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Neighbour baby noise complaint.

100 replies

Ddflat56 · 25/05/2025 19:48

Dd has a 2.5 year old . He's pretty small more like a 18 month old. He is non verbal. Very rarely responds to anything. Doesn't understand anything at all . He's in his own little world. He walks around the flat all the time.

She lives in a new build on the 2nd floor her neighbour came up and complained about her son walking this was around 10.30 am . Dd explained his special needs and its near impossible to stop him walking. He doesn't bang but you can hear his foot steps.The neighbour said she's been on a 12hr hour shift she shattered. Dd said she doesn't know what to say.

About an hour later the neighbour came up again this time quite aggressive screaming and shouting at dd telling her to shut her kid up. But at that point GS was laying on the bed . He wasn't even on the floor. She was saying things like you need to control your kid. I have a 3 year old and I can. She said she hears it every day from 8am till 1am . Which is not true they are asleep way before that . At least 4 times a week dd is out of the flat from 8.15am till 3.15pm.

Flooring wise dd has vinyl flooring put down by the council. no wood or laminate. All flats have the same flooring.

OP posts:
sciaticafanatica · 01/06/2025 14:30

Your Dd needs rugs and also needs to take the toddler out more and get him some fresh air

Ddflat56 · 01/06/2025 14:43

sciaticafanatica · 01/06/2025 14:30

Your Dd needs rugs and also needs to take the toddler out more and get him some fresh air

No she doesn't she his out enough. This was at 11am not early. Her child has special needs is non verbal. She was out for the full day yesterday she's allowed in hetlr own home.

He's not stamping he's walking/toddlering around. He's not jumping shouting screaming or anything like that.

The neighbour needs to go through the proper complaints procedure.

OP posts:
averylongtimeago · 01/06/2025 14:50

The neighbour sounds horrible- reporting for harassment was the right thing to do.
But: I grew up in a flat, and you can mitigate the amount of noise for your downstairs neighbours by having carpet with underlay and rugs.
Councils put vinyl down because it lasts forever and is easy to clean when tenants move on. The downside is it’s rubbish at blocking the noise of footsteps and also makes the place more echoing.

Interested in this thread?

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neilyoungismyhero · 01/06/2025 14:53

Couldn't they swop flats if it's a new build?

Ddflat56 · 01/06/2025 15:02

neilyoungismyhero · 01/06/2025 14:53

Couldn't they swop flats if it's a new build?

She has to live there for a year before she can do a swap . And i doubt anyone would swap its 2nd floor no lift. The rooms are small.

OP posts:
rainbowruthie · 01/06/2025 15:02

Just how much noise can such little feet cause?
How has his SEN been diagnosed?

stichguru · 01/06/2025 15:09

Is what the kid is doing actually jumping/thumping or just walking? If he's literally walking (even a bouncy little toddler walk) then neighbour can mind her own business. People can walk in their own homes 24/7 if they want or need to. If that's too much noise, neighbour needs to move somewhere where she has no-one above her. If it's actually jumping up and down for long periods, then no it's not kind to being doing that in a flat with someone underneath. Can your daughter take her son somewhere else to jump? I have a neuro-disability and used to run up and down the upstairs landing for hours on end as a kid. The neighbour didn't complain, but they asked what the noise was at one point, so then we did running in the park! Problem solved.

Ddflat56 · 01/06/2025 15:17

rainbowruthie · 01/06/2025 15:02

Just how much noise can such little feet cause?
How has his SEN been diagnosed?

He doesn't have an official diagnosis yet. But he definitely has special needs . He was 2 end of March.

He's non verble no communication at all . Well apart from crying if he's in pain or ill. He has no understanding of whats being said to him. He cant follow any instructions at all. He can't feed himself including finger foods. He doesnt play or interact. He has toys but he has no interest. He will do things like touch the wall over and over again. Or the joins in the floor He will run his fingers up and down the join. He's having assments. But they all take time. He's had a recent hearing test he wasnt responding so they are not sure if just how he is. Or if it's a hearing issue . So he got to go to guys.

OP posts:
DaisyChain505 · 01/06/2025 15:22

Ddflat56 · 01/06/2025 14:43

No she doesn't she his out enough. This was at 11am not early. Her child has special needs is non verbal. She was out for the full day yesterday she's allowed in hetlr own home.

He's not stamping he's walking/toddlering around. He's not jumping shouting screaming or anything like that.

The neighbour needs to go through the proper complaints procedure.

You can’t argue that your Grandchild isn’t making noise because clearly they are otherwise the neighbour wouldn’t have an issue.

Having to deal with constant annoying noise can be really mentally draining.

There’s no point arguing if the noise is actually happening or not just put in a plan of action. Carpets, rugs, underlay and most importantly communication.

Get your daughter to ask the neighbour which room they are generally in during the day and then she can try and use another room of the house during times her child is being more noisy.

Ddflat56 · 01/06/2025 15:24

stichguru · 01/06/2025 15:09

Is what the kid is doing actually jumping/thumping or just walking? If he's literally walking (even a bouncy little toddler walk) then neighbour can mind her own business. People can walk in their own homes 24/7 if they want or need to. If that's too much noise, neighbour needs to move somewhere where she has no-one above her. If it's actually jumping up and down for long periods, then no it's not kind to being doing that in a flat with someone underneath. Can your daughter take her son somewhere else to jump? I have a neuro-disability and used to run up and down the upstairs landing for hours on end as a kid. The neighbour didn't complain, but they asked what the noise was at one point, so then we did running in the park! Problem solved.

He's not jumping. He just toddles about. He walks younger than his age like the coordination isn't quite there.

OP posts:
stichguru · 01/06/2025 15:28

Ddflat56 · 01/06/2025 15:24

He's not jumping. He just toddles about. He walks younger than his age like the coordination isn't quite there.

Sounds like neighbour should move to a different kind of house. Walking on a floor is expected flat noise!

Ddflat56 · 01/06/2025 15:29

DaisyChain505 · 01/06/2025 15:22

You can’t argue that your Grandchild isn’t making noise because clearly they are otherwise the neighbour wouldn’t have an issue.

Having to deal with constant annoying noise can be really mentally draining.

There’s no point arguing if the noise is actually happening or not just put in a plan of action. Carpets, rugs, underlay and most importantly communication.

Get your daughter to ask the neighbour which room they are generally in during the day and then she can try and use another room of the house during times her child is being more noisy.

It's open plan.

She's not going to shut herself and child into a room in the middle of the day.

The woman down stairs needs to communicate in a proper manner stop bashing at dd door and being abusive if she really believes she's right then she needs to follow the noise complaints procedure.

OP posts:
Flashahah · 01/06/2025 15:34

If she can afford rugs, that would be good, but single mum may not be able too.

It comes to something when a child can’t walk around their home at 10.30 am! Honestly ridiculous request to ask to stop that!

rainbowruthie · 01/06/2025 15:42

Ddflat56 · 01/06/2025 15:17

He doesn't have an official diagnosis yet. But he definitely has special needs . He was 2 end of March.

He's non verble no communication at all . Well apart from crying if he's in pain or ill. He has no understanding of whats being said to him. He cant follow any instructions at all. He can't feed himself including finger foods. He doesnt play or interact. He has toys but he has no interest. He will do things like touch the wall over and over again. Or the joins in the floor He will run his fingers up and down the join. He's having assments. But they all take time. He's had a recent hearing test he wasnt responding so they are not sure if just how he is. Or if it's a hearing issue . So he got to go to guys.

Thank you for your reply.
I'm so sorry, you and your daughter must be so worried about him.
I hope that his further assessments don't take too long.

Balloonhearts · 01/06/2025 15:46

I'm not being funny but her work pattern is her problem. The world doesn't stop because she works shifts.

I could understand this if it was at night and would say its the upstairs flats responsibility to carpet their flat so as not to impact the neighbours but it's literally a toddler walking in the middle of the day!

She could complain to the council over the lack of sound proofing, they might contribute towards carpet or rugs but otherwise the neighbour will have to suck it up. They aren't being noisy, they are literally just walking around their home.

anxioussmess · 01/06/2025 15:46

F

notanormalday · 01/06/2025 21:16

this exact same thing happened to me! My daughter was 4 and the woman worked different shifts. She knocked on around 12pm saying she could hear my daughter playing, the bedrooms had carpets and she was playing with Barbie’s, she came up again this time saying it’s really annoying. I apologised and said there’s not a lot I can do during the day, fair enough if it was late at night but it’s not it’s daytime.

I took daughter to nursery and decided to knock on and basically said don’t knock on again, she’s a child, playing in the day time and she goes nursery most the week. Never heard anything from her again. I don’t know what they expect living in an apartment. I’ve heard worse from adults all through the night but for forbid children play in there rooms during the day 🙄

Ignore her, she can keep knocking on all she wants.

Ddflat56 · 02/06/2025 14:39

Little update. Dd has been a bit paranoid so she decided to call the landlord/complaints department. Dd was honest about everything. The lady was really nice said the neighbour had no rights to do what she was doing. She could hear GS in the background and said he sounds like a 9 month old baby.
She said they will be in touch via phone call /email or visit . Dd has asked if they can do a visit because she wants them to see GS . So they can witness how he is what he does etc.

OP posts:
Flashahah · 02/06/2025 14:57

Ddflat56 · 02/06/2025 14:39

Little update. Dd has been a bit paranoid so she decided to call the landlord/complaints department. Dd was honest about everything. The lady was really nice said the neighbour had no rights to do what she was doing. She could hear GS in the background and said he sounds like a 9 month old baby.
She said they will be in touch via phone call /email or visit . Dd has asked if they can do a visit because she wants them to see GS . So they can witness how he is what he does etc.

Well done DD!

Deathraystare · 02/06/2025 15:00

sunnybeee · 25/05/2025 20:42

Or the shouty neighbour needs to put in some ear plugs and stop expecting other people to stop existing just because she’s worked a night shift.

Reminds me of a nurse living next door to us who complained when a workman was inour garden about10.30 am (forgot what for). She complained she was on night shift. I said I know we have to listen to you drunkenly coming home screeching!

howaboutchocolate · 02/06/2025 15:12

Is the living space an open plan kitchen living room situation? Because you can't put carpet in a kitchen.

Neighbour is being entirely unreasonable and hasn't got a leg to stand on. Your poor DD being screamed at.

howaboutchocolate · 02/06/2025 15:14

Ddflat56 · 25/05/2025 21:29

She can't afford that at the moment. I will help dd look for soft slippers . Its worth a try.

Don't get him soft spongy slippers, they will do his physical development no good. The neighbour's issues don't trump that.

Ddflat56 · 02/06/2025 15:19

howaboutchocolate · 02/06/2025 15:14

Don't get him soft spongy slippers, they will do his physical development no good. The neighbour's issues don't trump that.

Ah ok . I didn't know soft slippers can affect development.

OP posts:
josephinejosephine · 02/06/2025 15:32

Your daughter should report the neighbour’s aggressive- sounding behaviour to the police and inform the council of both this and the potential problem with acoustics. However the neighbour’s behaviour was intentioned, even if she was tired from her shift, it’s still not ok. I am sorry your daughter is going through this and it must be very frightening to have someone shouting and banging your door like that. The council are are very unlikely to act on noise from children during normal working hours anyway. If it’s rented, landlord should carpet or provide rugs; if it’s a new build property it will usually specify about noise / what should be on the floors on the lease , and the responsibility to remedy will lie with the leaseholder/landlord.

Ddflat56 · 02/06/2025 15:53

josephinejosephine · 02/06/2025 15:32

Your daughter should report the neighbour’s aggressive- sounding behaviour to the police and inform the council of both this and the potential problem with acoustics. However the neighbour’s behaviour was intentioned, even if she was tired from her shift, it’s still not ok. I am sorry your daughter is going through this and it must be very frightening to have someone shouting and banging your door like that. The council are are very unlikely to act on noise from children during normal working hours anyway. If it’s rented, landlord should carpet or provide rugs; if it’s a new build property it will usually specify about noise / what should be on the floors on the lease , and the responsibility to remedy will lie with the leaseholder/landlord.

I'm not sure what you mean by this bit: potential problem with acoustics?

The police don't normally take on neighbour disputes. Although dd has reported the aggression. She does have a CAD number so I think she can at least update abd get things on record.

Is it a bit odd that her neighbour went mad at dd Sunday last week. Then nothing for a whole week. Then she complains again Sunday (yesterday) so how come she can manage Monday-Saturday

OP posts: