Bought a flat from hell. What now?

[LeonieLondon]

I changed name and posting here to get more advice. Sorry long post
I recently bought what I thought was my dream flat in Kensington. For the past 14 years i have worked hard and saved most of my money. finally got on a property ladder with my dp (soon to be dh). We were renting a very similar type of place for the past 3 years (a flat in a mansion block) and had a very good experience- no noise from neighbours, no disasters in the flat, no leaks, generally no problems.
Turns out my new dream flat in a ‘sought after and prestigious mansion block’ has got zero sound insulation, there are not only every day neighbour noises (tv, chatter, laughing) coming from right, left and below (we are top floor, i insisted on a top floor flat because i thought i wouldn’t hear the neighbours…)

• I can hear my neighbours boilers from every direction, imagine constant very loud amplified humming in your ear
• below neighbours are fans what seems to be drum and bass and i hear bass noise coming from their place every day
• said neighbours make my floor and walls shake when they walk- is this a structural fault? I can be sitting in my bed or on a sofa and it literally shakes
• i am pretty sure they can also hear us stomp even though we are quiet

-there is a gas meter in a cupboard of one of the bedrooms which makes a very loud ticking/clicking sound every 2 seconds, again so loud and amplified. It would be impossible to sleep there or work while heating is on or someone turns hot water on (never even noticed this when viewing, but having lived in a bedroom with a boiler cupboard in it i wouldn’t even suspect that would be a problem) I am not even THAT sensitive to noise but i feel i am spiralling into paranoia.

• the fucking helicopters?!?! There is a heliport in battersea over the other side of the river…

We are meant to be putting new floor with sound proofing but given that neighbours play drum and bass i think the sound will travel through walls and chimneys anyway?
I don’t want to be here, it’s a complete disaster. I am now paranoid about every sound and movement
Any advice please? Move? Wait? Do i even bother changing the floors, spending £15k+ on new floors only to discover no noise change?
I feel like this mansion block compared with the one i lived is so flimsy.
I feel no joy from buying anything new for the house- it shouldn’t be like this :(

@MyFirstHypnosis oh that’s a very good idea too

Hope it gets better soon whatever the outcome
Have you got anywhere with the noisy meter? If you can reduce one aspect of noise that will help
Pp suggested a mat for the neighbours sound bar perhaps your dp could ask?
How are you feeling about the flat in general? Habe you decorated and unpacked? Is it starting to feel a little more like home? That may help too
Sorry for all the questions I hope you find some peace

@Needcoffeecoffeecoffee I have been looking into the gas meter and that seems like the easiest and most fixable thing so that’s good. But i am dreading coming to the flat, avoid being there whenever there is a possibility. Going through the motions looking at furniture and new things. Pretty much doing what one person above said. I don’t talk to anyone in real life about it because i feel embarrassed.
I Can’t bring myself to spend any more money on anything nice. Everything to do with the flat right now is a chore.

“I don’t talk to anyone in real life about it because i feel embarrassed.”

Yeah I was one of the ones feeling like this. Property is so strange. It’s the subject of gossip and schadenfreude when someone doesn’t like their home/has a problem with it. I can’t think of any other misfortune treated in the same way - problems with work are completely different.

It’s maybe connected with the idea of having enough money to buy something fancy/in a fancy area yet end up worse off than someone of modest means? I don’t know.

I really feel for you OP. You've been given lots of advice on here - hopefully something will work
Good luck.

I cant add to any of the great advice you've read and screenshotted. I wanted to say I've lived in noisy situations, think of a door slamming so hard below my bed that I'd wake up with a jolt feeling like I'd been shot. Daily. This situation isn't forever in one way or another. Keep us all updated, even if it just helps you keep some sanity

If you look at the terms of the lease they generally say you’re entitled to the “quiet enjoyment or the property”. Although you will have to flag it when you sell, you should make a formal complaint about the noise from the surround sound because arguably it’s breaking the lease terms. It’s more than just standard footsteps or babies crying. The tenants may not be aware how disruptive it is. So that would be the first thing.

Just be aware that whatever people say here it’s much easier to soundproof a room to stop noise going out than coming in. Or to prevent your own floors making a noise below you, than blocking noise coming down from above. Generally, ime soundproofing of the kind you want isn’t that effective. And you well not be able to add the total cost to the asking price when selling.

Sometimes it’s cheaper to walk away. I would think through how you would feel about the total cash outlay in addition to the stamp duty if it doesn’t work. Do you want to lose the extra money.

[quote LeonieLondon]@Needcoffeecoffeecoffee I have been looking into the gas meter and that seems like the easiest and most fixable thing so that’s good. But i am dreading coming to the flat, avoid being there whenever there is a possibility. Going through the motions looking at furniture and new things. Pretty much doing what one person above said. I don’t talk to anyone in real life about it because i feel embarrassed.
I Can’t bring myself to spend any more money on anything nice. Everything to do with the flat right now is a chore.[/quote]
I can personally recommend Boots wax earplugs. You cut them in half, mould with your finger into cones and place them in. You won't hear much if anything with those in and they will help calm your mind. They are also very comfortable. Please try them, you won't regret it!

“This situation isn't forever in one way or another”

As above

@mandoforever

I'd cut your losses and sell, life is too short. I wouldn't spend the money on insulation.

And never buy new build. This is obvious to me but also heard many horror stories over the years, which seem to have somehow evaded you.

How about you give yourself a timeline? Say to yourself you’ll stay for at least a year and give it your best shot. Any improvements you do to the flat will increase its desirability and value if you do decide to move on, so don't feel it’s a waste. Also, any new furniture can be taken with you……..not many items only work in one specific place. I still have almost all the furniture from my my first ever flat……it works perfectly in my current house!
Try to take the emotion out of it and think of it as a project. I hope it works out for you and you end up loving it, but if not, you can move. It’s expensive but not impossible snd not worth being unhappy for the rest of your life!!

I bought a victorian villa not in London but in Glasgow unknown to me it was right under the flight path, when the Emirates plane went over it was horrendous. I had neighbours from he'll and it was on a busy road which I thought was quiet. I cried for about a year and used to drive past my previous house and yearn to go back.i eventually got used to the house noises and the planes and stayed in the house for 13 years and I loved that house. I think you need to give it 6 months see if you adjust

Karen, it's not a new build, it's an Edwardian mansion flat. Why don't people even read the basics of the original post? It is a bane of this forum

It"s horrible being bothered by noise. I've lived in Victorian buildings in Kensington for decades. Sound insulation works: it takes wall space away but it's worth it. You get used to the helicopters! They're full on atm because there's been Winter Wonderland and several recent demos, but if you get into the mindset they're keeping us safe it merges into background noise. I've personally never moved without becoming temporarily hyper-conscious of neighbour noise, it does become less intrusive when you've met and know them. Most K&C mansion blocks have clauses about noise - does yours? And yes, I agree with the posters suggesting a chat with the neighbours - you could even ask them if you're disturbing them, as an icebreaker, maybe? Good luck.

Most mansion flat leases have noise clauses period ime. OP may be able to get an agreement that the other tenants only use it between x and y times of day.

"My Kensington residence is too noisy, and my diamond shoes are too tight!"

Get a grip...

Oh stop it, @Hotmess. The noise is an issue, whether it's a mansion flat in Kensington or a terrace in Lewisham. If you crash into conversations in this fashion in real life, people must think you're a weirdo.

I would really like it if the phrase 'Get a grip' could be banned from Mumsnet. It serves no purpose other than to be aggressive or bullying! In fact, the phrase is usually used by posters who have no understanding, (understanding - either of the emotional or knowledge kind).

I think I'm quite near you OP - all I can say is you will be amazed at how you adapt to noise like helicopters, police sirens etc. Give it time.

HOWEVER the downstairs neighbours' sound system will have to go. My block's leases say that no noise should be audible outside your flat at any time and also have specific provisions around permitted hours for playing music, doing DIY etc. I'm sure yours will be similar and you can get it enforced. What does yours say? Have you spoken to your block's managing agent? Might be worth talking directly to the neighbours first, it could be that they have got used to your flat being empty and have taken the opportunity to crank up the surround sound/bass.

@HotMess79
Problems are relative. Is person A not allowed to be sad about the death of their dog because person B’s husband died?
There’s simply no need for meanness.

“I would really like it if the phrase 'Get a grip' could be banned from Mumsnet. It serves no purpose other than to be aggressive or bullying! In fact, the phrase is usually used by posters who have no understanding, (understanding - either of the emotional or knowledge kind).“

Amen.

Hotness’ post is quite mocking which I think feeds the embarrassment/shame element.
A neighbour gently mocks me about my house problems to get an emotional response - it’s engrained habit (he’s a barrister). I don’t think people take house problems seriously.

“HOWEVER the downstairs neighbours' sound system will have to go.”

This is the crux of it.

@MyFirstHypnosis

“I would really like it if the phrase 'Get a grip' could be banned from Mumsnet. It serves no purpose other than to be aggressive or bullying! In fact, the phrase is usually used by posters who have no understanding, (understanding - either of the emotional or knowledge kind).“

Amen.

Agreed! It's also rude and condescending. Like why even bother posting that, it's hardly constructive? How would they like that response to their life's problems??! Noise is a serious issue!!

@HotMess79

"My Kensington residence is too noisy, and my diamond shoes are too tight!"

Get a grip...

It's the noise that's an issue not the location! Try to keep your jealousy in check!