Upstairs neighbours installed Saniflo toilet above our living room

[carrie105]

Our upstairs neighbours wanted to build an ensuite bathroom to their master bedroom which is above our living room. We said we had no problem with that as you can't stop people doing these things, and we don't want to fall out with our neighbours as I am pregnant and they are childless in their early 40s and I am very aware our baby will be annoying them enough in the near future.

They actually completed the work while we were on an extended holiday (partially planned by us to co-inside with the time they were doing the work).

We have returned to them telling us that proper plumbing was too expensive and they have installed a Saniflo unit. Anyone with any experience with these will know what I mean when I say they sound like a helicopter taking off! We literally have to pause our TV now when they have done their business while the machine chops up whatever it is they have done, it makes our ceiling shake (and its very obvious to us what they have done by the kind of noise the machine makes), and its quite disgusting also to have the neighbours 'business' so in our faces when we are sat down for dinner.

Obviously its quite a big deal to ask them to remove it and I dont feel like I can. I just wish they would use their normal bathroom during evening hours so we can have some peace in our living room. Ive tried mentioning the 'vibrations' in a jokey way, but they just laugh it off. Is it weird for me to invite one of them down to see how much noise it makes in our living room?

Sorry for the rant.

[kali110]

Ffs read it all And it's a zombie

[WellErrr]

But whilst we're all here.... @carrie105 did you ever get it resolved??

[TwoDaysLater]

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[PigletJohn]

damn.

[PigletJohn]

" Ive tried mentioning the 'vibrations' in a jokey way"

When you want to raise a problem, don't smile and laugh. Take it seriously. If the person laughs, frown, and tell them it's a serious matter.

Looking on the bright side, they may eventually upgrade to something better, like a bucket in the garden.

[gregoriesgirl]

Yes, do get them to listen. My parents had one in their bungalow and you could hear it through the whole house when they used it - that was upstairs in the loft conversion as well.

[Teacherontherun]

I want to know what happened! !

[Seeeeriously]

Anyone else dying to know what happened?

[Yukbuck]

It's actually quite fun adish to see if the op has an update 😉

[ADishBestEatenCold]

Another Zombie! How annoying.

Why didn't you just start a new thread, stomperem?

[ADishBestEatenCold]

"I have been warned by people that if you go to the freeholder (or our council which is Wandsworth in London), about an issue with the neighbours you have to declare it when you come to sell."

Don't you think a saniflo toilet installation above your sitting room is going to gave a greater effect on any future sale?

[RockinHippy]

Oh bugger 😩

[RockinHippy]

I don't know if it's already been suggested, I haven't RTFT, but if planning can't help you, your local Environmental Health can. They will be attached to the town hall. Good luck x

[RockinHippy]

I used to own a flat under Wandsworth council. I'm pretty sure you only have to declare any neighbour problems if it's under 2 years, but double check on that, it could even be less. I had a noisy neighbour problem, (late night karaoke parties in the middle of the week, that sort of thing) The council moved them in in the end. It didn't affect my selling my flat in anyway.

[Sparklingbrook]

It's unlikely the OP will return to the thread after 4 years, best to start your own thread.

[stomperem]

Digging up an old thread! carrie105, can you give us an update on the saniflo issue? I'm facing a similar situation although it hasn't been installed yet. Did the problem get resolved in the end?

[winklewoman]

You are very unlucky with such a noisy Saniflo. We have two, one is in our en suite, which is directly above the hall and you can't hear a thing downstairs when it is flushed. The other one is in the second floor above a bedroom and again no sound below. One if the items in the 'troubleshooting' part of the manual is 'unit is noisy'. Maybe theirs is faulty.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Planning will often take the lazy approach, especially now that with funding cuts they are often struggling with work loads. You need to push them into action sometimes by quoting regs and perhaps getting a local councillor on board.

[ReluctantBeing]

I like the cheering idea!

[microserf]

Damn you autocorrect. Make them THINK about you. FFS.

[microserf]

Check the lease terms. They may be outside these. I am also a wandsworth person and I am guessing you're in a building with one flat upstairs and one flat downstairs. If you are desperate get a local solicitor to give the lease a once over. We did when upstairs tried to install laminate flooring curse their souls! Fortunately the forces of light triumphed over the forces of EVIL on that occasion. Beige carpet was installed to the tranquility of all involved...

Remember. You did not give permission for a saniflo. You gave permission for a loo.

Also, from experience. Just try the council one more time, in a week or two. You might get a different answer.

Finally. Do not forget shame. Show them exactly how bad it is. Make them thick about you every time it's time for number two. Trust me, unless they are high functioning sociopaths or just arseholes, they will think twice about announcing their bowel movements through the ceilings.

[zower]

what Elfame said. hope you get to sort it OP.

[Sallyingforth]

I'll ask again: have you checked the lease?

[Elfhame]

Running a tumble dryer late at night in a flat was unreasonable.

You have to declare official noise complaints when you sell.

Best off to politely ask them in to listen to it and try to keep the complaint friendly and informal.

I think they are either a bit clueless or a bit selfish.

[squoosh]

Definitely get them to experience the noise from where you're sitting. Maybe then they'll restrict their use of it.