Noisy people in flat above me.

regprentice

i'm afraid your 'right' to silence is somewhat limited. Good example limited options you have and the kind of compromise you might be expected to make here.... https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4796520

As the parent of a 3 year old i'm sympathetic to the people above you... there really i'snt much they can do to stop them bouncing around. 10pm seems late, but at least they aren't waking you up at midnight..2am .. 4am.. 6am...

Hermoine

Running around is what small children do, I'm afraid. I had a ground floor flat and for about a year there were 2 small boys running and bouncing around upstairs, and I tried (not always successfully) to remind myself that it was nice to hear children being children. They were actually very sweet kids and their parents were really nice, and did say they were sorry that their children were sometimes noisy (to which I said, not at all.... They were replaced by several sri lanken builders who were much quieter but had an unfortunate tendency to cause floods - washing machine going wrong and bath overflowing - and were never very apologetic when that happened. So, do be careful what you wish for - quiet neighbours can have their flaws.

sulkisu

kashmirigirl wrote: »

I live in a ground floor flat, the people above me have a 3 yr old child. The flats haven't got very good sound proofing. In short I understand that living in a ground floor flat I'm going to hear the people above, which is fine, I accept that but for sometime now the people above have basically been taking the !!!! by banging about and letting the child run around until about 10 at night.

In one of our earlier chats I asked her if she could hear my telly during that conversation I mentioned that I could hear her quite a bit etc, especially the child, she said that she understood and that the child was very heavy on her feet.

For about 2 weeks the noise was unbearable so I had a little word with her and asked if she could keep the noise down a bit as I found that I wasn't getting any peaceful evenings after work. Her reply was I pay the rent so I will make as much noise as I want. I was quite shocked by her reply so just said ok that's fine, I don't want to fall out, we will leave it at that - you know how I feel.

So now which way do I turn when she makes noise, don't feel as though I can say anything more to her as I feel her reply will be the same - do I contact the landlady??

All I want is for her to give me some kind of consideration. I know you can't tie the child to a chair but I do feel a child running around the flat for a couple of hours is a bit much. I'm out 5 days a week 9 until 6 so she has plenty of time to run around then. The child goes to bed about 15 to 20 mins before I turn in so I don't get much quite time.

Please don't say move as this is not an option.

Thanks for reading.

It's hard isn't it? I have been in your position and I am now 'your upstairs neighbour', so I can see it fom both sides.


Years ago I lived under a woman with two small children, and the noise was unbearable. We were both in HA properties, so moving was not a viable option (without giving up a HA tenancy). It got better once the children started school, as they were in bed earlier - usually by 8pm.


However, speaking as a mother of a three year and 14 month old twins, they do make a lot of noise, and although I try to stop them from jumping, they are still very loud when they are just walking or running around (and it is virtually impossible to stop children running). I agree that 10pm is late for a child to be up, but the fact is that not every child goes down early. There may be issues with the child that you are not aware of.


Why do you say that mvoing is not an option? If the noise is that bad, then unfortunately moving might be your only choice.

sulkisu

EmmaHerts wrote: »

Make a louder noise, and when she complains- remind her what she said to you.

The problem with this 'solution', is that to make a louder noise from below (enough to inconvenience the tenant above), she would probably have to resort to some sort of unsociable behaviour - thereby risking her own tenancy.

Norman_Castle

Her reply was I pay the rent so I will make as much noise as I want.

Which defines her as selfish and inconsiderate. Children can be noisy but can also be taught to make less noise. Speak to your landlord. They may offer to help or investigate better floorcovering. Also try contacting environmental health.
As your neighbor believes paying the rent entitles you to make as much noise as you like, when your patience wears out you can drown out their noise with your noise.

TBagpuss

Does your landlord also own the upstairs flat? If so, they might be able help.
I have every sympathy for you, having suffered with noisy neighbours myself, but I think that because the noise is footsteps rather than (say) excessively loud music it may be very difficult to take action. If there are other types of noise then contacting environmental health, or the *her* landlord, if you know who that is, may help.

carefullycautious

Believe me I would have swopped my alcoholic neighbour for 10 children after having spent many years with next to no sleep due to anti social behaviour. We managed to move away and I shudder at the memory of it.

Have you tried using ear plugs or an ambient noise which does distract you. The problem with noise that irritates is that you become alert/wait for it to happen which is so stressfull.

Relaxing music or the sound of waves on a beach used to help me when all hell was let loose upstairs.

I'm afraid that normal family noise does not come under the anti social criteria.

freeisgood

There is no excuse for letting children disrupt other peoples lives. If you want your kid to be noisy and stay up till 10pm then be considerate and do not choose to live in a flat. It works both ways. Some parents have not got a clue, unfortunately they are rife.

GwylimT

Guest101 wrote: »

1 it's a downside of living in a flat, I'd suggest going for a house next time
2 what's ur tenancy got to do with them?
3 whilst some noise offences could be enforced this is not one of them
4 why is moving not an option?

In many blocks of flats there are certain requirements, in mine for example where the sound proofing is there good there are conditions, such as no loud music after 10 pm, no hard flooring apart from soft lino in bathrooms, as they don't want to prevent people having peace and quiet at home. If I decide to not bother, make a racket and get myself some wooden floors the management company are more than welcome to boot me out.

dodger1

kashmirigirl wrote: »

For about 2 weeks the noise was unbearable so I had a little word with her and asked if she could keep the noise down a bit as I found that I wasn't getting any peaceful evenings after work. Her reply was I pay the rent so I will make as much noise as I want. I was quite shocked by her reply so just said ok that's fine, I don't want to fall out, we will leave it at that - you know how I feel.

With that attitude I'd be screwing my sub woofer to the ceiling and let the battle commence.