Poor ceiling insulation in flat below

[Musicforsmorks]

Moved into 500 yr old building, a flat above someone’s kitchen. It is fairly temporary so don’t want to invest too much, but it seems whoever fitted the ceiling below made it super thin, I can see lights in their ceiling through my floorboards.

A lot of sound travels up, echoing and quite loud. People are not noisy, but this is obviously less than ideal for me.

Any quick ish ways to dampen it?

Carpet,I expect your feet walking on bare boards are quite noisy for downstairs too.

Very helpful reply, thank you.

Regarding the floor, which as a tenant I cannot rip up, there are wall to wall rugs over it. I discovered the light shining through the old boards after lifting a rug up.

If anyone has any actual advice on how I can minimise issue here that would be great.

Lol at the salty reply. That’s exactly the advice I would give

I’ve also never heard of it being the owner’s ceiling that’s a problem, always the floor belonging to the flat above.

I’d speak to the landlord and get some thicker rugs in place. Really won’t be fun for your downstairs neighbour to head footsteps all the time

I mean is it even normal to be able to see a light through my floor?
If I already have rugs, I’m not sure how I can find a solution, so a bit stuck.

My floor freaks like crazy and I am mortified.

Thanks Shirley.

Thankfully I only over their kitchen but I am nervous.

I always though the upstairs flat would get less noise too, but it comes in like an echo chamber, it’s so weird.

I do know downstairs has tile flooring all through so possible a bit like inside of a ping pong ball.

I agree with carpets. Our upstairs neighbour only has boards and it's like a herd of elephants moving around. She's a great neighbour in other ways so we haven't said anything but anyone upstairs with no carpet is bloody inconsiderate.

Oh and we discovered we can see through a gap in the boards when we changed a light fitting.

Actually no you shouldn't be able to see the lights through the floor. Its a matter of fire safety. There should be decent plasterboard covering the ceiling.

Old houses divided into flats are pretty much bound to be noisy, and at least should be carpeted. I'd never live in one again!

I think the lights are those that are set into ceiling (downlights?).

My floor is very old, a ‘feature’ thing I guess so I doubt the landlord would pull the boards up. But there are rugs covering most of the boards and I don’t think it helps, sadly, unless I put another layer of rugs over them, maybe?

Yeh, it’s a listed building, stupidly old and retains a lot of original features. Unfortunately not all of them are ideal.

My downstairs people are not neighbours as such, they are in a holiday let. I’m rural.

@PinkSpraklyPussyCat oh god that does sound awkward. Fortunately the neighbour bedroom is not beneath my flat.

I mean, I can hear them talking. And they’re not shouting..

Are there gaps between the boards, they could be filled then put vinyl down if light still comes through. That would help dampen the noise for downstairs too.

@HappyHammy only a very few slight ones. Do you mean vinyl like the kitchen Lino stuff? I’m worried this would be expensive......

I only moved this week, so had no idea the noise would be so bad with the rugs down. Now I’m horrified I might sound like elephants too!

Honestly I’m so fed up I wish I hadn’t signed the lease. ☹️

Lino is cheap. Have a look for an offcuts at any carpet store.

Thanks hammy, I will look into it.

We live in a very old house and the previous owner exposed the beams which means that there is a thin layer of floor boards between one floor and the the next. In some rooms there is a layer of plaster board below the beams but actually breaking this seal with downlighers makes the noise travel more.

As for what you can do, maybe you would stuff the cracks with paper. And put down something like www.amazon.co.uk/12mm-Thick-Spring-Underlay-Quality/dp/B00EZMT3NY?psc=1&th=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21 under the rugs and make sure it goes wall to wall.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I’m not sure about the underlay because I won’t be allowed to nail it down at all. And for it to reach every wall would cost me a fortune - especially then having to purchase more rugs to cover it all .

I wonder whether those interlocking gym flor mats might work under rugs where main walkways are. Not sure.

Will definitely not be renewing when contract ends.

I think the gym floor mats will be more expensive than underlay. If you buy underlay online it is not expensive.