What level of noise shall I put up with from neighbours?

ManuelG

To answer the OP I have new neighbours and don't hear a thing... apart from seemingly random banging and crashing now and again, against the wall.

God knows why I hear that and nothing else, but that'll do me as I'd far rather that, then their rap music at 3am nightly.

A flat I used to live in, the upstairs neighbour kept trying to get into my flat when drunk. After telling him to sod off a few times, he stopped...

In summary. Sporadic one-off noise/mistakes are fine IMNSHO. Regular thumping noise in the middle of the night is not.

AnnieO1234

It doesn't sound like they've been there long. Could the hoovering at 6am have been one instance where they've smashed a glass or something and it was safety measure? I know I wouldn't care tuppence to the disturbance it might create versus making the floor safe for the kids. Of course if it is happening a lot then that's a different story.

Just a thought. Are you certain it's a vacuum and not a pump for a medical device maybe?

It does seem you've tuned into the noise. You possibly (unintentionally) realised they were a young family so even before any noise began started to fear it.

Hope you get a resolution but from what you've said nothing they're doing is unreasonable.

Xxx

mrxry

the_r_sole wrote: »

have you ever looked after a toddler?
They presumably pay to live in the property, so why should they not be allowed to live in it the way they want? if they need to do some diy inbetween looking after a child then that's their routine, it might not suit you but I'm sure they'd also rather not have diy to do whilst looking after a toddler!!

They may be trying to minimise it - it's not as straight forward as having a nice routine to keep the neighbours happy, sometimes my toddler is awake at 4 in the morning and I'm sure the neighbours hear him, but believe me, that's not my choice it's just life! luckily my neighbours are pretty civil and we all understand that living in flats means you sometimes have to deal with other peoples lives

People are getting things the wrong end of the stick, I think people should live how they want within most reason, I don't care if a child cries or runs about or they do diy within reason, in many ways I don't care if its during the night or during the day as long as steps are made to minimise things.

I dont think shouting at their child to shut up, or laugh when it cries is minimizing it

And the child crying I don't mind too much as I am a heavy sleeper, the shock from what sounds like heavy items getting dropped makes my heart rush though but I tolerate that within a reason, just as I tolerate the child running about heavily now and again so I am tolerant, but they seem unaware either due to just not knowing or not caring about the noise.

So I can handle everyday noise in fact I encourage it as rather have that than silence which feels lonely.

I have a friend round I havent seen in months, was woken 7am by hammering the 9am by sawing and drilling thats not very nice behaviour by the neighbour!

Especially when I know regardless of the thick walls I keep my noise to a minimum and I am so silent had neighbours over the years think I moved out as I am that quiet.

Even if it was a mild apology from them saying they are struggling with the noise I would know they are making an effort to keep it low but without that and diy in early hours it seems they just do things.

I am a tolerant person, its more annoyance than me bearing my teeth and foaming at the mouth because I never know when I can get peace as they go to extremes with noise, going back to what I said before I have lived in many properties over the years, only ones that disturbed me was ones with very thin walls or ones where people had parties, so I have lived in properties where people came back at all hours of the night from clubbing, or woke up early, or neighbours with kids and it never disturbed me as the noise you heard even if it was say kids laughing was muted enough.

So its both everyday noise and not everyday noise I am hearing.

Speaking of there was 3 times when I put my tv on at a slightly louder volume than usual to hear banging and crashing instantly from upstairs (as if they were angry) still muted enough that standing in hallway I barely heard a sound from tv and sitting next to it I could barely hear the words(remember I put it on low normally so this would be normal volume for most) so my everyday noise seemed to disturb them yet their drilling which is far louder I am expected to put up with.

I really am a fair person thats why I got so angry at some of the responses here, the amount of favours I do for neighbours and stuff I have put up with from people over the years would show that if you knew me personally.

marksoton wrote: »

That's exactly what you've indicated.

Well practice what you preach pal. Buy some earplugs. Problem solved.

Utterly pathetic.

So others can do what they want and screw anyone else.

If you used any intelligence though I think you seem to lack it from your responses is that I meant if I knew they had a routine of when the child woke up and went to bed (not counting if it cant sleep) then I could plan things around that so in other words I am changing my life to suit them, so in what way does that become me dictating to them when I am the one changing things?

Utter stupidity.

mrxry

marksoton wrote: »

Completely agree.

But the OP is complaining this child makes more noise by dropping things than...

Drunks early in the morning
smashing bottles
Dogs
Hoovers
Nightclubs
Any other thing that prevents a pin drop being heard....

Utterly ridiculous.

Looking at things in the way you want again to promote your own (wrong) idea.

All those noises were muffled by walls and at a set level, a kid dropping toys (if that is what it is) is directly above where I am, I notice it less in bed as tired but it is sometimes enough to wake me but I drop straight back off, I can sleep through things that people tell me wakes them at the slightest notice so if I am still woken by that imagine how loud it is.

Are you not bright enough to realise noise levels vary due to differences in thickness of walls or such.

giddypenguin wrote: »

Speaking as someone with a 2 year old and newborn - I've discovered any attempt to minimise noise is futile. He has one volume - SHOUT. Sure you tell him to whisper, but within 2 seconds he's forgotten and back to default volume.

Doesn't sound like they are being unreasonable- sounds normal. Either way, you can't do much about it.... Insulate your ceilings?

I have lived around kids before and heard a lot of shouting but its muffled enough even if constant to not disturb even if the walls were thin thats why I was able to handle living above bars and clubs and we know how loud they can be, its more how piercing noise can be than the actual volume.

I like hearing people have a life

marksoton

Ok, so what exactly do YOU want to happen to rectify the situation?

What outcome in practical terms would satisfy you?

mrxry

marksoton wrote: »

Ok, so what exactly do YOU want to happen to rectify the situation?

What outcome in practical terms would satisfy you?

For them to realise that I can hear the noise and take that into account, I am less bothered about the child because they can't do much but the DIY they should in an ideal world mention it to me they are planning some diy work in next few days/week so if it happens I expect it if not just a realisation that I may want to relax now and again.

The DIY is the main thing by far over the kids noise, my guest was woken by it this morning as was I so its not me being over sensitive.

marksoton

mrxry wrote: »

For them to realise that I can hear the noise and take that into account, I am less bothered about the child because they can't do much but the DIY they should in an ideal world mention it to me they are planning some diy work in next few days/week so if it happens I expect it if not just a realisation that I may want to relax now and again.

The DIY is the main thing by far over the kids noise, my guest was woken by it this morning as was I so its not me being over sensitive.

Right, in which case you have one option and that's to engage with your neighbour in a civil manner. It's the only way.

Brightspark87

Hi

I lived in tiny London close to together flats for years- I had no choice as we couldn't afford anything else.

During this time I was forced into proximity with people like OP is dealing with and it made my life hell. They were horrid and the worst thing was randomly roughly every 10 days female of the household would go out and get completely smashed, puke all over our shared door step and then stagger upstairs and have loud drunk relations with her other half. When I commented that I understand we all love a party but could they not have sex at 2am on a week night so loudly that our windows shook I was told to £$£%% off and that I was a city "£$£%"£ for having a 9-5 job. (2 weeks after letting them use our loo all day and night rather than a bucket after theirs leaked into our kitchen).

Therefore, a long winded version is OP - I do completely understand your point of view.

The general day to day noise was helped from upstairs by a) the landlord fitting carpets to all areas and b) ensure they had rugs on the older carpets. They also were asked if at all possible not to wear shoes in the house. These really helped day to day noise - and when I saw them I did thank them for this.

As the downstairs flat we also had a lovely garden and every time the noise got too much I would go outside (even if freezing) and look at my little patch of green.

We also bought a white noise machine - these don;t have to be ££££ and this helped with noise during 'sleeping/bedroom' time (no puns please!). I am not a heavy sleeper however but this really helped.

Either way I understand peoples points but mainly OP your pain I totally get.

-taff

mrxry wrote: »

If you used any intelligence though I think you seem to lack it from your responses is that I meant if I knew they had a routine of when the child woke up and went to bed (not counting if it cant sleep) then I could plan things around that so in other words I am changing my life to suit them, so in what way does that become me dictating to them when I am the one changing things?
.

You are being totally unrealistic there ^

As for DIY noise, go and see them, use your voice and ask them nicely to let you know when they're planning on doing any as you're shift worker.

missbiggles1

mrxry wrote: »

People are getting things the wrong end of the stick, I think people should live how they want within most reason, I don't care if a child cries or runs about or they do diy within reason, in many ways I don't care if its during the night or during the day as long as steps are made to minimise things.

I dont think shouting at their child to shut up, or laugh when it cries is minimizing it

And the child crying I don't mind too much as I am a heavy sleeper, the shock from what sounds like heavy items getting dropped makes my heart rush though but I tolerate that within a reason, just as I tolerate the child running about heavily now and again so I am tolerant, but they seem unaware either due to just not knowing or not caring about the noise.

So I can handle everyday noise in fact I encourage it as rather have that than silence which feels lonely.

I have a friend round I havent seen in months, was woken 7am by hammering the 9am by sawing and drilling thats not very nice behaviour by the neighbour!

Especially when I know regardless of the thick walls I keep my noise to a minimum and I am so silent had neighbours over the years think I moved out as I am that quiet.

Even if it was a mild apology from them saying they are struggling with the noise I would know they are making an effort to keep it low but without that and diy in early hours it seems they just do things.

I am a tolerant person, its more annoyance than me bearing my teeth and foaming at the mouth because I never know when I can get peace as they go to extremes with noise, going back to what I said before I have lived in many properties over the years, only ones that disturbed me was ones with very thin walls or ones where people had parties, so I have lived in properties where people came back at all hours of the night from clubbing, or woke up early, or neighbours with kids and it never disturbed me as the noise you heard even if it was say kids laughing was muted enough.

So its both everyday noise and not everyday noise I am hearing.

Speaking of there was 3 times when I put my tv on at a slightly louder volume than usual to hear banging and crashing instantly from upstairs (as if they were angry) still muted enough that standing in hallway I barely heard a sound from tv and sitting next to it I could barely hear the words(remember I put it on low normally so this would be normal volume for most) so my everyday noise seemed to disturb them yet their drilling which is far louder I am expected to put up with.

I really am a fair person thats why I got so angry at some of the responses here, the amount of favours I do for neighbours and stuff I have put up with from people over the years would show that if you knew me personally.



So others can do what they want and screw anyone else.

If you used any intelligence though I think you seem to lack it from your responses is that I meant if I knew they had a routine of when the child woke up and went to bed (not counting if it cant sleep) then I could plan things around that so in other words I am changing my life to suit them, so in what way does that become me dictating to them when I am the one changing things?

Utter stupidity.

Having lived under the flat of a woman with a toddler whose relatives came round and encouraged him to jump off the furniture by cheering him on and brought him noisy musical toys as presents, I sympathise more than many on here.

I did have to complain when they bought him some sort of toy that played the same tinny 30 second tune over and over again for 30/40 minutes at a time several times a day but, ultimately we just moved. He didn't get any quieter as he got older, he just got heavier and made more noise when he jumped off the sofa.