Problem With Upstairs Neighbours Young Child

I feel for you OP and its not something you should have to accept... We once had a young family next door with two young kids (2 and 4ish) who used to make terrible noise all day often until 11- 12pm (so hardly 2-3am :eek: )... this is in a semi-detached bungalow, so it was only noise coming through one side rather than above, which though annoying, it was not as destructive as we could get away from it to some degree [and they moved away after three months]

Its all about respect for those around you... we have two kids (now 11 and 6) and we have always been very conscious of our neighbors (now a lovely very quiet single lady) by making sure any noisy play, esp. thudding around is kept well in check. We have also talked to her and stressed if ever noise levels become too high to let us know, or just tap on the wall... something she has not needed to do.

Yeah, kids make noise and have to play, but what the OP is experiencing is above and beyond reasonable, and expecting them to (cough) simply 'move' is ridiculous... I hope it works out for you.
 
Ben3991 said:
A point myself and others have made many times on here. I don't expect anyone to be able to control a 2 year old all day.

I do expect however a parent to put a stop to a child running around the house at 3 in the morning when they know it causes such noise to a family below.

If a child came up to your window and started banging on it at 3 in the morning, I don't feel your response would be that is was OK because you can't control a 2 year old.
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Except they're not, they're inside their own environment. Minding their own business. A 2 year isn't jumping up and down like a jack hammer. Just moving around freely as they have the right and need to do. And it's not to annoy you either. Some kids go down and some don't. It's just the appallingly thin builds and poor noise insulation. You don't like it, then move. You should have considered that before you bought it. It's tough, you know the origin of the saying "waiting for the other shoe to drop? I've had to sell and move twice myself to get away from problem neighbours and noisy kids, lost loads. It sucks I know, but like I said it will get worse. The more you complain the more unpleasant it will be to live there as well.
 
fornowagain said:
Except they're not, they're inside their own environment. Minding their own business. A 2 year isn't jumping up and down like a jack hammer. Just moving around freely as they have the right and need to do. And it's not to annoy you either. Some kids go down and some don't. It's just the appallingly thin builds and poor noise insulation. You don't like it, then move. You should have considered that before you bought it. It's tough, you know the origin of the saying "waiting for the other shoe to drop? I've had to sell and move twice myself to get away from problem neighbours and noisy kids, lost loads. It sucks I know, but like I said it will get worse. The more you complain the more unpleasant it will be to live there as well.
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I bet if the shoe was on the other foot though it would be different. If the OP was blasting loud music or having angry sex until the early hours of the morning!
 
The council are lying. They have to deal with unnecessary noise during unsocial hours, they just don't want to do it.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/noise-nuisances-how-councils-deal-with-complaints

If I had a kid making noise at that time in the morning next to me, I would do everything I could to make there life a misery till they make it stop.
A kid up at those hours (not taking into account any medical reasons) they are bad parents and need to be reported.
 
Dis86 said:
I bet if the shoe was on the other foot though it would be different. If the OP was blasting loud music or having angry sex until the early hours of the morning!
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I once bought a semi, spent loads doing it up. Then the neighbour dies and a developer bought it and turned it into a DSS bedsit. Full of drunks and druggies. I know all about noise and violence. Bought a house in a nice estate, all the kids grew up as they do and had feral gangs of them kicking balls against my house and sports car. Ended up in fist fights with the parents. It can be a pain, but it's a toddling baby. Not an adult who if you're very lucky might be reasoned with. As I said from experience, one of my 4 kids only slept a few hours at a time for nearly 3 years and NOTHING would stop him moving around like a demented jack rabbit. Oh and I also have an Autistic child that's damn near impossible to control, never once caused a strange/neighbour a problem. But damn, noise carries so easily.
 
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fornowagain said:
I once bought a semi, spent loads doing it up. Then the neighbour dies and a developer bought it and turned it into a DSS bedsit. Full of drunks and druggies. I know all about noise and violence. Bought a house in a nice estate, all the kids grew up as they do and had feral gangs of them kicking balls against my house and sports car. Ended up in fist fights with the parents. It can be a pain, but it's a toddling baby. Not an adult who if you're very lucky might be reasoned with. As I said from experience, one of my 4 kids only slept a few hours at a time for nearly 3 years and NOTHING would stop him moving around like a demented jack rabbit.
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Did you try whiskey or restraints? :D

And yeah, I know some of the problems you mean - we have the feral kids issue here too. Mummy and daddy simply can't believe that little Edward set fire to that kid's play park. Or that Joshua was throwing stones at passing cars.
Or when they do believe it they seem to think that it's OK "just kids being kids innit, no, it's your kid being a ******* little ****".
 
Dis86 said:
Did you try whiskey or restraints? :D

And yeah, I know some of the problems you mean - we have the feral kids issue here too. Mummy and daddy simply can't believe that little Edward set fire to that kid's play park. Or that Joshua was throwing stones at passing cars.
Or when they do believe it they seem to think that it's OK "just kids being kids innit, no, it's your kid being a ******* little ****".
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Tried it all, had to sleep next to him downstairs. The others slept like clockwork. They're all different. Of the 4, 3 go out near the house. 1 would never allow out due to noise. I watch very closely on noise and disturbing the neighbours. I won't stand for any anti-social behaviour, even too much noise in the back garden. But you're on a loser trying to get anyone to keep an active 2 year old silent enough at night, in their own bedroom, so you can't hear it through a tissue thin ceiling.
 
Have a child of your own and make it wear clogs from the day it is born. Then around the age of 2 make clog-gloves and encourage it to walk around the house on all fours.

Plan the long game is what I'm saying.
 
The problem is that if you did move, the new place might look very good, but you never know what the neighbours are like until you move in
 
Word of advice, think carefully before putting any complaints in writing. When completing the the TA6 should you wish to sell, formal disputes may need to be disclosed to a buyer.

Complaints about neighbour noise you can get away with, but if you make it a formal dispute or write to the council, etc then it enters a grey area.

A letter that comes up during a conveyancing process which shows how miserable your life has been is not going to help.
 
Swifty55 said:
Such an expert are we?

Maybe there's a reason why they're up at that time?

One of my friends child has just turned 3 and has finally been diagnosed with Autism after a year going back and forth with professionals as they kept saying his tantrums and screaming etc were the signs of a child with terrible twos or being spoilt/naughty.

Some one I work with, his son at the age of 7 only sleeps for around 4 hours a day. Goes to bed normally around 8/9pm and then is up at around 1am/2am. This is every night, constant struggle for the parents due to work etc, but they do it. Doctors are trying all sorts to find what makes it happen...

It's so easy to judge isn't it...
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Sorry you read me very wrong.

I have two kids both under 5.. If you surveyed 100 parents and asked is your kid running around and banging between the hours of 12-6am normal 99% would say no.

I am not even suggesting getting them kicked out of the right course of action in any sense as it does not solve the problem for the family it simply moves the problem onto someone else. Kids with this kind of behavior points to some other types of problem that should be sorted. Sorry does not help the OP but these are kids and at very young ages do not understand their behavior effects others so its down to the parents to enforce.

Maybe i am just lucky and both my kids slept 7-8 ever night from around 13-14 weeks old and they love their sleep so never experienced this.. but we have plenty of family friends with kids and none of them have experienced that type of behavior either.

The family obviously needs help and continually pushing the issue to another place is ultimately not going to solve the obvious underlying issue.

OP you can complain but not sure how you change the behavior of toddlers.. either move or hope they grow out of it.
 
Avenged7Fold said:
I would put away the pitchforks and torches. There is not much you can do about it and its understandable that the council don't want to get involved. Modern buildings seem to let noise go right through the place and without suspending the child in a bungee 24/7, there is little you can do. This doesn't sound like a child rampaging and destroying stuff but rather just moving around excitedly with the grace of drunken dwarf.

What would be a reasonable solution?

IMO it would be for you to move out rather than them. I dont know what you expect them to do but at least if you move into a different house you can choose where you live, what you are currently doing is trying to choose where your neighbours live...



You would categorise these people as scum or chavs because their kid is noisy like every other kid?
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It is not normal for a two year old child to be up from 6 am until 2 am most kids that age are asleep from about 7pm until 6am and it is perfectly possible to stop them being a total nuisance to your neighbours if you live in a flat, you could for example take them outside when they wake up or do some quiet play like a jigsaw or game, try parenting it's the responsibility that comes with the decision to procreate. Expecting never to hear you neighbours in any non detached property and a lot of detached ones is unrealistic but neither is it acceptable to cause a constant nuisance just because you have a two year old!
 
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