Should I give up my flat in a very affluent area to move to a house in a less desirable area for the sake of peace!!!!!

[Luv2chat2U]

Hi all, please help!

I have previously posted on here with a similar question so please accept my apologies for being slightly repetitive.

Okay here goes , I currently live in a council property in Highgate, North London in a three bed converted flat. The location, transport links and safety elements are great. I feel extremely fortunate that my children and I I live in such a desirable location and would love to have brought my property in the future.

However, the only negative and major is the impact living in a converted flat is having on my health. For several years I have suffered noise disturbance. From the moment my neighbours wake up to the moment they go to sleep I have to live through their daily routine and activity which consists of running jumping and stampeding caused by their children and their dog. Their lifestyle which consist of not working, not taking the children out or the dog is ruining my health and this set pattern doesn't seem to be changing any time soon. I have tried to empathise in that I understand we have a sound proofing issue and that children need to play but at the same time as a mother of three children I manage to talk to my children as I wouldn't want to inflict the same noise disturbance on my tenant who lives below me.

I have made numerous complaints to the local authority, environmental health and my neighbour, and the council have acknowledged their is an issue, but have refused to install sound installation.

They have instead agreed to move me for which i'm so grateful for. The positive is that it is a house meaning their is no one above and no one below however the negative is the location is in east London. Now I'm not saying that east London is all bad but (the surrounding area near to the house) appears to be a very run down and dirty) and the crime statistics higher.

If I was moving on my own I would just go because I'm so stressed all the time but as I have my kids to consider I worry more. I realise it's social housing and I'm not purchasing my own property so I don't want to come across snooty.

But my question to you is:

A. Would you gamble and take the house in East London and try and swap it in the near future. (In the hope that the house would be the bargaining power) I would really want to get back in to North London

B. Hold out and wait to see the next property (yes they agreed because of the structural fault I get another choice) my only concern is the second or third choice could be worse)

Or

C. If all fails stay in my current property and utilise its sought after location to swap. (The only thing I should mention is that I am currently and have been on home swap and so far while my property gains a lot of interest people have expressed their concerns of living beneath someone and therefore do not take the swap any further).

Apologies for the essay

And thanks in advance for your comments.

Stay in Highgate and just nag them for soundproofing until you get it!! Honestly just keep harrassing them for it. The commute would in no way be worth the silence if you moved. (and theres no guarentee that your new neighbours would be any quieter)

Have you actually been and had a look at the E London house and a walk round the area? I would not write anything off without having done that.

I would have thought that houses, with a garden, are very hard to come by in N London or closer in , so you may have a long wait.

Commuting from Ilford / Barking to N London for school is a complete non starter. The traffic would be horrendous at that time of day, it would take about an hour each way at that time, 4 hours a day sitting in jams / slow moving traffic, panicking about being late for pick up!

Move somewhere and settle in properly with friends at school nearby etc.

I hear what you are saying about the sound proofing.

Look at Ilford, if you think 'nope, couldn't be worse ' then wait for the next, because it can't be worse! If it seems ok, really, school is good, shops, transport, then seriously consider it.

Hi Baba, thank you for your advice. You're quite right, I keep telling myself the same thing re: being lucky to be given the option to move, particularly considering there is a housing crisis.

I've rejected previous properties and concerned that my luck might just run out if I don't accept this one!😳 I'm also weighing up my health which is currently taking a battering due to the noise.

While the location isn't ideal, I'm not buying and until I do which I plan to in the future, my options are limited.

Due you mind if I ask what area you're referring to that is now desierable.....I'm hoping ilford will be up and coming with the new cross rail coming in...😀

Hi Matching blue socks, thank you for your advice and for talking in practical terms. much appreciated. It has been a difficult few years and despite my lovely location I'm never home, so I do need to think very carefully.

Hi, thisisreallynotmyname.

Thank you for you're advise. Unfortunately with the current housing crisis my neighbours could in fact be there for a very lengthy time as housing stock is extremely low.

Also if I thought this was solely down to neighbours I would fight tooth and nail for an eviction believe you me, I'm not letting them push me out.... However the main problem is soundproofing. Only plasterboard separates us, I've researched this issues throughly and realised that this is a common issue with converted flats, and unless the law changes the council are not obligated to do anything as my property was built before new housing legislation passed.

I have looked into soundproofing my flat myself, but professional advise have being honest In saying it would cost me a huge amount of money with very little effect. my ceilings are just too low, and unfortunately going into my neighbours flat isn't an option...

Thanks again

Luv2 who lives on the top floor? Would it be anyone who would be interested in a swap? If it's someone who is out all day/evening etc that wouldn't be as troubled by the noise, would it be possible to investigate this?
You have my sympathies, there is literally nothing worse, once you become aware of it, nothing drown it out
I'm nowhere near you, but the general rule of thumb is location location location.
I know you feel utterly desperate atm, but those commutes would cripple you after a while too. As well as the kids.

Good luck

Stay in Highgate and get some headphones/ear plugs. Fab area.

@cakedoesntjudge,.

Thank you for advise and sharing your own experience. My parents live in a Victorian house in between to other properties and I use to hear the children running up and down the stairs and conversations also. Funny enough I never noticed this for a long time until I started experiencing the noise issues here. Honestly I understand house or flat, you can still experience noise which I'm glad you pointed out.

However, i think I can be more tolerant if the noise is alongside as appose to above as I currently have the unfortunate added addition of vibration motion in my flat. After a hours and years of hearing stomping, it begins to sound as though you're living on a construction site, with banging all day, and no longer sounds like child play. 😞

Highate to Barking? Never. I would aim to get them moved or explore soundproofing more.

I've never lived with a noise problem. And I've never lived in Highgate but would LOVE to. So I think I'd stay put, buy noise cancelling headphones, and make friends with the top floor tenants in the hope of swapping :)

To reduce vibrations for now you can add thick carpet and rugs in your flat, will still hear noise but the rugs and carpets should reduce vibrations

Those with noise issues from the sides, get floor to ceiling book cases and fill, or built in wardrobes. This is the cheapest and most effective way of blocking side noises plus gain storage

@blu, thank you for your advice, yes I've gone several times morning evening and night, spoken to neighbours etc. no issues to report.

You're are quite right North London particularly near to where i live i.e. Muswell hill, upper St, and Camden are mainly built up of flats, and the council have indeed stated that I would have a long wait for a house because they have no stock!. I wouldn't mind another flat but no way would I ever consider leaving beneath anyone again! And that's all they seem to have been offering and not in nice parts of those areas...I know it's not all flats that have bad soundproofing but I wouldn't want to take the chance, it's bad enough having to consider moving out of Highgate as it is.

I take all your advice on board....many thanks

Thats sounds a nightmare. But out of the frying pain into the fire springs to mind.

I'm not critising you but can you be out more during the day? Are they noisy at night?

@paradise city thanks for your advise, just to note this is my experience daily .

Honestly I get your advice re: headphones but I currently use some very good ear plugs during the day, weekends or holiday from work, but when I wish to watch telly, I then have to turn the volume right up. Your home is suppose to be your sanctuary and this truly is no way to live. 🙆

At getting it wrong.....thanks for your advice...I'm out at work most days, dread coming home, take on as much overtime, stay at friends/ families etc all whilst still continuing to pay rent....
Meanwhile the tenants spend most time at home, do not work, do not pay rent....I know this because during the summer holiday when I'm also off work I note that the tenants don't take the children out at all...never heard of museums, parks, holidays nothing!

By the way, despite their laziness.... I reiterate that it is a mainly a sound proofing issue, so whatever the time of day, the noise is unbearable. I've lived in flats beneath people before and never experienced anything like this.....

@newbiz I can fight an eviction, but as this is a sound proofing issue the next tenants would have to be pensioners.....bedridden or very light footed...I am very reasonable and expect all people should be able to live normal living in their home without tiptoeing .....but I've explored all avenues including soundproofing .....it's a loosing battle....I've even got solicitors involved. So eviction and soundproofing is not a solution I'm afraid!

@art and co thank you for your advice.....

I would imagine that your little one will be in school soon and you would be out working so the daytime noise won't be as much of an annoyance? I would stay put.

Xpost.

Hi pumpkins I am currently working, but the thought of going home each day, and spending weekends home is impacting on my health and affecting my job......

Many thanks for your response.....

Can you buy your place and sell it? Would you get a whopping discount?

Would it be possible to move to a 2-bed thus making your 3 bed more desirable fir someone to swop with?

@forestandgrew....thanks for you comment.

Like you, I also thought my area would be a barging point for a swap, Ihowever people are fussy me included, the properties I look for are in areas as desierable as mine. The issue I'm having is I want a top floor and although they are in love with my location, they are not prepared to live beneath anyone. Ive been on Homeswapper for several years with no joy...hence I am now desperate to get out....

Stay in Highgate.

If upstairs is council owned, complain (and keep complaining) to the council to get them to implement some soundproofing measures from the upstairs flat (will be more effective than trying to soundproof your ceiling).

See if any option to swap to top floor flats in area.

I think you should not give up on the soundproofing idea yet. Maybe you could start with one room you could get away to.

Have some carpet with underlay and curtains with not just lining but bumph in the middle to absorb vibration and echo.

www.soundservice.co.uk/faqs.html
This is one example.
Measure the height of the walls in your main room and try getting in touch with good companies directly. Their are various sizes of clips for lowering the ceiling. Ask to speak to their technical advisers. EXplain your ceilings are already low and what period of building it is. Ask them how much the materials would cost for your ceiling and how many hours work it would take some one to do.

Once you have the right information, go from there finding out as much as you can.

You could start with one main room.

Might there be any form of grant or loan from the council for this. Would a letter from a doctor help?

Make your flat newly painted/attractive as inexpensively as possible, then befriend the family and ask if they's like to swop as another poster suggested. If they are as chaotic as they sound their flat may not be very pleasant at the moment!

www.soundservice.co.uk/ceiling_sound_proofing_Help.htm

These are the details about soundproofing a ceiling from the same company I sent a link to before.