Angry downstairs neighour

[maybebaby88]

So a few years ago I moved into my parters flat which he owns. The guy downstairs seemed nice enough, a guy in his fifties. However, occasionally he would shout through the ceiling to shut up if we were making noise whatever time of day it was. I mostly just ignored it.

A couple of years ago we rescued a dog. We already had one, but the new one has been severely abused and tends to go a bit crazy at certain sounds. This happens a few times a day and she will run up and down the hall for a bit crying. This is when the neighbour started gettinf reallh aggressive, basically shouting 'shut the f* up' all the time. My problem is that he does this in the middle of the day. I have become so stressed out and on edge, I keep them quiet until a reasonable time (10am-ish) and even started but he still yells at the slightest thing. Its awful because its got to the point where I end up snapping at the dogs for playing.

To add to that we have just had a baby, and I'm constantly worried that his crying will invoke the same response. I feel like a prisoner in my own home. He shouted the orher day because one of the dogs was trotting around excited to be going on a walk, but it was 11:30!

We dont have a carpet in the hall, just floorboards at the mo as we have really struggled financially, which I know makes it louder, but he shouts regardless of which room it is.

Sorry for the ridiculously long post. But are we in the wrong? If the dogs were constantly barking and running I would understand, but its a few times a day for a few minutes.

well Lizzie hopefully noisy sods lurking might realise they need to keep the noise down

ThisLittleKitty, cross post - I feel for you, that's awful

YABVU. Two dogs (one excitable) and now a baby with only floorboards and no rug?

I would be exasperated, too. Particularly as until now you've just ignored him.

You are the unreasonable one here. Nobody wants to listen to a dogs noise all day long especially in a flat. The dog is obviously in distress. I'd report you to the RSPCA if I was your neighbour. Surprised you were even allowed to take a dog from a shelter into your accommodation. Totally unsuitable.

Possibly but nobody like that ever think it applies to them. They'll just be laughing at you all getting in a lather at a now non existent OP.

Ooh YABVU.

I don't think having dogs in an upstairs flat is fair on ANYONE, not least the dogs actually.

YABU OP

The OP doesn't give a shit. She's going to do exactly what she wants, even if she can't afford it - like 2 dogs and then adding a baby and then 'We're struggling financially so he has to put up with us.'

YANBU.

Completely unreasonable.

All you care about is yourself. You think you should be able to have whatever pets you want and to hell with everyone else.

There’s too many of you in that flat...2 adults, a newborn, 2 fully grown excitable dogs? Ridiculous. Can see why neighbour is annoyed

Dogs shouldn’t be really kept in an upstairs flat, it’s not fair on them let alone the neighbours. I’m not surprised they’re desperate for a walk.

If you’re financially struggling, you have made some odd life decisions.

Lizzie and expat I agree. the next post will be "I have a Noise abatement notice for a rescue dog, how unfair is this!"

unfortunately sometimes people with noise induced stress get tipped completely over the top and they become violent and aggressive. not a surprise really as the effects of the stress are extremely real and wide ranging.

I just hope the OP doesn't have to deal with this with her neighbour.

its not just people struggling financially who install wooden floors and then wonder why their downstairs neighbour is completely hacked off.

I do know what it's like to have to put up with loud noise. Not the same, but I remember being in halls of resistance and putting up with loud parties regularly and loud music when I wanted to write an essay. It used to do my head in.

But I found that even drunk students could be apologetic when their selfishness was pointed out politely. A polite request works better than shouting obscenities through the ceiling.

Actually, if I was in the OP's neighbour's shoes, I would actually offer to pay for a carpet myself. And yes, I know that he shouldn't have to, of course he shouldn't. But if it was a way to get some peace and quiet, then I would be prepared to pay for that result. (We obviously don't know his financial situation, but it would be worth taking a financial hit in order to get my sanity back.)

Interesting that lots of you think an abatement notice will be served on 2 dogs making the occasional noise by running on a floor. Most case law concerning noise nuisance for dogs involves a significant number of dogs at a property and prolonged barking. I highly doubt this will go anywhere. They will most likely suggest carpets/rugs.

And there is nothing wrong with a dog living in a flat, as long as it is walked (and it obviously is).

Put some carpets/rugs down and don't let them run up the hall.

As for the baby, noise from children isn't classed as a stat nuisance.

Lizzie "I remember being in halls of resistance"

sounds an interesting place to live
and pretty cool in fact!

Sorry but, get a rug, anything! I'd go nuts as well if I was your downstairs NDN.

It was cool, @Riverside2 but a long time ago now. But loud music and parties when there was an essay deadline or an exam the next day was not so cool.

How annoying for your neighbour. He must be sick if it all

CSC, Harvey’s, DFS and places like that usually do cheap ish decent enough carpets on interest free credit, would that be an option for you and your partner? Quite a lot of the time they have an offer where you will get free underlay included too.

I'm normally fairly calm and anti-confrontation but noise from another flat sent me absolutely crazy. You're neighbour isn't handling it in the right way but it is understandable that he is annoyed by it. Your description of your dogs noise sounds pretty unbearable.

YABU not to have don't anything to reduce the noise of your dog after all this time. I think you are being very inconsiderate to your neighbour.

Poor neighbour and dogs. YABVVVVU.

Sorry but it costs hardly anything to I get an a runnee for the hall. He’s being out of order but as a downstairs neighbors to the family from hell I can almost understand his irritability at the constant (I presume) general noise of the dogs. Have a word with him and tell him you won’t Be raising you’re child to Ben sworn at By their neighbors!

The OP hasn't posted since she started the thread, @bluebells1 so she won't be reading your post that she's being VVVVVVVU. (Funny how lots of posters love to put in lots of Vs.) She's hidden the thread, no doubt.

Can people stop suggesting that you shouldn't have a dog if you live in a flat, full stop? It's completely ignorant. If your dog is running wild at home, it's because it doesn't get enough exercise. As long as you don't have a super active dog, it's perfectly fine.

I live in a flat and have a large-ish dog. I adopted her from Battersea, who are perfectly happy to rehome the right dog in flats. She gets 3 walks a day and spends most of her time sleeping when she's at home. She's perfectly happy and in very good health.

There is nothing wrong with a dog living in a flat, if it's good enough for people and children, it's good enough for a dog for fucksake, which cares far less.

Having said all of that, OP, you really do need carpets down.

Dogs in flats are fine if they get enough exercise outside.

Dogs in upstairs flats which are excitable and on hard floor, are not fine.

I do think posters have gone overboard with their outraged responses to this OP. She's recently had a baby and said that she feels like a 'prisoner in her own home'. The neighbour, whilst he has had provocation, has behaved badly too, with shouting through the ceiling rather than trying to have a civil conversation with the OP. It sounds like there has been wrong on both sides.

This is a poster who clearly suffers from anxiety by the sound of it and you've all just piled into the attack.

Yes it's AIBU, and yes she and her OH have been inconsiderate, but I think some of you have been projecting just a bit.

We're also talking about the welfare of a new baby after all. She may need some constructive advice not just you all going on the attack.