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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Am I a bad neighbour? :/

285 replies

GM99 · 14/10/2023 22:51

I have recently bought a top floor flat in a victorian conversion in London. When I moved in, the previous owners left me a lovely note with really useful information including that the original floorboards were still in tact if I wanted to rip the carpet up. There was carpet in the hallway, on the stairs, on the landing and in the study. The carpet was pretty gross so I made the decision to have the floorboards reclaimed and someone came to rip out the carpets.

In the meantime, I met the neighbours downstairs - a couple in their 30s, no kids, he works from home full time and she works in an office full time. I've only had conversations with him. He's taken a couple of parcels in for me while I have been at work. He came across fairly relaxed and relatively friendly but I noticed he kept asking questions about what I was planning to do with the flat...which I did find a bit annoying because I got the feeling he was only talking to me to see, basically, how annoying a neighbour I was going to be rather than genuinely being friendly. He told me that the previous owners were a couple with a son with learning difficulties and the son used to bang and stamp really loudly on the floor which they found very difficult so they liaised with the neighbours who agreed to get carpet and some kind of soundproofing. I only found this out after getting the carpets ripped out. I asked him if I was noisy and he was like 'oh no no, everything is fine'. I said I didn't want anyone to feel uncomfortable and that he should let me know if there were any issues.

Anyway, this morning I got a text message from him and his partner asking me to come round for drinks to discuss the flooring as they said they had noticed that it was much more noisy since I ripped the carpet out. I've agreed to go over but I'm not sure how I feel about the whole situation.

Firstly, I'm single, in my late 30s and live by myself and live a quiet lifestyle. I'm not running around having a rave every night so even though I understand they can probably hear me when I'm walking around, is it unreasonable of them to start interfering in how I decide to go my flat up - ie getting the floorboards reclaimed? What is a reasonable amount of noise for them to deal with? Given the nature of the flats and how they have been built, it's highly doubtful that all noise can be eliminated. I'm concerned they are going to try and persuade me into getting soundproofing which I can't afford. I work from home 2-3 days a week. I can understand it may have been a bit noisy recently as I have just moved in and have been getting people over to provide quotes on flooring, painting and decorating etc.

Any thoughts/opinions would be greatly appreciated :)

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
Appletomtom · 20/10/2023 20:07

She said that she bought the flat so she owns it

QuickDraining · 26/10/2023 10:14

Blimey, It's almost as if that content is generated by a bot.

Get the sound crew down there.

Tighginn · 26/10/2023 10:29

Lynn, these are sex people!

Ilovecleaning · 26/10/2023 14:59

Genuine question: why is it such a big deal if the Mail or any other tabloid picks up stories from Mumsnet? MN is in the public arena and it’ s a risk you take when you post. posts are anonymous and names and places not usually mentioned. Why does it matter if the DM uses the stories?

Blueink · 26/10/2023 21:36

Apart from lazily lifting stories, The Mail and even the broadsheets are often poorly written with constant typos. Accordingly “it’s much ‘for’ noisy” now… as in

“Now her neighbours have invited her over for a drink to discuss the flooring situation, telling her that it's much for noisy since she got rid of the carpet.” 🙄

ellyeth · 08/11/2023 12:22

I think it is insensitive and rather anti-social to have wooden flooring when you have people living below. Just imagine how noisy everyday activities, like vacuuming, will be on a wooden floor. It seems to me that the previous owners were planting the idea into your head of removing the carpeting in order for them to get back at your neighbours.

Personally, I prefer carpets anyway. They are warmer and cosier, and, in my opinion, easier to keep dust and debris free.

But if you are really keen to have wooden flooring, perhaps the suggestions Gazelda makes would be useful.

In the long run, is it worth alienating your new neighbours for this? Having uncooperative and unfriendly neighbours can make life miserable.

Daphnis156 · 14/11/2023 15:58

If it is set in your lease to be carpeted, and you don't do it, you can expect trouble, and if you have a mortgage, even more trouble, as the mortgage holder will not tolerate you breaking the lease.

TheUltima · 30/11/2023 22:09

ellyeth · 08/11/2023 12:22

I think it is insensitive and rather anti-social to have wooden flooring when you have people living below. Just imagine how noisy everyday activities, like vacuuming, will be on a wooden floor. It seems to me that the previous owners were planting the idea into your head of removing the carpeting in order for them to get back at your neighbours.

Personally, I prefer carpets anyway. They are warmer and cosier, and, in my opinion, easier to keep dust and debris free.

But if you are really keen to have wooden flooring, perhaps the suggestions Gazelda makes would be useful.

In the long run, is it worth alienating your new neighbours for this? Having uncooperative and unfriendly neighbours can make life miserable.

My next door neighbours have hard floor and I can hear them hovering and dragging furniture about. Not to mention the kids running about. I’d hate it if it over me, bad enough to the side!

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