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noise blocking reccomendations, please|

(33 Posts)
humptydumpty Tue 03-Oct-23 14:15:42

After 4 years of wonderful upstairs neighbours, the flat has been rented to 2 young guys (early 20s?) who, not surprisingly, are not quiet - even talking and walking around reverberates through the ceiling (wooden flooring upstairs).

The noise on Saturday night continued til 2 am when my visiting daughter, who was trying to work, came into my room and ranted. They must have heard at least the tone, as it quietened down, only to re-start at 3.

I was wiped out on Sunday and, before moving house (yes, it's that bad!) would like to give e.g. earplugs a chance. Has anyone found earplugs that work and are comfortable enough to sleep in?

Many thanks!

silverlining48 Tue 03-Oct-23 14:48:03

Are there carpets up stairs? Makes a huge difference,
You can only have a word with them and/or the landlord. You have my sympathy.

MayBee70 Tue 03-Oct-23 14:54:11

I don’t think flats should be allowed to have wooden floors. This happened to someone I knew who had a downstairs flat when the one above them was refurbished.

MayBee70 Tue 03-Oct-23 14:59:04

There was some noise blocking stuff used in ( I think) episode three of the latest series of Sort your life out in seven day. It wasn’t for floors and ceilings, though, but dividing walls.

silverlining48 Tue 03-Oct-23 15:05:16

Sorry I missed you already said no carpets,
There really needs to be.

silverlining48 Tue 03-Oct-23 15:08:13

My family member who had a noisy family upstairs eventually had to move and the noisy family above bought her flat at a knockdown price so ended up with the whole house .
Always wondered if it was the plan.

alovelycupofteaa Tue 03-Oct-23 16:58:54

Yes, these -brilliant!! www.boots.com/boots-soft-disposable-ear-plugs-10153241?cm_mmc=bmm-buk-google-ppc-_-supplier_funded-_-Ad+group+1-_-SF_Panasonic+Fathers+Day_Shopping_23&gbraid=0AAAAADrIajWgVIbs621agUmRTNZ2bvOV2&gclid=CjwKCAjw9-6oBhBaEiwAHv1QvKfpVn5m-XhzSpzsuBGJaNN3cJCGReYrlyCCUhombT_IW3PAa3TajhoCb8cQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

shysal Tue 03-Oct-23 17:41:19

On the rare occasion that my neighbours are noisy I use a white noise machine. It has a choice of sounds and a volume button. However I don't know how good it would be at drowning out reverberating noise.

pascal30 Tue 03-Oct-23 17:41:46

Could you explain to them how loud the noise is, ideally getting them down to your flat one at a time whilst the other one clomps around.. then ask them for suggestions how to get quieter. It might be as simple as taking off their shoes. When this happened to me we had to take upthe floorboards and put some product in the spaces,but we did own our flats and he was very reasonable. You might find they are too

Oldbat1 Tue 03-Oct-23 18:48:43

Are you in the uk? If so try to do some building regulation research about insulating requirements/expectations regarding wooden flooring. It must be awful having to cope with that type of noise.

Lisalee55 Wed 04-Oct-23 11:45:41

Beary Quiet silicone ear plugs are the best I've tried.

Nannashirlz Wed 04-Oct-23 11:55:11

Hi I feel your pain I’ve been where you are now. Lived in a lovely block of flats really good neighbours then the man downstairs got a bungalow. Guy similar age to yours moved in. Full blast Rap music singing top of voice slamming doors washing machine going in the middle of the night hoover you name it he did it. Friends sleeping over having fun fights 24/7 unless sleep which I don’t think he did much. In end I contact landlord did recordings did diaries they spoke to him he would be quiet for few weeks then start again wore earplugs you name it I tried it nothing worked. Other neighbors complained and In end I moved into bungalow and I love it so quiet and when I go to bed I know I’m going to get to sleep all night long took me few months to settle. Because you will get to the point where you are hearing them when you not. My advice would be move between it’s not going to improve and all the screaming shouting and banging up won’t stop them. I tried talking to but when it’s constantly happening it starts to affect you mentally. I even sat crying to my drs because it was affecting so badly. So good luck from someone who has gone through it. 🥹

Granny23 Wed 04-Oct-23 12:11:02

My lovely upstairs neighbours have uncarpeted wooden floors, though the title deeds for all the flats specify no wooden floors in the upstairs flats. Nothing they can do about it as they rent their flat whilst I own mine. To be honest I am seldom disturbed by noise. They both work so out all day but I am very aware that they hoover ever Sunday morning, so that is when I take my hearing aids out, shower and wash my hair.

Nicea Wed 04-Oct-23 12:13:35

Boots soft silicone earplugs are effective and you can wear them at night. I also have noise-cancelling headphones by Bose. There are other brands. Wearing the headphones I can still hear the tv but they block out traffic noise and some of the noise from neighbours.

Skye17 Wed 04-Oct-23 12:55:59

These are the best ear plugs I have found. (I used to use Boots’ but prefer these.)
www.britishsnoring.shop/products/snore-calm-foam-ear-plugs-30-pairs

They sell them in packs of five pairs too.

I really hope you find a solution.

Gundy Wed 04-Oct-23 12:56:46

I’ve lived through that and it’s a problem! People walking in hard heels on wooden floors well beyond midnight… have they never heard of slippers??? Can you not afford a rug??? I was ready to shoot my brains out. And this was when I was younger and more tolerant of things.

I would have a word with the landlord. The landlord should be aware of other tenant’s sensibilities and tolerance. There’s a limit.

I agree that the soft, moldable silicone earplugs are very good and comfy at canceling out noise when you’re trying to sleep.

Barleysugar Wed 04-Oct-23 13:23:19

Definately Silicone earplugs.

Hetty58 Wed 04-Oct-23 13:38:09

My son bought an upstairs flat - and the man downstairs complained non-stop about the noise. A very old, very quiet lady had lived there before.

My son insulated all the floors (and stairs), wore slippers, didn't have music (or guests), no washing machines going, didn't slam doors etc. yet still, if he dared to use the vacuum, there'd be an instant complaint.

When he moved and rented out the flat, complaints were dealt with (or not) by the rental agents. Still, I always did wonder why the chap had bought a downstairs converted flat in the first place - being so sensitive.

Hetty58 Wed 04-Oct-23 13:40:26

(There are options to insulate and lower ceilings, though, but, of course, the chap didn't want to.)

BellaBella55 Wed 04-Oct-23 13:47:18

I live on a busy road - love my house but why did I buy? Anyway, I had some silicon earplugs custom made at Specsavers. Think they were about £70. Marvellous.

Vintagegirl Wed 04-Oct-23 13:56:37

After ear surgeries I have had to wear earplugs for quite a long time. I found the wax 'muffles' from Boots very good and would split on in half as that was enough for one ear... would reuse as well. Superdrug have silicone soft ones now too also good.

Beau1958 Wed 04-Oct-23 14:26:29

The best ones as previously said is Boots wax muffles break them in half soften them with your fingers The silicon ones never stay in my ears

4allweknow Wed 04-Oct-23 14:26:51

I used silicone earplugs when trying to block out the screaming,shouting and constant grating of trikes and cars on concrete from noise in nextdoor's childminder's garden. Earplugs worked well.

21Tinkerbell Wed 04-Oct-23 16:13:40

Having a flat which was not purpose built (conversion of Edwardian house) we must have carpeted floors.
For myself I don't find the Boots wax ear plugs any good. I use the French Quies (unsure of spelling). These are much easier to soften and are really good. Personally I would try and have a word with the new neighbours. Good luck.

SunnySusie Wed 04-Oct-23 17:19:36

I use the Boots soft disposable earplugs and a white noise machine. The noise machine goes on when the light goes off and my brain seems to be trained to recognise that means sleep time. If I get woken up by noise I then put the earplugs in as well. Conveniently the cat is also trained to the white noise machine and when it goes on she stops chasing flies and daddy long legs and settles down to sleep next to me!