To agree to upstairs wooden floors

[Unsurethings]

We live in the downstairs flat of a victorian terrace, with a young family living in the flat above. They recently told us they want to replace the old carpeted floor with wooden floors and mentioned soundproofing. Impact noise is already an issue and whilst we rarely complain some of our windows and furniture shake when the kids play at chasing each other or stomp around. Should we agree to this? Can the noise actually get better if they change the flooring?

Do. Not. Agree. There was a radio discussion about wooden floors in flats just the other day. The noise will be unbearable - you will go insane. Not sure what they mean by soundproofing but either way they're talking bollocks.

If it's specifically prohibited in the leasehold, that would be an expensive mistake for them to make.

@TunnocksOrDeath

If it's specifically prohibited in the leasehold, that would be an expensive mistake for them to make.

Fair enough, but also still not up to OP to decide.

Not true.

If it's in the leasehold agreement you can compel people to put back the carpet. My upstairs neighbour had to re-carpet, and if absolutely necessary you can go to court where you will almost certainly win.

We have to assume in this instance it’s not specifically prohibited though- if it was I can’t imagine they’d even be considering it or mentioning it to downstairs neighbour.

This. We are 3rd floor and we can replace existing hard floor but not put in hard floor where there was carpet before.

I wouldn't be assuming anything of the sort!

i would be digging out my copy of the lease and checking it very carefully, it's an extremely common clause in leasehold flats.

You have no idea if the upstairs neighbour has bothered to check, or if they're just trying to pull a fast one.

No. It would be like living under a drumkit.

We have sound deadening underneath the engineered floor in the dining room. All it does is reduce the clatter to a thud.

Maybe they're asking because their lease says it's ok with permission. But do not give them permission, make it very clear you object to them installing wooden floors because they are really, really, noisy. Even soundproofing won't help much, there's something about the acoustics with wooden floors that noise and vibrations just carry.

There is a reason that hotels have carpetted hallways. Not only does it absorb foot steps but also it muffled other sounds. The acoustic problems caused by having wood floors are well known , so much so that it’s usually included in lease agreements. You would be nuts to ignore common knowledge. Just say no - you can’t stop kids being noisy, this will just amplify the problem

You would be mad to agree to this. It will be life a herd of elephants running through the house. If the open a drawer it will reverberate through the floor, they drop something it will sound like a gun shot.

No! DM has enough issues with her downstairs neighbours* *stomping about on laminate?

@Unsurethings Wooden floors above you will be horrendous.

They are fine for adults who tread lightly in soft slippers, but anyone who stomps about in a ''flat footed'' way {Children running around} will be awful.

We used to live next door to someone who wore heeled shoes indoors- she was a heavy treader and the sound of her stamping up and down stairs and along the corridors {victorian terrace} was so annoying.

She never seemed to take her clacky, stampy shoes off. Clodhoppers.

My brother also lived next door to a heavy treader in heels on a wooden floor.. Stamp! Stomp Stamp Stomp
^^
When new people moved in they put carpets down and it was a shoes off house. What a difference it made.

We have wooden floors upstairs and when the kids are pottering about, the noise is really irritating. If they are mucking about it's unbearable.

Even if there is not a clause requiring carpeting there will be a clause requiring the leaseholder not to make a nuisance.

Get hold of the lease, read it, and then either ph9ne your insurer if you have legal cover, or simply WRITE to them quoting the relevant clauses and saying you object.

God no.
Old house here. The noise of normal walking about is irritating.
My friend built a home years ago and number one on wish list...concrete floors, a real luxury with 4 children.
My children like to pace to music....so annoying.