Situation With Landlord - Noise Problem

Zangetsu

A friend moved into a flat several months ago above a pub. He was assured upon signing the lease that the flat was soundproofed and he wouldn't hear a thing from downstairs. Everything was grand. Over the last month or 2 the pub has started to do karaoke nights with live bands that goes on till about 1am on the weekends, the noise is horrendous.

He called the landlord and asked if anything can be done about it and the landlord suggested that he should just leave the flat all together. That was wasn't working out because he's messy.

I've been in the apartment many times and sure the floor can get a bit messy at times from people walking around but other then that its just a little cluttered, surely that isn't a problem?

Anyway my main question, since the landlord told my mate that the place was soundproofed which is blatantly bull****, can anything be done about it?

Thanks for reading.

not even wrong

Complain to your local authority's environmental officer, if you live in Dublin here's the link

Realistically though it will take several months to get anything at all done, he's probably better off just moving out.

Anyway my main question, since the landlord told my mate that the place was soundproofed which is blatantly bull****, can anything be done about it?

Even the best soundproofing in the world isn't going to be able to do much about a live band downstairs.

athtrasna

Zangetsu wrote: »

He called the landlord and asked if anything can be done about it and the landlord suggested that he should just leave the flat all together. That was wasn't working out because he's messy.

The landlord suggested he should leave? Most posters here would grab that with both hands, so many posts on here about people trying to get out of leases...is there something special about the flat that your friend wants to stay there?

matrim

If it's too loud and he has an out the best bet is to leave.

But has your mate talked to the pub owners when it's happening. I live above a pub and in general I don't hear anything because of some soundproofing from the landlord (before I moved in) but have found that if the pub have a third party PA system in place it get's very loud. This generally seems to be caused by the bass of the system being set too high. If I let the bar know they adjust this, and everything is then fine.

the_syco

Zangetsu wrote: »

He called the landlord and asked if anything can be done about it and the landlord suggested that he should just leave the flat all together. That was wasn't working out because he's messy.

I've been in the apartment many times and sure the floor can get a bit messy at times from people walking around but other then that its just a little cluttered, surely that isn't a problem?

The landlord said he could leave, but he couldn't, as he was messy? Why would been messy stop him from leaving?

D3PO

the_syco wrote: »

The landlord said he could leave, but he couldn't, as he was messy? Why would been messy stop him from leaving?

exactly what I was thinking. Id say the landlord has been more than fair here. No soundproofing will stop you from hearing a live band in the rooms below you.

Zangetsu

Sorry I explained that poorly, the landlord TOLD him to hand in a notice and leave. He's getting kicked out of the apartment. The landlords reason for this is cause the apartment is supposedly messy.

Just left there 5 mins ago, the band is louder then ever downstairs.

Turns out the landlord owns the pub, I doubt the clutter in the apartment has anything to do with it. Surely the tenant has some rights in this matter?

Yawns

this reminds of working in a hotel.

Guest: There's music on in the lounge I can hear it from my room.

Me: I'll close the doors on hallways to help keep the sound down a bit.

Guest: So I won't hear a thing?

Me: it will only help reduce noise, not stop it. That band is finished at 11.30, it's now 11. It will be over in 30 mins.

Guest comes down 10 mins later.

Guest: you said it'd be over by now and I wouldn't hear a thing! I'm going to the hotel across the way. I'm not coming back!

Me: So would you like to pay cash or shall I charge your credit card?

Guest: What!? no i'm not staying!

me: i still have to charge you for the night sir.

Guest: FUUUUUUUUUU!


I know it doesn't help but just reminded and wanted to share a little



If the LL soundproofed it won't stop a live band anyway. Not if your friend is living above. he gave you an out. You don't have to take it. Tell your friend to check his lease as if the LL wants him out he may have a break clause in the lease. Only way to know is to check. You also might not think the place is messy but maybe the LL does. Either way as long as it's reasonably clean when your friends is moving out it shouldn't be an issue.

I know 2 people who leave ****ty nappies behind doors and clothes all over floor and call that on a little clutter! Just to give you an idea of saying it's only clutter can be anything to some people.

athtrasna

I'm still lost as to why the tenant wants to stay? I'd be out of there as fast as I could!

Yawns

Me too. It must be some amazing flat if the tenant wants to stay even after the LL gave him an out.

Zangetsu

There's a lot of reason why he wants to stay, that's not the point of all this...

The landlord is having the bar downstairs bang out live music till 1/2am, would have thought there was some law against this.

So, from what I understand of this, the landlord is entitled to do whatever he wants and the tenant has to either put up with it or **** off?

Seems ridiculous but I suppose that's life...!

not even wrong

there is something you can do, you can make a noise complaint to your local authority.

Victor

Pubs needs licences to play music. Do they have such a licence?

athtrasna

Zangetsu wrote: »

There's a lot of reason why he wants to stay, that's not the point of all this...

The landlord is having the bar downstairs bang out live music till 1/2am, would have thought there was some law against this.

So, from what I understand of this, the landlord is entitled to do whatever he wants and the tenant has to either put up with it or **** off?

Seems ridiculous but I suppose that's life...!

In reality there's nothing the tenant can do - the landlord has given the tenant the option to move out to avoid the noise. The tenant chooses not to. If the tenant feels the landlord is trying to break the lease early, the PRTB or any other authority would see the noise issue and wonder if the tenant has an ulterior motive in wanting to stay.

Yawns

Yawns wrote: »

this reminds of working in a hotel.

Guest: There's music on in the lounge I can hear it from my room.

Me: I'll close the doors on hallways to help keep the sound down a bit.

Guest: So I won't hear a thing?

Me: it will only help reduce noise, not stop it. That band is finished at 11.30, it's now 11. It will be over in 30 mins.

Guest comes down 10 mins later.

Guest: you said it'd be over by now and I wouldn't hear a thing! I'm going to the hotel across the way. I'm not coming back!

Me: So would you like to pay cash or shall I charge your credit card?

Guest: What!? no i'm not staying!

me: i still have to charge you for the night sir.

Guest: FUUUUUUUUUU!


I know it doesn't help but just reminded and wanted to share a little

I'd be bloody annoyed as well if I checked into a hotel and was kept awake by a live band I had no interest in watching. 11.30 might not seem late when you're doing the hotel evening shift, but it is when you might be up at 5am for a flight or a job interview. I wouldn't let you charge me for a room that isn't fit for purpose and there would certainly be a scathing review going up on the web.

If the LL soundproofed it won't stop a live band anyway. Not if your friend is living above. he gave you an out. You don't have to take it. Tell your friend to check his lease as if the LL wants him out he may have a break clause in the lease. Only way to know is to check. You also might not think the place is messy but maybe the LL does. Either way as long as it's reasonably clean when your friends is moving out it shouldn't be an issue.

I know 2 people who leave ****ty nappies behind doors and clothes all over floor and call that on a little clutter! Just to give you an idea of saying it's only clutter can be anything to some people.

I agree with this part. I don't think there's much the guy can do here. It's not as if the landlord is insisting he keeps paying rent for a place he hates - he can just leave. Plenty of other places that aren't over pubs.