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Original poster

Neighbour Problem

52 replies

Fallingleaves75 · 15/11/2021 15:04

Hi all

Just wondering on opinions if anyone has moved due to neighbours. I know there are hundreds of threads on this but just wanted my own.

I live in a beautiful ground floor flat owned. There are a couple upstairs with a little one and the noise has been getting worse and worse. They rent.I’ve been awake most of the night due to the noise. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not loud music or parties, just horrific impact noise. I have spoken to their landlord about it before as they admitted they were being heavy footed up there. There was also a drugs problem as well back up by other neighbours but the landlord refused to move them as it was just a bit of weed. Apparently she’s getting a good rent off them. I know I should expect noise in a ground floor flat but its slowing getting worse and worse. They are also constantly back and forth and in and out of the communal stairway. Some evenings it can be up to 20 times. I think it’s to do with the drugs as do other neighbours so I get a lot of slamming doors.

I can’t see them moving anytime soon and wonder for the sake of my mental health whether it’s worth moving myself. I don’t have a mortgage and have savings so could buy a small property outright. It’s just that I love it here, there’s parking and convenient for town and the train station. I am nearly 60 and saw myself retiring here. They are early 20s.

It’s very tense when I see them now but wondering whether for the sake of mental health, it’s worth making the more or see if they move once the little one gets bigger and they need a garden.

I know some people have worse neighbours but having someone pounding over your head for most of the day and night (I work from home) is really starting to take its toll.

Many thanks.

OP posts:
FedUpAtHomeTroels · 15/11/2021 15:30

I'd move.

Theunamedcat · 15/11/2021 15:38

Me too

If you suspect dealing (because just smoking wouldn't need to open and close doors all night) you will have customers ire to deal with also as you will then become the grass downstairs

Move somewhere else asap

AwaAnBileYerHeid · 15/11/2021 16:10

I'd report them to SS if you suspect drug dealing..

oohmama · 15/11/2021 17:02

I wouldn't report it because then you'd have to declare it if you do end up selling..

DoctorWhoTardis · 15/11/2021 17:04

I wouldn't report it. I would just move. Reporting won't solve anything.

Original poster
Fallingleaves75 · 15/11/2021 17:13

Thanks everyone. I think I am just going to leave it now as reporting won’t get anywhere. Their landlord isn’t even bothered and admits herself that they are smoking weed.

I honestly don’t think they are dealing. Probably just going outside for quick puffs here and there.

I just don’t know whether to stick it out in the hope they go. I’d be terribly upset if I moved only to find out they had gone themselves and someone decent was up there.

I honestly thought I would retire here.

OP posts:
CellophaneFlower · 15/11/2021 17:14

I'd be looking to move. Even if this family move on, you don't know who will move in next and the landlord doesn't seem to care. Obviously you can't choose your neighbours wherever you go, but if you have to purchase a flat, I'd make sure it's top floor. Better security-wise too. It's so sad though as you obviously love the place, but not worth being constantly wound up/on edge Flowers

RandomMess · 15/11/2021 17:33

Decent noise cancelling headphones could help Thanks

mumwon · 15/11/2021 17:47

I would ask to speak to neighbourhood police & ask their advice - say you suspect dealing (well we do! here on mn) & they might come round & have a chat with you - weed or not (& LL doesn't know for certain) if they are dealing - they are dealing

Original poster
Fallingleaves75 · 15/11/2021 17:54

Hi Random. I already have the noise cancelling headphones. They are a life saver sometimes.

OP posts:
LivingLaVidaBabyShower · 15/11/2021 17:56

Personally i would move.
Life is too short for this kind of thing amd it can really impact your mental health and happiness

Original poster
Fallingleaves75 · 15/11/2021 17:58

Hi mumwon. I have thought about but I really don’t suspect dealing. I used to be a criminal lawyer so know the signs for things like that.

It’s such a shame as a I do love the place and all the other neighbours are lovely. Everyone would like to see the back of them but they are paying the landlord nearly £2k in rent.

OP posts:
Mosaic123 · 15/11/2021 18:01

Could you afford a house? Flats will always potentially have this problem?

TheEconomista · 15/11/2021 18:48

I’d seriously look into moving. See what you could afford in the area you like (not a flat). Get yours valued. Don’t report anything as it’ll just make it more difficult to sell.

You could give it a year to see if they move on, but can you put up with it without it really affecting how you feel? I know you thought you’d retire there, but you could also be happy somewhere else. There’s no guarantee the next tenant or the one after will be any quieter.

GinIronic · 15/11/2021 18:56

They probably are dealing if they can afford £2k a month rent.

Original poster
Fallingleaves75 · 15/11/2021 19:03

Yes I can afford a house. I’m actually seeing a little end terrace just round the corner on Saturday. I’m mortgage free at the moment and have savings so money wise I’m fine. I just love where I am now. Private garden, big high ceilings, easy to clean etc.

Regarding the £2k rent, it’s quite an expensive area. Houses go for over £1 million. My flat was almost £450k. I’ve worked so hard for it.

I have thought about giving it another year but I think the noise will get worse as the little one gets older.

OP posts:
Kamma89 · 15/11/2021 19:20

Move, you sound like you're in a good position money wise & don't mourn your retirement plans, the situation has changed & your plans can to. Try to stay positive. Neighbour noise is awful, even if its not particularly anti-social like this is, it just grinds you down over time. Could you look at top floor flats, maisonettes often have a private garden in London at least & a small house might have equally annoying noise issues.

CellophaneFlower · 15/11/2021 19:21

However lovely your home is, you're obviously not happy there presently. It's awful that you have to consider moving due to others, but your mental health may thank you for it in the long run. Yes, the people above could move on shortly, best case scenario. But who will be next, or after them? Noise above is always so much worse in my experience, as are communal stairways... the noise travels so much. Just view the house with an open mind. You just might be able to make it as lovely as your current home eventually.

Original poster
Fallingleaves75 · 15/11/2021 19:36

Thanks everyone. You are all right.

I actually lived in a top floor flat before I moved here. It was lovely and quiet and although I could hear stuff from below, it’s not like the constant pounding above me now and the constant coming and goings. It was purpose built whereas I am in a conversion now.

Yes i need to try and stay positive. Hopefully someone will buy my place pretty quick. once it’s on the market, I should feel a bit better.

It’s such a shame as everyone else in the block is lovely.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 15/11/2021 20:54

My friend lives in a ground floor conversion with garden. It's lovely but so noisy I would never get used to you it.

CellophaneFlower · 15/11/2021 21:26

I used to nanny for a family who lived in a flat, in a converted manor house, bottom floor. As with yours, it was beautiful, high ceilings and private garden. It was blissful... until one day I thought we were under attack. Turned out the woman who lived above had a day off work and her daughter had a friend round. I had called my employer as the noise was ridiculous. She wasn't surprised in the slightest as it was the norm at weekends 🙉

Sandrine1982 · 15/11/2021 21:30

I feel your pain. I know how horrible it is to have to move because of neighbours. We absolutely love our flat, and we've worked so hard for it. But our neighbours and the estate in general are starting to get on our nerves. So we're buying a house. But I'm TERRIFIED that I'll regret it. What if my new neighbours will be even worse?? I keep thinking my current situation isn't too bad?? Questions questions. Change is hard, but we don't know unless we do it, right? Life is too short. Let's just move and see how it goes. Good luck Flowers

Original poster
Fallingleaves75 · 16/11/2021 08:38

Hi Sandrine. Same as and I completely feel for you. It’s so difficult isn’t it. Why do one or two people have to ruin it for everyone else. I think the same. Will I get worse neighbours if I move to a semi or terrace but don’t want a detached house as I’m on my own and that will just be too big and too expensive.

OP posts:
dgirluk · 16/11/2021 08:46

I feel your pain. I had a lovely ground floor flat years ago - my first place - yes there was noise from the 2 floors above but all manageable.

Then the couple upstairs had a baby. Not their fault, they weren't doing anything wrong, but the noise..... not even just the crying etc., but just general noise levels went crazy. They had hard floors and it was constant from the moment of waking up to the moment of going to bed. Mum decided to stop work and not send the child to nursery etc. and just seemed to be home all day every day. I ended up moving out to stay with friends just to get respite - I was pretty much at the point of sitting in the corner rocking. I really value my peace, quiet and privacy, and I couldn't handle it at all.

I moved out and rented it out, but lost my tenants due to the noise too. So I sold it. Best thing I did !!!!!

Original poster
Fallingleaves75 · 16/11/2021 09:32

Thanks dgirkuk. The circumstances are exactly similar to mine. The little one upstairs is 9 months and will soon be walking and running.

She doesn’t go out much either apart from to smoke and whatever else she is doing and I’ve heard from another neighbour that she has just been made redundant.

Like you, I love my peace and quiet although appreciate that living with someone above you, you will get noise. Before the child came, it was manageable as they were obviously smoking in their flat so the constant activity in and out wasn’t as bad.

Did you move to a house in the end ?

OP posts:
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