Not allowed to lay more laminate flooring in flat: is there a way round it?

[stargirl04]

Hi, I bought my top floor flat (built 2005) a couple of months ago and want to lay new laminate flooring throughout the flat.

The lounge and hallway are already laminated, but it is a cheap laminate and is chipping; while the bedrooms have (horrible) carpets. I would like to put in new laminate in throughout.

However, the management company said No. They said the previous laminate must have been put in without permission and do not want me to lay any more in the bedrooms.

I told them that almost every flat in the block has laminate (as per Rightmove) but they said that must have been done without permission too.

My solicitor told me today that my lease states that I must "maintain adequate close carpeting with underfelt or underlay throughout the demised premises or take such other steps in relation to the composition or covering of the floors of the premises as the lessor may reasonably deem adequate having regard to the peace and quiet of the occupants in the block or in accordance with any relevant building regulation".

My solicitor said that as long as I "provided adequate sound proofing the lease does not specifically say you cannot lay the same".

Has anyone got any advice? I hate carpets. My sister said that if I install vinyl floors they are much quieter than laminate and the management company should not have a problem with that.

The management company can't give me an answer for two weeks as their director is on holiday and I have friends visiting from overseas in a few weeks and am desperate to get the floors done as I am still living among cardboard boxes. (I just thought it would be easier to get the floors done before putting big furniture items into small bedrooms.)

Has anyone got any advice or has anyone been in this situation? How can I resolve it. I really don't want carpets if I can help it.

Thanks for reading.

I have just laid vinyl tiles and in the process of sourcing them I looked at various commercial flooring websites; I kept seeing acoustic flooring mentioned, so there is obviously vinyl flooring designed to cut down on noise.

Put rugs down, whatever you do lay. We have bare floorboards upstairs with massive area rugs and I can only hear the kids when they're at the edges of the room.

Scylla, that must be a nightmare. The person upstairs may be in breach of his lease requirements?

Wigglybeezer and MummytoMog - thanks for these suggestions.

I'll just keep talking to the neighbours who live below, and I won't change anything without the management's say-so anyway - I'm too much of a chicken to defy them, ha ha!

If it has to be carpets then it has to be carpets, I guess. Anyone know of any carpets that are easy to keep clean? (Not black or brown carpets please... )

I live in a new build upper floor flat, my neighbour below has laminate. The sound is horrendous, I have complained and the level has muted to a dull roar. Still waiting for it to be resolved.

Grey carpet. Grey is really 'in' colour wise at the minute and we've just had some or down in a few rooms and it looks and feels lovely. Get a really thick underlay and you'll have a really luxurious feeling floor. We replaced wooden floors and I'd never go back especially in bedrooms. Much warmer and cosier and much less dusty than the wooden floors were.

Zombie thread!

My neighbour above informed us that she has ordered wooden flooring for her lounge,she mentioned aqu sticks flooring,however the lease says against it.....i think I should of put my foot down more though,no pun intended,she says she has already paid for it,I'm worried now.

Hi all, does anyone know if the same rules apply to owned properties?

Upstairs neighbours whom I've asked about the noise multiple times - and they said 'it's just the building' - as I can even hear pet footsteps, have said their floor is fine. However after getting work done and holes in the ceiling it was clear to see they have bare laminate on the house joists, no underlay whatsoever!

Any tips of getting them to put proper flooring down/legislation that may help would be sooooo appreciated. otherwise may resort to becoming a character in PigletJohn's story....

I would never buy a flat again due to the noise from the laminate flooring in the flat above me. I could even hear conversations as there was no carpet to muffle the sound. Awful.

Shame though as the flat was lovely, very big and my own large private garden.