Noisy neighbours/soundproofing Dog Kennel Hill Estate

[Ves89]

Hi all,

I recently bought a leasehold flat on the DKH estate. I am having a hard time with how much noise there is between my flat and next door and with upstairs. A lot of this isn’t due to the tenants themselves as they are just going about their daily lives (and upstairs the shouting and banging noises are children, which I can understand). The main issue I know is that there’s just no sound insulation between the flats. 
 

Next door however is a man with a booming voice who shrieks, yells down the phone and  sings (badly) at the top of his lungs at all hours. I can’t even believe how clearly I hear him. If he sighs I hear it and when he speaks it’s like he’s in my flat. I hear it the most in my bedroom and find it so invasive and horrible. I have spoken to him and asked him to keep it down and explained its the infrastructure of the building more than it’s him (altho him screaming a lot doesn’t help). He was very pleasant about it but he’s also got some stuff going on which I think means he’s not always in control of himself.

My builder has put up some sound proofing on my bedroom wall but it has done exactly nothing and I’m starting to feel at my wits end.

I wondered if anyone living on the estate has successfully soundproofed any of their walls/ceilings/floors and if so, who did it or how? 
 

And also interested in anyone’s interventions with Southwark over it. I’d even be willing to pay for soundproofing on his side if it would help absorb the noise but I suspect as it’s a council flat they wouldn’t let me do private works.

Only just bought and not in a financial or practical position to move. Also concerned I’d not be able to sell because of how insanely loud it is - I read that if you don’t disclose stuff like this in the information pack that the buyer can sue you for years after. Not an option for me as he only moved in recently when the flat I bought was empty so they wouldn’t have known. 

Grateful for any advice! 

 

[Kipper_1972]

I have 8x of the cheapest feather pillows (which I arrange round my head at night) and it's surprising how much they block out (not practical in the summer though) - also calms the nerves when you feel like you're loosing control. I've also considered creating a sound proof "shed" in the living room. Unfortunately I think only flats with concrete floors/walls have a decent level of soundproofing. I'm no expert but person to person litigation in this country is not the same as USA

[redjam]

My friend uses a white noise machine at night, which she swears by - she says it even blocks out the noise of foxes screaming outside her window.

Failing that, if it's any consolation, you do get used to noise - I used to live near a fire station and even managed to get used to the sound of sirens going off at all hours. Best of luck, though - it sounds tough.

[Sue]

40 minutes ago, redjam said:

My friend uses a white noise machine at night, which she swears by - she says it even blocks out the noise of foxes screaming outside her window.

I also use white noise if there are annoying noises at night (or other times).

I ask Alexa to play white noise, but I'm sure there are free apps for your phone.

I find it very effective.

Good luck.

Edited October 29 by Sue

[sebastiondangerfield]

You want to be living there in the early seventies.😜

[Hasan wellman]

The floors of these flats are made of concrete. So your builder should have put in a dropped ceiling with RESILIENT bars. Then sound block insulation and sound block plasterboard. 
only at this point might you hear (or not😜) a difference.

But obviously these flats don’t have the head height to do that properly…… 

[Azalea]

Did the lease mention anything about mandatory floor coverings?    Lots of flat leases do mention that, but it doesn’t stop people removing carpets in order to have bare floorboards.   I’m mainly referring here to  Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian properties. 

[Happyme5]

I do think that many social housing tenancies have terms written about flooring too.  They are often ignored but if you ask your local housing officer about that it could be worthwhile. I understand that you do not want to cause a fuss but if the noise from upstairs or nextdoor is unreasonable than you do not have to tolerate it.   The tenant next door might be a new tenant and it is worth their while to respect the regulations and be a good neighbour some people have just moved but have a secure tenancy. Others might be on a newer type of tenancy that is reviewed etc. My upstairs neighbours kids jump up and down from furniture onto the floor it is so freaking noisy and it gets on my last nerve but it is in usually done after 7am and before 9pm and some days it is quiet the noise is intermittent.  So at least I get a quiet night's sleep.   Which is a huge blessing.  To be fair we are not the quietest of homes either.  You are entitled to be able to have some peace in your home.  So don't allow others to ruin the enjoyment of having a lovely home.   Read the stuff in the Southwark website around environmental issues which I think explains reasonable noise etc.  If you don't follow it up it will never change.  Good luck 🤞 

Edited November 10 by Happyme5