what would you do?

QuackQuackOops

January20 wrote: »

As I'm sitting here, I can hear my neighbours upstairs and nextdoor. It is sometimes irritating when there is a lot of noise but I have to say that I think your neighbours are OTT. MY neighbours do make a multitude of noises: walking, children playing, talking, music playing occasionally, etc. They don't have carpet but laminated flooring so noise carries, really well !

You have a 2 year old child who makes noise during the day. So what? Surely, he doesn't make as much noise as a brass band does he? My neighbours make noise during the day. So what? They have to live their life!

If your child is really asleep and quiet from 7pm-7am, I think your neighbours have nothing to complain about!

I think your neighbours have got in the habit of complaining to you. They know you will comply, take the child out etc. They are being unfair. Perhaps you need to make it clear to them that the situation will not change until you can afford carpet. No point in complaining.

How can you possibly know that the neighbours are overreacting?
You aren't the one below the noise and you don't know how noisy it is.

When people live in flats then yes, they need to be aware of neighbours and be considerate when it comes to noise.
If that means restricting the noise and running a 2 year old does because there is no carpet, then so be it. A carpet would be a priority.

It's a case of teaching children from early on to be respectful of others and adjust behaviour to suit.
No parent can expect their child to just run around and makes as much noise as they want to when it is annoying neighbours.

BitterAndTwisted

Nicki wrote: »

Did the flat have carpets when you moved in which you removed because they were manky or was it always bare boards?

Most Local Authorities remove floor-coverings left behind by previous tenants before re-letting their properties (and charge them for it) even if they are in good condition.

QuackQuackOops

JemmaM91 wrote: »

Thanks everyone.

Im going to keep saving for a carpet. Im still looking at about April/may time for his room. Then Sept/oct for hallway and front room.

Another strange thing is they have no problem with any other noise. (Washing machine, cleaning etc) so I think they may just be upset that a young child has moved in. From what I am aware there were no children in my flat before.

Thanks for all replies. I just needed to get it out as it can be upsetting as DS gets really upset when I have to stop him playing.

The noise from washing machines etc is different to the bump bump bump of a child running across the floor.
You need to get a carpet for the main areas of the house well before september or october.

Nicki

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Most Local Authorities remove floor-coverings left behind by previous tenants before re-letting their properties (and charge them for it) even if they are in good condition.

Thanks. I missed the post which said it was a local authority let (or indeed a let at all )

The point is still that if the neighbour saw the OP remove existing carpets that may make them less sympathetic than they might be if they knew there weren't ever carpets there during OPs time in the flat

GobbledyGook

The noise from floorboards or badly laid laminate flooring can be awful so I'm afraid I do have sympathy for your neighbours.

If they have children they'll understand the noise levels so I'd assume it must be pretty bad to get to the point of speaking to you.

Buttonmoons

I had this exact same problem but worse I suppose, from the age of around 2 - 5 my neighbours downstairs were AWFUL about the noise my DD made, I did have carpets but they used to come and shout that I shouldn't be buying cheap carpet when they have to put up with the noise - now she wasn't excessively noisy, she slept in her bed till 10am, then was at nursery from lunchtime till 3pm, they even tried to get her an asbo.

Now she's older they don't say anything, infact she offered to babysit for me :rotfl: I declined, and if anything I'd say she is more noisy now than when she was younger and even though she's almost 8, still feels the need to hop skip and jump between rooms

Morglin

QuackQuackOops wrote: »

How can you possibly know that the neighbours are overreacting?
You aren't the one below the noise and you don't know how noisy it is.

When people live in flats then yes, they need to be aware of neighbours and be considerate when it comes to noise.
If that means restricting the noise and running a 2 year old does because there is no carpet, then so be it. A carpet would be a priority.

It's a case of teaching children from early on to be respectful of others and adjust behaviour to suit.
No parent can expect their child to just run around and makes as much noise as they want to when it is annoying neighbours.

Two year olds run about, and are much too young to grasp the concept of being quiet and respecting the neighbours!

They are still babies.

Toddlers are normal noise, and anyone living in flats needs to accept normal noise, and I say that as someone living in a ground floor flat.

There is no way I would spend all day out of doors, with a toddler, this weather, to pacify the neighbours...:eek:

Live and let live, until the OP can get a carpet, when that should muffle a lot of it.

Lin

jackomdj

The thing is we all base our replies on our experiences. We don't live in a flat but sometimes when our children have friends over the noise crashing from Their rooms is on a whole different level to that of our children playing.

I would go onto freecycle and see if you can get some carpets as a temporary measure. They don't even need to fit to the edge of the room (fitted carpets is a relatively new thing). Also try to discourage jumping from furniture, lessons taught now will make life easier for you as your lo grows up. But if it is just general walking around etc then I would Not be taking your lo out all day every day.

[Deleted User]

So are your neighbours at home all day every day? and YOU have to go out to reduce the noise? It doesn't seem reasonable.

Maybe you could both sit down and discuss the situation? Explain what you are doing, what you will do in the future, and ask them to be a bit more reasonable/realistic in their expectations?

JemmaM91

Hi again.

Yes it is a housing association flat and there wasn't any carpets when we moved in.

Im afraid I can't guarantee il be able to carpet the entire flat by October as it is really expensive. Even with remnants each room will cost over £200.

Also it is a struggle to stop my son playing as 1) he's only 2 and 2) he doesnt understand what I say yet.

I really do try to keep him quiet but even when hes crawling around with his cars I get complaints. I hear upstairs running around so I do understand what they can hear. Also their child plays loudly outside my front door (shes friends with next doors) after DS has gone to bed. And I mean screaming and banging until 9pm most nights. So that just makes me more upset about complaints about DS. OH is currently ready for a war it seems so im now dreading the next knock on the door.

Sorry little rant over.