Poor Soundproofing in New Flat - Help!

Barx

As live-in management at the building, should they have made it their duty to register this issue with the relevant party so a first time buyer like myself could have been privy to the issue of poor sound insulation?

bowlhead99

Barx wrote: »

As live-in management at the building, should they have made it their duty to register this issue with the relevant party so a first time buyer like myself could have been privy to the issue of poor sound insulation?

No.

If you want to buy a property in their block, you can ask them questions before you do so. They are happy for properties to be sold and nice tenants such as yourself move in and preserve the high prices obtained by people selling flats in the building. They won't want to unreasonably block people's transactions if someone wants to move on. As such they don't want to 'make it their duty' to ensure that someone who is a prospective occupier and might move in as a tenant or owner is voluntarily told all the reasons for which that person might not want to buy it or rent it.

Basically no, that's not their duty, so they don't want to make it their duty. If you ask them a direct question you would hope they would be truthful. If you are naive and don't think to ask because you have not had unpleasant neighbours before, that's not their fault. You are a 'first time buyer', but presumably not a 'first time live somewhere' er. Some people considering a purchase or even a tenancy would go round knocking on doors and asking all the other neigbours what the place is like, what are the other neighbours like, etc. When selling our last place, our buyers did that between offer and exchange. Personally, I didn't with my onwards purchase, but got lucky.

davidmcn

Barx wrote: »

As live-in management at the building, should they have made it their duty to register this issue with the relevant party so a first time buyer like myself could have been privy to the issue of poor sound insulation?

Maybe (if by "relevant party" you mean the previous landlord of your flat). But you can't do anything about that now, it would have been between them and your vendor. If in fact your vendor had been aware, things may be different.

Barx

bowlhead99 wrote: »

No.
Some people considering a purchase or even a tenancy would go round knocking on doors and asking all the other neigbours what the place is like, what are the other neighbours like, etc. When selling our last place, our buyers did that between offer and exchange. Personally, I didn't with my onwards purchase, but got lucky.

As I could not access the building between offer and exchange, I was not able to knock on neighbour's doors. However, I did visit the property at various times of the day and spoke with residents outside who were living in the apartments, all of whom were full of praise for it (I'm sure some thought I was going to mug them which put me off doing it!).

Besides, the neighbour I am having issues with didn't move in until October so many would not have been privy to his behaviour.

Barx

davidmcn wrote: »

Maybe (if by "relevant party" you mean the previous landlord of your flat). But you can't do anything about that now, it would have been between them and your vendor. If in fact your vendor had been aware, things may be different.

I'll be asking my management if they had been made aware that the tenants at the time had complained to their landlord(s) about the issue of noise.

Not sure if I'll get a genuine answer, but worth a try!

sleepymans

Barx wrote: »

Do you think heavy carpet with Celestial Carpet 10.30mm underlay from Carpet Right will assist with my issue? The last thing I want to do is purchase these items if the effect is minimal.

Never, never, never buy anything from Carpetright!! be warned.....low quality carpet and underlay and even poorer subcontract fitters.....my opinion, of course.
Id stick pins in my eyes rather than give them a single £1 of my hard earned money!!
A decent reviewed local carpet business will do you a far better job for less £

Barx

sleepymans wrote: »

Never, never, never buy anything from Carpetright!! be warned.....low quality carpet and underlay and even poorer subcontract fitters.....my opinion, of course.
Id stick pins in my eyes rather than give them a single £1 of my hard earned money!!
A decent reviewed local carpet business will do you a far better job for less £

Thanks for your response. What carpet / underlay supplier would you recommend instead?

Norman_Castle

Barx wrote: »

Thanks for your response. What carpet / underlay supplier would you recommend instead?

Carpet and underlay will benefit your neighbour but not you.

Norman_Castle

jimbog wrote: »

I would lift the floorboards and stuff fibreglass insulation between the joists throughout

Have you done this? How much difference did it make?

Marvel1

I remember my mum came to house and she said can you hear nest door child crying, I couldn't but she could. My answer to any noise disturbance is no.