Walls are very thin after neighbours construction work?

[heartbroken22]

We live in rented accommodation and neighbours have started work...the walls are paper thin now and we can hear everything. Can we do anything about this? Obviously just learnt about the part wall notification and no way did they send it us. What can we do? Can't prove they thinner the walls...but we can hear a lot of noise.

They won't have thinned the walls down 😂

Agreed, they won't have thinned the walls. It could be something as simple as they had carpet before and now have wooden floors bouncing the sound around.

Perhaps you could create an egg box feature wall, OP?

There may have been some sound barriers that were removed for extra space. Which has reduced sound insulation.

Our kitchen had batons and an air gap. This was removed and I definitely notice a difference. The good thing is that the wall is kitchen to kitchen, so you don't hear much unless you're in there yourself.

You probably need to find out how much sound is travelling and whether that breaches any laws.

Alternatively, put your favourite Spotify playlist on all day and leave the speaker next to the offending wall ☺️

If they’ve started work -and not finished- maybe they are going to plasterboard & then replaster?

Removal of carpet to put laminate down does increase noise volume though as pp says. We had that issue when old neighbours sold to a family who put laminate down throughout.

Have you spoken to the neighbours to see what they’ve done/are doing?
If you rent is it through an agency or direct with LL? Maybe they could raise some questions if you don’t want to speak to them directly.

They definitely didn't 'thin the walls' they'd be mad to even want thinner walls. They've probably removed furniture and carpet/rugs from the room which makes it echo. Be patient! If their noise- construction or otherwise is too loud you should speak to them and ask how long it'll be like that

Sorry I didn't literally mean thin the walls as in remove the bricks or something. I meant remove a barrier. So they've removed the plaster and left bare brick walls. But then placed wood panels on top. DH has seen it, it's wood panels now. Maybe that's why we can hear more noise.

Whats weird is where our gas meter is, behind there I can see old wood and can see into neighbours house. So there's no wall there? He's knocked out stuff from that room to make it bigger. It's a shop.

It might be worth enquiring what the rules are for sound insulation in commercial properties which abut residential homes. I don’t know the answer, but I too live in a house adjoining a shop - a busy local general store - and I never hear a peep through the walls.

We removed fitted wardrobes from a house once and there was a noticeable difference in volume from next door following.

That doesn't sound right... that you can see into the neighbour's house.

Wonder what your local building control team would make of that.

Meant to add. Is your landlord aware?

Re the Party Wall Act they may have contacted the property owner direct.

Are they converting a shop to a house?

They did remove an extra layer of bricks from the wall which were replaced after a party wall surveyor got sent. Well they replaced them quickly before he came.

@TheBeesKnee the arseholes have put their radio on next to the offending wall on purpose as revenge for grassing them up to our landlord. We can hear loud music all day everyday 8-5pm. Can't do much really.

Any party wall agreement goes to the property owner. It would not go to tenants. You cannot make decisions or sign documents like that about the property,

honestly this is the benefit of renting. You can move next year.

Yep, tell your landlord.

My tenants put up with neighbours building up to & over the boundary. I wish I'd known earlier as once done, there's not a lot you can do.

This is also possibly unsafe, party walls come under building regs as stability & fire control are regulated.