Help! I'm the neighbour from hell.

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So I've just moved into a new house, stupidly put laminate floor everywhere.. the noise is ridiculous. I'm literally telling the kids off for walk/breathing/anything.. they sound like elephants everytime they move. It's the frontroom that's the worst. I have one rug that doesn't seem to make to much difference. Im so worried about upsetting the neighbours. I have serious mum guilt and absolutely hating the house. I have 0 money left to buy carpets or do much. But Any advice?

I have so many bigger issues & theres so much worse happening in the world but for some reason this noise situation is really getting to me.

Helpppppppp!

Perfect!
we don’t have carpets either.. laminate or lino everywhere… I’m forever changing and washing rugs, so I know how disgusting carpets would get.

Cannot really help, but I feel your pain. We moved in to a rented house, the whole downstairs is laminate.
When me moved in we didn't have neighbours, some have moved in now, I don't think the noise is too bad, my main problem, is with me, I am a light sleeper, my partner doesn't walk properly when wearing his slippers, he slides his feet, so I get schleep schleep. When he gets up a 3 am for work.
I have got him to shut the room doors, to try and keep the noise down.
But a carpet would help, I get the kitchen and diner having laminate, but it's cold and uncomfortable in the lounge.

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Aw I feel so bad for you! I don't have any advice for you except the advice one of the other readers has given you - why not pop into your neighbours home and ask whether they are being affected by any noise and apologize in advance for your children and any noise they may make!

My neighbours have wood floors and the main problem for me is when they open/close doors, open wardrobes and cupboards. They seem unable to close doors without letting slam esp in the early hours. Can also hear their vacuum running over the floors. Nothing I can do about as they don't care and it will cause problems if I complain.

Please, please do not worry, laminate flooring is very practical when you have kids. You are not in a flat...............kids will be kids............just enjoy your house......life is too short.......

My next door neighbours in my old home had laminate throughout their home, every time their dc were running around or dropped something it would make us jump, especially if it was up stairs felt
like it was coming through our ceiling. I hated it. So glad when we moved.

I'd just like to point out that laminate flooring in a downstairs flat is also a problem for those living upstairs!
Our downstairs neighbours have it along with two primary school aged children who seem to enjoy running races indoors, it's very noisy.

I live in a flat, below neighbours, who ripped up the soundproofing in their kitchen and laid laminate flooring, the impact sound (as opposed to airbourne sound) is insane.

No problem - wear slippers or no shoes in the house. New rule: take shoes at the door no discussion!

Ask them! Nicest thing you can do!

It might not be as bad as you think. I live in an old 1900s mid terrace. Apart from my stairs and upstairs hallway, the whole house is laminate. Not my choice as we bought it this way but haven’t changed it for various reasons- having young kids it’s been a godsend when potty training, sickness, muddy shoes etc!! We have a no shoe policy on the house. The kids won’t wear slippers though. I’ve spoken to neighbours and they’ve genuinely said they don’t hear us. I’ve asked mostly due to one child being autistic and having meltdowns during a particular phase when younger and I was worried we would get reported for the screaming. Being an older house the walls are quite thick so not everything travels sideways. When my neighbour has their grandchild toddler there visiting and the running up and down the stairs and the running in general is what travels. General walking about doesn’t. When precious neighbour has a toddler step child staying over about 10 years ago we had the same on the other side with regards to noise. I can totally see why people in flats have an issue though as when my kids are upstairs and drop a pencil or can sound like they’ve dropped a brick, but it’s only downstairs the sound travels and not sideways to the neighbours.

We have laminate and I hear you about noise. My dc wake me up by running up and down the kitchen (dh supervising). It just echos

It’s mainly door banging that I hear from my neighbour, if your little ones like to do this you can get them sponge things that go on top of the doors I think they are designed to stop doors closing and to stop kids getting there fingers trapped. That would stop that noise in particular

Don't wear shoes in the house maybe? I have never understood why people do this, maybe bc I grew up in an indian household and it was just a no-no but it must be so hard to clean up after kids with shoes on, especially since all houses in the UK seem to think wall to wall carpet is nice and not incredibly disgusting, aesthetically and sanitarily.

Yes filling up room will definitely help, I had same problem, but no longer once a few rugs are layer down , pictures etc

Can confirm. My carpet is disgusting after 2.5 years.
But I am in a first floor flat so I've no other option.

You can get buy foam backing for rugs, to give some extra sound proofing. Just use double-sided tape and then Rug Grip on the bottom. I used to have hard floors in my top floor flat and I just used foam and rug grip in high traffic areas. Nobody complained (I asked my two downstairs neighbours). It's cheap, too!