much of an issue. If he was wood-working on a weekend afternoon, I was often out of the house anyway, or I would leave. I was also away interstate for several months.
Recently the owner said he wants to start his woodwork earlyish in the mornings. On weekends I want to sleep in. That's when a conflict of interests arose.
I'm optimistic I can talk this through with the owners. But what sort of quiet hours are reasonable for a room renter to expect? Until 6am, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11am? Are there rights tenants have to quiet enjoyment of their rooms?
I'd like to get some independent opinions to better prepare myself for a discussion with my housemates this weekend. All my friends and family haven't house-shared for a decade or more, otherwise I would have asked them these questions.
Ideas?
Easter update
I sat down with the others here. It seems the woodworking housemate is under intense pressure in his full time job (now working from home too), so much so I think it's impacting his mental health. Anyway that explains the extra tension lately. He's been to a counselor this week for the first time. Given the therapeutic benefits of woodworking for him, it's probably best for him to work on the shelves when he wants over the next couple of weekends. I'll get some earplugs, see how it goes, and after that we both agreed to reassess.
Longer term I'm aware it might be wise for me to explore other accommodation options.
I appreciate everyone who shared a thought-provoking or funny comment. I won't reply individually. But the feedback enabled me to go into what could have been a tense situation with a lot more perspective, calm and clarity. And the result was probably as good as it could have been, given the circumstances.
Cheers and ava good weekend.
probably check with your local council/EPA about noise restrictions?
iirc I think it was something like 8am to 8pm where people can do whatever they want (within reason), but YMMV.
or, before you throw council/EPA rules at them, have a chat and see if an agreement/compromise can be reached.