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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that you shouldn’t choose to rent an upstairs 2 bed flat if you have 4 noisy kids

405 replies

shatteredmama · 25/11/2023 14:51

Just after your thoughts. We rent a ground floor flat, we expect to hear some of the usual sounds of upstairs neighbours such as footsteps, doors closing, washing machine, Hoover, the odd thud. Am absolutely fine with that.

A new couple moved into the flat upstairs, normal neighbour noises could be heard. No problem with that. Soon after they told me they had lied to our landlord and that it won’t just be the two of them, their 4 boys from the ages of 2 -11 would be coming over from their home country and living in that flat with them. Theirs is a 2 bedroom flat, no outside space, our flats are converted from 1 house. As she told me this she laughed and her exact words were oh you’ll know when they’ve arrived. Things are going to get very noisy!

Since the kids moved in the noise levels are ridiculous. Constant loud bangs, thuds, shouting, squealing, we can hear them running up and down their flat. It isn’t occasional. It’s all day every day as not all of them attend school.

I know kids make noise. On a couple of occasions I’ve knocked on and as nicely and politely as possible explained how it’s impacting us. For example when my child was crying and couldn’t go to sleep at bedtime because all the kids in the room above were jumping off the sofa onto the floor, our lampshade was swinging from the impact. At other times they’ve all been running and screeching so loud it sounds as though they are actually in our flat with us. The neighbours have then shrugged, argued back and said they’d try to keep the noise down but there’s nothing they can do.

I don’t know what we can do other than move out ourselves, but with the housing crisis the way it is, it wouldn’t be easy. I feel angry that they lied to get the tenancy and moved the family in knowing that it would disturb us and make our lives difficult.

Would any of you say I’m justified in feeling this way, any practical advice you’d give?

OP posts:
lollipoprainbow · 28/11/2023 00:56

Turkey98 · 28/11/2023 00:54

Sounds just like normal noise for a large family - if you need peace and quiet, you shouldn't choose to live in a flat; you need to be comfortable with noise. Normal noise includes people making noise, and children being children. Sounds like you may need a detached property,and just have been lucky to have neighbours to your liking up to now.

I'm not sure why all these comments on overcrowding are coming from - the flat could house many more people. children under 10 aren't considered (and are ignored as they grow) and a two bed, one sitting room flat would be generally deemed suitable for 6 adults to live in.

You have the wrong expectations, they are acting perfectly normally.

Not everyone can afford a detached property ffs!

People with children should be more considerate to their neighbors not laugh in their face.

PinotViogner · 28/11/2023 07:16

lollipoprainbow · 28/11/2023 00:56

Not everyone can afford a detached property ffs!

People with children should be more considerate to their neighbors not laugh in their face.

If the neighbours are apparently choosing to keep their family of 6 in a small 2 bed flat then surely OP can make choice to get a better home? That's kind of the precedent that she set when she came up with such a tone deaf title. Grow up 😉

jools7 · 28/11/2023 19:07

Wonderful Life your house would be ideal 👍😁xx

knockyknees · 30/11/2023 20:33

Screamingabdabz · 25/11/2023 16:02

I wouldn’t care less what circumstances they’d been through if they were making my life a misery in such a cavalier and inconsiderate way. They’re just selfish piss takers. You bet I’d report them to the landlord. Tough shit. You tried the nice approach and it didn’t work. Time to escalate your action.

Exactly. I'd have had no hesitation in reporting them to the landlord after about a month of this unacceptable racket.

MrsAzza · 30/11/2023 20:36

If you live in a flat you have to expect noise above or below that you can’t control unfortunately. It’s annoying but it is what it is!

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