Complaint about noise from my tenants

[essexlandlord]

Hello everyone

I own a ground floor leasehold flat . The flats were converted from a house in the 70's. The nextdoor neighbour owns the house next door.

The nextdoor neighbour sleeps in a downstairs room which is directly next to my tenants lounge. There is no sound proofing between the rooms. Regretably there is only one room in the flat which is suitable as a lounge area.


I served notice on my last tenant following his complaints about noise as they were supported by 5 other neighbours. All the other neighbours have nothing but nice things to say about my current tenant. The flat is always amazingly clean when I visit. She is just a nice hard working girl . I really do not want to cause her any offense.

The complaint came after I knocked and asked if he could check for a leak as water was coming through the wall of the flat from his property :).

Any advice on how to proceed would be great. I am more than willing to put my hand in my pocket if anyone can recommend a good soundproofing solution for adjoining walls.

[Paul_f]

Always ask for any complaint to be made in writing otherwise it could be hearsay. It also gives you a record of the complaint and shows it is genuine, and gives you something to show an Environmental Health Officer should they become involved. Complainants who fail to put it in writing should be ignored.

[westminster]

I'm a bit confused. Who is complaining about who?

Do you mean that the next door neighbour, who sleeps on the ground floor of his house (even though he owns the whole house?), has complained about your tenant causing a noise nuisance?

Firstly, it's really not your problem; it's between your tenant and the neighbour. Secondly, if this 'nice hardworking girl' is simply living normally and not having massive wild parties or putting the TV at maximum volume, then she's not doing anything wrong, and it's up to the neighbour if he wants to install additional soundproofing in his property.

Tell the neighbour politely that, if he wishes, he can contact the Noise Abatement Team at the local council (who obviously won't take any action if the so-called noise nuisance is just the sounds of everyday life).

[essexlandlord]

You are correct Westminster. The nextdoor neighbour owns a 5 bedroom house but insists the only room he can sleep in is the one at the rear of the property on the ground floor.

Thank you both for your advice.

[westminster]

Then clearly it's entirely a problem which the neighbour is creating for himself. Any normal person would simply sleep in one of the upstairs bedrooms!