short term soundproofing our floor for the sake of neighbour below (rented flat)

[travellinghopefully12]

We rent a flat, and we've had lots of complaints from the neighbour below about noise. He can hear us walking, flushing the toilet, putting things down. He can even hear the fan. Apparently he had problems with the last tenants here and the ones before, so I think the problem is not so much with us, as the flooring.

There is no way we will convince our landlord to put in a new floor, so can I soundproof short term without damaging the existing floor? Is there a way to do this. We're out of here in February.

Tell him to approach the landlord if he wants a permanent solution.

What flooring do you have now?

Thick rugs may help? Sorry if that's stating the obvious!

I would say the problem is with him not the flooring. If he doesn't want to hear neighbours then he really shouldn't live in a lower flat. You always hear the neighbours above you so so much more than the ones below.

Are you sure you actually need sound proofing.

It may just be the neighbour under is just a PITA

OP you sound a lovely neighbour

I think the landlord needs to provide good thick rugs or matting. What I'd do is approach the landlord with your neighbour, even via joint email. I'm a great believer that people should be considerate to each other so the landlord should be pleased to have a considerate tenant and it's just going to be an ongoing issue if the landlord doesn't tackle it.

We have carpets already.

Our letting agent thinks he is tiresome, and have told us to keep a log of times he bangs on the ceiling, swears up at us *he only swore on one occassion when I was defrosting the freezer quite loudly at 7pm.

He also says he can hear our showers. I feel like I am sneaking round my flat. I even started showering at the local gym (have membership anyway and it's practically next door) but dp told me to stop being ridiculous.

Angry neighbour claims he got the last tenants evicted. Letting Agency says this is untrue.

I need soundproofing because I am scared to walk around my own home. It's horrible. Also, our cat jumps off and onto things, and I am scared the agency will say we can no longer keep him as the neighbour has complained so often. (Apparently he complained ten times about the last people and only five about us, so we're winning so far but I am in a state of heightened anxiety - not flushing the loo at night so it stinks in the morning, that sort of thing.)

I really want to soundproof our floor a bit so I feel better walking to and from the loo in the night.

He is an old man, and a light sleeper.

I'm guessing you have wooden flooring, if so then always take your shoes off when you're inside. My upstairs neighbour always stomps around in her high heels and it's so bloody loud. Maybe put some rugs down - carpet shops will sometimes give you free offcuts. If the fan is on the floor then put a rug underneath.

I think complaining about flushing toilets or 'putting things down' is a bit excessive though!

Oops, cross post. If you've got carpets I don't think there's much else you can do. He sounds like a bit of nuisance.

If you've got carpets then really he's got nowt to complain about

Can't you just file him under 'downstairs neighbours a dick' and ignore?

There are companies that specialise in soundproofing underlay - you could have a Google. Tbh though if he's complaining about your cat I don't think you're ever going to get it silent enough to satisfy him.

Fuck that.

Tell the miserable cunt that every time him bangs on the ceiling you will turn UP your stereo for ten minutes. And do it.

The issue is him.

He shouldn't live in a flat if he doesn't want to hear people. I'd be tempted to tell him that you will continue to walk around your flat , showering and flushing the toilet so how does he think you can reasonably make less noise in going about your daily life. If he has any sensible suggestions then of course you can adopt them. Perhaps he should sound proof his ceiling.

Ignore him. He's being unreasonable. If he comes round and is unpleasant or bangs the floor etc make a note of it and tell him you'll report him for disturbance. Don't waste any more time trying to appease such a rude person.

I worry that he maybe has a point, especially with the cat knocking things over onto the floor regularly, is there nothing I can do to make less noise? I can't cope with thinking of him down there despising us.

I can't cope with thinking of him down there despising us

In the nicest possible way - do try to get a grip. Every other poster has told you it's not you, it's him and that no matter what you do he will keep it up. Whether he despises you or not is not something you can influence. You could take every measure under the sun and he'd still despise you - then what?
Just live your life and do as the Letting Agent says with regard to keeping a log.

Did the letting agency not have a responsibility to tell you if the neighbours complaints about the noise?

I'd just ignore and carry inns you where.

He's playing on your good nature. Don't let him bully you.

I also think your neighbour is being unreasonable. I used to live in a ground floor flat and would sometimes hear my upstairs neighbour walking around or dropping things. To me, it was part of living in a ground floor flat, what alternative is there - not walking around in your own home!?

Luckily, most of the tenants were no problem...I did draw the line at the man who listened to the world service at full blast from about midnight to 6am though!

I do actually think the quality of soundproofing in many British flats is abysmal. It probably is a bit of a misery for him through absolutely no fault of yours.
We stayed in a lower new build flat and actually moved as the impact noise from new upstairs neighbours was so stressful.
With that in mind we are now in a top floor flat. Carpeted but really cheaply. I can hear downstairs' telly and god only knows what I must sound like to them. The bloody floorboards creak below the carpet.
If I owned the flat I'd sort it for both our sakes.
I've put thick rugs down and a hall runner, could you try that? It might muffle things a little.
But you're entitled to live your life. Flush your bog if you need to!

A hall runner over the carpet could work, couldn't it?

I know, my flatmate and dp have told me to get a grip but I can't get over the fact he told me he wants us evicted. I also do think the cat is noisy - currently leaping round the place after a plastic bag, although I am encouraging him to shush.

Jamie Fraser, they told us the first time. I think they have given up on him though, he hates them as well and spoke quite aggressively to me about the woman who runs them.

Is there any underlay for those carpets? Extra rugs will help.

But...following your update I now think possibly he's an arse. Have you ever stood in his flat to hear what he can hear? If the whole building is so badly set up - converted I guess? - then there will be issues that you can't help, like showering!

It's a new build, think it's this millenium. He can hear a lot though. I'm going to get some rugs.

If you're really worried thick rugs on the carpet may help. Or if the carpet doesn't have a good underlay then new underlay should help. But tbh unless you're jumping about, running, stamping or playing music/TV very loud then you're not doing anything wrong.