No Soundproofing in New Council Property: I'm living in a prison!

GSD4ME

I totally sympathise with the OP.

I visited the website Neighbours from Hell for some advice with my problem with a neighbour and I was appalled. To my mind the neighbours from hell were the ones complaining about the others. Most of their moans were totally unreasonable. A typical post would say, "I suffer from XXX and am very sensitive to noise and the person above me makes a noise talking on their balcony at 7.00 pm and they shut their bedroom door when they go to bed which disturbs me. Also they chew their food noisily and have a bath at 9.00 pm and I can hear them splashing. It should not be allowed."

I have never heard such a load of miserable moans about perfectly reasonable understandable noise. If someone has a health problem that is not their neighbour's fault and if you cannot stand living in a flat with reasonable noise from other flats then move out.

It is ridiculous that this person objects to the sound of the Op drying her hair or talking to her partner. Get a life!

*Robin*

Maybe the neighbour is super-sensitive to any sound?

http://www.fabricmate.com/cores-soundsentry.php

OP, you could suggest the neighbours stick a layer of this type of insulation on to their ceilings. Or assuming you're feeling very nice, you could offer to put it under your carpets - if they supply the stuff of course!

Fire_Fox

Bring in Environmental Health to mediate and take measurements of the noise levels inside BOTH flats when doing the same activities. Then pass these reports onto the appropriate people in the council, both you and the neighbours work together on raising your concerns in writing with the section responsible for repairs, maintenance and improvements not some generic tenancy officer.

You really should not have laminate in a flat unless it's got solid concrete floors, there is little soundproofing that makes that a good choice. Many leases actually prohibit anything but carpet in rooms other than the kitchen and bathroom, many flats need a good sound absorbing underlay undeneath. Rubber flooring or true linoleum with a sound protective underlay will likely be quieter in a kitchen and bathroom than wood or laminate.

Elliptical trainers are too noisy for many flats too, if you are putting on weight go outside and exercise - power walking or jogging or cycling if you cannot afford a gym. If you know your neighbours can hear you talking on Skype at 10.30pm is not the most considerate thing to do. Also should not be doing DIY with a hammer in the communal areas, especially if not even a resident, your partner should have gone outdoors or elsewhere.

Although I get that the soundproofing is poor and your neighbour unreasonable I wonder if you have also underestimated what it is like living in a flat, many blocks are nothing like living in a house and sound does travel much more easily. Installing proper sound insulation is a massive job involving lifting floorboards and possibly even ripping walls down or installing new ceilings. It's expensive, highly disruptive and they will have to work around plumbing and electrics and fire proofing, not sure it will ever be as good as you imagine.

Lastly purchase your neighbours some wax or silicone (not foam they are uncomfortably and useless) ear plugs, she needs to do her part not to hear you doing normal activities like showering and drying your hair.

moneysaver

kawaii-lobster wrote: »

I'm sad because I was hoping that my partner could move into the flat with me soon and the other night they came up to tell him to stop talking on the microphone whilst he was playing an online game on my laptop because they couldn't sleep because of his talking.

And what time of night was this?

I think there is more to this story than meets the eye.


Moneysaver

Norman_Castle

Out of interest, what games to you talk to?.

phill99

2 issues here:

1. The noises you are making are not creating noise pollution. They are normal living noises. I live in a 1903 mid terrace and can here my neighbours use the light switch. However, I don't complain to my neighbours about it. They can probably her me switching on lights and singing to myself. But they don't come around complaining. They are normal living noises and are to be expected.

It does seem, however, that your neighbours are being unrealistic in their expectations. There needs to be give and take. As is stated above, they seem to have an issue.

2. The council will do nothing. Provided that the sound insulation is as per building regulations in force at the time the property was built, they have no obligation whatsoever to do anything. Nor are they obliged to move you or your neighbours out.

You need to live your life normally, not being intimidated by unrealistic neighbours.

adouglasmhor

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Out of interest, what games to you talk to?.

Many online games have a team element where you have to talk to other players to coordinate your gameplay. Things have moved on a wee bit since Pacman and Space Invaders.

duchy

adouglasmhor wrote: »

Many online games have a team element where you have to talk to other players to coordinate your gameplay. Things have moved on a wee bit since Pacman and Space Invaders.

But if they were in bed - presumably it was fairly late at night ? Maybe using a headset would be considerate ?

Also about the hammering in the communal hallway-It's one thing a resident doing a one off essential repair....it's entirely something else someone who doesn't even live there hammering. Especially knowing there were already issues about noise- What on earth was your boyfriend thinking ?

I'm not so sure this is as one sided as the OP appears to think.

adouglasmhor

duchy wrote: »

But if they were in bed - presumably it was fairly late at night ? Maybe using a headset would be considerate ?

You do use a headset, you still have to speak at a normal volume for the microphone to pick it up, and you are not seriously suggesting that someone should not talk in their flat at certain times are you? I am not sure the OP's living room is above the complainer's bedroom either.

Fire_Fox

adouglasmhor wrote: »

You do use a headset, you still have to speak at a normal volume for the microphone to pick it up, and you are not seriously suggesting that someone should not talk in their flat at certain times are you? I am not sure the OP's living room is above the complainer's bedroom either.

Why does it have to be so black and white, all or nothing?

I am quite serious suggesting that they should not have unnecessary conversations at times when they know that the neighbour is in bed/ late at night. Taking to other occupants of the property is a necessary part of a normal relationship, chatting and joking with mates on Skype or on a role play game is not. The boyfriend is not even a resident, why does he need to play games late at night in someone else's home if he knows sound travels terribly there?

It's part of being a considerate and thoughtful member of the community. When you lived at home with your parents or in a shared house you turned the music off at, say, 10pm if you know anyone heading to bed at that time can hear it. You also lower your voice or even whisper if you happen to be up late at night, you don't talk at normal volume when you know others in the house are asleep. Considerate people don't just say well tough the volume is reasonable.

No the OP should not have to live like that, it's far from an ideal situation and it does need addressing with the powers that be. It's not the OP's fault there is no soundproofing, nor that the neighbour has health problems, but it is not the neighbour's fault either and she is suffering. To refuse to do your noisier leisure activities an hour or so earlier just to make a point is inconsiderate.

As a quid pro quo the neighbour should be sucking up the fact that she is still going to hear the normal activities of daily living, like hairdryers, showering and perhaps occasionally bedtime games. Working with and not against the OP in dealing with the powers that be, trying out some wax or silicone earplugs.