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Noise


Julian_S

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Good morning. I have a couple in an apartment with two young kids, of school age.

The tenant has phoned me yesterday regarding complaints from the occupants of the apartment underneath concerning noise. Seemingly he is a hospital night-shift worker and sleeps during the day.

These apartments are fairly new and I strongly suspect they have concrete floors and I've never had any problems in this area before. You'd have to think that you'd need to whack the floor with sledge hammers to create any real noise below so what these kids get up to it beyond me.

I've always found the tenants (Polish) to be pleasant people and I'm wondering what I can do to help. I wonder if the shift worker is being super critical? Surely a night shift worker has to accept there will always be some noise during the day, but then again if the kids are hammering the floor then he has a valid point. 

Should I try and mediate or keep out of the way? I'd like to have a shot at something if the situation can be resolved. 

Thanks.

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1. Families living in flats should be avoided. It doesn't really work, is unfair on kids as there is usually no outside space and is always going to produce more noise than there should be because kids like to play and are sometimes noisy.

2. Flats often have a clause restricting noise between certain hours.....you should check what those restrictions are and make sure you tell your tenants what is required.

3. Even without a lease clause you should tell your tenant that complaints have been received and that they need to keep the noise down.

4. That's the limit of your responsibility. It's not for you to provide a quite time during the day for the nightworker. If the neighbour has a problem he has the usual avenues of complaint open to him......his local council, his landlord/ freeholder/ managing agent etc.

5. Dont, don't get to involved.

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Thanks Rich. I've had lots of families in these apartments before and being honest there's probably more families in the place than not. They actually do have outside spaces and the Indian contingent (normally IT contractors) can be seen playing cricket in summer and it's a friendly spot. This time of year though is another story. I've never had this problem before over several years so I suspect this night shift worker is being an arse but I can't obviously tell him that!

I shall investigate and act on those points though.

Thanks.

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We have had similar problems in the past and have had to distance ourselves from the the issue otherwise you can get too involved as RL above mentions. But we have previously written to persistent complainers explaining how noise from other family units is part and parcel of choosing to  living in flats and if they are sensitive to noise they should consider moving to a property that is more suited to their needs. However if they consider it excessive they need to report it to the appropriate authorities. (without actually giving them the details). This worked for us and the complainers (not our tenants) moved out.  

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Shift workers are paid a night shift unsocial hours wage premium for working nights.  If you work nights then you cannot expect the rest of the waking world to stay quiet for you whilst you sleep during the day.

If this going to be a problem if you work nights then don't rent or buy a flat to live in.

 I am renovating a lower ground floor flat and the lady in the above flat works nights. I have spoken to her and said I will be as quiet and as considerate as I can be but she must appreciate that there will be some noise from banging around during the day from workmen etc. which she accepted.

She told me she usually goes to bed at 10am so I said I will try and get all the really noisy jobs done before 10am and after 10am try to keep noise levels down.  No complaints in 2 months from her.

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2 hours ago, Melboy said:

Shift workers are paid a night shift unsocial hours wage premium for working nights.  If you work nights then you cannot expect the rest of the waking world to stay quiet for you whilst you sleep during the day.

If this going to be a problem if you work nights then don't rent or buy a flat to live in.

 I am renovating a lower ground floor flat and the lady in the above flat works nights. I have spoken to her and said I will be as quiet and as considerate as I can be but she must appreciate that there will be some noise from banging around during the day from workmen etc. which she accepted.

She told me she usually goes to bed at 10am so I said I will try and get all the really noisy jobs done before 10am and after 10am try to keep noise levels down.  No complaints in 2 months from her.

Well she could have been complaining Melboy but you couldnt hear her over the noise of your power tools.😀

 

 

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