Noisy neighbours - business

gills2

We've recently moved into rented accommodation above a business premises but were unaware before we moved in that the business below plays loud music all day, 7 days a week. We've politely asked them a few times if they could reduce the volume or relocate the speakers (their position directly on the ceiling seems to be the cause of the problem) and they agreed to do so but haven't. The music is played to provide background noise and isn't an integral part of the business. We share the same landlord who has also mentioned to them the possibility of reducing the volume but that hasn't had any result either. Any advice on what's the next step to take?

dashboard_hula

Ok, well it seems that you've already done the polite verbal discussion, with no effect. From the looks of it, if they've agreed to do it and haven't, it's possible they're either incredibly busy/forgetful or just plain lazy. If that's the case, then a registered letter to both them and the landlord reminding them that they have agreed to the volume being turned down and have yet to do so, along with stating that the next step in this kind of situation is usually the local town council might do it.

I wouldn't be too impressed with the landlord if he's not pushing for them to turn it down. Does he want paying tenants or not?

Hope that wasn't too harsh - but if one thing melts my head its having or being the noisy neighbour. I am so careful about the volume of music in our place when we have sessions because I know there's a baby living 1 floor up from me and I would die of mortification if I had to have someone come to my door saying the music was too loud.

gills2

@ratri. Thanks for the advice. Like you I'd be mortified if my neighbours complained that I was making too much noise. The owners seem nice enough and may not have had time to deal with it but if it goes on much longer I'll have to consider moving (something I'd dread as it took such a long time to get moved in here). An acquaintance told me that she used to work for them and that while they are fairly professional in running their business they are 'mad for the money' and won't do anything that they feel will interfere with that. I'm inclined to agree as the type of business they run is one that would normally be closed on a sunday.

dashboard_hula

No probs - hope it works out ok for ya Hope you can come back and say how you got on!

JoeyJJ

Point speakers downward on the floor and fire up some heavy tunes if they want to play hard ball you should do the same. If it has a consequence on their business they won't be long agreeing to your request.

gills2

JoeyJJ wrote: »

Point speakers downward on the floor and fire up some heavy tunes if they want to play hard ball you should do the same. If it has a consequence on their business they won't be long agreeing to your request.

I've been seriously considering this especially at 10 past 8 on a saturday morning:mad:

jjjade

hey guys

just need advise on something. me and my boyfriend are currently renting a flat, in this complex there is 2 flats. the second flat is above ours and a couple live in it. me and my partner are working professionals and we are both 25. they are young, and basically its like kid playing house! we have had conversations with them over nothing so they are nice to talk to but they are rough around the edges so i get the feeling if i confront them over anything they will jump down my throat!

the walls are thin, we can hear them fight and the way she screams at him is vicious and violent. i have a few problems, he has made local friends which hang around outside our shared front door, they dont give me hassle when i approach but i am ashamed to bring anyone up to my house as it looks like the local hang out spot for a dodgy crowd!!! another thing he blares his music all the time so its hard to watch tv or relax, pity they dont put it on when they are rowing!!!! the friends stay all day and all i can hear at night is running up and down the stairs, loud talking oh and a smell of cigarette smoke in our share hall.

and to take the biscuit last night(wed) they had a party that involved loud dance music on repeat, karaoke with girls who couldnt sing, loud talking, the strongest of common Dublin accents that goes through your head. im a dub myself nothing against the accents but the strong one at 3am in the morning is another story!!! i went to bed at ten and woke up at 12 to the noise. i work at 6am monday to friday and they are aware of this as i brought it up in conversation a few times on purpose. i have nothing against people like they had a party on saturday which i wasnt bothered about at all as it was the weekend!!! the party went on til 3am, didnt want to say anything with everyone on drink. the way they go on is selfish and aggregant!!! like they ran up and down the stairs screaming and shouting then i heard one of the tenants go sssshhhhh you might wake them! how considerate of them!!!

i am sitting in work with 1 hour sleep and im ready to pop!!! it just seems that they have the run of the place, and we feel invaded with the noise outside. we are private people who want our home to be a home and this childishness outside our flat is to much, dont say students are bad until you spend a week in my flat!!!!

i want to confront them but afraid of them bitting my head of and making things worse, they seem like they will make more noise to spite me!

i can mention it to the landlord as they are in breach of their contract of desturbing the piece by themselves and also with their guests! but this can get worse aswell as since we are the only people in the flat it wont be annonomous and again i could face the head getting eaten of me!

i dont feel comfortable in my home and i am thinking of moving but my lease is for a yr and im only there 4 months!!!


like previous posts above i am a considerate person and dont understand how we seem to be 'forgotten about' in their behaviour!!! i would be mortified if we had complaints of this sort from them!
can someone advise? thank you

angel01

jjjade,

I would have a word with the landlord and see if he can address it, you shouldn't have to leave because of this and tell them if they don't quieten down, you will get on to the PRTB and they will help you.

Nothing worse, I have been there and had tenants evicted before because of it. I did contact the guards before and the community guard really helped us so maybe have a word with them?

jjjade

we share the same landlord, im thinking me and my bf will try and talk with them tonite. if it happens again i will be onto the landlord. our landlord is a pretty good one so i no it will be sorted.

and as for the gards, dont trust them in our location. reason being ciagrettes were shoved in the main halls letter box on two occcasions by the same person. the person was caught and had to stay in the station overnight.

they just kept him in over night, had no update took the guys details, passport. and the thing is he was caught after shoving the ciagrettes ten minute later around the corner from us trying to break into a car.... red handed and nothing slap on the wrist!

thank you for your advise though, im glad people understand what im going through

gills2

jjjade wrote: »

we share the same landlord, im thinking me and my bf will try and talk with them tonite. if it happens again i will be onto the landlord. our landlord is a pretty good one so i no it will be sorted.

and as for the gards, dont trust them in our location. reason being ciagrettes were shoved in the main halls letter box on two occcasions by the same person. the person was caught and had to stay in the station overnight.

they just kept him in over night, had no update took the guys details, passport. and the thing is he was caught after shoving the ciagrettes ten minute later around the corner from us trying to break into a car.... red handed and nothing slap on the wrist!

thank you for your advise though, im glad people understand what im going through

really hope your landlord gets it sorted for you.

gills2

dashboard_hula wrote: »

No probs - hope it works out ok for ya Hope you can come back and say how you got on!

the business owner did disconnect what was assumed to be the problem speaker but unfortunately the noise is just as bad. turns out that all the speakers are suspended from their ceiling with no casing or soundproofing so the sound travels straight through our floor. we've put soundproofing material under the carpet but it hasn't made any real difference. not sure what to do now??

HardyEustace

gills2 wrote: »

the business owner did disconnect what was assumed to be the problem speaker but unfortunately the noise is just as bad. turns out that all the speakers are suspended from their ceiling with no casing or soundproofing so the sound travels straight through our floor. we've put soundproofing material under the carpet but it hasn't made any real difference. not sure what to do now??

Check what the legal limits are?

gills2

HardyEustace wrote: »

Check what the legal limits are?

who would be best to contact for that type of information?

BostonB

Is moving not an option?

HardyEustace

gills2 wrote: »

who would be best to contact for that type of information?

Do a search on this forum and it should cough up enough information. I don't know myself but do remember having read through mails on this subject.

amdublin

What kind of business is it??

Is it unexpected that it would play music eg. a butcher shop. Or would it be fairly expected eg. a clothes shop?

When you viewed was the music playing?

How were you not aware that this business would play music when you chose to take the apartment?

gills2

BostonB wrote: »

Is moving not an option?

We only moved in during the summer and have invested a lot of time and money in the process so moving again would be a last resort. We were only able to view late in the evening when the business was closed and obviously there was no noise then. It is the type of business where you might expect background music but not so loud as it's being played. I have had a small business before where we had background music playing but we installed our speakers at floor level so they wouldn't be a nusiance to the tenents in the apartment above. I (naively) thought that all premises situated below residential units would employ a similar set-up. If I was working outside of the house during the week it mightn't be such a problem but I work from home now so I'll have to listen to it all day every day and there are only so many times you can listen to the same 3 Cds on repeat! especially on a Saturday and Sunday morning.

amdublin

gills2 wrote: »

I'll have to listen to it all day every day and there are only so many times you can listen to the same 3 Cds on repeat! especially on a Saturday and Sunday morning.

Hmmm.

I am confused.

What kind of "business" is open every day (including Sundays), plays loud music but is not open in the evening.

I am thinking a clothes shop but I do not know any clothes shops that have a residence above it.

gills2

amdublin wrote: »

Hmmm.

I am confused.

What kind of "business" is open every day (including Sundays), plays loud music but is not open in the evening.

I am thinking a clothes shop but I do not know any clothes shops that have a residence above it.

Most of the businesses in this town are in traditional town houses where the families lived behind and above their shop premises. Many of them are still run by the same families but a lot, like ours, are now rented. Most still have living accommodation above them although a few have been converted to office space. The business below us is a beauty business and is geared towards a younger female market.

amdublin

Could you ask your landlord to soundproof your floor???

Or their ceiling???

Or give your notice and move.....

BostonB

Moving is the best option IMO.