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Problem With Noisy Neighbours

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  • 22-11-2013 9:53pm
    #1
    The Narrator
    Closed Accounts Posts: 423 ✭✭


    I currently live in a ground floor apartment, with another two story house on top of the apartment.

    In this house live a family with their young children. The kids run around constantly, often shouting or screaming etc.
    although it is mainly their running around that is causing the issue.

    I have discussed this with my neighbour, but they don't seem to think it is a problem. Their replies to my enquiries as to whether it was possible for them to have some consideration were less than satisfactory, such as 'what do you want us to do?' 'It is not ten o'clock yet' and asking whether I 'planned having kids soon?'.

    It is a serious problem for me, causing me constant headaches and affecting my quality of life considerably.
    The noise comes through the ceiling, so it only affects my apartment. I am wondering if anyone knows of any authorities that can be approached about such matters.

    Since I questioned the noise, they have resorted to playing loud music.
    The most delightful of families, why don't people have basic manners any more...


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    #2
    MajorMax
    Registered Users Posts: 865 ✭✭✭MajorMax


    Dude or dudette. I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but you're the one coming across as the inconsiderate neighbour.

    Kids are kids, even the best behaved kid will run around the place, also sounds to me that your neighbours are abiding by an established watershed and they don't allow their kids to make noise after 10.

    I suspect that the music is just their way of reminding you that it could be worse

    Learn to deal with it or move to a quieter place :p


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    #3
    The Narrator
    Closed Accounts Posts: 423 ✭✭The Narrator


    I am inconsiderate in asking a neighbour to have a bit of consideration/respect for others..?

    Almost constant noise for 4 or 5 hours every night (and that's not including during the day).

    I fail to see how I come across as an inconsiderate neighbour.
    Learn to deal with it or move to a quieter place

    Apologies, I didn't realise that bad parents had formed a union and constant noise is now acceptable.


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    #4
    pippip
    Registered Users Posts: 2,249 ✭✭✭pippip


    A house with kids will always be loud, sorry.

    Do they have wooden floors. Your only hope might be to see if you apartment complex has a "no wooden floors" policy or a specific insulation that must be laid down first. Really your only hope is to find a way to reduce the noise.


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    #5
    UnhappywithBOI
    Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭UnhappywithBOI


    Turn up your own volume.
    Blast them the hell out of it. To each his own.


    Let us know how this works out !!


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    #6
    Sligo1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,948 ✭✭✭Sligo1


    No advice here really, but just sympathising! I have a kid and another on the way and tbh... It would drive me nuts if I were you! kids will be kids and unfortunately for you they do run around.... But I'd be going spare if I was on the receiving end!

    I live in a semi-d and our neighbours (a family of 5.... Kids are all adults now) are banging and running around constantly. Im sooo lucky im only living beside them and not underneath them! But unfortunately I don't really think there's a lot you can do unless the noise is during unsocial hours hours. Or perhaps as another poster has said are their floors wooden? There Maybe a clause about this somewhere.

    It's for these reasons I couldn't live in an apartment....


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    #7
    endacl
    Registered Users Posts: 22,306 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    The Narrator wrote: »


    Apologies, I didn't realise that bad parents had formed a union and constant noise is now acceptable.
    Out of interest, are the parents of all 'kids who run around' bad parents? Or just the ones that annoy you?


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    #8
    wandatowell
    Registered Users Posts: 8,435 ✭✭✭wandatowell


    Why in the name of god would you ground floor apartment?


    I'd move out if its causing you that much headache.


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    #9
    The Narrator
    Closed Accounts Posts: 423 ✭✭The Narrator


    endacl wrote: »
    Out of interest, are the parents of all 'kids who run around' bad parents? Or just the ones that annoy you?

    It's not that I don't expect the kids to run around, it's more that it is constant.

    I just think there should at least be some periods where I don't have noise and can sit and relax for a bit.

    I really don't think that is asking too much.


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    #10
    _Kaiser_
    Registered Users Posts: 28,865 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    To be fair, if it's a "modern" apartment the chances are the insulation/sound-proofing is shyte and therefore it may seem a lot louder than it is. Your issue then is with the builder (or yourself for taking the place)

    Sorry.. I do sympathise as I like a quiet place myself and am lucky to live in an early 00's apartment block (also ground floor) where even at their noisiest, the kids above are still far from a disruption, but it's part of life with apartment living unfortunately.


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    #11
    worded
    Registered Users Posts: 4,579 ✭✭✭worded


    Cheap sound proofing is possible with egg boxes all over the ceiling and walls.


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    #12
    Doom
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,381 ✭✭✭Doom


    Blame building standards and practices...those ground floor apts with a townhouse on top are the worst


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    #13
    Dublin_Mom
    Closed Accounts Posts: 394 ✭✭Dublin_Mom


    OP, I have great sympathy for you, and I am surprised at how unsympathetic a lot of the replies are.
    I used to live in an apartment under a guy who loved to dance 'riverdance' (on his own) until the wee hours.
    It drove me crazy, I hate erratic noise. I guess most people do.

    As to what to do....hard to say....it is the curse of apartment living, you are very much at the mercy of those
    above you (and to a lesser extent alongside you) The reason why the top floor unit is always higher priced.

    If you are renting and you can move out, I would say move. I know the noise I experienced during my apartment
    days really started to drive me crazy. We sold as we had one child and then another so outgrew the place.
    At the stage Michael Flately above has his own rug rat so GF had obviously put a stop to his riverdance days!!!

    There really is no better solution. Even if the kids are still there when they are teens they are going to clatter around,
    maybe even worse if they like sport and start hopping a ball around above your head.

    Really apartment living in Ireland with badly built flimsy units is not conducive to family living. But a lot
    of people don't have the choice I know..

    Good luck, but I think your only route to peace is to get out if you can!


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    #14
    The_Morrigan
    Registered Users Posts: 9,368 ✭✭✭The_Morrigan


    I have deleted some off topic posts from the thread - if you do not have anything constructive to add to the discussion please refrain from posting.

    Morri


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    #15
    athtrasna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,420 ✭✭✭✭athtrasna


    pippip wrote: »
    A house with kids will always be loud, sorry.

    Do they have wooden floors. Your only hope might be to see if you apartment complex has a "no wooden floors" policy or a specific insulation that must be laid down first. Really your only hope is to find a way to reduce the noise.

    This is precisely your only way of having a right to complain. Do they have wooden floors OP?

    If not, the joy of apartment living is potentially having neighbours on four sides and having their lifestyle impact on yours. Kids are kids, running around and shouting is what they do. Sure an apartment isn't the best place to bring them up but it's all some people have. That doesn't make them bad people.


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    #16
    Rosier
    Registered Users Posts: 165 ✭✭Rosier


    athtrasna wrote: »
    This is precisely your only way of having a right to complain. Do they have wooden floors OP?

    If not, the joy of apartment living is potentially having neighbours on four sides and having their lifestyle impact on yours. Kids are kids, running around and shouting is what they do. Sure an apartment isn't the best place to bring them up but it's all some people have. That doesn't make them bad people.

    We never ran around shouting at all hours when we were kids. The more serious issue here now is the attitude of the parents and the added hassle of loud music. Which is immature and inconsiderate indeed. And greatly unneighbourly. As it is to allow kids to run riot all the time.

    Sadly I agree with others that the only way for you is to move. I have had to do this twice because of serious noise issues and even worse attitudes by those making it..
    Choose very carefully next time; take time to find out what noise issues there are nearby. If you use daft ie, use the map feature to see what is nearby
    And yes I have the peace I need.

    This is not your fault. It really is not. Noise is invasive and becomes unbearable very fast.


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    #17
    djimi
    Registered Users Posts: 13,237 ✭✭✭✭djimi


    athtrasna wrote: »
    Kids are kids, running around and shouting is what they do. Sure an apartment isn't the best place to bring them up but it's all some people have. That doesn't make them bad people.

    I dont like or agree with this attitude. Kids will be kids and a certain amount of noise is inevitable, but that doesnt give the parents a free pass to allow their kids to run around and scream to their hearts content. It works both ways, and they have to realise that they also have neighbours who are entitled to a certain degree of peace and quiet. This attitude of kids will be kids and you have no right to complain about their noise is wrong imo; there is a degree of responsibility on parents to ensure that noise is kept to a minimum where possible.

    I do agree however that its a problem thats not going to improve massively, so if its an issue then the best option is to move somewhere where the neighbours will hopefully be a bit quieter.


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    #18
    Wabbit Ears
    Registered Users Posts: 3,043 ✭✭✭Wabbit Ears


    Ive heard the same arguments about kids and dogs making noise in the daytime. this happens. The generally understood watersheds apply, if there's noise after 10, you are within your rights to complain. Before 10 the right to peace and quiet simply doesnt exist in communal living.


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    #19
    martinsvi
    Registered Users Posts: 1,729 ✭✭✭martinsvi


    take your complaint to district court! it doesn't matter what's the source of the noise, if it's affecting the quality of your life, you have the right to complain! it doesn't matter at what time of day the noise occurs

    http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/environment/environmental_protection/noise_regulations.html

    IMO if the parents keep their kids of the sugar your problem will resolve it self! The amount of sugar that parents feed their kids in this country is CRIMINAL! (In my opinion parents caught feeding their kids sugar coated cereal or energy drinks should be jailed for causing their kids diabetes) Tiny human beings should not behave like a gazelle unless fed with with doping

    I completely agree with Rosier, we did not run around in circles for the entire day when we were growing up


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    #20
    Dublin_Mom
    Closed Accounts Posts: 394 ✭✭Dublin_Mom


    djimi wrote: »
    I dont like or agree with this attitude. Kids will be kids and a certain amount of noise is inevitable, but that doesnt give the parents a free pass to allow their kids to run around and scream to their hearts content. It works both ways, and they have to realise that they also have neighbours who are entitled to a certain degree of peace and quiet. This attitude of kids will be kids and you have no right to complain about their noise is wrong imo; there is a degree of responsibility on parents to ensure that noise is kept to a minimum where possible.

    I do agree however that its a problem thats not going to improve massively, so if its an issue then the best option is to move somewhere where the neighbours will hopefully be a bit quieter.

    I agree entirely - we lived in the U.S for a few years when the kids were younger and frankly kids were expected to tow the line and to behave and not be a complete pain in the ass to others. At least in the town/suburb I lived in. To the extent that if your kid was acting up in a playground a parent you had never seen before might actually tick him off, quite a shock to the system at first but something I came to appreciate.
    When I came back to Ireland I found it quite a change to see how really annoying behaviour is tolerated by parents here, in restaraunts , in shops . and I am not an old fuddy duddy and have kids myself, but I certainly do my best not to allow them annoy other people.


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