Noisy neighbour above - 24/7

YO42

I did post this as a reply to another topic, however instead of hi-jacking, I've decided to start it as a fresh topic:

I live in a 3 storey block of flats, on the 1st floor.

I own mine and have carpet fitted throughout, but the person above is a private tenant and had laminate flooring fitted from new.

These flats were built new in 2004, which is when myself and the other owners purchased.

Now, the tenant above stamps around almost 24/7 with shoes on, TV playing, washing the dishes, hoovering etc etc.

We can hear coughing and sneezing too.

Now, we're awoken by the noise between 12 midnight - 5/6am almost 2-3 times a week.

We normally retaliate by banging the ceiling during the middle of the night when we are awoken.
We honestly feel our health has been affected due to lack of sleep and stress.

We've spoken to the tenant, with no luck as it normally ends in a heated argument.

Where do we stand?

From a very tired, weak and defeated member...

poppysarah

Are there restrictions on types of floor coverings?

Your retaliation doesn't help. The tenant doesn't know how much you can hear them. Perhaps you need to go out to the pub to have a drink and discuss it like human beings - and then get him in your flat and you in his to show him how noisy it is.
It'll be down to his landlord presumably to ensure the floor coverings meet the covenant restrictions if there are any.

jamief

Earplugs?

LaserLite 32dB from snorestore.co.uk are excellent.

Might help you get some sleep whilst the real problem is sorted out?

YO42

Thanks for your swift replies.

Yes, I admit our retaliation doesn't help, however we've only resulted to this 3 times in 4-5years, compared to being woken up at least 80 times (recorded on paper)

The tenant is fully aware what we can hear, hence several heated discussions about hoovering / washing machine on at 5/6am.

As for earplugs, we do have them, and tend to wear them 2-3 nights a week. But wearing these due to a noisy neighbour isn't what we need. The nights we don't wear them due to earache or headache, or if they fall out, are the nights we are awoken.

Do you suggest contacting the EHA or Landlord first?

sarah_elton

jamief wrote: »

LaserLite 32dB from snorestore.co.uk are excellent.

Thanks for the tip! I've been buying Boots foam earplugs for about 8 years - these ones look better and are cheaper. Giving them a go.

poppysarah

I'd have a look in your property deeds first. If you can find the bit where it specifiys no laminates or good carpets required you're already half way there...

YO42

Thanks Sarah, I will check this information this evening.

barnaby-bear

poppysarah wrote: »

I'd have a look in your property deeds first. If you can find the bit where it specifiys no laminates or good carpets required you're already half way there...

The majority of flats forbid hard flooring in the covenents for this very reason - even if they put them down when it was new they shouldn't have if the covenents in the deeds forbay it and it should be fairly easy to get rid of the laminate.