Noisy Neighbours

bunnybaby7000

Hi, I am looking for some advice, I love my apartment problem is I can hear everything upstairs... I don't mind but they have been waking me up every night and every morning.

I usually go to bed about 11 and doze off, get woken about 12 - they bang around a lot! and i find it really hard to go back to sleep. same in the morning they wake me up about half an hour before i would like to wake up.... it's every morning and it's very loud, how should i tackle this. (have just been getting up earlier at the moment)

I never see them so was thinking of writing a nice letter telling them to just keep it down at night and that the floor boards are very thin! I've used ear plugs but they hurt after a few days!!

Cathmandooo

Writing them a letter is a good idea, but word it so you're asking them to consider the sound of their noise for the apartment below, telling them to keep noise down comes off as agressive and will most likely lead to arguements.

Most apartments are badly soundproofed in Ireland, them living their lives in the apartment might sound like them banging around but they're probably not doing anything out of the ordinary.

At least it's not throughout the night and is just last and first thing.

KevArno

When you say noisey, what exactly do you mean? Is it excessive, unreasonable, or simply too loud due to inadequate sound proofing? Have you only moved in, or how long has the noise been going on?

I know in my current house (a terraced townhouse) we can hear noise from the houses left and right, but not due to anything other than thin walls.

From my experience, a letter like this, no matter how nicely worded is likely to cause offence, or at least bad feeling. It may be something you just have to get used to. (This is all assuming that the noise you are referring to isn't loud parties, or jackhammers or something unreasonable)

bunnybaby7000

its' due to the thin floorboards, had the same problem with previous tennants but they moved out (I had just moved in).. i can hear them doing the business!

it's the fact that it keeps waking me up, i'm not a light sleeper, it's them dropping things on the floor... an awful lot!

Cathmandooo

It doesn't sound like there's much you can do other than a gentle approach to them letting them know the noise carries through the floorboards. They're not really doing much wrong.

Maybe you're not suited to apartment living? Losing sleep is very annoying alright and I can understand the frustration of it all but noise like that is standard in apartments, that's why a lot of people prefer the top apartments in buildings.

bunnybaby7000

I agree it's not their fault.. but they make a lot of noise. I'm not suited to apartment living.. saving for a house at the moment,... but it's gonna be another year! anyway going to say something, in a nice way tonight!

KevArno

Honestly, I think even raising it with them is going to make you the problem. You are admitting that they are doing no wrong. They are just living normally in the apartment. They drop stuff, hell I drop stuff. I break the odd glass, I hoover, I do many things that I am sure carry through walls, but that is what is involved in living in a property. If you speak to the people you could either make them feel very uncomfortable (unfair to them imo) or you will set them on the defensive, which I feel is the likely outcome. Unless they are creating havoc, then I don't see what they can change when you speak to them. Will they suddenly not be clumsy? Will they stop having sex? maybe only wear slipper socks in the apartment... do you see what I mean?
I think you will just have to live with it unfortunately.

bunnybaby7000

i agree, and i don't want to cause any bad feeling, the only time i really have a problem is after 11.30 when they wake me up.. i can live with all the rest including kinky time.. none of my business.. lalalalala....

I think i might just ask the landlord if it's carpeted, and if not can something be done!

sharper

Have you tried earplugs? They'll usually do a decent job of getting to sleep when there's lots of incidental noise around.

The "dropping stuff on the floor" and "moving furniture" noises are the strangest ones I often hear. I'd really just love to know what the hell my neighbours are doing sometimes.

bunnybaby7000

yeah I have earplugs! but they start to hurt after a few days, I really don;t mind the normal everyday noise, but they just seem to drop big things very late at night and very early in the morning..

I hate people who have no regard for people sleeping, like when someone turns on the light to get dressed (in the winter) or dry their hair in their room when your obviously asleep! grrrrr

TwoShedsJackson

sharper wrote: »

Have you tried earplugs? They'll usually do a decent job of getting to sleep when there's lots of incidental noise around.

The "dropping stuff on the floor" and "moving furniture" noises are the strangest ones I often hear. I'd really just love to know what the hell my neighbours are doing sometimes.

Earplugs are useful for airborne noise like voices, tvs etc. but don't do much for noise that's transmitted through walls and floors like doors slamming, furniture moving and the like. Definitely worth trying though, I use them all the time as I'm a light sleeper.

sharper

bunnybaby7000 wrote: »

yeah I have earplugs! but they start to hurt after a few days, I really don;t mind the normal everyday noise, but they just seem to drop big things very late at night and very early in the morning..

Go for the soft foam ones, they're a lot easier on the ears.

I literally have no clue what the "dropping stuff" is about even though I've been subjected to it as well. I very rarely drop things so I don't see why I end up listening to it several times a night from above. If it's just general "living" noise they probably won't change and if you complain there'll probably just be another "I'm sitting around in my apartment quietly juggling bricks and my unreasonable neighbour complained about the noise!" post here.

As far as I can tell apartments in Ireland are just not suitable if you like a quiet night's sleep or any sort of quiet time at all.

Cathmandooo

It's funny the things you think your neighbours are doing due to the noises you hear. I was sure my neighbour was some sort of carpenter or something, there would be regular banging noises coming from the house, consistent banging like hammering something. But after a few months I realised it was probably just them cooking, maybe crushing ingredients in a pestle and mortar thing. Also I think they might be muslim so maybe during prayer they might bang something?

I think sliderobes have a lot to answer for when it comes to noises being heard in apartments underneath. They're basically like someone on the floor rolling a toy car up and down numerous times and the noise carries through the floorboards.

Graces7

TwoShedsJackson wrote: »

Earplugs are useful for airborne noise like voices, tvs etc. but don't do much for noise that's transmitted through walls and floors like doors slamming, furniture moving and the like. Definitely worth trying though, I use them all the time as I'm a light sleeper.

There are several different kinds so it is worth trying a few. Well worth it; they can make a great difference.