Noise From Flat Above-Concerned About a Child

tyllwyd

Its so difficult to tell when we are only hearing one side of the story on the internet, but if nothing else it worries me that you say the noise is constant all day - a 4 year old child should be given plenty of time to socialise with children his own age, and a chance to run around outside. If he is cooped up in a flat all day, and isn't going to nursery, that's not going to help his development. And, again, its difficult to tell because we haven't seen it, but his parents should be interacting with him, and playing with him, and looking at books with him - not locked away in a different room. Giving him space to play is one thing, but what you describe doesn't sound normal.

In my area, the health visitors assess pre-school children by visiting nurseries and observing them, but if this little boy isn't at nursery he might be missing out, and possibly missing out on help he needs. If it was me, I think I would try to speak to someone in social services - they can visit and talk to the parents, if there is nothing to worry about then they will go away, but maybe the little boy needs help and the parents need help to be able to look after him properly.

Tulip09

I have been in a situation very similar in that, the 2 young children ups were given a trampoline in the livingroom and bounced or ran about constantly while the parents didnt bother or seemed oblivious to the noise at the time. After 6 months of brewing and complaining (whilst angry) We then wrote to them requesting to sort out these problems and if we could help in anyway (trying to be nice & non confrontational). It turned out both children had adhd and they were at there wits end with it aswell as us, they hardly slept, the mum was struggling emotionally and the father had lost his job and they had no family support in the local area. We became friends & supportive over the next few months and ended up swapping flats (landlord agreed). Problem mostly solved as they were now on the ground floor there kids and my kids played for a few hours.

Re the doors - when my kids were little we removed the doors except my bedroom & bathroom as they were always banging them (we didnt want to disturb the neighbours) or they got there fingers trapped, perhaps your neighbours are doing the same.

puddy

i was just about to say the same about the doors, if this child does have ASD or whatever, the parents are probably trying to contain the risks

but i see that asking a simple question of the OP gains insults and swearing. i wonder who is the most anti social, the little child or the OP. i still dont know what the parents actually said or didnt say, i still dont know how the OP knows where and who with the parents spend their time during the day?

evoke

thequant wrote: »

Ive been thinking and tempted by that solution, however i wouldnt want to weaken my case, as they could argue their childs noise is reasonable but me banging on the wall is unreasonable if i get my mate from enviromental health involved.

Sorry, but how is keeping you awake and making your life a misery 'reasonable' and you keeping the scummy, inconsiderate family awake 'unreasonable'.

The only thing that matters is the effect your neighbours have on your quality of life. How that noise is caused is immaterial.

Get even. Keep the precious breeders awake for several nights in a row and they'll soon get the message.

I now use a rubber mallet against a door frame at around 4.30am and I can hear the vermin living above me wake up. It makes me feel better and it does appear to be having an effect now.

olly300

thequant wrote: »

they denied it, but so what does it matter whether i seen them playing football ? if someone was playing music really loudly does that mean you are not allow ed to challenge them or raised it as an issue because you cont see their music system and the volume level it is set at.

wether i can prove or prove anything, i agree means fvck all, but the nosie does, so wether they are playing football or chess up there i dont care as long as it dosnt give disturb my quality of life

If it's adults playing football or anyone playing loud music you can complain.

If it's a child playing football then they are simply playing. You can't get anyone to legally stop a child playing as its regarded as a reasonable level of noise.

However if the child playing is causing damage to your property i.e. cracks in the ceiling then you have a legit complaint.

olly300

thequant wrote: »

you really have no concept of what the situation i am in,of course having to accept noise is part of living in a flat. but having people who refuse to live like normal people is not what i expected,

What is normal though?

I've heard noise complaints about people doing everything in flats. The main issue is lots of flats in the UK are either built badly or have been converted badly.

thequant wrote: »

of course since so many people think their living arrangements are so normal and no-one will intervene, maybe i should retreat to my bedroom and just play loud music to give the parents a taste of thier own medicine.

You are more likely to get a successful noise complaint against you and your landlord telling you to move out.

The problem is that you are dealing with a child playing.

A child playing, crying, singing or laughing is not counted as a statutory noise nuisance.

thequant wrote: »

BTW new peice of information,ive just shown my partner this thread and he said i need to correct a peice of information.they have not removed the door to the living room, but removed the doors to ALL rooms except their bedroom/living room. of course i'm sure you all here will tell me this is "normal" behaviour from "responsible" parents.

Somebody already as pointed out why they have done this.

Unfortunately you need to think laterally about getting the situation resolved.

My situation with my neighbour was resolved due to the impact her behaviour had on some of the neighbouring children. They weren't bothered about her annoying me and other adult neighbours and making our lives unbearable even though one of my neighbours' is disabled.

theoretica

thequant wrote: »

you really have no concept of what the situation i am in,of course having to accept noise is part of living in a flat. but having people who refuse to live like normal people is not what i expected,

If, as would fit your description, the child in question has some form of disability then it is not normal, probably cannot be made to live normally (that being the nature of disability) and was not what the parents expected either.

There seem to be three options:
1) remove the noise (it sounds like the flat is of moderately flimsy construction, so this would be hard)
2) remove the noise maker (if the child is disabled this would rightly be hard)
3) remove yourselves (you understandably don't want to, but this is the one you have control over)

themull1

Bang on their ceiling continuously at five in the morning.

themull1

Put soundproofing in your flat.

evoke

themull1 wrote: »

Put soundproofing in your flat.

Why should he? Shouldn't the people living above adapt their lifestyle to one that is commensurate with living in a flat? You cannot live in a flat as you would in a house. That's the simple fact of the matter.

Living in a flat requires you to be far more considerate to those living around you and you have to adapt your lifestyle to suit. This means that you simply cannot allow your flat to be a playground for a toddler.

How the noise is caused is immaterial. What matters are the consequences of that noise. Playing loud music and letting your toddler use the flat as playing fields results in the same amount of aggravation to those who have to endure the noise.