Noisey neighbours, friendly advice on what to do.

Aranyani

Zoe1345 said:

Aranyani said:

Zoe1345 said:

Aranyani said:

Zoe1345 said:

MovingForwards said:

I feel for you. My last rental was a living hell between the screaming banshee next door and the banging / crashing party animals above and below, made worse by lockdown when they were either on furlough or lost their jobs. I was working from home, neighbours carried on only with longer hours. My average sleep was 30 - 90 minutes generally from 5 or 6am, before trying to do a full day again.

My out was knowing I had my purchase going through, which kept me going until everything went on hold for a bit and losing that bit of hope broke me, my body gave up.

The neighbours always denied everything and said it wasn't them.

Can you bring your plans forward and move sooner? Or focus on knowing you've an out.

Thanks. That sounds horrendous. I think I'm averaging about 90-120 mins. By the time I get to sleep following the noise stopping at 3am, its generally about 4:30 (I'm so over tired by then that it takes a while) and then I'm up at 6 for work. My migraines (which it thought I'd kicked) have returned, I'm dependant on caffeine which has a huge effect on my gut, 

Kick the caffeine immediately, that will just be exacerbating your problems sleeping. 

Tanks for the "kick the caffeine" comments all. I'm aware of the negative effects of it for gut health and sleep (although there are studies that question just how much it keeps you up...). I'm slowly transitioning to decaf anyway, but I'll go mad giving it up all together. There's a psychological factor at play with the ritualistic behaviour of coffee drinkers generally which is more valuable than the caffeine hit. 

Decaf gives you the ritual, routine and the  comfort too.  You’re best going cold turkey, you’ll feel horrible for about 48 hours but then it’ll be done. 

That's why I said I'm going decaf... I'm happy with my transition methods, so ill stick with what I'm doing thanks. 

Up to you, but I tried slow and steady many times but cold turkey was what worked, been off the caffeine for 3 years now.  Good luck.

Zoe1345

Aranyani said:

Zoe1345 said:

Aranyani said:

Zoe1345 said:

Aranyani said:

Zoe1345 said:

MovingForwards said:

I feel for you. My last rental was a living hell between the screaming banshee next door and the banging / crashing party animals above and below, made worse by lockdown when they were either on furlough or lost their jobs. I was working from home, neighbours carried on only with longer hours. My average sleep was 30 - 90 minutes generally from 5 or 6am, before trying to do a full day again.

My out was knowing I had my purchase going through, which kept me going until everything went on hold for a bit and losing that bit of hope broke me, my body gave up.

The neighbours always denied everything and said it wasn't them.

Can you bring your plans forward and move sooner? Or focus on knowing you've an out.

Thanks. That sounds horrendous. I think I'm averaging about 90-120 mins. By the time I get to sleep following the noise stopping at 3am, its generally about 4:30 (I'm so over tired by then that it takes a while) and then I'm up at 6 for work. My migraines (which it thought I'd kicked) have returned, I'm dependant on caffeine which has a huge effect on my gut, 

Kick the caffeine immediately, that will just be exacerbating your problems sleeping. 

Tanks for the "kick the caffeine" comments all. I'm aware of the negative effects of it for gut health and sleep (although there are studies that question just how much it keeps you up...). I'm slowly transitioning to decaf anyway, but I'll go mad giving it up all together. There's a psychological factor at play with the ritualistic behaviour of coffee drinkers generally which is more valuable than the caffeine hit. 

Decaf gives you the ritual, routine and the  comfort too.  You’re best going cold turkey, you’ll feel horrible for about 48 hours but then it’ll be done. 

That's why I said I'm going decaf... I'm happy with my transition methods, so ill stick with what I'm doing thanks. 

Up to you, but I tried slow and steady many times but cold turkey was what worked, been off the caffeine for 3 years now.  Good luck.

Not worried about cutting caffeine entirely. I enjoy green tea too much for that. Just lowering intake. 

Zoe1345

So general consensus from your responses:

A) Suck it up. Deal with it. It's part of everyday life in a terrace, it's just the sound of the neighbours living said life. And thus, conclusion being that we don't really have much need to worry so much about making a fuss to prosoective buyers when we sell (as we've not made any formal complaints and likely won't). 
B ) Make a fuss. They are unreasonable. And thus we will then most certainly have to declare. 

I'm somewhat amazed how many people just dismiss that people can't judge what reasonable noise is, or their ability to make rationed decisions to act against it. But yet again, as someone else mentioned, some people will complain about the tiniest thing I guess. 

theoretica

Zoe1345 said:

theoretica said:

Zoe1345 said:

Aranyani said:

Zoe1345 said:

Aranyani said:

Perhaps you should start sleeping in a room that doesn’t connect to their bathroom? 

Yes, I would, if there were one big enough for our bed. Alas we dont have the luxury of 2+ double bedrooms. Pretty certain for most people this would be the first thing they'd consider! Even so, the sound reverberates through that entire side of the house, so unless I wanted to sleep on our staircase or in our bathroom then it would be difficult...

I'm sorry to have upset you so much with my suggestion! 

In my experience terraced houses generally have good room sizes, 2 big square rooms downstairs and 2 big square rooms upstairs, with one slightly smaller due to an added bathroom.  Is yours not of this design?  Even if the smaller bedroom isn't really a proper double if it just fits the bed you could still sleep in it and have your wardrobes and so on still in the big room.  Even if the sound carries there too it wouldn't be as bad?

I'd be curious to know what you moving around and your activities of living sound like to them.  With such poor soundproofing they must hear you too sometimes.  Have you ever invited one of them to come over and listen to what the running shower sounds like from your side of the wall?  What sort of hours do they work?

Not at all upset. Just baffled that you'd assume I may not have thought of this as an option, if it was. Terrace houses vary wildly in design and size - ever been in a 6 bed townhouse in bath, or a back to back up north? Wildly different doesn't even begin to cut it. We have 3 rooms. 1 room, is only just big enough for a small single. This is the only room on the other side of the house. I don't think myself and my 6ft husband will be fitting in there. The biggest room is the one we sleep in, the other is my husband's office, he runs a business from home. Both of these room side onto the vampire - elephant neighbours.

If I had your situation I would try camping out in the small single (or even living room floor or wherever in the house is quietest)  to see if it works to get some better sleep now and then even if you and your husband have to alternate nights. 

Sounds like a good plan... well, actually it doesn't, it really won't solve much! I noted before that the living room isnt very much better at all (same side of house). The small bedroom is SMALL and currently being used as a workshop for husband's work. So I'd have to sleep under the table. With the boxes of "stuff" I'd probably have about a meter square space to use. Maybe ok for 5ft me. Certainly not my husband. 

Of course it isn't as good as your neighbours miraculously changing their ways - but if you put not rearranging your house even temporarily over a potentially better sleep then you cope with sleeplessness far better than I do!

Zoe1345

theoretica said:

Zoe1345 said:

theoretica said:

Zoe1345 said:

Aranyani said:

Zoe1345 said:

Aranyani said:

Perhaps you should start sleeping in a room that doesn’t connect to their bathroom? 

Yes, I would, if there were one big enough for our bed. Alas we dont have the luxury of 2+ double bedrooms. Pretty certain for most people this would be the first thing they'd consider! Even so, the sound reverberates through that entire side of the house, so unless I wanted to sleep on our staircase or in our bathroom then it would be difficult...

I'm sorry to have upset you so much with my suggestion! 

In my experience terraced houses generally have good room sizes, 2 big square rooms downstairs and 2 big square rooms upstairs, with one slightly smaller due to an added bathroom.  Is yours not of this design?  Even if the smaller bedroom isn't really a proper double if it just fits the bed you could still sleep in it and have your wardrobes and so on still in the big room.  Even if the sound carries there too it wouldn't be as bad?

I'd be curious to know what you moving around and your activities of living sound like to them.  With such poor soundproofing they must hear you too sometimes.  Have you ever invited one of them to come over and listen to what the running shower sounds like from your side of the wall?  What sort of hours do they work?

Not at all upset. Just baffled that you'd assume I may not have thought of this as an option, if it was. Terrace houses vary wildly in design and size - ever been in a 6 bed townhouse in bath, or a back to back up north? Wildly different doesn't even begin to cut it. We have 3 rooms. 1 room, is only just big enough for a small single. This is the only room on the other side of the house. I don't think myself and my 6ft husband will be fitting in there. The biggest room is the one we sleep in, the other is my husband's office, he runs a business from home. Both of these room side onto the vampire - elephant neighbours.

If I had your situation I would try camping out in the small single (or even living room floor or wherever in the house is quietest)  to see if it works to get some better sleep now and then even if you and your husband have to alternate nights. 

Sounds like a good plan... well, actually it doesn't, it really won't solve much! I noted before that the living room isnt very much better at all (same side of house). The small bedroom is SMALL and currently being used as a workshop for husband's work. So I'd have to sleep under the table. With the boxes of "stuff" I'd probably have about a meter square space to use. Maybe ok for 5ft me. Certainly not my husband. 

Of course it isn't as good as your neighbours miraculously changing their ways - but if you put not rearranging your house even temporarily over a potentially better sleep then you cope with sleeplessness far better than I do!

It's isn't really a case of reorganising the house alone, it's also reorganising my husband's business. It's not feasible unless we don't want sleep as well as to not pay the mortgage. If I could, I would in a snap, believe me! 

Norman_Castle

Do you get on with the teenagers that live there, if so can you explain the problem to them?, You're not a parent telling them off you're an adult treating them like an adult. Agree with them that their parents are basically dikheads and everythings unfair but it would be great if you could like, sleep and everything.

Zoe1345

Norman_Castle said:

Do you get on with the teenagers that live there, if so can you explain the problem to them?, You're not a parent telling them off you're an adult treating them like an adult. Agree with them that their parents are basically dikheads and everythings unfair but it would be great if you could like, sleep and everything.

To be honest I've never met them properly. Just the parents. Nice idea though. 

lookstraightahead

Move your husbands office into the bigger room, you in the small room but I'm sure if the room is more than 5' by 6' you can get a bed in. Sounds awful but when I suffered from the road noise all I wanted to do was sleep. I didn't care where.

lookstraightahead

Zoe1345 said:

theoretica said:

Zoe1345 said:

theoretica said:

Zoe1345 said:

Aranyani said:

Zoe1345 said:

Aranyani said:

Perhaps you should start sleeping in a room that doesn’t connect to their bathroom? 

Yes, I would, if there were one big enough for our bed. Alas we dont have the luxury of 2+ double bedrooms. Pretty certain for most people this would be the first thing they'd consider! Even so, the sound reverberates through that entire side of the house, so unless I wanted to sleep on our staircase or in our bathroom then it would be difficult...

I'm sorry to have upset you so much with my suggestion! 

In my experience terraced houses generally have good room sizes, 2 big square rooms downstairs and 2 big square rooms upstairs, with one slightly smaller due to an added bathroom.  Is yours not of this design?  Even if the smaller bedroom isn't really a proper double if it just fits the bed you could still sleep in it and have your wardrobes and so on still in the big room.  Even if the sound carries there too it wouldn't be as bad?

I'd be curious to know what you moving around and your activities of living sound like to them.  With such poor soundproofing they must hear you too sometimes.  Have you ever invited one of them to come over and listen to what the running shower sounds like from your side of the wall?  What sort of hours do they work?

Not at all upset. Just baffled that you'd assume I may not have thought of this as an option, if it was. Terrace houses vary wildly in design and size - ever been in a 6 bed townhouse in bath, or a back to back up north? Wildly different doesn't even begin to cut it. We have 3 rooms. 1 room, is only just big enough for a small single. This is the only room on the other side of the house. I don't think myself and my 6ft husband will be fitting in there. The biggest room is the one we sleep in, the other is my husband's office, he runs a business from home. Both of these room side onto the vampire - elephant neighbours.

If I had your situation I would try camping out in the small single (or even living room floor or wherever in the house is quietest)  to see if it works to get some better sleep now and then even if you and your husband have to alternate nights. 

Sounds like a good plan... well, actually it doesn't, it really won't solve much! I noted before that the living room isnt very much better at all (same side of house). The small bedroom is SMALL and currently being used as a workshop for husband's work. So I'd have to sleep under the table. With the boxes of "stuff" I'd probably have about a meter square space to use. Maybe ok for 5ft me. Certainly not my husband. 

Of course it isn't as good as your neighbours miraculously changing their ways - but if you put not rearranging your house even temporarily over a potentially better sleep then you cope with sleeplessness far better than I do!

It's isn't really a case of reorganising the house alone, it's also reorganising my husband's business. It's not feasible unless we don't want sleep as well as to not pay the mortgage. If I could, I would in a snap, believe me! 

You're just changing office! 

davilown

So I think I’m right in saying that what you’re hearing is just normal household noise, albeit at different timings to what you would normally consider normal?
if so, unfortunately you’re only real option is to move. They aren’t making excessive noise beyond what can be reasonably expected from a house where people work different hours/shifts of the day. 

Shower - normal noise
Up and downstairs normal noise

With regards to your sound insulation, have you insulated the roof and between the floorboards? When we were in a semi this was where the noise transferred most effectively as there was no insulation in between.

ear plugs = essential piece of kit in life

If you can’t move, rearrange your living space so your living area is in the bedroom adjoining and your sleeping area is furthest away.