Noisy Downstairs Neighbours

_Chris14_

Hi everyone,

At the end of January we bought a 2 bed first floor maisonette. On both viewings prior to buying the property we asked the vendors if they could hear any of the neighbours and their reply was that you can't hear the neighbours to the side (which is true) and you can 'occasionally' hear the downstairs neighbours. On our viewings we didn't hear a peep from them, and that was both in the afternoon and in the evening (they were home).

Now after being here 3 months the downstairs neighbours are very noisy, the child likes to scream, and they love to repeatedly open and close a baby gate they have on the kitchen door. During the day the noise is bearable, we can deal with the general chit chat we can hear, we just turn the tv up slightly louder.

However, our real problem is that the guy downstairs likes to be awake during the middle of the night (I should point out that we don't think they have jobs, they lay in til mid morning). He has a very annoying smokers cough, chats away on the phone, and bangs things around. The problem is I don't think they are being overly noisy, just general living, but the 1950's building seems to have no sound proofing. We bought the thickest underlay and carpet we could afford but this hasn't helped.

After many sleepless night due to the noise (including only getting 4 hours sleep last night) we now need to know how to approach them and make them understand that even the smallest noises travel up the walls and in to our place. How can we politely say 'shut up' at nighttime, even though they aren't being overly noisy? It's a tricky situation.

Has anyone been in this scenario? Any tips?

Thanks in advance,

Chris

getzls

The child likes to scream? Kids eh!

Guess you don't have any.

Tips?

If it's a baby buy it a dummy.:cool:

Nada666

'they are not overly noisy' 'no sound proofing' 'even the smallest noises'

I think you need to be spending your energies on looking for a new home (perhaps a detached bungalow or a proper solid tenement) rather than inviting neighbours round to tea for a chat.

Angelicdevil

_Chris14_ wrote: »

Hi everyone,

At the end of January we bought a 2 bed first floor maisonette. On both viewings prior to buying the property we asked the vendors if they could hear any of the neighbours and their reply was that you can't hear the neighbours to the side (which is true) and you can 'occasionally' hear the downstairs neighbours. On our viewings we didn't hear a peep from them, and that was both in the afternoon and in the evening (they were home).

Now after being here 3 months the downstairs neighbours are very noisy, the child likes to scream, and they love to repeatedly open and close a baby gate they have on the kitchen door. During the day the noise is bearable, we can deal with the general chit chat we can hear, we just turn the tv up slightly louder.

However, our real problem is that the guy downstairs likes to be awake during the middle of the night (I should point out that we don't think they have jobs, they lay in til mid morning). He has a very annoying smokers cough, chats away on the phone, and bangs things around. The problem is I don't think they are being overly noisy, just general living, but the 1950's building seems to have no sound proofing. We bought the thickest underlay and carpet we could afford but this hasn't helped.

After many sleepless night due to the noise (including only getting 4 hours sleep last night) we now need to know how to approach them and make them understand that even the smallest noises travel up the walls and in to our place. How can we politely say 'shut up' at nighttime, even though they aren't being overly noisy? It's a tricky situation.

Has anyone been in this scenario? Any tips?

Thanks in advance,

Chris

Take a bottle of wine down with you and start by introducing yourself as the upstairs neighbour. I'd go in with something like "I'm not sure if you're aware but the sound proofing is pretty shocking blah blah blah, please could you keep the noise down after 10pm"

Or something to that effect.

When you live in flats it's usually specified in the lease that between 11pm and 7am you have to be considerate to those around you. And even if it's not, it's just common courtesy.

Cissi

Nada666 wrote: »

'they are not overly noisy' 'no sound proofing' 'even the smallest noises'

I think you need to be spending your energies on looking for a new home (perhaps a detached bungalow or a proper solid tenement) rather than inviting neighbours round to tea for a chat.

I totally agree. It doesn't sound as if they're doing anything unreasonable, even in the middle of the night - if he was playing loud music or had the TV on full blast then you could ask him to turn it down, but a cough??? It may be worth letting him know, very gently, that you hear him on the phone at night as he probably doesn't realise this. Overall I doubt the situation will improve though - and it could get much worse if they get annoyed...

giddypenguin

Is this a problem with the other flats, could the free holder not look at the sound proofing?

_Chris14_

getzls wrote: »

The child likes to scream? Kids eh!

Guess you don't have any.

Tips?

If it's a baby buy it a dummy.:cool:

I didn't post on here to get sarcastic replies, but thanks all the same

_Chris14_

giddypenguin wrote: »

Is this a problem with the other flats, could the free holder not look at the sound proofing?

There are quite a few similar properties all along the street so I assume everyone is having similar issues? I'm not sure entirely.

I'd rather raise the issue with the neighbour as I don't want to make a formal dispute if I don't have to.

_Chris14_

Angelicdevil wrote: »

Take a bottle of wine down with you and start by introducing yourself as the upstairs neighbour. I'd go in with something like "I'm not sure if you're aware but the sound proofing is pretty shocking blah blah blah, please could you keep the noise down after 10pm"

Or something to that effect.

When you live in flats it's usually specified in the lease that between 11pm and 7am you have to be considerate to those around you. And even if it's not, it's just common courtesy.

Thanks for replying, we have already introduced ourselves, they seem nice enough. It would just be the first time I've had to speak to someone about an issue like this and just wondered how to go about it in a sensible way. You have provided good advice though, so thank you.

wannahouse

_Chris14_ wrote: »

There are quite a few similar properties all along the street so I assume everyone is having similar issues? I'm not sure entirely.

I'd rather raise the issue with the neighbour as I don't want to make a formal dispute if I don't have to.

what are the neighbours supposed to do though?
you are both in an impossible position, once again, due to inadequate, cheap build quality...

they're not doing anything wrong..they need to be able to live how they live, to their own schedule, whether employed or not, without being curtailed, unless they are doing something out of the ordinary, such as tv blaring in the middle of the night etc, but on the other hand, you cannot do what you need to do in your home, ie, sleep, because their normal activities travel due to inadequate sound proofing...
you are only going to cause enemies and hard feelings if you approach them, as they will become defensive, and reasonably so, as they are not doing anything wrong...

the only solution i can see is to get a professional soundproofing expert in, or moved to a detached premises, as the neighbours will not change what they do in my experience, and that doesn't make them bad people, but just people living their lives in impossible types of housing for peace to reign supreme.
i do feel sorry for you...

getzls

_Chris14_ wrote: »

I didn't post on here to get sarcastic replies, but thanks all the same

Not meant to be overly sarcastic.

See you are new here, you will get used to it.

Dummy still good advice.

Another is not to go and tell your neighbours to keep their child/baby quiet.