the man upstairs

Get a long-handled brush and bang on the ceiling ?

PS if you really can hearing him weeing then that’s not his fault. Suggested the place needs better sound proofing. Strange cos old houses usually quite solid.

Try and find out if he has carpet in his flat as that might absorb the noise,

I don't think there is too much you can do about the noise of someone simply going about the business of living in their home.
My flat is the same; I can hear everything that goes on upstairs.

I bet that’s it, Anja, no carpets. We’ve taken ours up downstairs and if we’re down in the cellar we can hear everything going on above us. We decided to leave the upstairs carpets alone.

Agree with MissA

Oh dear, I do sympathise with you. However, I understand from my brother (his wife snores) that you can get some really good earplugs now so that might be a thought for when you go to bed at night.

I heard the same things when my son lived in a flat - not very nice. I slept on a fold-out bed in the living room and frequently heard the chap upstairs clomping about; often the noisy walking would end with an equally noisy visit to the loo. I assumed a) that he had solid flooring not carpets and b) lived alone so that he didn't close the bathroom door. My son couldn't hear so much from the bedroom.

I'd guess he doesn't have carpets, so yes you hear every noise, it's one of the many things I dislike about flats.

Can you change the rooms around so that your bedroom becomes a livingroom and you sleep in another room? If moving the furniture is too much for you, ask for his help! While chatting, you might be able to hint at why you are shifting things around - or even tell him outright. He probably has no idea that his smallest move is audible to you, in fact he could be mortified enough to get some carpets.

Poor chap can’t help his bladder- perhaps he can hear you? Carpets won’t help that problem either, it’s to do with the plumbing. If you have only lived there a few months you haven’t had enough time to tune out unfamiliar sounds. Give it a while and you will get used to them. Alternatively, find a newer flat, which will be better insulated. I live in a modern flat and I can’t hear a thing from the neighbours.

At one time I had 6 men living in the flat upstairs. Mornings sounded like Niagara falls, complete with accompanying farts.

Didn't you go and check out the noise before you moved? Ive always made a point of calling round to places before I move to test out traffic , noise etc?

Noise cancelling headphones are the way to go :-)

How can you ask the person upstairs to flush the toilet when you are viewing a flat ?

At least your neighbour hasn't got prostate problems!!

Play Status Quo very loudly at every opportunity.

My flat was built in the 1980's and I must admit the sound of people going to the loo upstairs has been a constant annoyance, especially at night. The echoing sound of a golden retriever wagging it's tail against the radiator of the lounge was also an interesting one for a couple of years. I don't think there's anything you can do except be grateful it's not loud music making the floors and walls reverberate - 3 years of that one while my daughter was studying was nearly enough to push me over the edge.

When I first saw the thread title I thought it should have been under Religion/Spirituality.

I have also, in my years as a flat dweller had the misfortune to live above someone who constantly complained.
Its really awful being afraid to move around in your own home.
I rather prefer being downstairs.

Have you met the man? If not why not go up, introduce yourself in a friendly way, then politely mention that you think the soundproofing between your flats is poor.

Ask him if he ever hears you. If he seems approachable you could then mention that you can hear quite a lot from his flat (without obviously being specific about the loo sounds!) and then enquire as to whether his flat is carpeted.

The other alternative is for you to get a builder to install a soundproofed ceiling in your flat.. You mentioned it is in an old house, so hopefully your ceilings are high enough for that option.

I understand they work quite well. You really don't want to have to resort to earplugs in your own home.

We used to live in a ground floor flat in an old house and could hear upstairs (not toileting thankfully) because they had wooden floors. Modern flats tend to have better soundproofing. When you first move you are much more away of noises because they are strange and it takes a few months to get used to them and treat them as background. My friend lives next to a railway line, and I jump when a train roars past but she doesn't even notice it. I think JenniferE's suggestion re getting to know the guy plus option of soundproofing are good.

To be quite honest if you live in a flat you have to expect to hear all sorts of noises and the poor man cant not pee Presume he hasn’t got a wife or you might head more ?

(Although this doesn't help, he sounds like he has a very efficient bladder for his age. )

One of the problems with living in a flat is always the neighbours.

We lived in some lovely ones in big grounds which were built in 1950s. They attracted the elderly and what a load of moaners they were. The grass wasn't like Lords cricket ground, people were talking under their balcony etc. I was so glad to move.

Your neighbour needs carpeting to muffle the sound. Perhaps if you run into him and get chatting you could have a conversation with him about general noise in the flats without saying he is the noisy one. He may get the hint.

There is a play by NF Simpson which just fits this scenario
It’s called A Resounding Tinkle !

www.ayoungertheatre.com/review-a-resounding-tinkle-rosemary-branch-theatre/

Maw
I've heard many of those.
I can't honestly believe that people would have a word with someone to say they live below and can hear someone living above.

My friends downstairs neighbour complained about hearing her alarm clock in the morning.
I'm not sure what she thought could be done about it.