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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think having people live above you is awful

109 replies

2025ohdear · 15/02/2025 21:07

I'm hoping people say IABU and I'm overthinking

I live in London and every place I've lived there have been noisy people living above me. Music, heavy footsteps on wooden floors, parties. I think I'm now tuned into it and overly sensitive.

Here is my dilemma. I have the opportunity to buy a flat. It's beautiful, in a nice area, walk-in condition but it's on the ground floor. It has a main door and access to small private garden. An absolute find. I can't afford a house and only going for top floor flats is limiting.

Any advice? Anyone got people above them and all fine?

OP posts:
LlamaDharma · 15/02/2025 21:28

I'm in an old converted house. I live downstairs and have a family above with a small child. They could be far noisier than they are and I always worry that if they move out it could be far worse but I live in a lovely part of London with my own secluded garden. I'd buy it in a heartbeat if I had the chance. I've been in places with noisy people below me and hated it but I love where I am now. Should they even have wooden floors in an upstairs flat?

Anniesgal · 15/02/2025 21:26

I live in a Victorian house conversion. Walls seem to be thick with great natural soundproofing. Only a single neighbour above but no noise heard, and that's with hard floors

Original poster
2025ohdear · 15/02/2025 21:24

FoxtonFoxton · 15/02/2025 21:22

It really depends on build quality and the actual neighbour set up (i.e kids, regular party animal, tap dancer).
If the flat is perfect in every other way and well priced you could invest in proper soundproofing for the ceiling.

Oh yes, that might be an option.

It's a Victorian house and I have the lower part if I buy it.

OP posts:
FoxtonFoxton · 15/02/2025 21:22

It really depends on build quality and the actual neighbour set up (i.e kids, regular party animal, tap dancer).
If the flat is perfect in every other way and well priced you could invest in proper soundproofing for the ceiling.

Simonjt · 15/02/2025 21:16

It depends on the building, I didn’t live in a house until I was 35, I only had one flat where the upstairs were noisy, but that was a poorly converted house so there wasn’t any sound proofing between the two flats.

it helps if you can copy the layout, so bedroom below bedroom etc

PersephoneSmith · 15/02/2025 21:15

I’ve got noisy fuckers above me who hate each other and regularly try to kill each other. Everyone (especially me) would be happier if he just moved out. It can’t be pleasant for anyone living like that.
So, no, not all fine.

Nothitrockbottomyet · 15/02/2025 21:15

Well I've lived in a couple of cottage flats and had upstairs neighbours. And they haven't been great experiences and we did get water ingress at both homes at one time or another from our upstairs neighbours.

It was because of past experience that when I bought my current home I bought an end terrace house. And the noise I get from my neighbours next door - often after midnight- is horrendous. They are neighbours from hell actually.

So tbh you can end up with neighbour problems in various types of housing. Although I assume detached is the best bet. But I can't afford a detached house.

If the flat you've found is perfect other wise I would probably risk it.

BatchCookBabe · 15/02/2025 21:12

I would never buy a flat with someone above me sorry @2025ohdear

That's just me though. You could have someone noisy underneath and be miserable, but someone noisy above would be worse IMO.

Zanatdy · 15/02/2025 21:10

I have people above me and no issues. They are elderly, in their 80’s. Sometimes a bang like something has dropped. A garden flat is a great find. I am personally moving out of London next year when my youngest heads to uni and buying a house. I have lived in a flat for 2yrs and genuinely enjoy living here. It’s a block of 18 flats and no issues at all here which is fortunate. That could all change I guess.