@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 :(
I feel your pain.
We purchased a flat with a garden in a period house split into two, the upstairs was rented out and we were so swayed ( post Covid) of the massive garden we went ahead without thinking too much about noise.
Christ, the first night the whole flat was shaking. A single woman who loves music is renting it - the only saving grace is she works odd hours so will often be out at night and sleep in the day, but music blaring all weekend.
First thing I did was have a long chat with the tenant, and to be fair she agreed to not play the music as loud, and allowed me to have a look at the flooring, basically there's no sound insulation, bare wooden floors from the 19th century , one or two rugs and nothing else.
I spoke to the landlord and surprisingly he agreed the place should be carpeted with sound insulation underlay and he would pay for this- he asked the tenant and she refused!! Citing she hates carpet.
Its now been decided between the landlord and me that he wont re-new the contract and get the place carpeted and refurbished ( its in need of updating) he's also lined up a tenant, an older retired person friend of his family, so hopefully the club music wont continue .
We ripped out the kitchen and bathroom and refloored the flat so we did consider soundproofing the ceiling , but after spending around 40K, we didn't want the flat anymore. We got under the stairs sound proofed and our hallway- which did help and are awaiting the tenant to move out in a few months.
For the OP, you're in a tricky situation, we wanted to sell up straight away but were advised many buyers would be put off and of course we would have to lie why we're moving and face prosecution for that ( although I'm sure my seller did the exact same thing, but we can't be bothered to chase her in the courts , she's an old woman)
So we were advised we have to wait 6 months and use the time to try and mitigate the problems.
Sound doesn't usually present an issue to top floor flats. I would suggest you get a sound survey done. Ours was brilliant and identified our problem areas - get a few quotes, soundproofing can give some amazing effects, but you get what you pay for, so always go for the AAA option.
Second I would identify your neighbours and the noise, are they tenants, can you pressure the landlord, if they are leaseholders, bully them with the 'quiet enjoyment' clause in your lease, they are breaking it. Get the council involved, who will write to them and keep a noise diary , if they continue the council can take further steps like fines and seizing music equipment.
The nuclear option is let 3 months pass after your completion then start speaking to agents and sell up, it takes 3 months to shift a flat in London, so the 6 month thing won't be an issue.
I personally would look into with your solicitor taking legal action against your seller , all of this should have been declared, just like my flat.
Good luck,