Noisy Neighbour Upstairs

[fedupneighbour]

Hi
Just after some advice please.
Moved into a one bedroom flat April 2019. It's just me and all of the flats on my side of the block are one bedroomed, with two bedroom in the other side.
Basically the neighbour(s) upstairs have children who can be extremely noisy, to the point I can't relax in the evening, and even turn my TV off and just sit in silence at times, because I can't believe how noisy they are.
I appreciate I need to find out more about exactly who is living there, but I am just feeling annoyed that so much noise is coming from this flat well into the evenings, considering that they are one bedroomed properties, so you would think that logically there would not be a) children there 2) problems with noise.
The noise is mainly constant banging. I have recorded a lot of the instances. A standard entry might say 'Constant banging, running, jumping, things being dropped on to floor from 2pm - 10pm'. I can't help but think a) The floor should be covered in carpet (it's not) and b) why don't the parent(s) either occupy their children in activities which don't involve them constantly undertaking a mini Olympics or take them out to burn off some of their energy?
It's getting really annoying. I have ear plugs because prior to now I have needed them at night because I have people above, below and to the side so it's to be expected, but this is the most annoying thing about living here.
I really don't know what I can do. I don't really understand why they are living in a one bedroomed property. I think from memory they have two children. I don't really want to know. I just want to be able to be at peace in my own home and feel like my neighbours actually give two shits.
Is it worth me talking to them? I have considered putting a note though their door - after all I could be working nights for all they know and need to sleep in the day.
I am also surprised that they have chosen or been put into a top floor flat - sounds like a poor judgement to me.
I have banged on the ceiling a few times to make them consider what constant banging sounds like .
They don't even put them to bed at a reasonable time.
Before you say can't I move, not easily as the flat is family owned, I have a limited income, get a favourable rent and frankly, don't see that I should have to.
Thanks for any experience or advice and please don't bother telling me that that's what children are like. I know. I used to be a teacher and work in a nursery. I'm also an auntie and have been one myself! Doesn't mean I want to be reminded of it 8 hours a day until 10 or so at night!
Thank you.

If they are living with two children in a one bedroom flat, they may not have the money to spare on sound insulation.

This is annoying. I used to live under a one bed flat that was an airbnb and set up to sleep four. There were kids running around all the time. I spoke to the owner and let him know when it was excessive.

Do you know the parents well? Might this flat be a temporary solution for them? If it's rented you could speak to their landlord.

Have you tried playing white noise? It won't drown out the noise completely but it will help somewhat

Is there any need to speak to their landlord? They don't appear to be doing it on purpose or to be antisocial and dragging the landlord into it could leave them at risk of eviction. Its petty. You could ask them to speak to the landlord about thicker underlay/carpets but there isn't a need to go direct to the landlord yourself.

Why would your response be to turn off the tv? Is that so you can really concentrate on the noise? It doesn't make sense. Put some earplugs in, turn the tv up and put the subtitles on, whatever, just stop fixating on it. Family life is noisy, move if you don't like it.

Sounds like they could have laminate flooring down. We've got the bastard stuff in our dining room and if someone drops anything onto it, the noise is horrendous. I can't wait until we put carpet back down in the New Year, it's awful awful flooring.

I turned the TV off cos I couldn't hear it properly with all the noise.

I'm done with this now. Thanks for the helpful advise, most and the unhelpful sentiment that I should just be the victim of 'family life' and move lol
Mumsnet would you turn off Commenting.

But the reason for the noise might well be due to their choice of floor covering.
We lived in blissful peace for 20 years despite having a family of 5 living above us. Never heard a sound.

When they moved the new people installed wooden floors and it is unbearably noisy just because of the normal sounds of everyday living that are amplified by the flooring.

Sorry those of you who are going though the same thing. I think choose of flooring is a big factor. Love and peace guys X

@fedupneighbour have you tried watching tv through headphones? I quite often watch stuff with my AirPods in especially if one of the kids is doing their music practise they really cut out the background noise.

[quote alrightfella]@fedupneighbour have you tried watching tv through headphones? I quite often watch stuff with my AirPods in especially if one of the kids is doing their music practise they really cut out the background noise. [/quote]
I will try this, thanks for tip 👍

I can't help but think a) The floor should be covered in carpet (it's not)

I spent a decade living below a BTL tenement flat with the original stripped wooden floorboards. I will never buy a flat below anyone again. Even living above people with that type of flooring can be noisy AF but admittedly, nothing on the scale of what it was like living below successive loads of noisy fuckers.

The council were never interested, as they said it's just 'normal' environmental noise, even when it involved dragging beds or kicking footballs around the apartment in the middle of the night (joy!).

I believe it's illegal to have stripped floorboards in HMO properties in two cities in Scotland, but this doesn't appear to be standard, and of course, only applies to HMOs.

If you can move, I would do so. It's not worth your health and sanity.