Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Children running up and down stairs constantly

49 replies

Terracesarebad · 25/08/2021 09:05

I’ve posted before about living in a mid terrace. Our neighbours have two boys aged 9 and 11 who spend all day pounding up and down the two flights of stairs in their house.

The noise is unbearable. The parents never take them out but for some reason the whole family get up at 5.30 am every day including weekends and the boys spend at least 3 hours pounding around the house going up and down up and down. The noise of them getting up at 5.30 wakes me up and I’m exhausted.

The impact noise is so bad that yesterday as they were pounding up and down one of my pictures fell off the wall due to the vibrations.

Having spent all day listening to it (I work from home) I went round at 9.30 pm and begged the parents to ask them to stop. I explained how loud it is & how they wake me up. They shrugged said they’re kids & it’s the summer holidays.

I’ve been up now for almost 4 hours and they’ve been pounding up & down for every minute of these 4 hours.

I’ve looked into sound insulation but apparently with impact noise there’s little that can be done as it’s to do with floor joists so the houses would effectively have to be rebuilt.

I am so so worn down with it all.

OP posts:

Kinsters · 25/08/2021 09:13

Do you rent or own? If it were me and I was in a position to I'd be looking to move somewhere quieter.

But if that's not an option...they're 9 and 11 so hardly young kids. If it's some kind of game they're playing then they should grow out of it soon you'd think.

I don't know what else you can do really as your neighbours don't seem willing to help.

crazyguineapiglady · 25/08/2021 09:13

The only thing you can realistically do is move house.

Original poster

Terracesarebad · 25/08/2021 09:14

I don’t know how I could sell the house. Viewers would hear the pounding & would be put off nobody should have to listen to this noise it’s unbearable.

OP posts:

illuyankas · 25/08/2021 09:14

It won't be long, the school will start soon. Ages of kids are good factor too, they won't be doing it for long, hopefully.

FourTeaFallOut · 25/08/2021 09:16

Can't you just do viewings during school hours?

Original poster

Terracesarebad · 25/08/2021 09:16

The parents said their playroom is on the ground floor which is why they’re always up and down the stairs. I have young children of my own and they walk up the stairs so why this lot are always rampaging up and down I don’t know.

OP posts:

PenguinEgg · 25/08/2021 09:19

It is their stairs though, they can't levitate and there isn't a different staircase they could use. Children are more heavy footed. I don't think neighbours should have a say on how much people go upstairs/ downstairs. I would move if I was being bothered by thin walls and noise caused by the structure, it's always going to be a potential issue in a house like this.

Elieza · 25/08/2021 09:22

My neighbours do this too. Not just on the stairs, the whole house appears to be laminate flooring.

They don’t exercise the kids much either so running up and down is the only outlet for their energy. Sad really. They should be outside having fun.

Are the stairs carpeted? That may make a slight difference but obviously you can’t make them!

Is theirs a housing association property?

All you can do is move house. After the schools go back for daytime viewings!

PineapplePanda · 25/08/2021 09:27

I used to have something similar so feel sorry for you. Funnily enough my neighbour's didn't care for their child running up and down the stairs constantly and being loud but when I left for work at 5.30am and my front door closed they didn't like it and gave me a note. Some people just don't recognise how annoying their own DC's behaviour is!

My friend also used to live in a GF flat where the walls were paper thin and whenever I went to round their flat you'd hear the neighbour's children upstairs running back and forth across the floor. I don't know how this doesn't drive the parents nuts themselves.

Your neighbour's children are now coming to the age where they'll be starting secondary school and maturing so in my opinion you have a couple of options:

you either have to ride it out for a couple more years.

move.

Or 3. In the meantime maybe host some parties with music and friends. But that's just petty me

Original poster

Terracesarebad · 25/08/2021 09:27

First thing they did was rip up all carpets so whole house is cheap laminate with no underlay which is why the vibrations are so bad. Even the kids bedrooms are laminate which is why when they get up they’re waking me.

OP posts:

Clymene · 25/08/2021 09:42

Laminate flooring should be banned in terraced housing. It's a bloody nightmare

Ghekotastic · 25/08/2021 09:52

Yep, I had new neighbours move in 3 years ago. Never ever heard my previous neighbours for the whole 7 years we lived next to each other. New neighbours, or not so new now, ripped up all the carpets and I'm pretty sure they skimmed the doors too as all I hear now is slamming doors late at night, even with earplugs in, I've practically jumped out of bed In fright as it's so bloody loud. They also run up and down the stairs late evening and it sounds like they're dropping bowling balls down the stairs. No kids either. Just noisy hefalump inconsiderate fuckers.
Sorry no advice but you're not alone! As soon as ds leaves high-school I'm off to the countryside.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 25/08/2021 09:59

No wonder it's so loud of it's laminate. We have laminate in one of the upstairs bedrooms here and you can hear everything even though it has a big rug down.

They're a bit old to bit pounding up and down at 9 and 11 , won't be long hopefully and they will turn into grumpy teens who don't move from their bedrooms. Doesn't help you in the meantime though. Do they rent?

Original poster

Terracesarebad · 25/08/2021 10:17

No they don’t rent, they’ve bought. They have no furniture which makes it worse as the whole house is one big open space to gallop around. They seem to be buying flat pack furniture I know as they are often drilling & sawing at midnight dragging stuff across the floor.

My youngest is 7 & isn’t constantly sprinting round the house so I am also surprised that a 9 and 11 year old are. But even the parents are heavy footed so it’s obviously a family trait.

For others who endure this, are you tempted to start pounding up and down your own stairs to demonstrate to neighbours what it’s like? My DH who also works from home was so fed up with it that he started sprinting up the stairs but I’m sure they’re oblivious.

OP posts:

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 25/08/2021 10:19

Any chance she'd come round and you could let her listen how loud it is?

Original poster

Terracesarebad · 25/08/2021 10:22

I think they really don’t care. When I went round last night it was obvious how upset I was and there attitude was it’s “just kids”. They seemed surprised when I mentioned I have 3 of my own as they never hear them, oh the unfairness.

OP posts:

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 25/08/2021 10:35

I would push for them to actually hear what it's like,regardless of whether you think they don't care. It might be they think you're making a fuss over nothing and it might just help to actually hear it. Do they have neighbours on the other side of them? I really feel for you,I am very noise intolerant over 'unnecessary' noise and it would drive me bananas.

Original poster

Terracesarebad · 25/08/2021 11:19

They are end terrace. I’m afraid to admit that I’ve just banged on the wall as one of their kids thundering down the stairs made my whole house vibrate. Even my cat looked shocked. Immature I know but I’ve had enough. I’m trying to work but the constant pounding is distracting.

OP posts:

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 25/08/2021 11:20

I'm surprised you haven't done it before now!!

Original poster

Terracesarebad · 25/08/2021 11:22

I’m worried about selling and having to declare a dispute ☹️

OP posts:

Hemingwaycat · 25/08/2021 11:22

Do house viewings during school hours and sell up. It’s the only option really, terraced houses are renowned for this. They are ultimately in the right tbh, it’s the school holidays and all their children are doing is going up and down the stairs.

Original poster

Terracesarebad · 25/08/2021 11:25

They’re not going up and down the stairs. They are POUNDING. They make my house vibrate. Pictures fall off the wall. Even my cat is stunned by the noise. I checked with my other neighbour & they said they don’t hear my children thundering up the stairs. Because I’ve taught my children to be respectful and not to rampage up the stairs.

OP posts:

ThreeWitches · 25/08/2021 11:27

@Terracesarebad

I’m worried about selling and having to declare a dispute ☹️

Correct me if i'm wrong, but don't you only need to declare things if you've made an official report about it?

Peaseblossum22 · 25/08/2021 11:28

This is going to sound awfully sexist but I would send your dh round to speak to them. For some reason people do seem to dismiss women's feelings much more than mens (unpleasant, but i have recently found this to be true). Because both of you have come round it also shows that you are serious.

minipie · 25/08/2021 11:29

I think the unreasonable bits are the lack of carpet and the 5.30am.

All I can suggest is recording the noise (especially the early mornings) and reporting to council. But then you are firmly into neighbour dispute territory. Sorry

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread