Neighbour downstairs complaining - Your help needed

Nicifer_noonoo

Personally I'd give her the telephone number of the department that deals with noise problems at your local council - let them tell her she is being unreasonable, so there is no backlash for you! Simples

poppysarah

Nicifer_noonoo wrote: »

Personally I'd give her the telephone number of the department that deals with noise problems at your local council - let them tell her she is being unreasonable, so there is no backlash for you! Simples

I'd speak to them first and get them to agree that vac'ing at 9pm is fine ... and then give her the number.

I'm not saying it isn't - but alert them to the fact she's complaining first...

sonastin

The way I would approach it...

try to come to some sort of compromise that fits both her schedule and yours (i.e. find out if she works shifts or has particularly early mornings / late nights that she would prefer you to avoid, which you can work around)

and then if that doesn't work, do the hoovering at any time you feel like it. Make any other noise you want. Live you life as if she didn't exist because she obviously expects to be able to live hers at though you don't!

mrcol1000

There are no laws on the amount of noise or the time you can make noise as its all relative. If you lived in a detached house you could play your music louder without causing a nusiance than if you lived in a block flats. As for time your expected to make more of an effort to reduce noise after 11pm but again it doesn't mean you can get away with causing a nusiance before then as people work shifts. They have kids to put to bed etc...
As regard the hoovering I don't think it could be taken as a nusiance before 9pm at night. As someone has said it does sound like there could be sound proofing issues. If your above your neighbour maybe the hoovering is making a banging noise which sounds louder below than you think. Could you ask your neighbour to record the noise or you go down and listen while your husband hovers upstairs? Or vice versa?
As someone said its not worth falling out with your neighbours over something so trival but then people have to put up with household noise and can't expect compelte silence 24hrs a day especially in flats. So you need to balance over thinking about them but then not being too scared to do stuff incase your neighbour comes up. I would really try and see if you can witness the noise just so you can see it from their viewpoint before you decide what to do next.

Caroline_a

You could always get one of these http://www.irobot.com/uk/ and set it to hoover when you are out... result, one totally confused neighbour! (by the way I've got one of these and they are absolutely brilliant!)

wilykit

I think she is being VERY unreasonable! Especially when she is the one who seems to be inconsiderate!!

If I were you I wouldn't be all nice I would be firm with her and give her a piece of my mind. Tell her that you do not want to fall out but will not be dictated to as to when you can or cannot hoover up!!!

Wolfy_2

Thanks for all the great advice.

To clarify some issues - yes I was referring to PM times, apologies for the confusion.

As to sound issues, we are in an ex local authority place with very thick walls and floors. I think I can hear the clock because it is high pitched and possibly near the ceiling (if mounted on the wall).

Someone at work said to me exactly what a lot of you were saying, that maybe I shouldn't be so nice about it or she will keep taking advantage to get what she wants.

I think we just don't like her coming up as shes aggressive and it ruins our night. I guess we won't answer the door next time.

Thanks again.

PasturesNew

Ask if one of you can go downstairs to hers while the other hoovers upstairs, so you can hear the noise for yourself.

Quite often it's noisier downstairs than in your own flat. Noise transference and all that.

You might be staggered/horrified when you hear it yourself.

picklepick

PasturesNew wrote: »

Ask if one of you can go downstairs to hers while the other hoovers upstairs, so you can hear the noise for yourself.

Quite often it's noisier downstairs than in your own flat. Noise transference and all that.

You might be staggered/horrified when you hear it yourself.

And then what? never hoover again?

I'd just get on with it and ignore her. You arent hoovering at unreasonable times. My neighbour thought it was ok to hoover at 1am on more than one occasion. I think she suffered insomnia.... so did I as a result!

sinbad182

PasturesNew wrote: »

Ask if one of you can go downstairs to hers while the other hoovers upstairs, so you can hear the noise for yourself.

Quite often it's noisier downstairs than in your own flat. Noise transference and all that.

You might be staggered/horrified when you hear it yourself.

They have to hoover at some point, even if the noise is somehow terrible below. The times specified are perfectly reasonable, and any problems with sound insulation are not their fault.