Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Hearing Noise In Flats

52 replies

KitFizz · 10/05/2023 23:25

Hi! My partner is looking at buying a flat on the top floor (there are just two floors below) The building was built in the 1980's, it doesn't have concrete floors. He thought he would be less likely to hear noise from the flat below, so better for him, but he is now worrying whether the people in the flat below will hear him. His hobby is listening to his music, he has a big collection, and this is his main enjoyment/relaxation. Thing is, he does play it rather loud, often for a few hours solid every day, but never late at night. But the last thing he wants to do is upset the neighbours, as if they complain, he would be upset and then keep the music quieter, but he would then be wary about playing it, if there is the risk of it disturbing people. The people in the flat below are retired (but not hard of hearing) and are home a lot of the time. It is really weighing on his mind and worrying him, to the point where he has thought about soundproofing the floor with special underlay, which is quite expensive and no guarantee it would be particularly effective. He keeps trying to convince himself it will be ok, but wonder if he should pull out of the sale, incase he regrets it. Any thoughts please? 🙂

OP posts:
readingismycardio · 11/05/2023 05:23

You know, you can listen to music in your home without the whole building hearing it. It's called respect. It doesn't matter if it's not at night, it's still annoying.

dig135 · 11/05/2023 05:53

When I lived in a block of flats, I never played music sufficiently loudly that my neighbours could hear. A few hours a day?!

Honestly, it's extraordinarily selfish and would drive me up the wall. I find it quite irritating to put up with it for half an hour on the train given headphones are so good.

C4tastrophe · 11/05/2023 06:45

Headphones or don’t buy the apartment.

DanglingMod · 11/05/2023 06:50

Buy a detached house or don't play music out loud (or louder than quiet tv) at all. Daytime isn't better than evening. It still disturbs neighbours from being able to enjoy their own home and is really anti-social.

TheLurpackYears · 11/05/2023 06:57

You don't need to solve this problem for him, he's a grown man.

TheLurpackYears · 11/05/2023 06:59

My stbexh is one of the most selfish men you could meet, even he can put on headphones if he wants to listen to loud music. They are obnoxiously expensive Sony ones

PriamFarrl · 11/05/2023 07:37

KitFizz · 11/05/2023 00:06

He could, but not ideal when he has anyone round to socialise and they listen to music together 😁 His current neighbours don't complain, so I would personally stay put if I were him, as it will cost him money to move, and he might still have problems. He suffers with anxiety and gets stressed out easily, so I don''t think this will be a sensible move.

So he’s annoyed about having noisy neighbours yet he wants to move to somewhere and play loud music and have loads of friends around? Can’t he see what he’s doing here?

FatAgain · 11/05/2023 07:47

Just tell him to sleep with earplugs and don’t inflict himself on any neighbours in flats.

he sounds really inconsiderate

SpecialControlGroup · 11/05/2023 08:26

Listening to loud music for several hours a day will absolutely piss off his neighbours because it is antisocial.

I had a similar neighbour in a flat and it destroyed my mental health because I could never relax, I was always on edge wondering when the neighbours music was going to intrude on my home

It's quite ironic that he wants to move because of noisy neighbours himself, but won't turn it down or consider headphones!

Original poster
KitFizz · 11/05/2023 10:21

Seaitoverthere · 11/05/2023 04:51

I can’t quite get my head around him playing music loudly for several hours but getting anxious about the noise of everyday living coming from his neighbours house. Don’t you point out to him how odd this is and how selfish he is being ?

Yes, I do try to make him realise this, but because you hardly hear any noise at all from the neighbours joined the other side, he can't understand why the noisy side are really loud (I have heard them when I've been round there) Up until a few years ago, they weren't quite so noisy, then the elderly man who lived there, and who my partner got along with, passed away, and since then, the last few years, the noise has got worse. My partner had a good 10 years of living there with it being ok, then the lovely elderly gent passed away, and it's the Son who has become the most noisy and often shouting at his elderly Mum 🤷

OP posts:
Original poster
KitFizz · 11/05/2023 10:42

FatAgain · 11/05/2023 07:47

Just tell him to sleep with earplugs and don’t inflict himself on any neighbours in flats.

he sounds really inconsiderate

He does sometimes sleep with his ear defenders on!

OP posts:
CindyCrawfoot · 11/05/2023 10:50

There seems to be an implicit premise to all this that he feels justified in being a noisy neighbour in his new home because he’s suffered from noisy neighbours in his current home. Very odd.

Headphones are great these days and perfect when he’s on his own. When he has people round, turn it down. Otherwise don’t buy the flat.

Original poster
KitFizz · 11/05/2023 11:37

CindyCrawfoot · 11/05/2023 10:50

There seems to be an implicit premise to all this that he feels justified in being a noisy neighbour in his new home because he’s suffered from noisy neighbours in his current home. Very odd.

Headphones are great these days and perfect when he’s on his own. When he has people round, turn it down. Otherwise don’t buy the flat.

I think some of the problem is, he can't understand how he can hear simple things like sneezing, coughing, snoring etc from the nosier side, and yet doesn't hear anything like that from the other side, and they must sneeze, cough etc too 😁 I've tried to explain to him that living in a flat is a bit like communal/shared living, and if you want privacy, then flats are not ideal - no more of your own private main door entrance, to sharing a communal door and stair ways. He has never lived in a flat, always a house or bungalow, so I think this will be a big mistake if it all goes through. I can only tell him my thoughts and views, but not what to do, it has to be his decision. I have told him I know people who live in a middle floor flat, and they play their music, and the people above and below them do hear it, but have said they don't mind and are understanding people, bit no guarantee that one will get neighbours like that 🤷

OP posts:
Talia99 · 11/05/2023 11:47

I had neighbours like this in my flat. I made a formal complaint to the management company (many flats have ‘don’t disturb the neighbours’ clauses in the leasehold contract) and also called in the council noise abatement team.

They have since moved and I now have a decent neighbour who understands appropriate behaviour in flats. I do hear him (you are never going to get silence in a flat) but it’s not constant loud noise.

Your DP sounds like an inconsiderate twat who need to either start using headphones or move to a detached house with sufficient grounds he’s not disturbing the neighbours.

Reugny · 11/05/2023 11:59

OP are you and he aware that flats due to having leases have more restrictions on noise than a house?

This means even if he has share of freehold, due to having a lease the other occupants of the building can take him to Court over him playing loud music to stop him being so inconsiderate.

Basically if you live in a flat you can get away with practising a musical instrument at agreed times with your neighbours, but you won't get away with playing music to chill out.

user1471538283 · 11/05/2023 12:31

Noisy people always hate noise!

My ex neighbors played music so loudly I could hear it clearly throughout my house and I wasn't attached to them. His poor neighbors now being in a terraced row with him.

Like others I bet his "noisy" neighbors are doing it in retaliation.

I am in a ground floor apartment at the moment and it wouldn't just be the loud music that came through but all the coming and going if he had people over. My apartment is modern so it has excellent sound proofing but I still hear them when they are noisy. In a 1980s apartment it would be much worse.

He needs to either adjust his attitude when living closely with others or move somewhere rural where it will not impact on others.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 11/05/2023 12:38

He suffers with anxiety and gets stressed out easily

Well at least he's got some insight into how those neighbours are going to feel with his 'few hours solid' of 'rather loud' music.

sunshinesupermum · 11/05/2023 12:39

I live in a flat and have neighbours who enjoy chilling out with loud music for a couple of hours most days. They don't use headphones. It's really annoying and disturbing, particularly the grating baseline. I hate those people and hope they move away. Same here. It's awful.

gogohmm · 11/05/2023 12:49

@smooththecat

Only old people play music out loud? Why would you both sit with headphones on? Do you not listen to music together???

I know it's not a solution for all but newish builds are better soundproofed, we can't hear our neighbours or vice versa, also super insulated so low bills. Worth thinking about when moving. We have a one year old and have never heard her except if both sides windows are open

Notaflippinclue · 11/05/2023 12:54

Selfish or what - quiet neighbours are good neighbours - just stop it

Original poster
KitFizz · 11/05/2023 13:12

Reugny · 11/05/2023 11:59

OP are you and he aware that flats due to having leases have more restrictions on noise than a house?

This means even if he has share of freehold, due to having a lease the other occupants of the building can take him to Court over him playing loud music to stop him being so inconsiderate.

Basically if you live in a flat you can get away with practising a musical instrument at agreed times with your neighbours, but you won't get away with playing music to chill out.

I have heard of this, not sure if he is aware of it, but will talk to him. These flats don't allow dogs, which I assume is incase they were to disturb people with their barking, so I have kind of said, if they don't tolerate dogs, then other kind of sounds might also be a problem.

OP posts:
Original poster
KitFizz · 11/05/2023 13:24

user1471538283 · 11/05/2023 12:31

Noisy people always hate noise!

My ex neighbors played music so loudly I could hear it clearly throughout my house and I wasn't attached to them. His poor neighbors now being in a terraced row with him.

Like others I bet his "noisy" neighbors are doing it in retaliation.

I am in a ground floor apartment at the moment and it wouldn't just be the loud music that came through but all the coming and going if he had people over. My apartment is modern so it has excellent sound proofing but I still hear them when they are noisy. In a 1980s apartment it would be much worse.

He needs to either adjust his attitude when living closely with others or move somewhere rural where it will not impact on others.

This is a building of 9 flats, built in the 1980's, so I'm guessing it won't be the best for sound or heat insulation. Think I need to try and convince him to stay where he is for the time being, as he gets on with the neighbours both sides, neither of them complain, and they have both been round several times for a drink and a chat. I actually think he is bonkers for wanting to move, until he can get the detached house he wants.

OP posts:
Skybluepinky · 11/05/2023 13:46

Headphones

HairyFarnbarn · 11/05/2023 16:41

Wow he is stressed about noisy neighbours but has long loud ‘chill out sessions’ with his music on full blast? Incredible.

he needs to stop being so selfish and put headphones on.

squaredots · 11/05/2023 17:28

He is right to worry about the sound travel down even with sound proofing in place. We have sound proofed our walls and floor in the lounge with underlay/ panels and acoustic insulation. It definitely works comparing with before but we could still hear when our downstair neighbours play loud bass music or shout when football on.

He would need to prepare to comprise, loud music and flat doesn't go. Alternatively, he could sound proof a room entirely and use it for his music room.

Swipe left for the next trending thread