Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

what's reasonable when downstairs neighbour has complained about creaky floorboards?

51 replies

WhiteCottonBedding · 08/03/2019 23:03

I live in the top flat- moved in November. My neighbour downstairs has complained about

  • hearing the shower in the morning
  • creaky floorboards
  • opening the door to the bin shed in the morning

I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable about it all. The flat is carpeted but the underlay obviously isn't the best. I can't afford to replace it atm.

I will try and put the rubbish out in the evening now, which will be easier as it's light, but I genuinely don't know what else to do about the shower and noise. I feel paranoid every time I take a step!

OP posts:
Lellikelly26 · 08/03/2019 23:07

Your neighbour sounds awful. I lived in a flat and the people below complained that they could hear my (then 2 -3 yr old) DS walking around! Obvs that was during day time hours. They complained to the management co who laughed them off and supported me.
Your neighbour sounds intolerant of others and shouldn’t live in a flat. It’s their problem OP you are not doing anything unreasonable

Happygilmore2 · 08/03/2019 23:08

Not a lot you can do about the shower to be honest. As for the floor boards are they really that nosey ? Or is your neighbour a complainer. May be worth trying to get hold of the last person who lives there to see if they had the same issue

Singlenotsingle · 08/03/2019 23:09

Nothing you can do about the shower. Ask to use hers? Not much you can do about floorboards either. Anyway, if she wasn't moaning about this, she'd find something else to moan about. Just tell her there's nothing you can do. If you were playing loud music or breakdancing up there, it'd be different.

Original poster
WhiteCottonBedding · 08/03/2019 23:10

I can see that it might be annoying hearing the shower at 6.45am, but I am a sweaty person Blush so it's either annoying the neighbours or stinking out the office!

I think the flooboards might be noisy- I can hear them when I walk. DP says it's only because I'm aware of it and they're not that loud.

OP posts:
SweetMarmalade · 08/03/2019 23:11

How did your neighbour go about complaining?

Chouetted · 08/03/2019 23:11

Screw the floorboards down properly?

Or, well, fix whatever the underlying issue is.

You can't do much about the shower, unless it's banging pipes?

Original poster
WhiteCottonBedding · 08/03/2019 23:13

She caught me at the door of the building as I was coming in.

OP posts:
Notcontent · 08/03/2019 23:17

Oh, I had a neighbour like that...

Problem is that flats in the U.K. are really badly built and yes, if you have someone above your, you can hear them. But that’s just how it is and there is not much anyone can do. But it was a bit of shock to me when I moved to the UK because I had lived in flats in other countries and never came across this problem.

FaithFrank · 08/03/2019 23:18

What is she complaining about? Are you disturbing her sleep or something?

If you live in a flat, it's normal to hear the people above you. Just because she can hear you, doesn't mean there is anything wrong.

PiebaldHamster · 08/03/2019 23:18

Ignore him. You start kowtowing to him and he'll have you tiptoeing round your own home. That said, do you wear shoes in the house? They can be loud. I'd get some slippers.

1Redacted1 · 08/03/2019 23:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PiebaldHamster · 08/03/2019 23:21

She caught me at the door of the building as I was coming in.

Learn how to fend her off. 'I understand. Yep. Will take it on board,' and then carry on.

ratspeaker · 08/03/2019 23:27

Screwing the creaky board helps, if you have them.
Also talcum powder along the boards. Means lifting the capet and ubderlay but it does help a bit. You can relay it all after

Or counter with noise they are creating from their telly/ radio, pipes, washing machine

schlerp · 08/03/2019 23:31

Wear tapshoes for a week. They’ll appreciate the silence after that

MyDcAreMarvel · 08/03/2019 23:33

You can’t make excessive noise between 7-11 have your shower later, or in the evening.

bellabasset · 08/03/2019 23:35

Is it a purpose built flat or a conversion, and have you bought it or do you rent it? If you rent it then mention it to the landlord or letting agent and tell her you have done this. If you have bought it then you know the previous owner and can contact them to see if they had that problem.

My cousin has an upstairs flat, purpose built but 30's and has had similar problems, except the tenant complained about her music as well. She ended up recarpeting with thick underfelt. The tenant in this case is extremely odd, going by the very weird notices posted on his gate.

I own my own terrace house and I can hear neighbours sometimes, so what I call normal household noise you don't hear after a while. For example I can hear my ndn putting out recycling- should I complain about that, or the washing m/c spinning, or the water from the sinks going into the drain. They can hear me as well. I'm entitled to complain if its loud music or the dogs are going mad all day.

oldowlgirl · 08/03/2019 23:37

The Op isn't making excessive noise @MyDcAreMarvel , just going about her life.

Op, I'd ignore - you're entitled to have a shower before you go out to work & 6.45am isn't early (they should be grateful you don't work shifts & therefore shower at 3 or 4am).

I agree with pp - fob her off with platitudes. If that doesn't work, then tell her bluntly that living in a flat isn't for her & she needs to move.

MissLadyM · 08/03/2019 23:40

Tough shit! Don't pander to her or you'll be scared to breathe!

Longdistance · 08/03/2019 23:43

Tell him to buy a detached house. He won’t be able to hear his neighbours 🤷🏼‍♀️

ADHMeeee · 08/03/2019 23:45

Wonder if she is why the previous occupants moved out.

Practice saying "thats the trouble with flats, downstairs hears normal sounds from upstairs just as upstairs hears normal sounds from downstairs..."

PickAChew · 08/03/2019 23:49

Surely they heard all this stuff before.

I'm in a semi with another house behind my back garden and I can hear their bin, garage, etc, it's part of life. Also hear traffic, roadworks, bin lorries, have to wait for the undertaker across the road to do their thing... Your neighbours need to find a place with no other neighbours.

PiebaldHamster · 08/03/2019 23:49

You can’t make excessive noise between 7-11 have your shower later, or in the evening.

She may not be able to take it earlier due to work start time. And personally, I'm at a stage in life where I sweat a lot at night. If I went into work having showered in the evening before I'd stink.

6.45 isn't too early.

longlostbrother · 08/03/2019 23:53

Neighbours like that are the worse. There's not a lot they can do about it. They decided to live in a bottom floor apartment they must of known they would be able to hear their neighbours.

I live in a 1st floor apartment and I when I moved in when daughter was 3 years old neighbour below knocked on 3 times on 3 different occasions to complain that she could hear my daughter playing and banging and it was annoying her because she was trying to sleep and and it was terrible listening to the noise. This was In the middle of the afternoon 🙄🖕 I ended up knocking on to hers after calming down to basically tell her I won't be keeping my daughter quiet when she's playing unless it was late at night (which it never was) then by all means knock on but in the afternoon not a chance

1Redacted1 · 09/03/2019 00:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SweetMarmalade · 09/03/2019 00:11

It’s not excessive noise though.

6:45 is not too early. I’m showering at that time too! Jees, having someone trying to dictate when I can shower, sod that!